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Jewish Histories in Multiethnic Boyle Heights

Letters to the Milkman, 1930s

Victor Roberts (né Victor Nathan Rosenberg) worked as a dairy delivery man for Arden Farms while he attended Southwest Law School in the early 1930s. He often received notes like these from his customers in Boyle Heights, many of whom were immigrants who lacked a formal English-language education. The notes were shared by his son Mel Roberts, and appear here courtesy of Western States Jewish History.

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1. The Siren, April 24, 1940 The cover of Hollenbeck Junior High's newspaper, The Siren, from April 24, 1940. As Abraham Hoffman noted, the invitation to the school's Open House on the cover was published in four languages—English, Japanese, Yiddish, and Spanish—and serves as "evidence of the awareness of how the different ethnicities and races [in the neighborhood] could get together." Courtesy of Western States Jewish History.
2. American Legion Hall (formerly Cincinnati Street Shul) 1948
3. Soto-Michigan JCC class, ca. 1948 A group picture taken at the Soto-Michigan JCC circa 1948. Original caption identifies some of those pictured: "1st row, far right: Marv Bornstein; 2nd row, wearing pearls: Alice Yuwiler, counselor; 2nd row, far right: Shirley Peltzman-Morrison, counselor; Top row, left: Carol Sheanin, Marlene (Judy) Kotzner, Lois Sloan, Elmera Shrogin." Photo from Carol Sheanin Cramer, courtesy of Western States Jewish History.
4. Soto Street Folkshul, 1942
5. Variety Boys Club: construction, 1948
6. The Barskys, ca. 1935
7. Variety Boys Club: Football Team, 1951 Members of the Variety Boys Club football team, photographed in 1951. According to Asher Rosen, those pictured include: "Top row (left to right): Joey Shorr, Asher Rosen, Jerry Sidler, Freddie Goldberg, [unknown], Izzy Borenstein (aka 'Cuba'); Front row: Coach Arnie Grayboyes (sp?),Phil Arvin, Mel Silverman, Irv Goldberg, Arnold Brody, [unknown]." Photo from Judy Zdravje, courtesy of Western States Jewish History.
8. Malabar Elementary 4th grade pageant, mid 1920s Harriet Rochlin's 4th grade class at Malabar Elementary School. Her original caption reads: "My fourth-grade class at Malabar Elementary School studied local Indians as part of the history of California. Our teacher and avid guide was Miss Castro, descendant of a Mexican California family, its most prominent member, General Jose Castro, who was acting governor of Alta California (1835-1836). Photo from Harriet Rochlin, courtesy of Western States Jewish History.
9. Variety Boys Club: Members with actor Dennis Morgan, 1951 Members of the Variety Boys Club, photographed with actor Dennis Morgan (standing, top right) in 1951. Also pictured are Mr. Dave Bashon (seated, right), Arnold Brody (seated, second from the left), Ernie Levy (standing, second from the right), Eugene Myer (middle row, left), Joe Rocher (middle row, second from the left), and Morton Frisch (middle row, right). Photo from Judy Zdravje, courtesy of Western States Jewish History.
11. Hollenbeck Flagraisers, 1943
12. Boyle Heights Victory House, ca. 1943
13. Benito Athletic Club, 1928 The Benito Athletic Club, photographed on Nov. 24, 1928. According to Bernie Cowan, those pictured include: "Top row, left to right: Al Jarvis, Lou Razner, Joe Gold, [unknown], Ike Cooklin, Paul Jaffe, Sam Weiner, Paul Weiner, Dave Udcoff; Middle row : Harry Jaffe, Harry Cowen, Eli Nerkin, Herman Rozzen, Hi Jolson, Frank Meyer, Zebi Bararsky, Maurice Nathan, [unknown], I. B. Rozzen; Front row: Jack Elman, Joe Fisher, Lou Singer, Dave Kadish, Morrie Axelrod, Fred Berke, Sam Keys, Abe Mallson, [unknown]." Photograph from Bernie Cowan, courtesy of Western States Jewish History.
15. Letters to the Milkman, 1930s Victor Roberts (né Victor Nathan Rosenberg) worked as a dairy delivery man for Arden Farms while he attended Southwest Law School in the early 1930s. He often received notes like these from his customers in Boyle Heights, many of whom were immigrants who lacked a formal English-language education. The notes were shared by his son Mel Roberts, and appear here courtesy of Western States Jewish History.
16. "The Castle of Boyle Heights"
17. Eastside Journal offices, ca. 1935 The offices of The Eastside Journal when they opened at 2016 Brooklyn Avenue in 1935, featuring posters for Jack Berman, then a candidate for the Los Angeles City Council. Editor Al Waxman, who was the son of Russian Jewish immigrants, was a vocal opponent of Japanese Internment and the treatment of Mexican American youth by the police and the mainstream press. In the postwar era, he changed the name of the journal to the "L.A. Reporter" and grew his publishing enterprise to include four other papers for Beverly Hills and the Park La Brea, Pico, and Wilshire neighborhoods. Photo courtesy of Western States Jewish History.
18. Malabar Elementary friends, ca. 1935
20. Palavers Club, 1946 Members of the Palavers Sports Club photographed in August 1946 at the Studio of Modern Photography. According to Gary Platt, those pictured include, "Top Row (left to right): Al Canter, Manual Rodrigues, Chuck Esakoff, [unknown], Gary Platt, Jack Silver, Al Green (Greenberg), Sam Feedman; Middle row: Izzy Yedwalsky, Leo Cralnick, John Brockovich, Leo Guzick, Milt Drucker, Cy Yates; Front Row: Marvin Schwartz, Jack Goodman, [unknown], Leo Miller, Harry Silverstein, [unknown]." Photo from Gary Platt, courtesy of Western States Jewish History.
21. The Guardians, 1938
24. Hebrew Sheltering and Home for the Aged, original campus
26. Hollenbeck Junior High, 1938 An aerial view of Hollenbeck Junior High School in 1938, five years after the Long Beach earthquake damaged earlier buildings. The brick building at the center right, housing the cafeteria and home economics classrooms, was the only building to survive the earthquake. The building was designed by architect Richard Neutra. As appears in the Hollenbeck Siren (yearbook), 1938, courtesy of Western States Jewish History.