“The Yiddish Press in Los Angeles” by Y. Sh. Naumov [I. S. Neumov]
As appears in Kheshbn (Reckoning), vol. 1 (1946): 44 - 50.
Translated by Mark L. Smith.
[Translator’s note: Personal names are spelled as in the Yiddish original, except for persons well known in English. Words underlined were written in English, but with Yiddish letters.]

....In September 1934, a political paper appeared here under the name “Der epik” [The Epic], [with the slogan] “end poverty in California” (in favor of Upton Sinclair); the editor was Khayim Doytsh, and no more than one issue was published. In November 1929, a monthly publication, “Der vegetaryaner gedank” [The Vegetarian Idea] appeared, under the editorship of Goldblum and Dr. V. Ostrovski [Dr. W. Ostrowski]. No more than four issues were published. In April 1920, a monthly paper “Idishe folks shul” [Jewish Elementary School] appeared, edited by A. Tanis and V. Ostrovski as director. Altogether, two issues were published. In June 1932, the journal “Folks shrift” [People’s Paper] appeared, editor-publisher Itsik Blum, a journal for literature and life, in total two issues, June and October.
In 1940, the “Los andzsheles khile buletin” [Los Angeles Community Bulletin] appeared, and altogether seven issues were published. It was a weekly publication, published by a political committee, and the name of the editor was not given. “Undzer vort” [Our Word], a monthly journal, was published by the Los Angeles Culture Club, edited by H. Royzenblat, Y. Fridland, and H. Goldovski; in total, four issues appeared from March to June 1939. Before that time, there appeared what were called in English “Mushroom” publications, which showed up and quickly faded away without a trace. Likewise, I remember a paper that appeared in the years 1913–14, which Noyekh Mishkovski edited, and I cannot by any means remember the name of the newspaper — so it was with many others that came and went without having any influence.
For the last twenty years, a monthly journal has been published here under the name “Der idisher biznes man” [The Jewish Business Man]. It is the official journal of the United Jewish Grocers. The journal is published with taste and on good paper, founded in 1925 with sections in Yiddish and English. The first editor and director was Herman E. Robins. Now it is edited by B. L. Geran, who is also the director. The press cooperative consists of A. Frank, M. Shertov, H. Manson, D. Framski, and Y. Rothblat. The co-workers are the grocers themselves, and from time to time the journal published essays, literature, and poems by outside writers. The journal also publishes enlarged holiday issues. Note should also be made here of a weekly newspaper that was actually published in San Francisco in the summer of 1930. The editor was Ben Oygust [August], and it appeared in true large-newspaper format with an English section. I mention it here because, just like the first “California Jewish Voice,” this weekly gave attention to Los Angeles. It was called “Idishe pres” [Jewish Press] with a large subheading, “San Francisco – Oakland – Los Angeles.” It existed from May to August of the same year.
In 1934, on February 22nd, a daily newspaper appeared here under the editorship of L. Blank. It was published in tabloid format, and after issue number nine it was converted to a newspaper format. Altogether, sixty issues of the newspaper appeared, and in May 1934 it ceased. In April 1934, the weekly Yiddish newspaper “Di idishe prese” [The Jewish Press] was published here, edited by L. Blank. It existed until February 1936. Because of financial difficulties and its unhealthy condition, the weekly changed its name to “Folks tsaytung” [People’s Newspaper]. The newspaper was supposed to have been nonpartisan, but it bore a communist tone. In November 1936, it folded. In the years 1941–42–43, a periodic children’s journal appeared here under the [Hebrew] name “Koleynu,” our voice. The journal was trilingual — Yiddish, Hebrew, and English. Mostly, the journal would appear around the Jewish holidays, printed by hectograph. The editor was Rabbi Bernard Cohen, with the assistance of the Jewish school teachers, and under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Jewish Education. The children provided the material for the publication themselves.
Finally, I want to ask the reader to forgive me if here and there I have not described the publications in chronological order. If I have omitted certain names that ought to have been mentioned, I have not done so deliberately. In general, it is impossible to list all of the names who dabbled in communal affairs by means of the publications, and even if one had them, it would hardly be considered an honor, and the space for them is limited.
Permit me here also to express my thanks to Rabbi Dr. Solomon Michael Neches from the Western Jewish Institute, for the largest portion of the material that I have assembled here. Rabbi Neches has a large collection of what is called “Jewish-California,” a collection of everything that appeared in print by Jews and about Jews in California. To his credit, I must add the fact that he watches over all of the collections like a faithful father. I found complete runs of all of the newspapers nicely bound and well preserved.

Comment on this page