Discrimination against Jews in the United States is mainly in housing, but it is relatively a minor problem in most of the states, according to reports to the United States Commission on Civil Rights submitted by advisory committees of the 50 states. Michigan and New Hampshire stand out as states where bias against Jews in suburban and resort areas are strong. In New Hampshire 51 percent of summer resort accommodations were reported as barring Jews.
Although the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith has reported considerable resort discrimination against Jews in Maine, the Main advisory committee alleged in its report to Washington that “there were no civil rights problems of great urgency in the state of Maine.” The chairman of Maine’s committee, which denied existence of a problem, was Professor Albert Abrahmson of Bowdoin College.
Massachusetts reported housing discrimination against Jews amounted “to a much smaller degree” than that practiced against Negroes. The Boston Housing Authority was quoted as stating that “99 percent of the Jewish people who come to us will not live in any area other than where they can purchase kosher foods and practice their religion.”
Michigan cited ADL reports revealing that 56 percent of real estate agents in Detroit’s suburbs discriminate against Jews. The ADL found that despite the bias of the agents, 63 percent of suburban residents had no objection to Jews as neighbors. In Michigan, “the Jews are subject to discrimination in housing in many communities…particularly in suburban areas, such as those outside the city of Detroit, and in resort areas and in some new developments.”
NEW YORK REPORTS ANTI-JEWISH BIAS IN “PRESTIGE” NEIGHBORHOODS
New York reported “there is still occasional discrimination against persons of the Jewish faith in some ‘prestige’ neighborhoods.” Oregon reported that Jewish Oregonians “suffer no housing restrictions and neither consider themselves nor are generally looked upon as a minority group.” The ADL reports were quoted confirming absence of housing bias in Oregon.
The State of Washington said that Jews suffered discrimination in employment, as regards both hiring and upgrading, and also were victims of housing restrictions. Four distinct neighborhood areas barred Jews from residence. More recently, some new suburban areas instituted a bar against Jews. Among those new sections named were Mercer owned in Mercer Island and Brydel Wood in Bellevue.
Rhode Island said: “Anti-Semitism exists to a slight degree in some sections of the state. By far the majority of Jews live in or around the city of Providence, where they do not seem to have much difficulty in renting or purchasing good housing.” The Rhode Island report said that “in one senior high school with a large enrollment of Jewish students, great care is taken to avoid observance of festivities contrary to Jewish customs.”
Utah said: “The Jew finds little of which to complain in Utah. He is prominent in politics, the professions, business, education, and civic and social functions. He is barred from some social and fraternal organizations but encounters little or no real anti-Semitism. The Jews of Utah are of the higher economic and cultural strata. They number only 1,500. Jewish civil rights in Utah must be given the highest praise…”
The Minnesota advisory committee found that “the discrimination against Jews is mitigated somewhat by their generally more favorable economic position and has decreased noticeably since World War II.” Southern states, where anti-Jewish bombings and shootings have taken place, omitted all reference to Jews and anti-Semitism from their reports.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
