Los Angeles

Commercial and manufacturing city in the state of California; situated on the left bank of the river of the same name, and about 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Jews first settled in Los Angeles in 1849; and they increased in number so rapidly that within a few years they organized a congregation and erected a house of worship. They also obtained from the city the grant of a tract of land for a cemetery, and established a charitable organization to afford decent burial for the poor.

At present (1904) the Jews number about 3,000 in a total population of about 120,000. There are a number of Jewish educational and charitable institutions, of which may be mentioned: Ladies' Hebrew Benevolent Society, Los Angeles Lodge I. O. B. B. and two other B'nai B'rith lodges, Kaspare Cohn Hospital Association, and Ladies' Aid Society. The congregation has had five rabbis: A. W. Edelman, E. Schreiber, A. Blum, M. G. Solomon, and S. Hecht, the present incumbent.

The Jewish contingent of the population has taken an active part in promoting the business interests of the city, and a number of Jews are prominent as bankers, manufacturers, real-estate dealers, wholesale-grocery merchants, etc. There are also several Jewish physicians, lawyers, architects, and mechanics. See Jew. Encyc. iii. 511, s.v. California.

A.