The most famous Jewish neighborhood ever was probably the Lower East Side of Manhattan. From 1881 to 1924 more than a million Jews piled into this section of NYC making it historically the most crowded and most Jewish area on earth.
MANY noted people were born and lived here - politicians, writers, radical thinkers, reformers and religious leaders. The ones we probably remember most, however, are the entertainers. The actors, singers, comedians and tummlers who started out in the tenements, but became famous in Hollywood, on television, on the stage and in the concert halls.
Join Brad for a pleasant stroll through the Lower East Side and learn about these icons from the neighborhood. Some of the people you will hear about:
A famous actor whose daughter became even more famous
A comedian whose son also became more famous
A writer who composed the songs for one of the most famous movies of all time
An actor who epitomized the movie tough guy
The first Jewish actor to win the Oscar for Best Actor
One of the most famous comic book illustrators ever
Two of the most famous composers of all time
Your guide, Urban Historian and educator Bradley Shaw, was born on the Lower East Side, has a BA in History and Education from Brooklyn College and is a licensed NYC tour guide. He shares with us his love of the neighborhood and passion for its history. He has been a docent, walking tour guide and manager at the Museum at Eldridge Street for more than six years, in addition to doing walking tours for the LESJC, Context Travel and his own company NY History Tours.
