Gangsters of the Lower East Side by Dr. Yigal Kotler 

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COJECO Jewish Intellectual Club Beseda: Gangsters of the Lower East Side by Dr. Yigal Kotler 

Monday, June 29th @6:00PM

(in Russian)

Step into the shadowy world of Jewish gangsters, bootleggers, and underground speakeasies on this fascinating walking tour led by Dr. Yigal Kotler. Exploring a lesser-known chapter in the history of Jewish immigration to America, the tour reveals how the streets of New York’s Lower East Side became the birthplace of some of the most notorious figures in organized crime.

Long before their names became legendary in Atlantic City, Miami, Cuba, and Las Vegas, Arnold Rothstein, Meyer Lansky, and Bugsy Siegel were young Jewish immigrants navigating the crowded immigrant neighborhoods of downtown Manhattan. Together, we will visit sites connected to the world of the “Kosher Nostra” — Jewish gangsters, bootleggers, gamblers, pimps, and other colorful figures who operated in the underworld of early 20th-century New York. But this tour is about far more than crime stories. We will also explore the social roots of Jewish organized crime, questions of morality, poverty, power, and assimilation, as well as the response of the broader law-abiding Jewish community. Participants will learn how Jewish gangs and veterans confronted pro-Nazi groups in the streets of New York during the 1930s, adding another dramatic dimension to this remarkable history.

After the tour, visitors will also have an opportunity to continue the experience at the Back Room — New York City’s only surviving authentic Prohibition-era speakeasy and a favorite haunt of Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel. There, they can enjoy the atmosphere of the Roaring Twenties with live music and dancing in a truly historic setting (optional and not included in the tour program).

BESEDA: COJECO Jewish Intellectual Circle is part of the COJECO Adult Jewish Education Series, generously supported by the UJA-Federation of NY. 

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