Who’s Minding the Store? A celebration of Jewish life in the Northwest at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts

The Yiddish writer Sholom Aleichem was once quoted as saying, “No matter how bad things get, you got to go on living, even if it kills you.”

By Patricia Duff • January 22, 2011 2:00 pm
The University of Washington Klezmer Band will perform at the opening night of “Who’s Minding the Store?” at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts in Langley. “Who’s Minding the Store?” is a traveling exhibit of photographs depicting the lives of Jewish businessmen who helped shape the Northwest.
The University of Washington Klezmer Band will perform at the opening night of “Who’s Minding the Store?” at Whidbey Island Center for the Arts in Langley. “Who’s Minding the Store?” is a traveling exhibit of photographs depicting the lives of Jewish businessmen who helped shape the Northwest.

The Yiddish writer Sholom Aleichem was once quoted as saying, “No matter how bad things get, you got to go on living, even if it kills you.”

Perhaps no other words describe better the drive of the Jewish settlers who left Eastern Europe in the middle of the 19th century and emigrated to America in search of a better life. And, with the spirit that Aleichem’s quote so deftly captures, Jewish communities across the United States thrived in the early part of the 20th century because of the determination and business acumen of their people.

Now, the Jewish community of Whidbey Island invites folks to see a testament to that historic spirit that helped to form the commercial centers of the Pacific Northwest.

Whidbey Island Center for the Arts and the Whidbey Island Jewish Community present “Who’s Minding the Store: Celebrating 150 years of Business and Commerce in the Pacific Northwest.”

The exhibition opening includes a reception starting at 6 p.m., followed by a concert featuring the University of Washington Klezmer Band at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 23. The exhibition will be on display through Jan. 30 in WICA’s Zech Hall.

“Who’s Minding the Store?” is an exhibition of photographs borrowed from the Washington State Jewish Archives that celebrates 150 years of Jewish people doing business in the region.

Carol Oseran Starin is a former educator, the founder of Seattle’s Jewish Day School and the author of “Let Me Count the Ways: Practical Innovations for Jewish Teachers,” among other publications. She was one of the organizers of the traveling exhibit.

“I couldn’t have imagined how excited people would be to tell their stories,” Starin said. “And we have 150 of them from around the state.”

Jewish businesspersons from Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Spokane, Elma, Walla Walla, Bellingham, Toppenish and Aberdeen came together to record their stories and the stories of the roots of their businesses.

The exhibition focuses on some of Washington’s earliest Jewish entrepreneurs, large and small, some of whom provided equipment, tools, clothing, bedding, food and financial support to community.

The program is made possible by the Washington State Jewish Historical Society and the University of Washington Libraries, both of which believe that history comes alive through the details of the lives recorded here.

Those lives come to life in photographs that depict community members such as Sol Amon, who joined his father Jack in the Pike Place Market and came to be known as the “Cod Father.” And Ralph Mackoff, who owned men’s wear stores in Spokane and was known as “Two pants Ralph.” There is also Morris Rosen, the founder of Alaskan Copper Works, who tells his story of having worked on the construction of the Panama Canal while earning 68 cents per hour.

Ultimately, many of these businessmen helped to shape and support the industries that grew to form the bulwark of the region. Washington state owes much of its infrastructure, commercial foundations and charitable beginnings to the vision and influence of its early Jewish pioneers.

“Who’s Minding the Store?” invites the Whidbey Island community to learn more about these inspiring individuals through the photographic display created by the Washington State Jewish Historical Society.

Rounding out the opening of the historical event is a concert by the University of Washington Klezmer Band, which performs Jewish music from Eastern Europe as seen through the lens of the American Jewish experience. This lively and danceable music includes traditional songs and dances from Moldova, Romania and the Ukraine.

The band will be joined by clarinetist Jack “Yankl” Falk — a longtime member of the Budapest-based Jewish roots ensemble

Di Naye Kapelye. Falk has previously performed with Hora Tzigane, Don Byron’s Music of Mickey Katz, the Black Cat Orchestra, the Mazeltones and other ensembles.

Tickets to the opening are $10, and are available at www.WICAonline.com or by calling 221-8268 or 800-638-7631.

The exhibition will be on display in WICA’s Zech Hall Jan. 24-30; Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free.

“Who’s Minding the Store?” is sponsored in part by Humanities Washington, Ken and Susan Lindsey-Cohen and David and Susan Melman. The traveling exhibit was brought to the island by members of Whidbey Island Jewish Community.