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Jewish Gangsters on The Lower East Side: A Walking Tour

Learn where leaders of the Jewish Underworld began their nefarious activities, and discuss questions of morality, power, & assimilation.

Arnold Rothstein, Meir Lansky and Bugsy Siegel were all notorious gangsters whose criminal activities extended to Atlantic City, Miami, Cuba and Las Vegas, but their stories began on the Lower East Side of New York. We will examine where these leaders of the Jewish underworld began their nefarious activities. Along the way we will analyze questions of morality, power and assimilation.

Use your imagination to evoke what once existed, as we view sites that were associated with these Jewish Gangsters.

Join Bradley Shaw, your guide, as he sheds light on the Jews of this dark aspect of New York’s ‘past. Brad, an urban historian and educator, 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 has been a docent, walking tour guide, and manager at the Museum at Eldridge Street, in addition to serving as a guide with the LESJC.