The Untold Story of the Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Built America’s Toy Industry

Think about the toys that defined your childhood, or your children’s, or your grandchildren’s. The board games on a rainy afternoon. The action figures. The dolls. Chances are, the companies behind those toys were built by Jewish entrepreneurs—immigrants and their children who arrived in America with little more than ambition and an instinct for what might capture a child’s imagination.   On this episode of the Conversations with B’nai B’rith Podcast, CEO Dan Mariaschin sits down with author Michael Kimmel to discuss his fascinating new book, “Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America.” Kimmel, himself a descendant of the founders of the Ideal Toy Corporation, tells the stories behind those toys—and the remarkable men and women who built them.   Watch this episode on the B’nai B’rith International YouTube channel. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @bnaibrith. Follow us on the B’nai B’rith International Facebook page. Follow us on Twitter/X at @bnaibrith.