Hebrew Actors’ Union
Hebrew Actors’ Union
31 East 7th StreetNew York, NY 10003
This rather simple-looking limestone building was home to the Hebrew Actors’ Union, established in 1899, and was just off of what was then called “Yiddish Broadway” (the lower part of Second Avenue between Houston and 14th Street). At that time, Second Avenue was lined with theater houses that featured Yiddish productions. Most of the actors who starred in those productions belonged to the Hebrew Actors’ Union – the first established actors’ union in the U.S. For years, the union was an advocate for fair wages and decent working conditions. Today a plaque at this address and the name etched into the stone façade pay homage to its rich history. On the second floor of this building, up until recently, was Yiddish Artists and Friends, which was an actors’ club that held periodic social events at this location.