Drawn to Paradise: Jewish Musicians in Los Angeles

Since antiquity, Jewish people have been driven from their ancestral homeland or drawn to other geographic regions, either by choice or out of necessity. The Jewish diaspora refers to the global dispersion of Jewish people and the impact they have in their new communities.  Throughout the twentieth century, many settled in the burgeoning city of Los Angeles, which now holds the fourth-largest Jewish population in the world. Drawn to Paradise highlights prominent and little-known Jewish musicians who made important contributions to musical and cultural life in Los Angeles.

The exhibition includes materials from the UCLA Music Library, Library Special Collections, Young Research Library, Biomedical Library, and the Southern Regional Library Facility.

Drawn to Paradise was curated by Chantel Diaz and Matthew Vest and designed by Vest, with additional research by Alexander Hallenbeck. Katherine Kapsidelis and Hannah Sutherland managed installation, Doug Daniels printed graphics, and Chris Brennan and Alan Lee handled graphic installation. Peggy Alexander, Molly Hemphill and Jet Jacobs consulted for Special Collections materials and Molly Haigh managed Special Collections duplication.