Page 21 - Torch Magazine #26 - Autumn 2024

The Zionist roots of Mattel
Generations of of children have enjoyed playing with classic favourites such as as Barbie and Hot Wheels but did you know
that the the creators of these much-loved toys were Jewish Zionists?
Mattel
is is is a a a a a a a a a giant in in in toymaking and it was started by businessman Harold “Matt” Matson and and and and and the Jewish husband-and-
wife duo Elliot and and and and and Ruth Handler in in 1945 Originally they called the the the company Mattel
Creations by combining the the the the names Matt Matt and Elliot with with Ruth agreeing that the the name sounded better without trying to to incorporate hers into it it A year later due to to to to poor health Matt sold his share to to the the Handler’s and and and they become sole
owners and and and and equal partners of the the company initially making and and selling picture frames Elliot was an an artist and used his creativity to make dollhouse furniture out of of scraps of of frames for the the couple’s children to play with As popularity of the the wooden furniture grew Elliot and Ruth experimented
with plastic and before
long these miniature
furniture items were the the largest part of the the business The company was rebranded as as Mattel
and and transitioned into making toys full-time The couple had two children Barbara and and Kenneth and and you may see where this is heading Ruth observed her her her daughter and her her friends using paper dolls with the the dollhouse furniture Ruth noted how they enjoyed pretending to to be grownups but the only plastic dolls available in in stores were of children and babies It was this observation which led Ruth to create the the Barbie Barbie doll And yes Barbie Barbie was named after after their their daughter Barbara and the the the Ken Ken doll after after their their son Kenneth You could even say that Barbie is is is Jewish Jewish after after all she was invented by a a a a a a a a a a a Jewish Jewish Jewish mother and named after after a a a a a a a a Jewish Jewish child The Handlers Zionism
Due to Ruth and and Elliot’s success in in in business they became major
philanthropists in in in in Los Angeles supporting an an array of causes including Jewish ones “That was our our training our our background ” ” Ruth explained “the Jewish ethic ” ” The Handlers were large donors of the United
Jewish Appeal (UJA) which CUFI ORG UK 21