Looking Back
From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History
accessible at www.djnfoundation.org
62 | AUGUST 24 • 2023
The Ubiquitous Barbie
T
he movie Barbie has taken the world by storm. It has broken box office
records, earning $155 million in America the
first weekend that it opened in theaters, and soon
passed $1 billion worldwide.
Now, I’ll admit that I’m not an expert on Barbie, the
iconic toy doll. Certain members of the editorial staff at the
JN whom I will not name (cough, cough, Elizabeth, Marni,
Jackie, Andrea, Amy and Ashlee) urged me to write about
Barbie.
So, I dove into the William Davidson Digital
Archive of Jewish Detroit History to see what
I could find on Barbie. A search for “Barbie
Doll” led to some very interesting stories.
Caution — a search using just the name
“Barbie” will also raise stories about Klaus
Barbie, the infamous Nazi “Butcher of Lyon,”
who was arrested in Bolivia in 1983.
The Barbie doll had a Jewish creator, Ruth Handler, the
daughter of Polish immigrants. For many years, she and her
husband, “Izzy,” barely eked out a living. Their big break
came in 1945 when, with their friend Harold “Matt” Matson,
they formed the toy manufacturing company Mattel Inc.
Today, it is the second largest toy company in the world.
Ruth Handler was Mattel’s first president.
Until Barbie debuted, dolls for children were largely baby
dolls. Ruth Handler wanted a doll in which girls could see
themselves. Barbie debuted in 1959 and was an instant hit.
More than 350,000 were sold that year.
Barbie first appears in the JN in 1965. An advertisement
in the July 2 issue for Daring Discount Drugs listed a
Barbie game for 94 cents (normally $4, limit two, please).
The Dec. 17 issue includes a story that cites the growing
popularity of the Barbie book series. Five years after her birth,
Barbie was a pop culture star.
To be sure, not everyone was happy. Some moms thought Barbie was too sexual. Others
thought that she was a white, blond stereotype of what a woman should be. Feminists used
Barbie as a negative, chanting “We will not be Barbies!”
Barbie, however, evolved over the years to represent women of just about every race, religion
and occupation. Recently, a Barbie with Down syndrome was released. I applaud this — my beloved goddaughter,
Zoie, has Down syndrome.
Jewish Detroiters love Barbie. For examples, see “Such A Doll” about Dorinda Balanecki, who chaired the
“Barbie Grants-A-Wish Collectors Convention,” (March 29, 1996), “Too Many Toys” about 8-year-old Rebecca
Goldberg donating her Barbies in an act of tzedakah (Oct. 10, 1997) or “Blame it on Barbie” (July 10, 1998).
Although now a senior citizen, Barbie has staying power, and she has earned a rare status. Say “Barbie,” and
everyone knows to whom you are referring.
Want to learn more? Go to the DJN archives, available for free at thejewishnews.com.
Mike Smith
Alene and
Graham Landau
Archivist Chair