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