The Jewish community in New Zealand : a contribution to the study of assimilation : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Geography at Massey University

Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for

a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and

private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without

the permission of the Author.

Massey University L·b _{1 rary} New Zea/and & Pacific Collection

THE J.BIISH COJO(UNlTr IN NEW ZEALANJ>:

J. C<ffl'B.IBUTION TO THE STUDY O:P ASSIMILATION

A Thesis Preaented 1n Partial ~ilment ot the Requirements

tor the Degree ~ Kuter

ot

Arta in !;eograpt\Y

at

Kaasv Univenity

P.a. COLLINS

Ku..- Uninraity

IA.BLE OF CON.rENTS

Pag

Pref'ue

2. The New Zeal.al1 lnish Camunit.Y 181+0-1966. 7 (1) If• Zealand .Tewiah Population 1""'11. 8 ( I) Age Sez Gbaract riatioa. 15 (J) Knribution ot. New Zealan4 Jewry. 21

( 4,) The anomlo .truoture. 25

( S) 11111111117 • 31

~be Urban J ewilh Conm,mi tiezs

ot

Aue.kl.and,

Wellington and Christehurcll, 1966. 33

( 1 ) Spatial Charactmsticzs.

'4

(2) D ographic Cbaraoteristice. .39

Cs)

^Eoonomio Charaoteristios.

4.7

(4,) Conoluzs1one.

58

Xnt..Urban J>ttterent:Latioru the Auckland

Jewi.eh

Oo,..-!A41:.J', 1966.

6o

( 11) »-ognrpbl.o Chanot riatlo • 61 (2)

la

C1W Chelwst .li.St· •• 68

(J)

1u•1ou. 76

s.

Jnuh eannnt.: Organua.U • ( 1)

i.eUci. •

0~ enieati _ Al·

(2)

^{B s.}

(J) O~r V luntsi:, C0011J1;ma.a.

t7

7

81 ,,

6,

The Nn Zealan4 Jewish Preaa.

98

(1) Hiatozy.

98

(2) Content and Function ~ a i a . 100

c,>

Conoluaiona. 110

1.

^Can Nn Zeal.and. JflWl'I Suffive? 114

Appen41x A. !he Questionnaire Sllffll1 • 120 ApptnUz B. Oooupationa ot ^the klclt1.•14 1 .... 131 Apptll41x

c.

ltatlatioal Subdi naiona ot the

Auokllll4, lrel.lin,ton an4 Cbril'tohuroh Urban

AJieaa. 132

Apptniix

». c..,.tn•l

Ol'ganiaatiou.

138

Bibliolftll)l\y • 140

x .

^{Helu.w P}

Honot ew z ,~~ • n. • ai.11...,..

^{aatt.o Per}

too

^{t!l4I Nw}

z.1-,

. - - - Ptpi'l8Ucm8t 18S8-1

ni.

^~

., taae • ...

^Ma,M 11e1a . . Pop,latun

\l&r

~ 18 •

dt.Cill Bab- . P

PNfiDNl(t ,1 )

i1>'111111J&1Riieal. . . .

<•->·

t91i5 . . t •

ff.

^{A ~}

ot

^{the DMllftl9 T} W Popul.a- ti

1r . . .

J>ivle1c:aM.

1 926 . 19'6,

1945.

m.

4l'W lewub C,om· nari3.1lie

p

t

VIII. A C-.11'1.IGft ^$8'

...

U.

4 CCIIPU'I . .

Ill

b ~Nit

, ...

L COIi·

Ill - _..

U.tatllre .... ~-.

t

Pl

10

17

n.

A Compar.Uoa Id the HebNW ad htail Popula•

tion 1a tht 4uoklan4; Wellingtcn en.4 Ghri.t- olmieb U!'ban Area by Occupational Di:ti.aiona,

19".

xn.

A Compa!'S.1on of the Hebrew and Total. Popula- tion la the Anokland., Wellington and Ghriat- ohunh Ul'ban A.NU by Incbl&1ti,r Di'd.eion•,

t'66.

XIII. A Oompariaon

ot

the Hebrew and Total Popula- tion in i:he Auokland;

w

llington and. Christ•

51

53

ohuroh Urben Areas b:, Income Di'f'iaiona·, 1966. 55

XIV. A Comparison ot Hebl'9W Groups in the Auckland Urban Area

'b.Y

Age,

1966.

XV. A Comparlaon ot Hebrew (;roups in the A.uoklan4

Uftaft Afta

IF

Jlarital Statue, 1966.

XVI. A Ccapuiaoa

ot

llebNW lroupa in the Au klan4 Urban. Ana

'b.Y

Bittbflaoe,

1966.

XVII. A Caapd.l.lGa

ot

fereign bom Hebrew Gl'GUpa in the Auokld. Ul"ba Area by Durat~

bdd.•ust in New Zealand,

t"6.

ivm.

^{A ~ -}

ot

^He ·ftW

ar~p tn

thlt Aucklan4 Vl'ba ... by

total•

Aot1Wl_y ~

tot ... lot .1e,1"13'

~ c l .

1966.

m.

^A. CGllpal"Uon of Hebl"tlJ froup•

An

the Au 3'1•4

Urban AIM Within tbe Total Aotifl~ ^~

1,u.

xx.

^A

c . ~aon or

^H@rw G~p• in the Auokl.ancl Ua-ban Ana Withill

tbe

Total Not ActlYeJ.y

~ - t'46.,

6.5

66

68

,,

III. ~ Ccmpar1ae

ot

HebNW ;a,oupa 1n the Auckland

Uri>& ~ ~ Oecupat1.anal Diviaiou,

1966. 72 XXII.

A Canpariaan ~ Htbrew Groupe in the Auoklan4

Urban Area by Industrial Diviaiona, 1966. 73

XXIII. A CClllp&l'laon o~ Hebrew Groups in the Auckland

Urban 4ftla by Inoome Dirisiona, 1966.

75

xnv.

Peft111tage SpaM Allocation ot Di'riliou in

the H•

z ..

1.,,4 Jftlab Preaa, 1927.i967 (1 ). 103

nv.

Percentage Spaoe Allocation of DiYiaiona :ln

the N• ZNlan4 Jewish Presa, 1927-1967 (2). 101+,

LDI 01 PIIWBES

Page

...

^H•bnw

Aae--les

Struotut'eaa 1916-19.56.

19

2. Age.Su Structures tor the Hebrew ancl Total

Popul.atioQ, 1 ' " 20

.,.

Comparatin Di,tribut:Lon of Hebrews in the Auok:lan4 Urban Area,

t966.

,...

CCJDpardin Diatributian of Hebnwa in the WelU.ngtm Urban Area.

1966.

5.

Comp&1att:n Diltn.bution ot Hebren 1n the

~

u....,.. -.., 1966 •

.&g..Sa StNOturea tor the Auckland Urban

Area,

t964.

7.

^Age-la 8t;l'UOtun1 tor the we~on U~Area,

1966.

'*''

a.

Ag...Sex Stiwoturea

tor

the Chrlatc!m h

Ul'l>an A.Na,

19".

lJ.

,.

NUp l>i:fi.liGDI la t1- Al.lckland Urban

.beat

1966. 62

,e.

Statlnioal Sub4i'fiaione, Auokl.an4 UJll>a

A.-.

132

11, .

Statiatltal SubcU:,uiane, Well.:l.ngt

Urban Area.

1.34

12.

tatiniul

Sub41Yia1oo.a, Chriatcharoh

Uffal\~

1'6

LIST OP PLATES

1. Korol'U"ika, Bq ~ Islande, New Zealand; 1836.

showing the ,tore which belonged to

J.s.

Polack, an

..-13

Jewiah tl"&der.

Page

9 81

s,,

RUIOBroua reterencea have been made to the dearth ot material on New Zealancl! a immigrant m1nol'it,Y groups. 1 Although luting a bibliograpey

of approx1mate]3 90 reterenoea on illllligrants and immigration 1n New Zea- land, Thomaon ancl Trlin ill theii' recentzy publiahe4 Iamigrants ¹ⁿ New

Iffland

venturecl tbe opW.on that, •there are atill aerioua gape in our knowledge and that there 1• a definite need tor further research on all aapeota

ot

1.mmigration, immigrants, ethnic group ad.Juatments, assimila•

tiac and ao on•. 2 With the .xception

ot

L.M. Goldun' a The History of

the

^{Jm M?,} New Zp]•pf an4 a.A. Loohore• a :Prom Europe to New Zealand ( whioh oontaina a aeotion on the J awish people) no specialist work has been oanpleted on the Jewish people ot New Zealan4.

This thesis aima therefore to make a detailed stu(\y ot the New Zea- land Jewish oomoninity 1n its New Zealand environment tor two purposes,

a) aa a contribution to the literature on the New Zealand Jniah community, ancl

b) an a broader bue, a contribution to the greater under- atandina ot 1mni&rat1on, eettlement end assimilation ot racial and eth- nio. adllor.s.t.r group• in Rn Ze&lan4.

llore speoit1c&ll3 1t 1• a1m.ec1 tot

1} examine the orl.giu, gl'Olrth and development

ot

^Jewiah settlement in Nw ZeeJ ena

11) to clucm.be ata:Uerities to• ^an4 o.u:terenoea

tram,

New Zulen4' • spatial• 4Mogmph1o, aocial end eoonomio nome 1n the Urban Aieu ~ Auoklancl, Welllngton and Chriatohlrch where 79 pel'Oent

ot

the

Jewilh population

naiu,

¹ⁿ other worde, to e:um1ne t1- pattem

ot

ueta,Jation ol lmllh people into New Zealancl life and oormnent on one

flt the central problems ot contemporary Jewieb lite in Mew Zealancl • the

que,tion ot aum.•al•

1'.hree r e ~ h teomiqu . . were utiliaed in tbu tbea1e₁

vu.~

pr:t.m,u:y ancl seoondaiy aauroe ana]J'aiaJ personal intern.ewe, discussion

and oorrespancleno•-J and a queationna1re mailed to ner:, Jewish house- hold in an ul'ban area.

Basio ut•d.al

wu

4eriYec1

tram

New Zealdl"'t4 ceuua l.'ecori.s and additional Wo111l«ltion llac1e ayailable by the J>t,partunt of Statiatice, Lowu Hutt•

tor~

Auokland, Wellington and. C:hriatolllll'Ch U!'ban Areas

tna

^the

19"

•eaau• Intomatian. obtainecl horn the

New Zeel,9D4

Jewieh

@m:gpjgiLf

encl

ftrlout

other

Jewish macuine publications provided a

graphic insight into the problems u ociated with the growth and develop- ment O't the .Tewiah minority group and its ad,Juatment to the host society.

!hi.a was supplemented by the two worica, previoua]s recorded• on New Zea- land :18!/lJ!'J and wol'b retel'l'94 to in the bibliogrepl\Y oonoeming minority Jewish communitt a furthe~ at1ela.. Personal intem.ewa were conducted p ~

in

conneotion with the prel1minazy ltagu ~ a questionnaire IUW(\Y'. It ^{WU hoped tbaN'IUr} lo engender eupport ^tl'Olll the Jewiah 1ea4ere

to

enau,e •

aat1.-ano,,.

l'Uponae the que8'1orv>a1.re by those appl"OaObed. (A Al11 cU.aouaaion

ot

the quen1.clnna:l.r9 ..,. be

tound

in Appencliz A). Coft"Mpandanoe fteeived f'rom memberei 1- Jewish ccm-

auu.v

^{hd aenecl} a ..,.tolA t\moticm 1n p ~ a -.luabi. Wight.

in't

...,ona tor

1 -t.UuM

to retum qu•attamaatrea

an4 eaaentW £D ...

t

mattOCl the pNICt OMlld.tae::tional tinU••

et

^the GIIIIDUnity.

ho buit cUJncn&lti were uaocial:t wJ.th the oollection of mater-

w.

^{Jo Nn}

INl•t, ~ •

tQ the oen,ua que.t1 religioua plOf ...

iou

haft

a ~ o •

d.gbt

to retu•• to ... .a

^peraonal

x1 oomaud;0*'1on hae indicated. that a number

ot

Jewiah Jlefugeea tJl'Olll Na:i lluope baYe been ao peneoute4 that religioua attlliation ^baa not al•

..,. beeli 4iaoloaea.. Ala • there could wall hav been persons who, .itmough Jews Sn o ~ and u.pbring1ng, .m&\Y' ha•e retrain.eel

trom

fUling in the rellgiou• section

or

the oimSUB on the grounda that they ha& a- Wcmecl the H•brew faith. There are no methods known to the writer of ascertaining the numbers ot

Jew•

Who chose to bi4e their Jewiah idenU•

ftcation • the

19'6

o-.a.

It

has been pointed out, he>ftver, that

t •

Jen₁ no ma1'te1" bow 1.l"religioua or anti-religioua ul4 d.eey them•

aelvee this one oppol'Wltity

ot

calling themaelvee •Jew" on a census.' Although the oenlRl• in& la not omplete in this respect, it is the onl3

atatiatioal 4ata awailable₁ and rema1ns adequat• 'b,• ahowing

the

rel.-

tive distributian of Nn Zeal aacl J ~ , general population trends 1 and the atrenph

ot

Jeri.ah penoa• Sn varioue occupe.tiona and ind1:t&trles.

»1ff1oult1e• weft aaaoeiated with an initial lack ot co-operation encountend by the Wri.te· fJIOm membei-a of the ^New Zealand :Jew1ah commun•

t.v.

Pemd.saton to cU.atri.bu.ta a questionnaire among · bere of the·

W.ilington Jewiab __,n:l'.,y waa Wit&,.heJ.d ao that attention 1'8S necess- ..U,- oonoentftlle4 Ol1 the Auolcland ooammiv. All pred1oted ~ t'effral

t""l"V oauae4 of IUOh ~ament that pei,niealon

to

attempt a tur-

tber

iuB.om •t111Pl•

•ona

^{~ Auekl.an4} Qo!1¥21lllity waa With-heU.

mie appl"Oeh adopt.., to the theaia 11 aa toUGNt

a) a oonalcle8t1on Qt the origina ot tht poup «rut tha o-U- oumetancee of

migmion aa a

prerequuite to

an

un4erstan41.ng

ot

^th&

.uecla, pJ."01:>l_.

ana ~ - . -

^~ the J_, 1n New

zea1.anc1.

b)

a

^,tu(\y of tbf •OIIIUD1ty' • grc,wth 4n Hn ZeelaD4. fhU

u

oona!,4eN4 eaamtial tor a

twe

cq,preciation

ot the prooe•a

of ua211111at1on.

•) en attempt to

a1eeea

statiaicallY

in the

aooio--eeonom:i.o

ephere the degree of intesn.tion of the Jewish communit.Y to the host aociety in the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch Urban Area:s, and.

the distribution of soei<>•economic ohara.oteristics witbin

the

Auckland Urban Area

o,

^{the Jewish} community itself.

cl) the NIYll•

ot

an.other f'orm of adjustment 1llu3treted by

the

religious, ecluoat-iomw. and yeluntazy aasociatians ol

the

cooum>nity and the role of the lnilh press 1n the assioilation process.

In Chapter 1 a the speci&l aignif'ioanae of migrati01'1 in the h.istoxy

o£ the Jewish p ople

u

oons1d&red in an attempt to provide some

historical r,erspective tor the

thesa.

Cbapter 2 oonsists

ot

a. brief

-.uu.vaa

of population change (growth and decline) I the age, sex and econanic cOJ11positim of the Jewish populat1onJ and 1ta distribution ln &19pa0e. Chan.pa ill theM phenanena are tudied and explanations.

IOUSh\

to

account fo~ the clepee

ot•

an.cl

reasons to change.

S.ta.tia•

tical. incli.c•s are developed wheff pQseible

to

ccmpa1"8 3 ~sh and New

l'ealand population 41.etributiona.

~ basio aaem,ption behind. Chap~ 3 ia that ln\egration is not a ⁸1)1,nket procea•• bllt ~ & t'ron place to plac and f one a.ooio-

Oharacterutic to anothtt.

mxua,

^the degree

ot

adjustment is

•ee•eed

¹ⁿ

the

Auald.aaf. Wellington and Qbr1atohurch Urban Areas an4

1n clit.t"ezient looalit1e•

tn

the Auckland Urban Area. !he 1nd1.oea used C"f1a

"Ptd)W (looatll&ll) •

detllographio (.age-1• ocapoaition, marital

•atua}, en.4 ec

Gld.• (

oupat1onal

₁ 1nduetr1a1 end

income

diatr.Lbut1Qn&).

h&e 1.nd.icea were oboNQ

tor

two main reaeon •

ns.

^their availability, and. the fact that. they 1'$preeent aignifi.cflnt 'fari&b~

ot

the socio--

eoonamio buia d ~ population.

It ia to be expected that group sentiments will be oanrnunicated an4 reintol"Ced by eocial lntenourae. Chapter 5 theftf'ore innatigatea the role of' Jewish religioua. educational and voluntary organizations, and Chapter 6 the role

ot

the Jewish press in the assimilation process. Chapter 7 provides a swnmary of the conclueiona presented in the body ot the theaie an4 oonaidera endence for and againet the survival of the Jewish OCIIIIIIWlit,y in New Zealand.

fhe author wilhea to take thia. opportuni:t., to thank her auperrleor

llr

..».

^{Yrlin ~or} bla lntere,t and guidance durin, the writing

ot

thia

tbeaia; and alao 111" J.,C.R. Warr tor his interest ant help with the

qpeationnaire 81.ll"ft3'• CNtetul ecknowledgement i• u4e to Mr

a.

^Nelson

and the staff of

the

M" Zealand Statiatioa Department ( Lower Hutt) for the houre spent abatnoting Hebrew statistical data tl'Olll unpublished

oenaua material. Q:ratiiu4e 1a extended to all thoae Jewish persona who ao willtng]3 pr,e their time and usiatanoe when approaohed on cer- tain matteft. l'inaJ.lTt • Yote ot ^thanks i i due to lliaa 3. Clewer for the

typing of thia theaia, and 11\Y husband for hia conatant help and

enoouN.gement.

!9otngtea

1. Por example:

!homp1on, Re,

196'• 16.

Hupe.-. A ..

a..

in an introduction to Loohore, R..l., 19519 5+

2• f Plint A.D., 1n fllOIIMllt g.w • encl ~rlin• A,D. (ed.) t 1 '70•

196 •

.5.

Pl'ioe, O.A., 19'4,

7e