Jewish Entrepreneurs Shaped the American Toy Industry

New book 'Playmakers' explores how immigrants from Russia and Eastern Europe founded iconic toy companies like Ideal, Hasbro, and Mattel.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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A new book by sociologist Michael Kimmel, 'Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America,' explores how many of the founders of early American toy companies were Jewish immigrants from Russia and Eastern Europe. The book profiles the origins and histories of companies like Ideal Novelty and Toy Co., Hasbro, Mattel, and Lionel Corp., all of which were started by Jewish entrepreneurs who fled persecution in their home countries and built successful toy businesses in the U.S.

Why it matters

The rise of the modern toy industry in the early 20th century coincided with a broader redefinition of American childhood toward a time of play and learning. The Jewish immigrants who founded many of the most iconic toy companies played a key role in shaping this shift and bringing toys into the mainstream of American culture.

The details

The book's author, Michael Kimmel, began researching the history of the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co. as part of a family project, as the company's founder, Morris Michtom, was Kimmel's great-great-uncle. In the course of his research, Kimmel was struck by how many of the pioneers of the toy industry were Jewish immigrants like Michtom, who fled persecution in Russia and Eastern Europe and built successful businesses in the U.S. The book also profiles the founders of Hasbro, Mattel, and Lionel Corp., all of whom had similar immigrant backgrounds.

  • In 1902, Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear that had been tied up for him during a hunting trip in Mississippi, inspiring the creation of the 'Teddy's bear' toy by Morris and Rose Michtom.
  • The Michtoms founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co. after their 'Teddy's bear' toy became a hit, eventually making it the largest doll manufacturer in America.
  • In the late 19th century, many Jewish immigrants from Russia and Eastern Europe began arriving in the U.S., often settling in tenements on New York City's Lower East Side.

The players

Morris Michtom

The proprietor of a Brooklyn candy store and newsstand who, along with his wife Rose, created the 'Teddy's bear' toy and founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Co., which became the largest doll manufacturer in America.

Henry, Hillel and Herman Hassenfeld

The brothers who founded the toy company that became Hasbro.

Ruth and Elliot Handler

The couple who founded Mattel, one of the most iconic toy companies in the United States.

Joshua Lionel Cowen

The founder of Lionel Corp., a leading manufacturer of model trains and other toys.

Michael Kimmel

The sociologist who wrote the book 'Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America' after researching his own family's connection to the toy industry.

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What they’re saying

“The czar 'was never that humanitarian.'”

— Morris Michtom, Founder, Ideal Novelty and Toy Co.

The takeaway

The rise of the modern toy industry in the early 20th century was driven in large part by Jewish immigrants from Russia and Eastern Europe who fled persecution and built successful businesses in the U.S., shaping the way American childhood and culture evolved during this period.