CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR MOST RECENT WEBSITE
JEWISH SITES & HISTORY IN PHOENIX AND SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA


Discover Jewish History in Some of America's Greatest Cities!


Jewish Friendship Trail Guidebooks, as of 2020, only are available directly from the author/publisher. To purchase a Jewish Friendship Trail Guidebook, Email: BostonWalks

NOW AVAILABLE - (1) Phoenix Scottsdale Jewish Friendship Trail GuideBook
with 7 Tours of Sites of Phoenix Scottsdale Jewry!
Was $19.95 USD Now $8.00 USD + $3 Media Mail
Order your copy now directly from publisher.
(2) BostonWalks Jewish Friendship Trail GuideBook
with 6 Tours of Sites of Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge Jewry!
Was $19.95 USD Now $8.00 USD + $3 Media Mail
Order your copy now directly from publisher.
(3) BostonWalks The Ten Commandments GuideBook
with creative suggestions for approaching our Ten Commandments!
Was $19.95 USD Now $8.00 USD + $3 Media Mail

Order your reduced price copy now directly from publisher.
Email: BostonWalks





Discover a progressive Jewish interpretation of Maimonides' 13 principles here!


Celebrating 361 Years


of Jews in America


Click here to connect with more of Boston's Best! Boston, MA

"West End House" circa 2004 - Begun by 35 Jewish boys in 1903!

Now available!


The Jewish Friendship Trail Guidebook

6 Self-Guided Walking/Bicycling Jewish Boston History Tours

Covers Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge

Softcover 198 pages with maps & b/w photos

Click here
Book Order Form
to order now!



Now available!


The Ten Commandments Guidebook

Ways to Self-Struggle with Classic Morals

In Song, Poetry, and Prose

Covers 10 Commandments Plus One Other!

Softcover 153 pages with practical suggestions pages!

Click here
Book Order Form
to order now!






Jewish Friendship Trail presents


The Korricks and The Diamonds

and

Phoenix AZ's Jewish Merchant Princes Legacies



Copyright Michael Alan Ross, 2014-2015.
All Rights Reserved.

Email: Jewish Friendship Trail











The Korrick Family and The Diamond Family created and ran the two largest department stores in downtown Phoenix, Arizona during the era of the mid-1890s to the mid-1960s. Only one of their downtown store buildings still exists albeit with a false façade and not functioning as a department store. Both families not only were active as store magnates but also were active in Phoenix' Jewish and cultural life. Let's learn more about the Korricks and the Diamonds and search for memories of their roles here.



Within the 1st 2 blocks of Washington Street, East of Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona, from the mid-1890s to the mid-1960s, stood the palaces of the Jewish merchant princes of Phoenix, AZ. Foremost among these princes were those of the Korrick Family and the Diamond Family. Following behind were the princes of the Goldwater Family. Behind them were other Jewish Families, some with even smaller palaces, and some with very specialized alcoves.

These 7 decades were the ones in which the regular folk came to downtown Phoenix to shop. Early on, the Korricks and the Diamonds viewed their patronage as the regular folk, men and women, who might desire the accoutrements of every and special day life but could more readily afford a Morgan rather than a Stallion.


To provide for their mass audience, the Korricks and the Diamonds built the biggest affordable commercial palaces and marketed with common themes from holy to ordinary days. From fitted to ready to wear. From usual to unusual. From dresses to pantsuits. From dungarees to mens' suits. From household goods to party favors. At holidays, their store windows, made passersby stop and stare.

Important to both the Korricks and the Diamonds was their own heritage. They were committed Jews. In their personal lives, they celebrated Jewishly. They were among the small group of Jews who founded Phoenix' 1st permanent synagogue, Beth Israel Temple, and stuck with the congregation when it made its move to 10th Avenue and Flower Street during the late 1940s/early 1950s.


Also important to both the Korricks and the Diamonds was culture, in particular, music and art. They were among the founders of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra and early members of various Phoenix museums.

To some degree, both the Korrick and Diamond women participated in both the business and social aspects of The New York Store and The Boston Store.

When and from where did these Korricks and Diamonds appear?

Both the Korrick and Diamond families immigrated into the United States from Eastern Europe.

In 1895, Sam Korrick arrived and opened The New York Store in Phoenix. He was joined by his brother Charles in 1900 and later by a brother Abe. In 1915, the Korricks moved their store from the present-day site of Symphony Hall to 1st and Washington Streets. After Sam died in 1914, Ed Korrick, Charles' son, joined the company. Charles' wife, Ed's mom, Blanche Korrick, later in 1946 would be one of the founders of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra.

In 1897, Nathan and Isaac Diamond, who had immigrated into the United States earlier, moved their El Paso, Texas' New York Store to Phoenix, AZ and renamed it The Boston Store because one of their former employees, Sam Korrick, in 1895 already had opened a copy of their El Paso store and called it The New York Store in Phoenix. Nathan's sons, Harold and Bert, and Isaac's sons, Herbert and Ralph, took over management of The Boston Store in the 1920s. Harold's wife, Helen Diamond, was active in aspects of Phoenix community life. In 1947, The Boston Store renamed itself Diamond's.


Today, the only remaining building of these department store palaces is shrouded in a false façade. But if we look closely, with the help of photos, we still can imagine what the store looked like back in its day.

Let's stop for a moment, then, and reflect on The New York Store and The Boston Store.




JOIN US ON ONE OF OUR DISCOVERY TOURS OF PHOENIX SCOTTSDALE, AZ!


We've re-located what remains of the small but dynamic downtown Jewish community of Phoenix, AZ. The few surviving sites make for a fascinating individual or group tour which, upon your request, we're pleased to arrange for you. Click here on Phoenix Scottsdale Jewish Friendship Trail for further information or contact us, Jewish Friendship Trail, via email



Additional Links to Jewish Phoenix and Scottsdale




Links to Boston and New England





On-line selections from Michael Alan Ross' new,
The Ten Commandments Guidebook





Now available!


The Jewish Friendship Trail Guidebook

6 Self-Guided Walking/Bicycling Jewish Boston History Tours

Covers Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge

Softcover 198 pages with maps & b/w photos

Click here
Book Order Form
to order now!



Now available!


The Ten Commandments Guidebook

Ways to Self-Struggle with Classic Morals

In Song, Poetry, and Prose

Covers 10 Commandments Plus One Other!

Softcover 153 pages with practical suggestions pages!

Click here
Book Order Form
to order now!









"West End House" circa 2004
Begun by 35 Jewish boys in 1903!

Click here to connect with more of
Boston's Best!









Yea, Team! The Boston Red Sox and The New England Patriots!


From the Charles River, a red, white, and blue agenda flows!



Copyright Michael Alan Ross, 2014-2015. All Rights Reserved.

Email: Jewish Friendship Trail




BostonWalks

Integrating the urban, modern Jewish American city experience with its historical sites and themes in such locales as Boston, MA, Portland, ME, East Bay and Providence, RI, and the Upper West Side of Manhattan, NYC.




Chazak Ve-ematz
“be strong and resolute”

(Moses’ words to Joshua in Deut. 31:7)





img FileneimgBest of BostonimgNYC UWSimgBrandeis imgLove Your NeighborimgWatertown, New Town, & Muddy RiverimgWalk Near WaterimgRefute Hate imgWalk West/North Ends imgWe're One imgPray HereimgMeditationimgClubsimgBrooklineimgSensual WalksimgMore LoveimgReportingimgJewish BooksimgTENimgSouth End imgWhat's a political mensch? imgMore "What's a political mensch?"


Boston Walks

The Jewish
Friendship Trail


Click here for 10 reasons for more bike trails!



Should orthodox women have the same opportunities to participate in learning, davening, and minhagim as men?


Click here for an original, creative, poetic elaboration of such a question,

Sheaylot




Click here to connect with

Capitalist Commands



a very satirical song!




Boston Walks

The Jewish
Friendship Trail



Should orthodox women have the same opportunities to participate in learning, davening, and minhagim as men?


Click here for an original, creative, poetic elaboration of such a question,

Sheaylot




Click here for an original, creative, re-interpretation for progressive Jews of Maimonides classic Jewish prayer of affirmation of Jewish faith, "Ani Maamin,"

THIRTEEN PRINCIPLES FOR PROGRESSIVE JEWS

by Michael Alan Ross




How do you imagine the relationship between freedom and responsibility within a democracy?

Check out this poetic interpretation:


In Defense of Liberty and Democracy, Freedom and Responsibility


considering the parasha of the week, Yitro.




Isn't it time to Attract Middle Class Families Back into Our Cities?

Here's 10 Ways to bring middle-class families back into cities like NYC:


10 Ways to Bring Middle Class Families Back into New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Atlanta, and other Cities


considering the best of the suburban paradigm for our large cities.




Are you curious about what are some of the ethical reasons for single-payer universal health care insurance?


10 Moral Reasons for One Payer Universal Health Care Insurance for America


in light of Hillel's If I'm only for myself, what am I?




When was the last time you really laughed?



We're featuring good Jewish jokes!
Check out this month's featured humor
by clicking here!

We know that there are other belly laughs our there.
Email us at bostonwalks@hotmail.com with your contribution!




Isn't time to make unhealthy hospitals history?

Here's 10 ways to make our hospitals healthier!







Table of Contents of Boston Walks The Jewish Friendship Trail