Aaron Schultz, who came to the U.S. in 1923 at 20 years of age from the Lithuanian city of Alytus, was an immigrant who worked hard and embraced the American Dream with a passion. He submitted his Declaration of Intention, the first step to becoming a citizen, only one month after arriving in New York, filed his Petition for Naturalization just four months later, and became a naturalized citizen in June of 1929. He came to Long Beach to work in his brother Alex’s shop and by 1931 owned his own store; in 1945 he owned four! He was very proud of both his Jewish and Lithuanian heritage, taking part in an international pageant in 1925 to promote good will among people from different countries. He was a board member of B’nai B’rith, and when he met the striking Stella Siris they were soon married by one Rabbi Strinskowsky at the Ebell Club, which was where Jewish weddings were held, as there was still not a local synagogue. Amazing for the time (1929), the Pidyon Haben (Redemption of the Firstborn) of Stella and Aaron’s first-born son Stanley was featured in a local newspaper. By 1945 he opened his fifth furniture store, this one in Anaheim, where he and Stella had many friends and family members and were active socially. Sadly, most of the Jews from his hometown (one of the oldest Jewish communities in Lithuania) were murdered in the Vidzgiris Forest in 1941, leaving almost no survivors. One can only imagine his grief, but he continued to pour his energy into his work, family, and community, both Jewish and non-Jewish, for years to come.
Dalia Taft, Director of the Orange County Jewish Historical Society, highlights images from the archives every month. For more information, please visit https://www.jccoc.org/Pages/Oc-Jewish-Historical-Society. You can also contact Dalia at Daliat@jccoc.org or at (949) 435-3400, Ext. 360. The Orange County Jewish Historical Society is a program of the Merage Jewish Community Center and is funded by the Jewish Community Foundation Orange County.