Jewish country club

Many country clubs in the United States were established around the same time that immigration to the country, including of Jews, began to rise sharply. As anti-Semitism increased, Jews—even Jews who once had access to elite WASP social societies^[1]—were blackballed from joining clubs. By the early 20th century, most cities with meaningful Jewish populations had formed country clubs, and by 1928, there were 34 Jewish social and country clubs in the greater New York area,^[2] though many Jews still saw the inability to join non-Jewish social organizations as an impediment to assimilating and Americanizing.^[3]

Despite having been born of discrimination, Jewish country clubs often discriminated within the Jewish population. In the early years of the 20th century, membership at some clubs was restricted to German Jews,^[4][5] though as populations grew and intermarried, Russian and Polish Jews were also accepted.

According to a 1962 Anti-Defamation League survey of 803 country clubs, 224 were found to be non-discriminatory, while among the predominantly Christian clubs, 89 had quotas on the number of Jewish members and 416 admitted no Jews,^[1] though the Jewish Telegraphic Agency noted that social club discrimination was "in retreat" by the mid-1960s.^[6] Nevertheless, as of 2011^[update] some country clubs still admit few or no Jews.^[5][7][8]

Although Jewish country clubs have predominantly Jewish memberships, the clubs themselves are not particularly Jewish in terms of custom or practice—clubs tend to be open on Shabbat and serve non-kosher food. The names and architecture of clubs are not recognizably Jewish and often mimicked the convention of the other, predominantly Protestant country club from which Jews were excluded.^{[9][failed verification]}

Starting in the 1960s, more Jews were accepted into predominantly Christian country clubs, though change often came slowly until the 1990 PGA Championship, which called attention to discrimination in clubs and social organizations across the United States. Clubs were forced either to admit more African American and Jewish members or to lose future PGA tournaments; some opted to integrate, while others retained restrictions on blacks and Jews.^[10] In 1990 Tom Watson famously resigned from the Kansas City Country Club over its refusal to admit billionaire H&R Block founder Henry Bloch.^[11]

That freedom to assimilate has hurt Jewish country clubs. Between intermarriage, more geographically dispersed Jewish populations,^[12] fewer golfers,^[13] and a decline in country club membership generally,^[14] many Jewish country clubs have either had to fold,^[15] merge,^[16] or lose their Jewish identity.^[4][5][17] In cities with multiple Jewish country clubs, there is increasing consolidation. Three of the six Jewish country clubs in Baltimore closed between 1985 and 2010, for example.^[12]

Many clubs remain vibrant, however, particularly in areas with large Jewish populations or where other Jewish clubs have folded or no longer have predominantly Jewish membership.^{[citation needed]}

In addition to demographic changes, the Madoff investment scandal hit Jewish country clubs particularly hard.^[18] Bernie Madoff was an avid golfer in both New York and Florida, and many members of Jewish country clubs had invested heavily in his Ponzi scheme.^[12]

When Woodmont Country Club, a Jewish country club in the Washington, D.C. area, promised membership to President Barack Obama after the end of his presidency, some of its members objected because of his actions towards Israel.^[19] The club ultimately admitted him.^[20] Doug Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a Vice President, is a member at Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles.^[21]

• Country club
• Gentleman's Agreement
• Membership discrimination in California clubs
• Red Oaks, an Amazon Prime Video series set at a Jewish country club