Hollywood’s Spies: The Undercover Surveillance of Nazis in Los Angeles

For much of the twentieth century, bigots and paranoid idiots have claimed that a massive Jewish conspiracy lurks in the shadows, manipulating events and undermining all free societies. Although all of that is nonsense, there is one real Jewish conspiracy that deserves some attention. It wasn’t massive, but it was hugely important.

It was the LAJCC’s efforts to track and expose the actions of Nazis in the United States during the 1930s.

Hollywood’s Spies chronicles the work of brave, clever, and patriotic veterans and local Jewish residents who took it upon themselves to prevent German agents from recruiting Americans and pushing the Nazi agenda. The Los Angeles Jewish Community Committee conducted surveillance, gathered evidence, and pushed for greater government involvement in stopping this sinister, brutish threat.

It’s a remarkably poignant and timely revision of pre-WWII history, given the racist undercurrents being mined for political gain these days. Hollywood’s Spies is a story of ingenuity, bravery, and, above all else, dedication to the idea that people can make a difference.

Just beware of the title, since the book is about spies in Hollywood. It’s not like Eddie Cantor and Errol Flynn were conducting covert ops.