Author: Michael Perlman
mperlman@queensledger.com
Mahjong has been one of the favorite local games for generations, but unknown to most local residents and visitors, Forest Hills is the birthplace of Mahjong in the United States, thanks to the innovative spirit of former resident Dorothy S. Meyerson. In the near future, Forest Hills resident Barry Joseph, a creative, visionary and humanitarian enthusiast, will fill that gap with an eye-opening commemorative mural on the west wall of the Yellowstone Boulevard LIRR trestle, and a street named after “Mahjong Road” will also come to fruition nearby. The Meyerson Memorial Museum will preserve the legacy of Dorothy Meyerson by exploring her legacy as the “Mother of American Mahjong” while capturing the rich joy of the game.
This diligent undertaking symbolizes historical pride, community spirit and creativity that will transform a mediocre wall into an amazing educational resource and unifying destination. After all, public art is a gift to the public. Time and time again, Forest Hills has proven to be a breeding ground for art, historic architecture and culture, and a place where hidden gems, such as the launching pad for legendary games, are rediscovered.
Joseph recalled a Renaissance moment when he discovered Meyerson was living in Forest Hills. He learned this while doing research for his new book, when he read Mahjong: The Chinese Game and the Making of Modern American Culture by Annelise Heinz. “I don’t know what shocked me more; learning that she lived just a few blocks from me, or that she first wrote a Mahjong rule set for a fundraiser at the Forest Hills Jewish Center, which I was familiar with. It was directly related to my personal and local pass, which was completely unexpected. She could have lived anywhere and I could have lived anywhere, but when she crossed paths and our event happened, I decided to write about it 90 years later.
Enter the world of Barry Joseph, 57, who earned his master’s degree in American studies from New York University and proudly teaches graduate-level digital design at the museum. Additionally, he is the author and founder of Barry Joseph Consulting. He grew up in Woodbury and moved to Forest Hills with his wife and son twenty years ago when his daughter was about to be born. “We love Forest Hills. It’s a beautiful community with a rich history and a vibrant population where people are not pretentious and it’s easy to meet new people,” he said.
Joseph and his family joined the Forest Hills Reform Temple when they needed children to participate in the Temple Toth program. At the time, their assistant frontman was active on Twitter and they connected. “This is a warm and welcoming community of people from all backgrounds deeply committed to expressing their Jewish heritage in joyful and meaningful ways,” he explains.
As early as 1937, Meyerson founded the National Mahjong Federation with three other Jewish women. As its founding vice president and long-time standardization chair, she shaped the American version of the Chinese game. This includes the league’s annual selection of winners.
Fast forward to 2026, Joseph worked with close synagogues and spearheaded fundraising efforts to create the Dorothy Meyerson/American Mahjong Mural, which was originally considered for use on a 16-foot by 4-foot DiBond panel on the Yellowstone Boulevard Trestle. “It looks nice when you drive by, but if you go by and stop and appreciate the details, there’s a lot to it,” Joseph said.
For every standard card ($16) or large print card ($18) purchased through this event, the National Mahjong League will donate $7 to the Dorothy Meyerson Memorial Project. The event order deadline is January 15, 2027, and the National Mahjong League is expected to deliver cards in April 2027.
In October, the National Mahjong Federation will tally the funds raised and write a check to the Forest Hills Reform Temple, which has earmarked the funds to pay for the mural and related activities. These include the co-naming of the street where Dorothy Meyerson’s Exeter Street home was located, and a Celebrating Mahjong Block Party that brought together the Forest Hills community, Mahjong enthusiasts, and particularly the local Jewish and Asian communities associated with the history of the game. “It’s going to be a day full of fun and play,” Joseph said.
Perhaps a plaque or sign could also be installed in front of Dorothy Meyerson’s former house on Exeter Street, where American Mahjong was introduced. “I’ve been to the house twice and no one was home. Wish me luck the next time I come,” Joseph said. From 1932 to 1940-1943, Melson lived at 68-35 Exeter Street, a charming brick detached terrace house built around 1925. She then lived at 69-37 Fleet Street from about 1940 to 1943 to 1946, and then at 67-90 Groton Street from 1946 to 1971.
Since the campaign was launched, people have started buying cards and giving Joseph a reason to lend support. “Dorothy is a legend in our mahjong community and should be recognized for everything she has done to bring others together,” one supporter said. To promote Joseph’s unique community project, he visited mahi-related Facebook groups and spread the word. He does the same thing on Facebook, sharing details on his Instagram account @JewishMahj and through supporters like Forest Hills Reform Temple.
Joseph shared his hopes for the outcome of the mural and street naming, which could provide the atmosphere of an outdoor living museum. “Once the Meyerson Memorial is fully in place, there will be a website providing more details about Dorothy S. Meyerson, as well as information on local events celebrating her life. If the block party is successful, perhaps it could become an annual event. There may be a table at the Forest Hills Street Fair, depending on who volunteers to help celebrate Dorothy’s legacy and the contemporary world of Mahjong.”
The mural will add to the success of other local public art achievements, such as “Homage to Forest Hill Gardens and Askan Avenue” (2017) and “Helen Keller Forest Hill Tribute” (2019) on the Askan Avenue LIRR Trestle, developed by this columnist and painted by Crisp and Praxis. The Bagel Spot’s “Wish You Were Here: Forest Hills & Rego Park Historic Buildings” (2025) was created by Gigi Chen, and the columnist also participated in the coordination. Another production was ‘The Ramp: Birthplace of Punk’ (2016) at Thorneycroft Ramp, Ori Carino’s tribute to the Ramones.
Joseph was proud that he learned about Dorothy Meyerson’s character from her daughter, Marjorie. Characteristics include being rigorous, organized, and innovative. He explained, “She never stopped. She sang in the Forest Hills Jewish Center choir, took up painting, was a piano teacher, and was a good cook. What I learned from Marjorie was, ‘She wasn’t going to sit at home and play mahjong all day long. That wasn’t her idea of life. She wanted to go out and be part of the world. ‘Oh my gosh, she did!”
Meyerson’s mail-order business cards.
Dorothy Meyerson is considered an all-around incredible woman who touched countless lives through her rich pursuits in Forest Hills and beyond. She wants Forest Hills to be a community where families can raise their families, spend their adult lives and participate in the civic and religious communities.
“She lived a very active life, creating what would become American Mahjong and promoting it in various ways, including teaching, writing books, promoting it on the Macy’s sales floor for nine years, training women across the country to represent her at local department stores, appearing on radio and having her own television show,” Joseph explained. In addition to co-founding the league and serving as its vice president for nearly 35 years, she also brought it all back to the Mahjong Mahjong Championships. PTA, held tournaments at the Forest Hill West Jewish Center, did her part by raising funds locally during World War II, and ran a mahjong mail-order business from her home on Exeter Street.
An accomplished author, Joseph expects his Mahjong book to be published next fall, subtitled “How a Century of Jewish Women Build Community through the Chinese Game.” “This will provide more detail than the mural, and I hope that through this book signing, the message about Dorothy will be spread far and wide,” he said.
To date, he has written five books. His latest work draws inspiration from two themes in his work, including themes of Jewish-American interest, such as soda and Broadway, and games, such as game design for museums, and the puzzles and games of Stephen Sondheim.
His other notable books include Seltzertopia: The Extraordinary Story of a Common Beverage, Mind-Matching Sondheim, Making the Dinosaurs Dance: A Digital Design Toolkit for Museums, and Friday Is Tomorrow or Dayenu Year: Chronicles of New York City’s Covid-19 Oral History, Narrative, and Memory Archive.
“When I set out to write a book about the game for a national audience, the last thing I expected was to be inspired to build a local monument, especially to someone I had never heard of before,” Joseph said. “In an era of rising anti-Semitism and political authoritarianism, it feels like a blessing to be able to appreciate the achievements of a remarkable but largely unknown Jewish woman.”