Jewish NYC Doll Rebecca Joins American Girl Lineup

The American Girl doll company is adding a new character to its multiethnic lineup. She's Rebecca, a Jewish Russian immigrant girl living on Manhattan's Lower East Side in 1914.

Jewish leaders who've seen the Rebecca doll and read the accompanying books say they're generally impressed.

Rebecca goes on sale May 31. She'll join the Middleton, Wis.-based company's other dolls such as Addy the escaped slave and Kaya the native American.

American Girl dolls cost about $95 each. American Girl LLC was bought in 1998 by El Segundo, Calif.-based Mattel Inc., the nation's largest maker of toys including Barbie dolls.

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