1 10 50 https://www.nunncenter.net/jewishkentucky/files/original/2e5168ce624b4150201f25febd29dd90.jpg 96349dd698ac8c9d9dc937958e41ab51 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral Histories Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Janice W. Fernheimer Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Joel Gordon Interview Keyword Korean War, 1950-1953 University of Kentucky--Basketball United States. Army Air Forces Basketball players--Kentucky Small business--Ownership Small business--Kentucky Jewish businesspeople Entrepreneurship OHMS Object Text 5.2 2017oh387_jk060 Interview with Joel Gordon, June 21, 2017 2017oh387_jk060 jk Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Family histories. Genealogy Jewish families. Jewish children Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Crofton (Ky.) African Americans--Segregation Civil rights movements--United States Integration Race relations Nashville (Tenn.) Jewish leadership Korean War, 1950-1953 University of Kentucky--Basketball United States. Army Air Forces Basketball players--Kentucky Small business--Ownership Small business--Kentucky Jewish businesspeople Entrepreneurship Joel Gordon Janice W. Fernheimer 2017oh387_jk060_gordon_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh387_jk060_gordon_acc001.mp3 Other audio 0 Introduction and family background I think my background is quite different from other people that you’ve, you’ve interviewed. Joel Gordon discusses his birth and how he was delivered without the presence of a physician. Gordon enjoys talking about his hometown of Crofton, a town of about 600 people located in Christian County, Kentucky. He goes into detail explaining how his last name switched from Pieloskie to Gordon. Crofton (Ky.) ; Family names ; Gordon family ; Physicians ; Pieloskie family ; Smigelski family ; Stores ; Yiddish Christian County (Ky.) ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Jewish families. 37.048, -87.483 17 Crofton, Kentucky 321 Father’s general store in Crofton, Kentucky during the 1930s and 1940s Where he got, uh, Kentucky, he had a brother that came over... Gordon discusses how his father ended up opening his general store in Crofton, Kentucky. His Aunt Leila was an important reason his father came to Crofton and eventually stayed. His father's store did business with many of the miners and farmers in Crofton. A big part of his father's business was bartering with the farmers, allowing for his father's store to continue business. &quot ; Jew stores&quot ; ; Bartering ; Coal ; Crofton (Ky.) ; Farmers ; Gordon family ; Hopkinsville (Ky.) ; Tobacco Christian County (Ky.) ; Entrepreneurship ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish families. ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership 36.867, -87.488 17 Hopkinsville (Ky.) 585 African Americans in Crofton during the 1930s and 1940s Did, did the African American members of Crofton also shop at the Jew stores? Gordon discusses what the segregation in Crofton was like, beginning with the period of the 1930s. He recalls having good relations with the African American members of the community, as they were customers at his father's store, but this was not the case for the entire community in Crofton. One large-scale event that brought the black and white communities together was held on Emancipation Day. This event was a baseball game between an all-black team and an all-white team. African-Americans ; Baseball ; Crofton (Ky.) ; Emancipation Day ; Racism African Americans--Segregation ; African Americans--Social conditions. ; Race discrimination. ; Race relations--Kentucky 17 878 Segregation in Crofton How did the rest of the community think about that, since that was during the times when things weren't super integrated? Gordon recalls how the African Americans did not have separate but equal education during his time in grade school. Specifically during the 1940s and the war when there were no male teachers, the African Americans suffered. Gordon talks about how his family employed an African American domestic worker named Katie Grey. Katie was an integral part of his family as she stayed with them past Gordon's bar mitzvah. Domestic workers ; Education ; Hopkinsville (Ky.) ; Immigrants ; Katie Grey ; Wars African Americans--Segregation ; African Americans--Social conditions. ; Race discrimination. ; Race relations--Kentucky 17 1265 Family traditions growing up And your family, it sounds like, kept some traditions while they were in Crofton. Gordon recalls what it was like being Jewish in Crofton and how his family kept their Jewish traditions. He discusses the different things they did for Passover, such as storing food in the attic for the entire year and then eating it for Passover. Their synagogue was located in Hopkinsville and was the smallest in the country. A group of people from counties across Kentucky founded the synagogue and kept it running. The Rabbi was a man named Alex Cohen from Greenville, Kentucky. Bris ; Crofton (Ky.) ; Hopkinsville (Ky.) ; Kosher ; Nashville (Tenn.) ; Orthodox ; Passover ; Rabbis ; Rosh Hashanah ; Synagogues Childhood ; Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 37.201, -87.178 17 Greenville (Ky.) 1554 Family Sabbath traditions growing up Yeah. And so, the store was open seven days a week. Gordon says his family did not celebrate Sabbath like a traditional Jewish family. Their faith was more traditional rather than religious, meaning the things they did were more out of tradition compared to the love of the religion. Holidays like Yom Kippur and Passover were celebrated merely out of tradition. When Gordon eventually started his own family, his children were much more religious than he was growing up and he discusses their Jewish education in comparison to his. The only thing his parents were insistent on was marrying a Jewish woman. Bar mitzvahs ; Celebrations ; Jewish education ; Passover ; Sabbath ; Yom Kippur Childhood ; Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 2041 Food and family Jewish values What was the food like? Gordon discusses the different types of food he ate growing up as a Jewish child. Sometimes it was his mother who cooked for him, and other times it was the domestic worker they employed, Katie. One of the main Jewish foods his mother would make was Kosher. Gordon also goes on to talk about the Jewish values that his family had and how that continued into his adult life. A main value his parents instilled into him early on was that nothing in life will be given to you. Domestic workers ; Faith ; Judaism ; Katie Grey ; Kosher ; Rabbis ; Tzimmes ; Values ; Yiddish Childhood ; Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 2418 Life as a basketball star in Crofton and at University of Kentucky Let's--can, can we talk a little bit about your, uh, life as a basketball star both in Crofton and then also at UK? Gordon goes into detail about what life was like as a basketball star growing up in Crofton and how it changed his reputation. People respected him due to his prowess as a basketball star in town. Once he arrived at the University of Kentucky it was similar. Everyone wanted to be friends with the basketball stars. This helped Gordon make new friends, though he already had a vibrant personality. All-Stars ; Basketball ; Fame ; Jewish ; Reputations ; Stars Basketball players--Kentucky ; College athletes ; College environment ; College sports. ; University of Kentucky--Basketball 38.042, -84.467 17 University of Kentucky 2716 Family's view of going to college Was that--was college something that your parents wanted for you? Gordon discusses his family view of going to college and how that changed throughout the years. No one in his father's family had gone to college so it was never something he imagined for Joel. His uncle played a large role in convincing him college was the right path. He recalls being in contact with Coach Rupp and being invited to Lexington for a tryout. After two years of being on the team, Gordon quit due to limited playing time and focusing on academics. Coach Adolph Rupp ; Coach Rupp ; Colleges ; First generation college students ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Recruitment ; Vanderbilt University Basketball players--Kentucky ; College athletes ; College athletes--Recruiting ; College environment ; College sports. ; University of Kentucky--Basketball 38.039, -84. 506 17 University of Kentucky 3052 Segregation at University of Kentucky during the 1940s U, U, UK was segregated long, long time. Gordon discusses how integration at the University of Kentucky came about. Adolph Rupp was very against integrating the basketball team. It was Ned Breathitt, the governor of Kentucky at the time, who came to Rupp with the idea of recruiting African Americans for the team. Gordon talks about how teams with black players were not able to schedule games against Kentucky because the city of Lexington would not let them stay in Lexington. Coach Adolph Rupp ; Coach Rupp ; Integration ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Ned Breathitt ; Recruitment African Americans--Segregation ; African Americans--Social conditions. ; Basketball players--Kentucky ; College athletes ; College athletes--Recruiting ; College environment ; College sports. ; Race discrimination. ; Race relations--Kentucky ; University of Kentucky--Basketball 38.04938, -84.50241 17 Rupp Arena 3307 Social life at the University of Kentucky during the 1940s I w, I was kinda interested in being involved in a lot of organizations with a lot of different kind of people. Gordon begins by talking about how he was introduced to his wife after graduating from UK and then jumps back to talking about UK. He says that finding a Jewish girl to take as your date was tough so they had to invite girls from cities near Lexington. Gordon would often get invited to parties at Sigma Nu where it was easier to find a date because the girl did not have to be Jewish. Outside of the Jewish world, Joel believes that basketball opened the most doors for him, even more than ZBT. Cincinnati (Ohio) ; Fraternities ; Fraternity ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Owensboro (Ky.) ; Sigma Nu ; Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) Basketball players--Kentucky ; College athletes ; College environment ; College sports. ; College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Social conditions ; Jewish women--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Universities and colleges. ; University of Kentucky--Basketball 38.039, -84. 506 17 University of Kentucky 3998 Lexington Jewish community and stores One from, uh, Lexington, what was her name? Family had a store... Gordon recounts social outings and parties with members of the Jewish community that he would attend with members of his fraternity, Zeta Beta Tau. He also tells about the Jewish owned and operated stores in downtown Lexington, Kentucky such as Lowenthal’s, Statter’s, and Winnaker’s. These stores were the predominant businesses on Main Street in Lexington, Kentucky, except for hotels and movie theaters. Fraternity ; Jewish community ; Kentucky ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Lowenthal’s ; Statter’s ; Winnaker’s ; Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) Entrepreneurship ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish families. ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership 38.029722, -84.494722 17 Lexington (Ky.) http://www.zbt.org The official website of the Jewish fraternity Zeta Beta Tau. 4098 Synagogue services / Friends in Zeta Beta Tau Did you go out to the local--did you go to services at--while you were at University? Gordon recalls his time in college and his attendance at the Conservative synagogue in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. The synagogue was only three or four blocks away from the Student Union, where Gordon spent time. He remembers being well received at the synagogue, and members of the synagogue loved to see college students attending services. Gordon usually attended day services by himself, although some of his fraternity brothers went to the services at night. He begins to discuss some of his friends and fraternity brothers, including Norman Cline, a University of Kentucky football player. Football ; Fraternities ; Fraternity ; Norman Cline ; Students ; Synagogue services ; Synagogues ; University of Kentucky ; Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Religious life ; College students--Social conditions ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Universities and colleges. ; Worship (Judaism) 38.0406, 84.5037 17 Lexington (Ky.) 4363 ROTC experiences and military service Well I was in ROTC. Throughout his time at the University of Kentucky, Gordon was a member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, commonly referred to as ROTC. He participated in the Air Force of the ROTC, and was part of an organization called the Arnold Air Cadets. He describes his initial involvement in ROTC as a mandatory assignment, but he continued on after his mandatory two years. Upon graduating from the University of Kentucky, Gordon was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, he was assigned to Fort Knox, located in Kentucky. After Fort Knox, Gordon was sent to Europe, where he spent three years during the time of the Korean War (1950-1953). Air Force ; Arnold Air Cadets ; Europe ; Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) ; Second lieutenants ; Stationed ; University of Kentucky Fort Knox (Ky.) ; Korean War, 1950-1953 ; Military life. ; United States. Army Air Forces 37.92, -85.96 17 Fort Knox (Ky.) 4507 Early years at the University of Kentucky Again, basketball, University of Kentucky got me friendly with... Gordon recounts his first years at the University of Kentucky. Although he was seventeen when he began attending college, many of the students were twenty-three or twenty-four. He explains that at the time when many of the students would have left for college, they left to serve in World War II. Many of the older students were attending the University of Kentucky on the Government Issue (GI) Bill. Some of Gordon’s brothers in his fraternity, Zeta Beta Tau, were veterans of World War II returning and attending school. Gordon also became involved in the Student Union group, the Arnold Air Cadets, and an accounting and marketing organization at the University of Kentucky as well. Arnold Air Cadets ; G.I. Bill ; Government Issue Bill ; Student Union Group ; University of Kentucky ; World War II ; Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) College environment ; College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Social conditions ; Universities and colleges. ; World War, 1939-1945--Veterans. 17 4795 Work experience / College major / Early married life Went back and went to work for my father. Gordon graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. He applied for jobs upon graduation in different areas, and traveled for internships. Gordon describes meeting his wife, Bernice, on one such interview trip. Gordon was hired and began working at a store called Harvey’s, where he worked his way up in the company. Gordon’s name began to make its way around town, and stores were seeking to hire him from Harvey’s. Gordon also briefly discusses his experience as Jewish man working for a non-Jewish boss. Bernice Gordon ; Business management ; Businesses ; Harvey’s ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Marriage ; University of Kentucky ; Work experience Employment--Kentucky ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. 38.0406, -84.5037 17 Lexington (Ky.) 4985 Employment / Views on desegregation Well, got over there, started off doing too well, and the president of the store... During his employment under John Sloan at Cain-Sloan company, Gordon began to encounter different views on integration and the civil rights movement. Gordon’s employer was against desegregation, and Gordon had to listen to his opinions on the idea of integration. Gordon describes how Sloan’s opinions regarding segregation differed when it came to different minority groups. He then discusses his profession and his duties at the Cain-Sloan company, as well as his thirteen year career working for the business. Desegregation ; Nashville (Tenn.) ; Nashville, Tennessee ; Perry Wallace ; Protests ; Vanderbilt University African Americans--Segregation ; African Americans--Social conditions. ; Civil rights movements--United States ; Integration ; Race discrimination. ; Race relations ; Racism 36.166667, -86.783333 17 Nashville (Tenn.) 5207 Civil rights movement / Desegregation of Nashville schools To understand it all, you gotta be, be through it. Gordon recounts the year 1965, when he was working in a department store on Fifth Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville contained several segregated soda fountains, and segregated schools. Gordon recounts peaceful protestors, trained by Martin Luther King, Jr., who would march down the streets, and sit at the segregated soda fountains. He also describes their amazing resolve, as they were brutally treated but did not stop fighting for the desegregation of schools. He also describes Bobby Kennedy's work in the fight for desegregation, and recounts a time when Kennedy was beaten up for his attempts to end segregation. 1965 ; Bobby Kennedy ; Brutality ; Davis Society ; Desegregation ; Downtown ; Educational institutions ; Fifth Avenue ; Martin Luther King Jr. ; Nashville, Tennessee ; Non-violent protests ; Retail ; Segregation ; Soda fountains African Americans--Segregation ; African Americans--Social conditions. ; Civil rights movements--United States ; Integration ; Nashville (Tenn.) ; Race discrimination. ; Race relations ; Racism ; Segregation in education. 36.174465, -86.767960 17 Nashville (Tenn.) 5426 Jewish involvement the civil rights movement The first black athlete in the Southeastern Conference was a guy named Perry Wallace. Gordon knew Perry Wallace personally, and helped him get a job at the Jewish Community Center as a camp counselor. Many Jewish leaders in the community, and rabbis, including Rabbi Falk, were joining in the protest against segregation. Rabbi Falk was the rabbi at Ohabai Shalom Temple. Mr. Wallace became a close friend of the Gordon family, knowing first Joel Gordon, and then his sons through his camp counselor work at the Jewish Community Center. During Gordon's children’s time at school, the fight for desegregation was ongoing. The Gordon children participated in the fight for desegregation, and they were supported by their parents. Because many Jewish people were fighting for desegregation for African Americans, they too experienced threats and violence. Mr. Gordon recalls an attack on the Jewish Community Center in 1966-67, in which the attacker used dynamite to bomb the front of the building. Following the attack, the building had to hire security to protect them from threats and attacks. Attacks ; Desegregation ; High schools ; Integration ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Nashville, Tennessee ; Non-violent protests ; Ohabai Shalom Temple ; Perry Wallace ; Private schools ; Public schools ; Rabbi Falk ; Violence African Americans--Segregation ; African Americans--Social conditions. ; Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Civil rights movements--United States ; Discrimination. ; Integration ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Nashville (Tenn.) ; Rabbis ; Race discrimination. ; Race relations ; Racism 36.1627, -86.7816 17 Nashville (Tenn.) 5912 Early married life / Involvement in the temple and the Jewish community But I want to sit a little bit with that early married life. Gordon tells the story of a rabbi he knew introducing him to his now-wife, Bernice. This rabbi ended up marrying Joel and Bernice Gordon, and they joined a conservative temple. Gordon was a large financial supporter of the temple, and he was also asked to be a member of the board. Gordon discusses his involvement in both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, including the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. He also received several awards, and was inducted into the Health Care Hall of Fame. Gordon was asked to be the president of the Temple, but he declined, and he was very involved in the Jewish Federation. Bernice Gordon ; Financial supporters ; Health Care Hall of Fame ; Jewish Federation ; Nashville, Tennessee ; Tennessee Performing Arts Center Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Judaism. ; Nashville (Tenn.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 36.1627, -86.7816 17 Nashville (Tenn.) http://tnhealthcarehall.com Picture of Joel Gordon for his induction in the Tennessee Healthcare Hall of Fame. 6084 Temple and synagogue involvement and attendance After that I--most of my friends belonged to the temple. Gordon begins discussing his and his wife, Bernice's, involvement in the temple and the synagogue, which they joined after they were married. He discusses how they joined a temple, but attended different temples and synagogues for different holidays and religious days. Gordon also discusses his support of various Jewish temples and synagogues, as well as issues regarding membership and Gordon's influence in the Jewish community. He also discusses different rabbis and their views. Gordon also discusses his children's involvement in the Jewish community, including their time in Sunday school and attending camps and activities at the Jewish Community Center. Taking his children to the community center also made Gordon recognize his own appreciation and love for the center, and led him to start supporting it both financially and with volunteerism. Communities ; Community ; Financial support ; Involvement ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Membership ; Nashville (Tenn.) ; Nashville, Tennessee ; Synagogues ; Temples ; Volunteerism Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Volunteers ; Worship (Judaism) 36.1627, -86.7816 17 Nashville (Tenn.) 6377 Support of the community and the importance of community involvement But I, I've stayed involved in the temple. Gordon has been extremely involved in giving children a chance to reach their goals through scholarships and athletic programs. He has also been a major fundraiser for the temple and the Jewish Community Center. Gordon was the leader of a campaign that raised twelve million dollars for the Jewish Community Center. Gordon describes his belief in the importance of being involved in and supporting one’s community. He believes that the only way to make a community grow is to nourish it and give it the support it needs. Athletics ; Fundraising ; Involvement ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Nashville, Tennessee ; Scholarships ; Volunteerism Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Nashville (Tenn.) 36.1627, -86.7816 17 Nashville (Tenn.) 6460 Tribute to his parents What, what--was that something that your parents imparted in you? Joel Gordon's passion for leadership is illustrated by his participation and support of both the Jewish and non-Jewish community. Gordon discusses the importance of involvement, and why he is so involved. He also discusses his tribute to his family. Gordon financially supported a park in Crofton, Kentucky, where he was born. He wanted a plaque placed in the park in memory of his parents, but the park was named Gordon Park. Gordon wanted his parents to be remembered, and their Jewish identity to be remembered in Crofton. Gordon Park was opened in 1996. The park has received several awards for best small park. Athletic programs ; Athletics ; Community ; Crofton (Ky.) ; Crofton, Kentucky ; Gordon Park ; Jewish ; Non-Jewish ; Parents ; Parks Family histories. ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. 37.0478, -87.4850 17 Crofton (Ky.) http://www.croftonky.com/gordon-park/park.html Official website of Gordon Park. 6679 Gordon's involvement and leadership And I say the second thing he'd say is &quot ; I got a son that I raised that's obviously got more money than he's got sense if he's up here giving it away.&quot ; Gordon resumes discussing the reasons behind his involvement and contribution to his community, through scholarship and athletic programs, as well as through his support of the Jewish Community Center and the temple. Gordon found a sense of responsibility from people he knew from the Gentile community that donated to the Jewish community. It also came from his own donations, that slowly grew and expanded over time, especially to the Jewish Federation. He also discusses that the true way to be involved and support the community is to take a leadership position and put in the work to truly make a difference. He also discusses efforts to help expand leadership throughout the community. Athletic programs ; Contributions ; Donations ; Education ; Gentile community ; Involvement ; Jewish community ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Nashville, Tennessee ; Scholarship programs ; Support ; Synagogues ; Temples Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Nashville (Tenn.) 36.1627, -86.7816 17 Nashville (Tenn.) 6932 Jewish identity Let me ask you one or two more questions about this and then maybe we should stop for today-- Gordon reflects on how he felt about identifying himself as Jewish when he was young. He did not want to identify as Jewish when he was a teenager because he felt that he was denied opportunities because of his faith. He discusses his transition from not wanting to identify as Jewish, to being a major supporter of the Jewish community and the temple. One large contributor to this change was Gordon’s wife, Bernice. Gordon describes Bernice Gordon as having a more formal Jewish education, and she had a greater knowledge and appreciation of the faith. Gordon also explains how his children’s education was more similar to Mrs. Gordon, and their large community of friends were predominantly Jewish. Gordon also recalls his realization that his Jewish identity was important to him, and it did not restrict him like he felt it did in his earlier years. He discusses his experience being Jewish in business, and describes anti-Semitic and/or derogatory terms sometimes associated with being Jewish early in his business career. He also discusses his move from the retail industry into entrepreneurship, and the creation of several different businesses throughout his career. Bernice Gordon ; Businesses ; Communities ; Community ; Crofton (Ky.) ; Crofton, Kentucky ; Education ; Jewish community ; Opportunities ; Opportunity ; Synagogues ; Temples Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Childhood ; Discrimination. ; Entrepreneurship ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership ; Worship (Judaism) 34.0478, -87.4850 17 Crofton (Ky.) 7270 Jewish education / Wife's family You mentioned that Bernice had a, a much better--or, in your words, uh, Jewish education... Gordon describes his wife, Bernice's, early Jewish education. He believes that his wife and children’s education was far more extensive than his own. He also recounts what being Jewish in business during the 1960s was like. Bernice’s father, Harry Wingart, was a tailor, and she had two sisters and a brother. Bernice's mother would do much of the tailoring work behind the scenes. Gordon also discusses class differences and attitudes during this time due to professions and income. During this segment, Gordon also takes a moment to tell a story about members of Bernice's extended family, and playing poker. Bernice Gordon ; Education ; Extended family ; Family ; Family history ; Harry Wingart ; Income levels ; Jewish education ; Nashville, Tennessee ; Personal background ; Poker (Card game) ; Tailors Entrepreneurship ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Nashville (Tenn.) ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership 36.1627, -86.7816 17 Nashville (Tenn.) 7724 Family history I ne, I never had the background. In the last part of his interview, Gordon begins to briefly discuss his family history. He mentions his father’s childhood in Europe, and that his father did not have a desire to return to Europe. Gordon’s father was from Poland and his mother was from Russia, and they came to live in Crofton, Kentucky. He has also had some friends look into his family history, and discusses his grandparents as well. This discussion leads to the end of the interview. Crofton (Ky.) ; Crofton, Kentucky ; Europe ; Family ; Family history ; Personal background ; Poland ; Russia Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Jewish families. 37.0478, -87.4850 17 Crofton (Ky.) interview Joel Gordon was born on January 5, 1929, in Crofton, Kentucky. Both his mother and father were Jewish, and he was raised with a Jewish foundation. When Gordon was a child, his father owned and operated a general store. Gordon briefly describes his childhood in Crofton, and specifically his time spent playing basketball. In fact, his success as an athlete enabled him to attend the University of Kentucky on a basketball scholarship. In addition to playing basketball at the University of Kentucky, Gordon was also a member of the Jewish fraternity Zeta Beta Tau, a marketing society, and the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). Gordon was also involved with the Student Union at the University of Kentucky, and he attended the synagogue while he was in college. He graduated from UK with a major in business management, and served in the United States Air Force in Europe during the Korean War. Upon returning to the States, Gordon began working in retail. He met his wife, Bernice, during this time and they later married. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon moved to Nashville, and Gordon recounts his experiences with the civil rights movement in Nashville, Tennessee. Gordon also describes his children, and his daughter Sheri’s involvement in the civil rights movement. Eventually, Gordon left the retail industry and pursued entrepreneurial interests in the elderly nursing care and the medical outpatient industries. He ends the interview by discussing his extended family as well as Bernice Gordon’s extended family. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh387_jk060_gordon_ohm.xml 2017oh387_jk060_gordon_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7w6m33529z OHMS Object https://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh387_jk060_gordon_ohm.xml Interview Rights All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Interview Usage Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Joel Gordon, June 21, 2017 Description An account of the resource Joel Gordon was born on January 5, 1929, in Crofton, Kentucky. Both his mother and father were Jewish, and he was raised with a Jewish foundation. When Gordon was a child, his father owned and operated a general store. Gordon briefly describes his childhood in Crofton, and specifically his time spent playing basketball. In fact, his success as an athlete enabled him to attend the University of Kentucky on a basketball scholarship. In addition to playing basketball at the University of Kentucky, Gordon was also a member of the Jewish fraternity Zeta Beta Tau, a marketing society, and the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). Gordon was also involved with the Student Union at the University of Kentucky, and he attended the synagogue while he was in college. He graduated from UK with a major in business management, and served in the United States Air Force in Europe during the Korean War. Upon returning to the States, Gordon began working in retail. He met his wife, Bernice, during this time and they later married. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon moved to Nashville, and Gordon recounts his experiences with the civil rights movement in Nashville, Tennessee. Gordon also describes his children, and his daughter Sheri’s involvement in the civil rights movement. Eventually, Gordon left the retail industry and pursued entrepreneurial interests in the elderly nursing care and the medical outpatient industries. He ends the interview by discussing his extended family as well as Bernice Gordon’s extended family. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh387_jk060 Subject The topic of the resource Family histories. Genealogy Jewish families. Jewish children Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Crofton (Ky.) African Americans--Segregation Civil rights movements--United States Integration Race relations Nashville (Tenn.) Jewish leadership Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://www.nunncenter.net/jewishkentucky/files/original/ac235097282afd46ec04930104afcb71.jpeg 1136668c6302b9546394387d03e3236a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral Histories Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Carol Ely Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Sara Wagner Interview Keyword Keneseth Israel Jewish Community Center (JCC) B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) University of Wisconsin-Madison Brandeis University Jewish Federation of Louisville Holidays. OHMS Object Text 5.2 2017oh381_jk058 Interview with Sara Wagner, June 9, 2017 2017oh381_jk058 jk Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Louisville (Ky.) Jewish children Jewish families. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Worship (Judaism) Religion Jewish women--Kentucky Childhood Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Jewish leadership--Kentucky Keneseth Israel Jewish Community Center (JCC) B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) University of Wisconsin-Madison Brandeis University Jewish Federation of Louisville Holidays. Sara Wagner Carol Ely 0 Vimeo video &lt ; iframe allowFullScreen frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; height=&quot ; 564&quot ; mozallowfullscreen src=&quot ; https://player.vimeo.com/video/253252075&quot ; webkitAllowFullScreen width=&quot ; 640&quot ; &gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 Introduction and family background My name is Carol Ely. I'm the Louisville liaison for the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project. Today is June 9th, 2017. Wagner explains her family history. Her grandmother Bessie was born to Benis and Mary Levine in Louisville in 1895 after her family had emigrated from Poland. She was married to Wagner's paternal grandfather, Zelig Klein, but became widowed and later married Izzy Leifer. Zelig's family emigrated from Lithuania, but he was actually born in Ireland. Her grandmother's side of the family were founders of Keneseth Israel (K.I.). The family name changed from &quot ; Clein&quot ; to &quot ; Klein&quot ; when her grandfather, a peddler, moved to Louisville. Her father, Bill Klein, was one of eight siblings and came from a traditional Orthodox background. Her maternal grandmother was born in the United States in 1902 and her mother's family is from Wisconsin. Her mother, Myra, and her father met at a wedding and got engaged at Camp Livingston, and Wagner herself also got engaged at Camp Livingston. Atlanta (Ga.) ; Bessie Leifer ; Bessie Levine ; Bill Klein ; Camp Livingston ; Carol Ely ; Clein ; Family names ; Folklore ; Ireland ; Izzy Leifer ; Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence ; Jewish Kentucky Oral History ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Kentucky ; Klein ; Lithuania ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Mary Levine ; Myra Klein ; Poland ; Sara Wagner ; Stella Levine ; Willie Levine ; Zelig Klein Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Immigrants ; Jewish families. 38.233, -85.735 17 Oak Street, Louisville (Ky.) 474 Jewish upbringing and keeping kosher in Louisville Well, it sounds like that Jewish identification was really strong in your family-- Wagner reiterates that her father was raised Orthodox and still maintains a lot of the Orthodox traditions even at the age of ninety-one. He puts on tefillin and davens every morning, goes to minyan, and brings his siddur and tallis to vacation. Wagner thinks his dedication is because he was saying kaddish very early because of the loss of his father. Her parents grew up in kosher homes but did not keep kosher once they had children. However, Wagner says that she did grow up with kosher being the norm from her extended family, and that her husband decided to keep kosher in their house for a long time. Wagner grew up regularly attending shabbat at Keneseth Israel in Louisville. Bill Klein ; Davens ; Kaddish ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Kosher ; Minyan ; Myra Klein ; Orthodox ; Secular ; Shabbat ; Siddur ; Synagogues ; Tallis ; Tefillin ; Wisconsin Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.22, -85.67 17 Keneseth Israel, Louisville (Ky.) 632 Keneseth Israel involvement and family's religious shift So it sounds like K.I. itself, as an institution, has played an important part-- Wagner's family were members of the Keneseth Israel (K.I.) congregation when it went through a transition from being very Orthodox to more Conservative. Her mother was heavily involved at K.I. and had many leadership positions. Myra was on the board, chair of the religious committee, and N.C.S.Y., the youth group, and president of the sisterhood. Wagner herself was active in N.C.S.Y. and the Orthodox youth group. Wagner discusses that she didn't understand all of the different streams and branches of Judaism until she met her husband Howard. Her knowledge on the different branches of Judaism expanded as K.I. shifted towards a Traditional movement. When she was in college they brought in the first Conservative rabbi, Rabbi Seiger. Wagner recounts how her father didn't have a hard time with the change but her mother did. Wagner had her bat mitzvah in 1978, where she read from her Haftorah and not the Torah. A.J. ; Aliyah ; Bat mitzvahs ; Branches of Judaism ; Conservative ; Hebrew ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Mechitza ; Mixed seating ; National Conference for Synagogue Youth (NCSY) ; Orthodox ; Rabbi Seiger ; Reform ; Siddur ; Transliteration Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish women--Kentucky ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.22, -85.67 17 Keneseth Israel, Louisville (Ky.) 892 Parents' roles in the Louisville Jewish community So, you said that she was very active. She was on the-- Wagner remarks that because her father was heavily invested in his own drug store, Klein Drugs, that he was not as active in the Jewish community as her mother. Her father was a member of A.Z.O., the pharmaceutical Jewish fraternity. Her parents showed their leadership more in the synagogue and were involved with B'nai B'rith. Seeing Wagner's mother installed as sisterhood president at a mother-daughter banquet left an impression on Wagner. Wagner recounts breaking her arm on the playground at the Jewish Community Center (JCC). Kim Gordon Frankenthal gave the merry-go-round an extra push and Wagner's trip to the hospital was delayed because her mother had a meeting to attend to. Alpha Zeta Omega (AZO) ; B'nai B'rith ; Federation ; Involvement ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Jobs ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Kim Gordon Frankenthal ; Klein Drugs ; Meetings ; Parents ; Synagogues ; Volunteering Entrepreneurship ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Jewish women--Kentucky ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership ; Worship (Judaism) 38.257, -85.756 17 Fourth and Main St., Louisville (Ky.). Location of Wagner's father's drug store, Klein Drugs. 1063 Early childhood in 1960s Louisville We'll talk a little bit more about that. So, just for the record, when and where were you born? Wagner was born in Louisville in 1965, and spent her entire childhood here. She left to attend the University of Wisconsin, and then went to Boston to attend Brandeis University for graduate school. She has an older brother named Zell, named after her late grandfather Zelig. Zell lives in Louisville and works for Chase Bank. Wagner lived off of Taylorsville Road for most of her life. She grew up near four Jewish families who all had girls her age. She remembers Sam and Marlene Gordon, and Arlene and Harvey Kaufman. She remembers being very close to the girls she grew up with. However, she shared holidays with her family, not the neighbors. Wagner had a lot of family living in Louisville at the time ; grandmother Bessie and her step-grandfather. She recounts spending every shabbat at Keneseth Israel (K.I.) with her mother, who worked at the drugstore with her father, but also spending every shabbat lunch with her uncle Chuck, her grandmother, and her grandmother's sisters. She mentions she often spent all of Saturday with her grandmother Bessie, often spending the night and getting picked up early to go to Sunday school. Arlene Kaufman ; Bessie Leifer ; Birth ; Boston (Mass.) ; Brandeis University ; Chase Bank ; Family ; Harvey Kaufman ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Kim Klein ; Marlene Gordon ; Sam Gordon ; Shabbat ; University of Wisconsin ; Zell Klein Childhood ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.186, -85.535 17 Taylorsville Rd., Louisville (Ky.). Wagner says she lived off of Taylorsville Rd. for most of her early life. 1257 Family Jewish observance--Holidays and traditions And, so what was a typical Passover, say? What, what would your family do? When Wagner's grandfather was alive, he would have Passover at her grandmother Bessie's. She remembers her step-grandfather Izzy reading in Hebrew before they could eat, and waiting until he got through the entire Haggadah. She remembers later helping out with the traditions herself. Her family used to not build a sukkah. As for present day, her husband builds a sukkah. For High Holidays, Wagner would drive to Keneseth Israel (K.I.). Bessie Leifer ; Family ; Grandmother Bessie ; Haggadah ; Hebrew ; High Holidays ; Izzy Leifer ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Step-grandfather Izzy ; Sukkah ; Sukkot Childhood ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.22, -85.67 17 Keneseth Israel, Louisville (Ky.) 1336 Early education / Jewish education So, uh, you've mentioned Sunday school and Hebrew school. At that time, how was it structured in the community? Wagner states that she went to Hebrew school at the JCC two days a week, and Sunday school at K.I. She went to Hebrew school up to the high school level, taught by Janet and Sonny Meyers. There was an incentive that if you were a madrichah, or if you were working at the Hebrew school, they would help send you to Israel. Wagner remarks that this was her first job, teaching Hebrew school with Anita Seiden. Anita Seiden ; Hebrew high school ; Hebrew school ; Janet Meyers ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Madrichach ; Sonny Meyers ; Sunday school Childhood ; Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.23, -85.65 17 Jewish Community Center of Louisville. 1411 Public school And, uh, for, uh, regular school, where did you go to school in Louisville? Wagner is a graduate of Atherton High School, a public high school in Louisville. Although she was in Seneca's district, she went to Atherton to take Hebrew courses that weren't taught at Seneca. She experienced no social exclusion there but naturally preferred the Jewish Community Center (JCC) and B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) because of her history there. She got involved at the JCC from a young age and took classes like photography and dance, and participated in day camp. Wagner attended Camp Ben F. Washer, which was the overnight camp at Camp Tall Trees. Wagner states that somewhere between camp and BBYO is why she ended up doing what she's doing today. Annette Gale ; Atherton High School ; B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) ; Camp Ben F. Washer ; Camp Tall Trees ; Clubs ; High schools ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Kim Gordon ; Meyers Middle School ; National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) ; Seneca ; Summer camps Childhood ; Education--Kentucky ; Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) 37.94, -86.04 17 Camp Tall Trees 1631 Impact of Camp Livingston and influential members of the Jewish community And camp does clearly play an important role in your family history-- Wagner attended Camp Livingston, which had an entire Louisville crowd. She grew comfortable with a group of kids from different regions of the country while still being close to home. She made life-long connections with campers, some of whom are her colleagues today. She then moves on to some influential people she has found throughout her life, all connected to the Jewish community in some form. She mentions Stuart Pass, the director of the teen department, and Sheila Miles. She received scholarships, went to conferences, and went to Israel because of these life-changing connections through the Jewish Community Center (JCC) and B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO). She describes how she found her passion after hearing Israeli kids talking about their experiences and relating that to her own trip to Israel. She explains that she doesn't have a clear instance of any anti-Semitism being committed against her. However, she does recount instances that occurred in her parents' drugstore where people would ask questions that felt uncomfortable about what it meant to be Jewish. Anti-Semitism ; B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) ; Ben F. Washer ; Camp Livingston ; Camps ; Influential people ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Netanya ; Sheila Miles ; Stuart Pass ; United Jewish Campaign (UJC) Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Childhood ; Discrimination. ; Israel. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.85, -85.11 17 Camp Livingston. 1900 College life and Jewish experience in Madison, Wisconsin So, um, ti, time to go off to college. Wagner decided to attend college at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She was involved with Hillel, BBYO, and a Jewish sorority during her time there. She was rush chair and president during her time in her sorority, Sigma Delta Tau (SDT). She majored in sociology, and it was through her connections with Janet Elam that she decided to pursue a master's program in Jewish communal service. She was in a more diverse Jewish community in Madison, and learned to approach people from different viewpoints there. There were three thousand Jewish students there, and Wagner had family in the area as well. However, she fell in love with Brandeis when looking in to their school for graduate school. Wagner digresses in to the separation of the branches of Judaism and how meeting her husband, Howard, introduced her to this idea. B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) ; Branches of Judaism ; Brandeis University ; Camp Herzel ; Camp Livingston ; Camp Ramah ; Camp Sabra ; Colleges ; Conservative ; Federation ; Hillel ; Janet Elam ; Jewish communal services ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Jewish sororities ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Madison, Wisconsin ; Master's programs ; National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) ; Orthodox ; Reform ; Self discovery ; Sigma Delta Tau (SDT) ; Sociology ; Traditional ; United Synagogue Youth (USY) ; University of Wisconsin-Madison College students--Religious life ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Madison (Wis.) ; Religion 43.11, -89.43 17 University of Wisconsin-Madison 2313 Relationship with her husband, Howard Wagner And you mentioned that you met your husband, Howard, at camp, but then he was at, uh, Madison too? Sara Wagner and her husband, Howard Wagner, met at Camp Livingston. Howard eventually transferred to University of Wisconsin in Madison after a year at Ohio State University. When Wagner went to school in Boston afterwards, they decided they would go to Boston together. They got married while living in Boston. Howard Wagner is an accountant from Toledo, Ohio. His mother, Bella, was born in Romania and survived the Holocaust. They ended up in Toledo because Bella's father was a kosher butcher who survived the war, and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) matched him up with a city that needed a kosher butcher. Accountants ; Bella Wagner ; Boston (Mass.) ; Brandeis University ; Camp Livingston ; DP camp ; Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) ; Holocaust ; Howard Wagner ; Kosher butchers ; Madison (Wis.) ; Madison, Wisconsin ; Ohio State University ; Romania ; Toledo (Ohio) ; Toledo, Ohio Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Immigrants ; Jewish families. ; Marriage 39.99, -83.02 17 Ohio State University 2452 Experience at Brandeis University So, um, so, you're in Boston ; you've started Brandeis. Tell me about your experience at Brandeis, which was certainly-- Wagner was deciding between a master's program in social work and Jewish communal service but ultimately decided on Brandeis and to pursue the latter degree because of her connection with Joe Reimer, a professor at Hornstein. She knew she wanted to work with the Jewish community and study and be in an environment with students who also wanted to work with the Jewish community. She was at Brandeis from 1987-1989. Wagner mentions that she didn't see herself coming back to Louisville for work, but always wanted to end up in a city like Louisville because she felt like she could make a bigger impact in cities with similar size. Careers ; Conservative ; Harvard Hillel ; Hornstein ; Jewish community ; Joe Reimer ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; March on Washington to free Soviet Jews ; Midwest ; Orthodox ; Reform ; Shabbat ; Soviet Jewry Committee Brandeis University ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) 42.37, -71.25 17 Brandeis University. 2715 Field experiences in interfaith marriage in Boston My supervisor was Rabbi Kaminsky. Wagner discusses her time with Rabbi Kaminsky, one of the first rabbis in New England to perform interfaith marriages. She reflects on sitting in on interfaith marriage counseling at Harvard Hillel while in Boston and how that has impacted her subsequent career positions, as well as her future family, as she was engaged at the time. She discusses her own skepticism of raising children based on two different religions. Wagner also talks about growing up in Louisville in a relatively liberal setting, despite her traditional upbringing. She goes on to elaborate on Birthright Israel and its pilot program in Louisville opening with Avraham Infeld, arguing that her enthusiasm with this project went back to her experiences at Brandeis University in Boston with Reformed, Conservative, and Traditional Jews and interfaith counseling. Avraham Infeld ; Birthright Israel opening session ; Brandeis University ; Counseling ; Engaged ; Field experiences ; Future families ; Harvard Hillel ; Integrating customs ; Interfaith couples ; Interfaith marriages ; Interfaith parents ; Jewish community ; Jewish homeland ; Jewish Outreach Institute ; Rabbi Kaminsky ; Weddings Families. ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Marriage ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 42.37, -71.25 17 Brandeis University, where Wagner conducted field experience in interfaith marriages with Rabbi Kaminsky. 3015 Living in Boston and transition to Louisville And, uh, you stayed in Boston for a little while after that? Wagner discusses her rationale for moving back to Louisville, such as wanting to reduce her husband's commute as a tax accountant in Boston. She expands on her job search in the Midwest and her job interview in Cincinnati. She briefly touches on her mother's influence on her job search, suggesting positions in Louisville. Wagner also discusses her eventual job acceptance at the Jewish Federation of Louisville as Community Relations Director. She describes her transition back to Louisville, Kentucky with her husband. Alan Engel ; Boston JCC ; Cincinnati (Ohio) ; Community relations ; Community Relations Council ; Federation ; Howard Wagner ; Interviews ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Job searches ; Rabbi Miles ; Relations directors ; Tax accountants Boston (Mass.) ; Employment--Kentucky ; Families. ; Jewish families. ; Louisville (Ky.) 42.299, -71.204 17 Location of Greater Boston JCC, where Wagner worked before returning to Louisville 3088 Adjusting to Louisville and the Federation So, when you came back to Louisville, had Louisville changed in the time you'd been away? Wagner discusses her transition into her position in community relations at the Jewish Federation of Louisville at the age of 25. She worked with David Weinberg and was also involved with the teens at the Louisville JCC. Wagner was the Kentucky Interfaith Community President at one point and also worked to fight against anti-Semitism in Kentucky. She describes other community leaders that supported her and aided her in her involvement in the community, such as Rabbi Miles, Alan Engel, and Rabbi Rapport. Wagner also reflects on the changes from living in Louisville as a child and then as a married woman. She also elaborates on her feelings of acceptance in both the workplace and community as a young female leader. Acceptance ; Alan Engel ; Anti-Semitism ; B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) ; Communities ; Community relations ; Community Relations Council ; David Weinberg ; Federation ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Jewish Council of Public Affairs ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Kentucky Interfaith Community ; Lewis Cole ; Rabbi Miles ; Rabbi Rapport ; Sister Marie Goldstein Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Employment--Kentucky ; Families. ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Louisville (Ky.) 17 3511 Memorable experiences and breakthroughs on the Community Relations Council So you were very visible as a Jew in the community-- Wagner discusses memorable experiences while working on the Community Relations Council, briefly touching on the Jewish community's relationship with the smaller African American Jewish population and the conscious effort to grow that relationship. She also describes the intense debate over the Federation's position regarding the death penalty and the split between community members. She elaborates on the factors that shaped the CRC's decision to vote against the death penalty, including a potential loss of donors and the weight of the decision on the council. She highlights the CRC and their voting and vetoing records. African Americans ; Ballard High School ; Black Jewish community ; Breakthroughs ; Coalition ; Community ; Community Relations Council ; Death penalty ; Debates ; Donors ; Federation Board ; Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) ; Mark Isaacs ; Rabbi Rapport ; Relationships ; Resolutions ; Reverend Kevin Cosby Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) 38.225, -85.650 17 Location of the Louisville JCC, where Wagner worked with upon returning to a job in Louisville 3777 Family life in a Jewish community Well, just to go back and revisit-- Wagner discusses her three daughters' experiences in the Jewish community as children. She describes the differences in involvement between her three daughters in the Jewish community over the past ten years and how it has changed over time. She talks about the cohesiveness of Jewish families and friends with her eldest daughter and how that has differed with her younger two daughters. She also elaborates on family traditions and holidays, including her and her husband's decision to keep kosher for over twenty-five years. Their decision to keep kosher was very important as a way to stay committed to their faith and to separate Wagner's professional life from her family life. Camp Beber ; Changes ; Competition ; Daughters ; Elana Wagner ; Family ; Field hockey ; Hebrew schools ; Howard Wagner ; Israel ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Jewish friends ; Jewish sororities ; Kosher ; Shabbat dinners ; Talia Wagner ; Traditions ; Yael Wagner Childhood ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 4075 Experiences with the Community Relations Council in Israel Um, alright, so, you're at the CRC-- Wagner touches on her opportunities to travel to Israel multiple times while campaigning and fundraising with the Federation. She discusses the Lion of Judah Division, a program in which women donate five thousand dollars to an annual campaign to rescue Soviet Jewish families through Operation Exodus. She highlights the women's empowerment within the community and their efforts to give back through philanthropy. She briefly describes her transition from community relations to fundraising. Fundraising components ; Lion of Judah ; Operation Exodus ; Philanthropy ; Travel ; Women's campaign directors Israel. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Jewish women--Kentucky 17 4240 Federation and Jewish Community Center merger details The, um--tell me more about the circumstances of that merger. Wagner discusses the needs of the Jewish community, financial issues, and the attitudes toward the Federation and JCC that led to the merger process. Wagner describes the merger between the Federation of Louisville and the JCC. She elaborates on the reasons behind the merger and the specifics of the newly merged organization. She also elaborates on the PJ Library and how that played into the merger process, a program that sends a new Jewish book each month to Jewish families to educate and promote Jewish education and engagement. Wagner also discusses the results of this decision in the community and how they have since integrated. Bylaws ; Community reactions ; Deficit needs ; Donors ; Federation ; Integrate ; Israel ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Keneseth Israel (KI) ; Mergers ; PJ Library ; Strategic thinking committees ; Young families Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Louisville (Ky.) 17 4900 Promotion to CEO of the Jewish Federation of Louisville And you were the assistant director at the time that the merger happened, is that correct? Of the Federation? Wagner describes her work at the JCC running the day-to-day operations and internal mechanics. She elaborates on working outside of the Federation at the JCC and her hesitancy to walk away from the campaign in community relations. Wagner discusses her decision to interview for the job of CEO of the Federation of Louisville after Stu Silberman stepped down. She describes the conflict between her then-current position and the changes that would have to be made in a new position. Wagner touches on the interview process, her acceptance as Head, and the community's reactions to the first female CEO of the Federation. Acceptance in community ; Alan Engel ; Associate directors ; Campaigns ; Challenges ; Chief executive officer (CEO) ; Community Relations Council ; Competitive ; Federation ; First female CEO ; Interviews ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Jewish Community of Louisville ; Processes ; Promotions ; Resumes ; Stu Silberman Employment--Kentucky ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Louisville (Ky.) 17 5153 Security threats at the Jewish Community Center Well, one of the things that you don't necessarily think of first, as far as challenges to Jewish community, is security. Wagner describes security issues that she has had to deal with while at the Federation. Specifically, she discusses the bomb threat that was received at the Louisville JCC in March 2017 and the protocol and employee preparation for such an event. Wagner also describes the emphasis she places on constantly staying alert for security threats, especially with 85 preschoolers at the JCC. She discusses the community's strong reaction through a &quot ; We are Together&quot ; rally and the JCC's reaction with staff drills and tests inside the building. Wagner touches on the general hate mail and anti-Semitism that is present today. Bomb threats ; Community Relations Council ; Drills ; Emergency response plans ; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) ; Federation ; Hate mail ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; New buildings ; Notes ; Pre-schoolers ; Rallies ; Security ; Staff ; Talia Wagner ; Tests Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Louisville (Ky.) 17 http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2017/03/08/bomb-threat-called-into-louisville-jewish-community-center/98901798/ This news article recounts the bomb threat made to the Louisville JCC in 2017. 5484 Relations between the Louisville Jewish and Muslim communities And the Jewish community has also gone out of its way to support the Muslim community. Wagner discusses the current relationships between the Louisville Jewish community and the Islamic community, particularly between women. She describes the gatherings and events that have bonded the two groups over the years. She discusses the effort between the Louisville Jewish and Muslim communities to aid a Syrian refugee family. She also discusses the Festival of Faiths as a wonderful way to strengthen the ties between cultures. She also highlights the support that each group has for the other in Louisville. Cooking projects ; Festival of Faiths ; Islamic Center ; Jewish community ; Mosques ; Muhammad Ali ; Muslim community ; Muslims ; Relationships ; Syrian refugee family ; Women's groups Islamic leadership. ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Jewish women--Kentucky ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Muslim families. ; Muslim women--Kentucky ; Religion 38.291, -85.680 17 Islamic Center of Louisville. https://festivaloffaiths.org/ Website on the Festival of Faiths and its goal in the Louisville community. 5624 Expanding the Louisville Jewish community And you're going through a planning process now-- Wagner discusses the current situation of the Louisville JCC and the expansion within the community. She describes the process of determining how to best approach and move forward with a new construction, as well as how to best accommodate the Jewish population of Louisville. Wagner elaborates on the argument of how to proceed with the physical building of the JCC. She also describes the debate about what the right space is that will meet the needs financially and internally for the Jewish community. Auditoriums ; Building ; Camps ; Communities ; Expansions ; Finance ; Growing ; Jewish community ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Space ; Sustainable needs Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Louisville (Ky.) 38.225, -85.650 17 Jewish Community Center of Louisville. 5756 Strengths and challenges in the Jewish community in 2017 Well we're almost out of time-- Wagner reflects on both the strengths and challenges of the Jewish community of Louisville today, such as a lack of funds for the JCC day school and the Jewish affiliation today. She describes the difficulty with providing every service to the Jewish community. For example, there is no longer a day school at the Jewish Community Center. Wagner discusses the difference in definition of &quot ; affiliation&quot ; with the organized Jewish community and the struggle to keep and bring new Jewish people to the JCC. She also describes the well-rounded community representation and Jewish population within the greater Louisville area and the number of &quot ; transplants&quot ; from other cities in the U.S. that comprise the Jewish population of Louisville. Affiliations ; Challenges ; Communities ; Day schools ; Donors ; Funds ; Involvement ; Jewish community ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Louisville natives ; Strengths ; Transplants Jewish leadership--Kentucky ; Louisville (Ky.) 17 interview Sara Wagner is a Louisville, Kentucky native and the current head of the Jewish Federation of Louisville as of 2017. Wagner reflects on her Jewish upbringing, the traditions her family observed (such as keeping kosher), as well as her family’s roles in the Jewish community. She includes a brief background of her family history and her ancestors’ journey from Poland and Ireland to the United States in approximately 1890. She also describes growing up in 1960s Louisville and the Jewish culture in the city at the time. She makes note of the shift in religious practices that have shaped Jewish culture in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Wagner describes her college experiences at the University of Wisconsin from 1983-1987 and discusses her involvement in a Jewish sorority, Sigma Delta Tau. She describes meeting her husband, Howard Wagner, in the 1980s and living in Boston, as well as her work experience with Rabbi Kaminsky at Brandeis University from 1987-1989. Following her time in Boston, she discusses her job search process and her decision to return to her hometown. Wagner describes her transition back to Louisville and her work on the Community Relations Council. Wagner explains the merger details between the Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Louisville in 2009. She also describes her eventual job promotion to President of the Federation in June of 2015. She reflects on the strengths, challenges, and future challenges of both the Federation and the Jewish community of Louisville in general. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. video Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh381_jk058_wagner_ohm.xml 2017oh381_jk058_wagner_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7w6m33529z OHMS Object https://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh381_jk058_wagner_ohm.xml Interview Rights All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Interview Usage Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sara Wagner, June 9, 2017 Description An account of the resource Sara Wagner is a Louisville, Kentucky native and the current head of the Jewish Federation of Louisville as of 2017. Wagner reflects on her Jewish upbringing, the traditions her family observed (such as keeping kosher), as well as her family’s roles in the Jewish community. She includes a brief background of her family history and her ancestors’ journey from Poland and Ireland to the United States in approximately 1890. She also describes growing up in 1960s Louisville and the Jewish culture in the city at the time. She makes note of the shift in religious practices that have shaped Jewish culture in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Wagner describes her college experiences at the University of Wisconsin from 1983-1987 and discusses her involvement in a Jewish sorority, Sigma Delta Tau. She describes meeting her husband, Howard Wagner, in the 1980s and living in Boston, as well as her work experience with Rabbi Kaminsky at Brandeis University from 1987-1989. Following her time in Boston, she discusses her job search process and her decision to return to her hometown. Wagner describes her transition back to Louisville and her work on the Community Relations Council. Wagner explains the merger details between the Jewish Community Center and the Jewish Federation of Louisville in 2009. She also describes her eventual job promotion to President of the Federation in June of 2015. She reflects on the strengths, challenges, and future challenges of both the Federation and the Jewish community of Louisville in general. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh381_jk058 Subject The topic of the resource Louisville (Ky.) Jewish children Jewish families. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Worship (Judaism) Religion Jewish women--Kentucky Childhood Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Jewish leadership--Kentucky Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://www.nunncenter.net/jewishkentucky/files/original/f3dec69277d861345983ef9bb45a019f.jpeg 6cb89e73abbdea5c01d461acbf22d7a2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral Histories Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Raiffa Syamil Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Zach Sippy Interview Keyword Rabbis Ohavay Zion Synagogue Temple Adath Israel Bar Mitzvahs Beth El Synagogue Jewish youth Political activism OHMS Object Text 5.2 2017oh380_jk057 Interview with Zach Sippy, June 12, 2017 2017oh380_jk057 jk Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Education Jews--Identity. Lexington (Ky.) Religion Jewish families. Families. Family histories. Genealogy Judaism. San Mateo (Calif.) Long Island (N.Y.) Minneapolis (Minn.) Childhood Jewish children Holidays. Rabbis Ohavay Zion Synagogue Temple Adath Israel Bar Mitzvahs Beth El Synagogue Jewish youth Political activism Zach Sippy Raiffa Syamil 0 Vimeo video &lt ; iframe allowFullScreen frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; height=&quot ; 564&quot ; mozallowfullscreen src=&quot ; https://player.vimeo.com/video/253251487&quot ; webkitAllowFullScreen width=&quot ; 640&quot ; &gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 Introduction and family background Hello. My name is Raiffa Syamil and I am a student here at the University of Kentucky. Sippy discusses his name, birthday, and the towns where he has lived: Huntington, Long Island, New York ; San Mateo, California ; and Lexington, Kentucky. He also discusses his family's background information including his father, Rabbi Wirtschafter, mother, Shana Sippy, and sister, Emmanuel Wirtschafter Sippy. He describes the Jewish community in the places he has lived. He specifically describes Temple Adath Israel in Lexington, Kentucky. David Wirtschafter ; Emmanuel Wirtschafter Sippy ; Huntington, Long Island, New York ; Lexington, Kentucky ; Rabbis ; Reform rabbis ; San Mateo, California ; Shana Sippy ; Sippy ; Temple Adath Israel ; Zachariah Wirtschafter Sippy Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Huntington (N.Y.) ; Jewish families. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Long Island (N.Y.) ; San Mateo (Calif.) 38.0356548, -84.4850338 17 Temple Adath Israel, 124 North Ashland Avenue Lexington, Kentucky, 40502 http://www.lextai.org/ This is the website for Temple Adath Israel in Lexington, Kentucky. 138 Growing up in Minnesota, California, and Kentucky And I understand that your family recently moved from Minnesota to Lexington. Sippy discusses growing up in California, Minnesota (where he attended Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School), and Kentucky. Sippy moved across the country to Lexington, Kentucky because of his father's career as a rabbi. Sippy's family moved to Lexington in 2015, where he attended Henry Clay High School. Bay Area, Long Island, New York ; Burlingame, California ; Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School ; Lexington, Kentucky ; Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Orange County, California ; Peninsula Temple Sholom ; Rabbis ; Southwest High School Burlingame (Calif.) ; Childhood ; Education ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Long Island (N.Y.) ; Minneapolis (Minn.) ; Orange County (Calif.) 44.9653457, -93.3361007 17 Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School, 4330 Cedar Lake Road, Minneapolis, MN 55416 https://www.hmjds.org/ This is the website for the Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School where Zach Sippy attended school for 5-6 years. 333 Sippy and his family's religious background So with your dad being the rabbi, and being, like, uh, in that kind of stuff, like, throughout your childhood, Jewish tradition was a pretty big part of your life. Sippy discusses his mother and father's religious backgrounds, his family's ancestry, and Jewish tradition in his life. Sippy's mother, Shana Sippy, is the daughter of a Hindu Indian immigrant and a New Jersey Jew. Sippy's father, Rabbi Wirtschafter, grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and is the current rabbi at Temple Adath Israel (as of 2018). Beth El Synagogue ; Christianity ; Conservative Judaism ; Hindu ; Indian ; Mosques ; Reform Judaism ; Religion ; Sikh ; South-Asian religion ; Synagogues ; Traditions Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Jewish families. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion 17 532 Celebrating Jewish holidays So how were holidays celebrated, and, like, with whom? Sippy discusses how his family celebrates Jewish holidays and how transitioning between different cities impacted his experiences regarding these holidays. Sippy also describes how his father's role in the community impacts his family's celebration of every Jewish holiday. His family uses holidays as an opportunity to interact with the Jewish community. Passover ; Purim ; Rosh Hashanah ; Shavuot ; Yom Kippur Families. ; Holidays. ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion 17 896 Impact of his Jewishness on his social life Um, so how has being Jewish impacted how, like, you make friends and interact, like, socially in school, and--or, like, extracurricular events? Sippy discusses how his Jewish identity impacts his extracurricular activities and social life as a high school student. Since the Jewish community is much smaller in Lexington than other places he has lived, his temple doesn't hold Saturday morning services. This allows Sippy the freedom to join extracurricular activities that are held on the weekend. Although Sippy's family practices Shabbat, Sippy has chosen to join extracurricular activities such as Lincoln-Douglas Debate Team (which is held on Saturday). Debate teams ; Extracurricular activities ; Immigrant culture ; Jewish identity ; Secular world ; Shabbat Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 1146 Ancestral origins and connections to Judaism And, like, you talked about this a little bit already, but, like, I understand that your grandparents and your parents have a unique heritage and history, and, like, the two sides of your family have very different experiences. Sippy discusses his father and mother's family origins and identity. According to Sippy, half of his father's family are German Jews and arrived in America in the mid-to-late 1800s, where they settled in Tennessee and Virginia. Sippy's grandfather on his mother's side is originally from modern-day Karachi, Pakistan. He also describes how the majority of his family are Eastern European Jews who arrived in America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Eastern European Jews ; Economic opportunity ; German Jews ; Hindu ; Indian ; Muslims ; Pakistan ; Pan-Jewish identity ; Religious persecution ; Self-identity ; Settling in the South ; South Asian ; Third wave of immigration ; Traditional Jewish culture Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Jewish families. ; Judaism. 17 1568 Life as a rabbi's son So I know that we talked a bit about your background growing up. Sippy discusses the dynamics and politics of synagogue life. He discusses his particularly unique role as the rabbi's son and the expectations that come along with that role. Active in synagogue ; Family ; Lexington, Kentucky ; Rabbi's children ; Rabbi's sons ; Synagogue politics ; Temple ; Youth groups Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion 38.0356548, -84.4850338 17 Temple Adath Israel, 124 North Ashland Avenue, Lexington, KY 40502 http://www.lextai.org/about-us/our-rabbi This link directs to the Temple Adath Israel's &quot ; Our Rabbi&quot ; page. 1830 Interaction with Jewish and non-Jewish peers So how about your involvement in the Temple, and, um, how--or how, how you interacted with your Jewish and non-Jewish peers? Sippy discusses how his role as a Jew has changed from Minneapolis to Lexington. In Minneapolis, most of Sippy's friends were Jewish and he was surrounded by Jewish peers, whereas in Lexington, Sippy describes being the only &quot ; Jew in the room&quot ; and how he has a more diverse group of friends at Henry Clay High School. Debates ; Hebrew ; Henry Clay High School ; Jewish schools ; Lexington, Kentucky ; Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Rabbi's children ; Rabbi's sons ; Representative of Jews ; School community ; Temple Adath Israel ; Young Democrats Education ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Minneapolis (Minn.) 38.0161777,-84.4711797 17 Henry Clay High School, Lexington, Kentucky 2110 Experiences in Temple Adath Israel in Lexington, Kentucky Um, can you tell me a little bit about your involvement in the Temple? Sippy discusses his personal experiences attending Temple Adath Israel in Lexington. He describes his immediate involvement with the Temple after moving to Lexington. He has taken an active role in the Temple's youth group as the group's president. He also describes teaching at the religious school. Hebrew education ; Jewish education ; Jewish youth groups ; Reform rabbis ; Temple youth groups Education ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion 17 2384 Becoming Bar Mitzvahed--Process and celebration Um, and then you mentioned earlier that, um, while you were in Minneapolis you were bar mitzvahed. Sippy discusses the Bar Mitzvah training and process, coming of age, and the ceremonial aspects of the celebration. Sippy prepared for his Bar Mitzvah in Minneapolis and describes the three-year-long process. Specifically, he describes preparing by attending a Jewish day school, learning the prayers, and studying the Torah. Bar Mitzvahed ; Bar Mitzvahs ; Beth El Synagogue ; Five books of Moses ; Morning prayers ; Mussaf ; Prayers ; Shabbat ; Shacharit ; Torah Education ; Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Minneapolis (Minn.) ; Religion 17 2671 Differences between Temple Adath Israel and Beth El Synagogue Um, could you please talk about how your experiences at, um, Temple Adath Israel have differed from your experiences at the temple you attended in Minneapolis? Sippy discusses the differences and experiences at Temple Adath Israel in Lexington, Kentucky and Beth El Synagogue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Specifically, Sippy describes Beth El Synagogue as a massive institution because it was in the Jewish suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Louis Park. He also discusses Beth El Synagogue as a Conservative synagogue, while Temple Adath Israel is more of a Reform temple. Beth El Synagogue ; Conservative synagogues ; Hillary Clinton ; Prayer vs. performance ; Rabbi Alexander Davis ; Reform synagogues ; Temple Adath Israel ; Tony Blair Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Minneapolis (Minn.) ; Religion 17 https://www.besyn.org/ This link connects to the website for Beth El Synagogue in Minneapolis, MN. 2929 Social and religious opportunities for Jewish youth So, um, what types of, like, opportunities exist for the youth to get involved at TAI, and like what kinds of things can you recall from, um, synagogues you attend--attended in Minneapolis? Sippy discusses the types of opportunities that exist for Jewish youth, including United Synagogue Youth, National Federation of Temple Youth, and Lexington Temple Youth. He describes his participation in United Synagogue Youth in Minneapolis and his involvement in National Federation of Temple Youth in Lexington. Sippy explains how the National Federation of Temple Youth is a Reform movement, while the United Synagogue Youth is Conservative in practice. Jewish community ; Jewish youth ; Jewish youth groups ; Lexington Temple Youth ; National Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) ; United Synagogue Youth (USY) ; Youth groups Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Minneapolis (Minn.) ; Religion 17 http://usy.org/ This link directs to the United Synagogue Youth website. 3360 Temple and Synagogue in Lexington, Kentucky Um, um, did you ever attend, like, um, services at the Synagogue? Sippy discusses the different types of synagogues he has attended, including Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox. Sippy describes Temple Adath Israel as &quot ; home base&quot ; where his father, Rabbi Wirtschafter, is the lead rabbi. He expresses his appreciation for the different types of synagogues, specifically Ohavay Zion Synagogue and Beth El Synagogue. Conservative ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Rabbis ; Reform synagogues ; Temple Adath Israel ; Worship styles Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.0356548, -84.4850338 17 Temple Adath Israel in Lexington, Kentucky http://www.lextai.org/ This is the website for Temple Adath Israel in Lexington, Kentucky. 3557 Sippy's experiences with NFTY and Jewish summer camps Okay. So you talked earlier about some of the regional or, like, national Jewish youth organizations, like NFTY, that you participated in. Sippy describes his involvement in Jewish organizations such as NFTY, USY, and NCSY. Sippy describes his personal involvement as a camp counselor at a Reform Jewish camp in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Although he did not enjoy overnight summer camps, he has met great friends at these summer camps. California ; Camp Shalom ; Chapters ; Community ; Israel ; National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY) ; National Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) ; Organizations ; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; Summer camps ; Torah ; United Synagogue Youth (USY) ; Youth groups Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Philadelphia (Pa.) ; Religion 17 https://ohiovalley.nfty.org/get-involved/temple-youth-groups/ Link to NFTY and locations of the organizations across the United States 3934 Jewish day schools and public education So now that we've talked about your family and your Jewish upbringing, upbringing, I'd like to talk with you more about your experiences in school. Sippy compares the schools he has attended in terms of diversity. When he attended Jewish day schools, he felt like he was in a bubble, but when he began going to public schools he was exposed to students with more diverse backgrounds. In 2015, he began attending Henry Clay High School in Lexington, Kentucky, where he was one of a handful of Jewish students. California ; Diversity ; Friends ; Graduates ; Heilicher Minneapolis Jewish Day School ; Henry Clay High School ; Homogenous ; Jewish day schools ; Minneapolis Jewish Day School ; Morasha ; Morasha Jewish Day School ; Public schools ; Rancho Santa Margarita, California ; St. Louis Park, Minnesota ; Teachers ; Transitions Education ; Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) ; St. Louis Park (Minn.) 33.6365623,-117.6018926 17 Morasha Jewish Day School in Rancho Santa Margarita, California 4290 Political activism--Passion for politics And at Henry Clay and in the Lexington community you seem to be very involved and outspoken about issues surrounding diversity in school and student involvement. Sippy expresses his passion for politics, which started at a young age. He describes his father as an outspoken rabbi and his mother as a professor who is dedicated to social activism. His political activism began during the 2004 presidential election when he began working in a partisan manner for the Democratic Party. Since moving to Kentucky, he has began working with groups including the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, a significant education non-profit in Kentucky. Activism ; Allies ; Anti-Semitism ; Education ; Holocaust ; Inclusion ; Kentucky ; Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Perspectives ; Politics ; Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence ; Republican Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Education ; Elections ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Politics and government 17 4512 Experiences at Henry Clay High School So what has it been like to be a publicly identified Jewish student and a very outspoken activist at Henry Clay High School? Sippy believes that everyone should speak out against things like homophobia or Islamophobia, not just the person being affected by the hatred. Sippy also discusses an incident he brought to school administrators where a swastika was drawn on the bathroom wall. Sippy felt disappointed he was the first person to say something about the swastika. He felt other students should stand up against anti-Semitism as well. Administration ; Anti-Semitism ; Education ; Henry Clay High School ; Holocaust ; Homophobia ; Ignorance ; Islamophobia ; Lexington, Kentucky ; Minneapolis, Minnesota ; Stereotypes ; Swastika ; Teachers Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Education ; Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Minneapolis (Minn.) 17 http://www.wkyt.com/content/news/Student-finds-swastika-on-wall-in-bathroom-of-Lexington-high-school-412328393.html In the segment, Sippy discusses an incident where swastikas were drawn on the bathroom wall. This is a link to a report from one news outlet that covered the story. 4894 The need for a coalition to promote social inclusion Um, you have to create a culture of, of inclusion and community, um, and recognize the intersectionality in, in, you know, in these shared struggles, and that's what's most important. Sippy discusses how the school administration's approach to incidents of racism, anti-Semitism, and other hate is distanced from what the students actually want or need. Acceptance ; Community ; Dialogue ; Homophobia ; Inclusion ; School administration ; Swastika ; Xenophobia Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Education ; Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Lexington (Ky.) 17 5104 Educating the community--Family roles Okay. So how is or how has your father been a resource in educating the community about anti-Semitism--anti-Semitism among students and at schools, and even, like, other issues that, um, arise with other, like, religious groups? Sippy discusses the role his father has had in creating a coalition to educate the community of Lexington, Kentucky in religious tolerance. Sippy lists the names of religious leaders in Lexington his father has been working with to create religious acceptance. Sippy believes in an inter-faith community. Christians ; Coalition ; Community ; Education ; J.R. Zerkowski ; Muslims ; Nadia Al-Khatab Rasheed ; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) ; Reverend Anthony Everett ; St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church ; Wesley United Methodist Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Education ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion 17 https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/catalog/xt766t0gx759 This link is to an interview with Rabbi David Wirtschafter. 5257 Life after high school--Anti-Semitism and Anti-Zionism So you'll be going to university soon. How are you going to react to anti-Semitism if it occurs in that environment? Sippy discusses the issues he expects to encounter after high school. He specifically touches on the difference between Anti-Zionism and Anti-Semitism. On campus, he wants to do his best to speak up for the issues he believes in. He hopes to spend the rest of his life working on building coalitions for social acceptance and inclusion. Acceptance ; Anti-Zionist ; Campus ; Coalition ; Inclusion ; State of Israel ; University ; Zionism Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Jews--Identity. ; Lexington (Ky.) 17 5362 Reactions to the 2016 presidential election How has your perception of what it's like to be Jewis--Jewish in the U.S. changed, if at all, since the election of Donald Trump this past November? Sippy believes that Donald Trump is not the problem with America, but a symptom of the problem. He wants this election to be a wake-up call for America to change its ways. He describes the trend of a rise in nationalism and xenophobia in recent years. He desires to challenge these rising trends and hopes there will be a wake-up call for others to join him. California ; Donald Trump ; Hillary Clinton ; Kentucky ; Political climate ; Presidential elections ; South ; Symptoms ; Voters Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Elections ; Jews--Identity. ; Politics and government 17 5668 Political activism--Sippy's accomplishments So I want to transition now to talk a little bit about your passion and accomplishments as a political and social activist. Sippy discusses the organizations he is involved in in his political career thus far. He works closely with the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence to elevate the voices of Kentucky youth in regard to education issues. He currently serves as the student director of grassroots engagement for the Student Voice Team at Henry Clay High School. Sippy uses his voice to challenge oppressive educational legislation. Chair of School Governance ; Coalitions ; Gear Up ; Henry Clay School Council ; Henry Clay Young Democrats ; Kentucky High School Democrats ; Side by Side News ; Student Voice Team ; Teachers ; Voices Discrimination. ; Education ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Politics and government 17 http://prichardcommittee.org/our-initiatives/student-voice-team-fact-sheet/ This is the link to the Prichard Committee discussed in the segment. 6079 Educating the community--Personal role So I've read a bit about your father's reaction to your activism in the anti-Semitism that has happened at Henry Clay, and he's very supportive of your ideas and creating a dialogue in the community about anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination and hate other religions have received. Sippy discusses his family's role in educating the community and how they work together to make this happen. They also work with other leaders in different religious temples. Now that Sippy is older, he is able to have more of a leadership role in Temple Adath Israel and his high school, Henry Clay in Lexington Kentucky. Adrian Wallace ; Anthony Everett ; Coalitions ; Community ; David Wirtschafter ; Emmanuel Wirtschafter Sippy ; Family ; Meetings ; Nadia Al-Khatab Rasheed ; Shana Sippy ; Temple Adath Israel Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Education ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion 17 6285 Life after high school--Sippy's future So, uh, we're gonna transition a little bit more into kind of who you, um--your future plans for university and for your life in general. Sippy is unsure of what his future holds in terms of which college to attend and his plan of study. He is interested in American history, public policy, and international studies. He does hope to be involved in Jewish organizations on campus. He hopes whatever he is doing will make him happy. He does not see success counted in dollar bills, but in the joy you receive from your job. American history ; Colleges ; Community ; Government ; International studies ; Politics ; Public policy ; Study College students--Attitudes. ; College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Social conditions ; Education, Higher ; Universities and colleges. 17 6549 Dating and socializing Okay, so we're gonna get a little bit more personal now. So, uh, how has your Jewish faith influenced, like, your dating and your socializing? Sippy begins with saying that he is more often atheist or agnostic. He sees Judaism as more of a culture. Sippy describes his openness to inter-faith dating and marriage. While Sippy does not want to force his children into Judaism, he hopes that his future children will be exposed to Judaism throughout their childhood. Agnostic ; Atheist ; Children ; Culture ; Dating ; Exposure ; Inter-faith ; Kosher ; Marriage ; Praying ; Socializing ; Wife Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 6798 State of Israel and Jewish identity So how does the State of Israel connect to your sense of Jewish identity? Sippy identifies as a Zionist and believes in the need for a State of Israel for Jews in the Holy Land. He sees the complexities of the problem of needing a homeland and knows there is no easy solution in the issue of a sovereign state as their homeland. Sippy has visited Israel. He expected to have an overwhelming emotional experience ; however, he did not. Sippy did enjoy his trip and would like to return in the future. Emotions ; Family ; Holy Land ; Homeland ; Israel ; Israelis ; Jerusalem ; Palestine ; Palestinian ; State ; Travel ; Visits ; Zion ; Zionism ; Zionist Families. ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 31.046, 34.851 17 Israel 7027 Predicting life ten years from 2017 Okay. Okay, so I just have one last question. Sippy is not sure of what his future holds, but he hopes to be doing something meaningful. He finds success is not in money, but doing something important. He describes his passion for public policy, American history, and international studies. He hopes to pursue his interests in college. College graduates ; Future ; Happy ; Seventeen ; Success ; Twenty-seven College students--Attitudes. ; College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Social conditions ; Education, Higher ; Universities and colleges. 17 interview At the time of this interview, Zach Sippy was a high school student in Lexington, Kentucky. In this interview, he discusses his family history and Jewish background. He talks about the various places he has lived throughout his life, including Minnesota, California, and Kentucky, and compares them in terms of diversity and opportunities to participate in Jewish culture. He talks about how being the son of a rabbi has affected him and his family life. He compares various synagogues and temples he has attended throughout his life, including his participation in Temple Adath Israel in Lexington. He talks about his public school education, his Jewish school education, and the process of being Bar Mitzvahed. He discusses experiences with anti-Semitism, political activism, and his work to promote social and religious inclusion. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. video Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh380_jk057_sippy_ohm.xml 2017oh380_jk057_sippy_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7w6m33529z OHMS Object https://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh380_jk057_sippy_ohm.xml Interview Rights All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Interview Usage Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Zach Sippy, June 12, 2017 Description An account of the resource At the time of this interview, Zach Sippy was a high school student in Lexington, Kentucky. In this interview, he discusses his family history and Jewish background. He talks about the various places he has lived throughout his life, including Minnesota, California, and Kentucky, and compares them in terms of diversity and opportunities to participate in Jewish culture. He talks about how being the son of a rabbi has affected him and his family life. He compares various synagogues and temples he has attended throughout his life, including his participation in Temple Adath Israel in Lexington. He talks about his public school education, his Jewish school education, and the process of being Bar Mitzvahed. He discusses experiences with anti-Semitism, political activism, and his work to promote social and religious inclusion. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh380_jk057 Subject The topic of the resource Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Education Jews--Identity. Lexington (Ky.) Religion Jewish families. Families. Family histories. Genealogy Judaism. San Mateo (Calif.) Long Island (N.Y.) Minneapolis (Minn.) Childhood Jewish children Holidays. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://www.nunncenter.net/jewishkentucky/files/original/d3e5acba6c3ddcac2ac4630f346f3ef9.jpeg 44f94e74d48d78bfdf4ccdb585f59a3f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral Histories Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Carol Ely Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed John Yarmuth Interview Keyword Emigration and immigration. Entrepreneurship Jewish businesspeople Family histories. Immigrants Education, Higher Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO) Washington (D.C.) African Americans--Segregation Civil rights movements--United States OHMS Object Text 5.2 2017oh355_jk054 Interview with John Yarmuth, May 10, 2017 2017oh355_jk054 jk Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Jewish children Jewish families. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Louisville (Ky.) Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Race discrimination. Race relations--Kentucky Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Protest movements Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Public opinion Kentucky--Politics and government Politicians--Kentucky Emigration and immigration. Entrepreneurship Jewish businesspeople Family histories. Immigrants Education, Higher Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO) Washington (D.C.) African Americans--Segregation Civil rights movements--United States John Yarmuth Carol Ely 0 Vimeo video &lt ; iframe allowFullScreen frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; height=&quot ; 564&quot ; mozallowfullscreen src=&quot ; https://player.vimeo.com/video/253249790&quot ; webkitAllowFullScreen width=&quot ; 640&quot ; &gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 2 Introduction and family background This is Carol Ely. I'm the Louisville liaison for the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence Jewish Kentucky Oral History project. Yarmuth describes how his grandfather brought his family to America from Russia in the early 1900s. They settled first in New York, then later moved to New Jersey. Then in 1943, Yarmuth's father came to Fort Knox with the military and settled in Louisville, Kentucky. He briefly discusses his father's and uncle's entrepreneurial inclinations. He notes his Jewish background as more orthodox on his father's side and reform on his mother's. 1910s ; Bronx (N.Y.) ; Family ; Fort Knox (Ky.) ; Kosher ; Latvia ; Long Island (N.Y.) ; New Jersey ; New York ; Russia ; Sons of the American Revolution Emigration and immigration. ; Entrepreneurship ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Immigrants ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish families. 56.879, 24.603 17 Latvia http://www.hadassahmagazine.org/2006/05/11/jewish-traveler-louisville/ The Jewish Traveler: Louisville 449 Jewish experiences as a child in 1950s Louisville, Kentucky And, uh, so what, what kind of religious household, or not, did your, did your parents create? Yarmuth describes growing up more culturally than religiously Jewish and living in a primarily Jewish neighborhood, in the Outer Highlands. He became bar mitzvahed more for his grandfather's sake than his own, and his family also celebrated both Hanukkah and Christmas, as a commercial holiday. He participated in sports and social clubs at the Jewish Community Center throughout his adolescence and consequently made many Jewish friends he met outside of Sunday school. Adath Jeshrun ; Atherton High School ; Bar Mitzvah ; Christmas ; Haftorah ; Jewish Community Center of Louisville ; Lakeside Swimming Club ; Pi Tau Pi ; Seder ; Seneca Golf Course ; Shabbat Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.225, -85.650 17 Jewish Community Center of Louisville https://jewishlouisville.org/the-j/ Jewish Community Center of Louisville Website 1104 Father's ventures in the car business from the 1950s to the 1970s And uh, your grandfather and your uncles and father were all involved in, uh, I believe initially in the car business, and that transitioned into banking into a Fortune 500 company. Can you, can you tell that story? Yarmuth describes how his grandfather on his mother's side, Sam Klein, started his successful businesses, such as the Royal Bank (later the Royal Bank of Louisville, eventually BB&amp ; T) and Humana. Yarmuth also talks about how his father started out working for Klein and eventually took over the car lot. His father expanded the business, opened an auto parts business and a finance company, eventually blooming into a conglomerate called National Industries that owned and centralized numerous varied smaller businesses. Bank of Louisville ; BB&amp ; T ; Fortune 500 Company ; Humana ; National Industries ; Oak Ridge Atom ; Royal Bank of Louisville ; United Jewish Communities ; Yellow Cab Company Entrepreneurship ; Families. ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish families. ; Louisville (Ky.) 38.246, -85.764 17 Corner of Eighth and Broadway https://www.bbt.com/ BB&amp ; T Website 1559 Jewish life and discrimination against Jews in Louisville during the 1950s-1960s So when you were growing up, were your parents active in the Jewish community? Yarmuth talks about playing golf at the Standard Club, a Jewish golf course, and Seneca Golf Course, a public golf course in his youth ; Jews weren't able to join any of the other country clubs in Louisville at the time. He also talks about how his parents were redlined from buying a house on River Hill Road, but ended up moving to Glenview, where they were welcomed by other families in the neighborhood. Audubon Country Club ; Big Spring Country Club ; Champion's Park ; Glenview ; Hunting Creek Country Club ; Louisville Country Club ; River Road Country Club ; Seneca Golf Course ; Standard Club Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Jewish families. ; Louisville (Ky.) 38.269, -85.711 17 Champion's Park http://www.standardclub.net/ Standard Club Website 1839 Race relations in Louisville during the 1950s-1960s So, uh, when you were growing up, were you really aware of racial segregation in Louisville and the civil rights movement was starting to happen? Yarmuth recounts significant racial segregation in his elementary, junior high, and high school years during the budding civil rights movement. He remembers only having one black student in his grade at a time. While segregation was the norm, his family was progressive. His father, although not very racially sensitive, frequently did business with the African American community, and his mother was a member of the Human Relations Commission in the area, an organization that worked against discrimination. African-Americans ; Atherton High School ; Belknap Elementary School ; Civil rights ; Highland Middle School ; Human Relations Commission ; National Jewish Council of Women African Americans--Segregation ; African Americans--Social conditions. ; Civil rights movements--United States ; Discrimination. ; Jewish families. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Race discrimination. ; Race relations--Kentucky ; Racism ; Segregation in education--Kentucky 38.223, -85.706 17 Highland Middle School https://louisville.edu/braden/oral-history-tours-exhibits/civil-rights-driving-tour Self-Guided Tour of Civil Rights Movement in Louisville, Kentucky 2072 Experiences at Atherton High School in Louisville Um, okay, let's, let's get to high school now. Yarmuth talks briefly about Kentucky Country Day, a private school in Louisville, the perception that students there were “problem children,” and why he never considered private schooling for himself. In high school at Atherton, Yarmuth talks about being involved with student government along with a large number of Jewish students, including his brother, Robert, at one point. Yarmuth even recalls that he was elected vice president and then became student body president. Atherton High School ; Behavior problems ; Jews ; Kentucky Country Day ; Parochial schools ; Private schools ; Public schools Education--Kentucky ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Louisville (Ky.) 38.214, -85.688 17 Atherton High School http://schools.jefferson.kyschools.us/High/Atherton/index.html Atherton High School Website 2225 Life at Yale University, 1965-1969 So, uh, then you left Louisville for a little while ; you went to college at, uh, Yale. Why Yale? Before considering going to college in Wisconsin, Yarmuth attended Yale with help from a recommendation from a family friend who used to be the assistant dean, J. Howard Marshall. Yarmuth notes no significant Jewish life on campus besides the Hillel Society, but he still had many Jewish friends. He joined Beta Theta Pi, a fraternity with more Jewish life than most, and eventually majored in American Studies. American studies ; Atherton High School ; Beta Theta Pi ; Eastern Time Zone ; Fraternities ; Hillel ; J. Howard Marshall ; Jewish student life ; Lake Mendota ; Madison (Wis.) ; New England ; New Haven (Conn.) ; Pi Tau Pi ; Robert Cook ; University of Wisconsin ; Yale University College students--Religious life ; Education, Higher ; Higher education ; Jews--Identity. 41.308, -72.927 17 New Haven (Conn.) https://www.slifkacenter.org/ Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale 2750 Anti-war protests at Yale during 1969 So you were there during the height of the Vietnam War protests and campus activism, were you involved at all in those movements? Yarmuth talks about how he and his friends were Republicans when they were in college, specifically during the Vietnam War. They did not support the protests, but didn't support the war either. Yarmuth mentions a shift in his political views that took place during his senior year ; there was a debate on campus in 1966 between William Sloane Coffey and William F. Buckley, Jr. The result surprised Yarmuth, Coffey beat Buckley, and made him consider a new perspective ; that perhaps the states' rights view on government intervention in civil rights may be flawed. 1969 ; Bill Scranton ; Campus activism ; George W. Bush ; Protests ; William F. Buckley Jr. ; William Sloane Coffey ; Yale University African Americans--Segregation ; African Americans--Social conditions. ; Civil rights movements--United States ; Politics and government ; Race discrimination. ; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Protest movements ; Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Public opinion 41.316, -72.922 17 Yale University 3044 Start of his political career In, uh, late 1971--la, late 1970, I got a call from a guy named Mitch McConnell. Yarmuth recalls Mitch McConnell, upon his return to Kentucky, inviting him to go to Washington, D.C. to be Marlow Cook's legislative assistant, to which he agreed. After Cook lost his re-election, Yarmuth stayed in Louisville to create a publication, Louisville Today. While still running the paper, Yarmuth then ran and lost the race for district commissioner. Central High School ; John Heyburn ; Louisville Board of Aldermen ; Louisville Today ; Marlow Cook ; Mitch McConnell ; Republicans ; Rockefeller Republicans ; Roe v. Wade ; Vietnam ; Washington, D.C. ; Watergate Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; McConnell, Mitch ; Politicians--Kentucky ; Washington (D.C.) 38.907, -77.036 17 Washington, D.C. https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/ Mitch McConnell's website 3357 Religious influences and change in partisanship in the 1980s It was--that was basically--that's the year that Ronald Reagan became president. While still working on the paper, Louisville Today, Yarmuth says that he changed his political affiliation from Republican to Democrat. He mentions the specific reasons for the switch, specifically President Reagan, Evangelical influence on policy, and Jerry Falwell's disparaging of Desmond Tutu. He recalls that his family didn't oppose his change of party. 1980 ; Abortion ; Catholics ; Desmond Tutu ; Evangelicals ; Jerry Falwell ; Law schools ; Marlow Cook ; Political parties ; Ronald Reagan ; South Africa ; University of Louisville Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Newspapers--Kentucky. ; Politicians--Kentucky 30.559, 22.937 17 South Africa http://classroom.synonym.com/the-role-of-evangelism-christianity-in-the-reagan-era-12086832.html The Role of Evangelism &amp ; Christianity in the Reagan Era 3596 Family life And at point in all of this did you meet your wife Cathy? Yarmuth met his wife, Cathy, when he escorted her to the Hardscuffle Steeplechase, a charity event he attended in 1981 while running for county commissioner. She was Catholic, and when they married, they never discussed raising their children in a certain religion. They celebrated Hanukkah and Christmas a few times, and Yarmuth is currently a member of Temple Adath Jeshurun in Louisville. Yarmuth also talks about the difficulties of travelling back and forth from Washington to both spend time with his family and work as a congressman. 1983 ; Aaron Yarmuth ; Adath Jeshurun ; Air Force ; Birth of son ; Catholicism ; Cathy Yarmuth ; Children ; Christmas ; Hanukkah ; Hardscuffle Steeplechase ; Religious exposure ; Republicans ; Work schedules Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 https://www.adathjeshurun.com/ Adath Jeshurun Website 3910 Louisville Eccentric Observer So--alright, back, back to your work life, you founded another publication, the, uh, Louisville Eccentric Observer, known as the LEO, how did that come about? Yarmuth started the Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO) when he noticed the success of alternative weeklies. He bought the Manly Messenger from its owner, Reiner Goldring, and created the City Paper. He eventually abandoned that and continued Louisville Today, which fell through a few years later due to a mistake in judgement, focusing on publishing the Louisville Today and not the City Paper tabloid they'd been publishing simultaneously. Yarmuth talks about the turning point being when the Courier was sold, and there was no alternative weekly or any local editorials. So he started the LEO on his own. And while he wrote progressive articles for LEO, he also had conservative writers on board. Alternative weeklies ; Boston Phoenix ; City Paper ; Gun laws ; LGBT rights ; Louisville Today ; Manly Messenger ; New York Magazine ; Rolling Stone ; Village Voice Louisville (Ky.) ; Newspapers--Kentucky. ; Publications. ; Publishers and publishing. 38.252, -85.758 17 Louisville (Ky.) https://www.leoweekly.com/ Louisville Eccentric Observer Website 4337 Re-entering politics in 2005 So you decided to re-enter politics. When Jack Conway decided he wasn't running against Anne Northup for Kentucky's 3rd district congressional seat in 2006, Yarmuth knew he needed to run. He ended up running against another Democratic candidate in a primary and won. The race between him and Northup was tight, but he won by picking up most of the undecided vote. 2005 ; 2006 ; Anne Northup ; Black churches ; Campaigning ; Courier Journal ; Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ; Jack Conway ; Jefferson County (Ky.) ; Jerry Abramson ; Kentucky's 3rd Congressional District ; Marc Murphy ; Political polls ; Suicide Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Politicians--Kentucky 38.252, -85.758 17 Kentucky's Third Congressional District https://yarmuth.house.gov/ Congressman John Yarmuth's website 4886 Work in Congress 2006-present So, uh, while you've been in Congress, you've, uh, been particularly involved with certain issues, one of them is healthcare--Medicare, Medicaid, women's health. How did your interest in that evolve? Yarmuth always intended to tackle campaign finance reform, universal healthcare, and gun law reform once in Congress. While healthcare is a long and arduous process, he does say that campaign finance reform is being solved, in part, by the role of social media in elections as a leveler. Yarmuth also mentions fighting against &quot ; religious freedom&quot ; extending to discrimination based on religious freedom, specifically concerning gay rights. Affordable Care Act (ACA) ; Citizens United ; Congress ; Freedom of religion ; Gun laws ; Medicaid ; Medicare ; Millennials ; Political ads ; Social media ; Supreme Court ; Universal healthcare ; Women's health Discrimination. ; Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Politicians--Kentucky 38.248, -85.762 17 Yarmuth's Louisville Office https://yarmuth.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=111&amp ; itemid=506 John Yarmuth and the Affordable Care Act 5171 Jewish caucus and stance on Israel Are you part of a Jewish caucus in Congress? Yarmuth is a member of the Jewish caucus in Congress, and they usually talk about issues in Israel and Palestine. While their opinions are divided, they're determined to “stay together” because the caucus is shrinking. Yarmuth personally talks about his dislike of Netanyahu, how he feels Netanyanhu has been costing Israel support in recent years. Yarmuth also talks about his own ambivalence about the administration in Israel. American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) ; American Jews ; Benjamin Netanyahu ; Congress ; Iran ; Israel ; J Street ; Jerusalem ; Jerusalem, Israel ; Jewish Caucus ; Jewish Community Center of Louisville ; United Nations ; United States of America Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Politicians--Kentucky ; Religion 31.768, 35.213 17 Jerusalem (Israel) https://www.jta.org/2014/09/09/news-opinion/politics/amid-declining-jewish-caucus-in-congress-rising-concerns-over-communal-influence &quot ; Amid declining Jewish caucus in Congress, rising concerns over communal influence&quot ; 5396 Issues with Israel and Zionism in the United States, 2010s Do you hear a lot from your constituents about Israel issues? Is it something that Louisville Jews talk to you about? Yarmuth discusses how his constituents feel and communicate with him about issues related to Israel. He talks about holding a town hall with the Louisville Jewish community through the Jewish Community Center in 2015 to discuss the Iran nuclear deal and answer questions. He talks about how the meeting was productive, and how he gave them a fresh perspective on the deal because the people in attendance had only heard Netanyahu's side of the deal. Yarmuth also recalls explaining to then-President Obama how to better present the Iran nuclear deal to the public. American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) ; Barack Obama ; Benjamin Netanyahu ; Iran ; Iran Nuclear Deal ; Israel ; J Street ; Jerusalem, Israel ; Jewish Community Center ; Louisville Jews ; Obama administration ; Steve Cohen ; Zionism Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Politicians--Kentucky ; Religion 31.768, 35.213 17 Jerusalem (Israel) http://wkms.org/post/yarmuth-and-mcconnell-react-iran-nuclear-deal-changes Yarmuth and McConnell React to Iran Nuclear Deal Changes 5799 Anti-Semitism in modern-day America and problems facing the Jewish community So, um, in America, we've recently had a kind of resurgence in anti-Semitic speech, anti-Semitic acts, um, from the high levels to the public streets. Yarmuth discusses the current political climate, addressing aggressive attitudes towards immigrants, Jews, and other minorities. He proposes that finding a sense of commonality will help most in solving those problems. Yarmuth also discusses issues in the Jewish community, specifically assimilation ; Jews are marrying outside their religion and letting go of their Jewish heritage. He attributes the loss of Jewish heritage to the declining popularity of Jewish spaces like the Standard Club and the migration of Kentucky Jews to bigger cities. Assimilation ; Community ; Disenfranchisement ; Donald Trump ; Immigrants ; Jews ; Kentucky ; Standard Club ; Urbanization Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Politicians--Kentucky ; Religion 38.293, -85.597 17 Standard Club http://www.standardclub.net/ Standard Club Website 6055 Conclusion So is there anything I've missed asking that you'd like to talk about? Yarmuth speaks briefly on the &quot ; gravitational pull&quot ; between Jewish people, and the lasting bond he's had with the various Jewish people he's met through the years. Jewish friendships ; Steve Cohen ; Washington, D.C. ; Yale University Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Washington (D.C.) 38.907, -77.036 17 Washington, D.C. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/john-yarmuth Jewish Virtual Library: John Yarmuth interview Yarmuth describes his family coming to America from Russia in the early 1900s. Immigration officials who greeted his family when they entered instructed them to change their name from Yarmuck to Yarmuth. They settled, initially, in New York in the early 1910s. Some of his family later moved to New Jersey in 1933, and then his father moved down to Fort Knox, bringing his family to Kentucky in 1943. Growing up, he lived in a primarily Jewish neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky. While he celebrated his bar mitzvah and went to Sunday school, he was raised more culturally than religiously Jewish. In high school at Atheron during the budding civil rights movement, he was involved in student government along with several other Jewish kids. He attended Yale for 4 years, graduating in 1969 and majoring in American Studies. He spent a year as a stockbroker before becoming a legislative assistant to Republican Marlow Cook in D.C at the recommendation of Mitch McConnell. After Cook lost his reelection, Yarmuth decided to return to Louisville and get involved in publishing. He published the Louisville Times, City Paper, and after those publications went out of print, he created the Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO), an alternative weekly that is still published today. In 2006, he ran for 3rd Congressional District against Ann Northup. He won the Democratic primary and, even though it was a tight race, eventually won the seat against Northup. While in office, Yarmuth has championed universal healthcare, campaign finance reform, and gun law reform. Yarmuth is also involved with the Jewish Caucus in Congress, where the topic of discussion is usually Israel. Yarmuth discusses his stance on Israel, including his distaste for Netanyahu and the direction he’s leading Israel. Yarmuth, lastly, talks briefly about the resurgence of antisemitism and xenophobia as a side effect of the 2016 election and current political climate, and concludes with a statement about the strength of friendships built between people in the Jewish community. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. video Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh355_jk054_yarmuth_ohm.xml 2017oh355_jk054_yarmuth_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7w6m33529z OHMS Object https://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh355_jk054_yarmuth_ohm.xml Interview Rights All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Interview Usage Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource John Yarmuth, May 10, 2017 Description An account of the resource Yarmuth describes his family coming to America from Russia in the early 1900s. Immigration officials who greeted his family when they entered instructed them to change their name from Yarmuck to Yarmuth. They settled, initially, in New York in the early 1910s. Some of his family later moved to New Jersey in 1933, and then his father moved down to Fort Knox, bringing his family to Kentucky in 1943. Growing up, he lived in a primarily Jewish neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky. While he celebrated his bar mitzvah and went to Sunday school, he was raised more culturally than religiously Jewish. In high school at Atheron during the budding civil rights movement, he was involved in student government along with several other Jewish kids. He attended Yale for 4 years, graduating in 1969 and majoring in American Studies. He spent a year as a stockbroker before becoming a legislative assistant to Republican Marlow Cook in D.C at the recommendation of Mitch McConnell. After Cook lost his reelection, Yarmuth decided to return to Louisville and get involved in publishing. He published the Louisville Times, City Paper, and after those publications went out of print, he created the Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO), an alternative weekly that is still published today. In 2006, he ran for 3rd Congressional District against Ann Northup. He won the Democratic primary and, even though it was a tight race, eventually won the seat against Northup. While in office, Yarmuth has championed universal healthcare, campaign finance reform, and gun law reform. Yarmuth is also involved with the Jewish Caucus in Congress, where the topic of discussion is usually Israel. Yarmuth discusses his stance on Israel, including his distaste for Netanyahu and the direction he’s leading Israel. Yarmuth, lastly, talks briefly about the resurgence of antisemitism and xenophobia as a side effect of the 2016 election and current political climate, and concludes with a statement about the strength of friendships built between people in the Jewish community. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh355_jk054 Subject The topic of the resource Jewish children Jewish families. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Louisville (Ky.) Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Race discrimination. Race relations--Kentucky Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Protest movements Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Public opinion Kentucky--Politics and government Politicians--Kentucky Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://www.nunncenter.net/jewishkentucky/files/original/18e134d674c5429a3e168f5af611993c.jpeg 803e10940cf1d49f33d04318533b11ad Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral Histories Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Carol Ely Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Jerry Abramson Interview Keyword Genealogy Family histories. Fasts and feasts--Judaism. Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Indiana University Mayors Holidays. OHMS Object Text 5.2 2017oh348_jk053 Interview with Jerry Abramson, April 6, 2017 2017oh348_jk053 jk Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Louisville (Ky.) Childhood Jewish children Jewish families. Judaism. Worship (Judaism) Religion Jews--Identity. Education--Kentucky Louisville (Ky.)--Social conditions College environment Universities and colleges. Georgetown University Washington (D.C.) College students--Political activity. Kentucky--Politics and government Lawyers Politicians--Kentucky Genealogy Family histories. Fasts and feasts--Judaism. Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Indiana University Mayors Holidays. Jerry Abramson Carol Ely 0 Vimeo video &lt ; iframe allowFullScreen frameborder=&quot ; 0&quot ; height=&quot ; 564&quot ; mozallowfullscreen src=&quot ; https://player.vimeo.com/video/253249174&quot ; webkitAllowFullScreen width=&quot ; 640&quot ; &gt ; &lt ; /iframe&gt ; 0 His family coming to America Uh, so, so some of the questions will deal--in fact, a lot of the questions for you will deal with your family background-- Jerry Abramson's paternal grandmother is from Louisville, Kentucky, but his paternal grandfather is from Lithuania. Abramson's maternal family is from Connecticut. America ; Lithuania ; Louisville (Ky.) ; New Haven (Conn.) ; Poland Emigration and immigration. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Immigrants--Kentucky ; Jewish families. 17 136 Jewish Old Louisville Um, but they, um--my, my grandparents lived in Albacker Court, uh, which is where so many Jewish families lived in Old Louisville. The Keneseth Israel Synagogue is the temple that Abramson attended. He lived in the Old Louisville neighborhood section of Louisville for a portion of his life. Abramson specifically lived in Albacker Court. Albacker Court ; Jewish population ; Keneseth Israel Synagogue ; Old Louisville Neighborhood Childhood ; Louisville (Ky.) 38.232, -85.759 17 Albacker Court, Louisville (Ky.) ; http://www.oldlouisville.com/ A guide about the historical Victorian neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky. 456 Family-owned store Well, just your grandfather's putting a store where it did, it sounds like it had an impact on the rest of your life. Abramson grew up around a family-owned grocery store. The store was located in Taylorsville, Kentucky near Louisville. The store was called Abramson. As a child, Abramson would sometimes work in the store alongside his parents. Grocery stores ; Jewish-owned family stores ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Taylorsville (Ky.) Childhood ; Entrepreneurship ; Family histories. ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish families. ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership 38.032, -85.343 17 Taylorsville (Ky.) 631 Family history And, uh, was your father going straight into the store or did he have-- Abramson's grandparents are named Sidney and Sadie. His grandmother's maiden name is Russman. Many members of the Abramson family served in the army. This included Roy and Shirley Abramson, Jerry's mother and father, who met while deployed. Army ; Women's Army Corps ; World War 2 ; World War II ; WWII Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Jewish families. ; World War, 1939-1945 17 904 Growing up Jewish Yom Kippur was so important we stayed downtown in a hotel. Abramson celebrated Jewish holidays in accordance with his faith as a child. This included Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah. These rituals and celebrations differed from those of Abramson's Christian friends. The Sabbath was an important aspect of ritual to Abramson and his family. Christmas ; Jewish holidays ; Jewish Kentucky ; Passover ; Rosh Hashanah ; Sabbath ; Yom Kippur Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 1166 Connecticut So what was that like, being in Connecticut instead of Kentucky? Abramson's mother originally lived in New Haven, Connecticut. Abramson's mother disliked the idea of moving to Taylorsville, Kentucky from such a large city. Abramson's son, Sidney Abramson, often visits his grandmother over the summer in Connecticut and celebrates the Jewish faith there. Connecticut ; Elocution ; Kentucky ; Matzah ; New Haven (Conn.) ; Passover ; Summer ; Taylorsville (Ky.) Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Judaism. 17 1275 Synagogue involvement So it seems that, at least when you were very young, there was a strong Jewish community in Old Louisville that had the synagogues, that still had, uh, considerable population there-- Abramson, as a child, attended Hebrew school. Abramson also held some form of involvement in the local Jewish Community Center, which is where he attended Hebrew school, and would take a bus there after school on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Abramson had a bar mitzvah while living in Kentucky. Bar mitzvahs ; Hebrew schools ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Synagogues Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 1726 Being Jewish at school And did you at this time experience any, um, sense of being different or ostracized or in some way--because you were Jewish, did it--was it a social issue for you? Seneca High School is located near a neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky known as the Highlands, and this is where Abramson attended high school. He describes having a sizeable Jewish population at his high school. Many of Abramson's friends from Seneca High School were Jewish and were involved in Jewish-based clubs with him. &quot ; Conservadox&quot ; ; Atherton High School ; B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) ; Highlands ; Seneca High School Education--Kentucky ; Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. 17 1826 Club involvement And then you socialized at-- BBYO (B'nai B'rith Youth Organization was its name before being renamed BBYO Inc.) is an organization Jerry Abramson was involved with during high school. Abramson enjoyed being involved in multiple clubs and organizations during high school, which made his high school experience memorable. B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) ; Clubs ; Seneca High School Education--Kentucky ; Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Louisville (Ky.)--Social conditions 17 http://bbyo.org/ Information on one of Abramson's main sources of club involvement, BBYO. 2065 Life in high school and the Highlands So when you were a teenager you lived on... Abramson spent a good part of his childhood living in the Highlands, a neighborhood sect of Louisville. This neighborhood has a larger Jewish population, which contributed to the high Jewish population at Abramson's school, Seneca High School. In this part of Louisville, Abramson knew of many Jewish-affiliated bakeries and places that sold kosher food. Much of this was located on Bardstown Road. Jerry Abramson's parents prevented him from dating non-Jewish peers. Bardstown Road ; Highlands ; Jewish dating ; Kosher ; Neighborhoods ; Reform Judaism Education--Kentucky ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Louisville (Ky.)--Social conditions 38.280, -29.880 17 Bardstown Road in the Highlands of Louisville, Kentucky 2680 College life and involvement at Indiana University And did you always know you were headed for college instead of-- Abramson attended Indiana University, where he studied business economics and public policy. According to Abramson, Indiana University appeals to many Jewish people because it has a large Jewish population. While attending Indiana University, Abramson was involved in a Jewish fraternity, Zeta Beta Tau. Colleges ; Indiana University ; Jewish fraternities ; Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) College environment ; College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Religious life ; College students--Social conditions ; Greek letter societies. ; Universities and colleges. 39.176, -86.513 17 Indiana University https://zbt.org/ Information on Abramson's Jewish fraternity that he joined at Indiana University, Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT). 2906 Law school Uh, you majored in business economics, you said. After attending undergraduate school at Indiana University, Abramson enrolled in law school at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., although he had originally hoped to attend Yale Law School. At Georgetown University, he was recognized for being in the top five percent of his class. Law schools ; Seneca High School ; Yale University College students--Social conditions ; Georgetown University ; Universities and colleges. ; Washington (D.C.) 38.908, -77.072 17 Georgetown University https://www.georgetown.edu/ Georgetown University College in Washington, D.C. The school that Jerry Abramson attended for his law degree. 3320 Collegiate political involvement Were you thinking even then of a political career? Abramson recalls being the chairman of &quot ; College Students for Kennedy,&quot ; showing his political involvement early on. In this position, he essentially campaigned for John F. Kennedy. Abramson had the opportunity to travel with Robert Kennedy when he went to various states to speak publicly. College Students for Kennedy ; John F. Kennedy ; Robert Kennedy College environment ; College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Political activity. ; College students--Social conditions ; Kentucky--Politics and government ; Politicians ; Universities and colleges. 17 https://www.jfklibrary.org/ Information on the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, whom Jerry Abramson campaigned for. 3627 Military life during the Vietnam War I took basic training here at Fort Knox, uh, uh, twelve weeks, which was brutal, and uh, and then I got my orders for--to be a law clerk. Abramson participated in military training at Fort Knox prior to being asked to go to Vietnam as a law clerk. Close to the time he was scheduled to be sent to Vietnam, he was notified he was no longer being sent. This occurred under orders from President Richard Nixon, who put a limit on the number of troops that could be sent. Abramson had been in Oakland, California at the time for further training. After his orders were changed, Jerry Abramson lived in Oakland, California for two years as a law clerk. California ; Fort Knox (Ky.) ; Military ; Oakland (Calif.) ; President Richard Nixon Draft. ; Military life. ; Vietnam War, 1961-1975 37.804, -122.271 17 Oakland, California http://www.knox.army.mil/ Information on Fort Knox where Jerry Abramson received his basic military training. 3768 Law career So, uh, then you--the story you told before about rejecting Yale. Abramson returned to Georgetown University after almost traveling to Vietnam ; he had expected to be stationed there, but was told he was not needed last-minute. He edited the law review alongside a few of his roommates, and worked at a law firm. Abramson did not connect with the Jewish community in the same way he had while in Louisville because he was very busy while in school. Capitol Hill ; Georgetown University ; Jewish life ; Law schools Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lawyers ; Washington (D.C.) 17 3974 From law to politics: 1972-1985 And, uh, you didn't stay at the law firm long before you got involved in politics. Abramson worked in a law firm, Greenebaum Doll &amp ; McDonald, PLLC, for thirteen years prior to his political career, from 1972-1985. His office paid for him to be a member of a country club in order to obtain clients. Abramson was a part of Standard Country Club, which was the Jewish club of Louisville, Kentucky. Country clubs ; Georgetown University ; Networking ; Standard Country Club Lawyers ; Louisville (Ky.) 38.293, -85.598 17 Standard Country Club http://www.standardclub.net/ Standard Country Club, the club that Jerry Abramson attended in Louisville, Kentucky. 4285 Community collaborations And I would sit and ask them what they want for the future of Louisville. As mayor, Abramson worked closely with the Louisville metro community to accomplish what his constituents wanted as far as change in the community. Abramson would sit with members in the community and apply the conversations he held with the citizens to his work as mayor. Abramson would respond politically to what they requested. He speaks about the impact that this personal connection with his constituents had on his career as mayor. Governors ; Mayors Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Politicians--Kentucky 17 4585 Accomplishments as mayor And, uh, during that initial time as mayor, were there any, uh, challenges that you felt you just couldn't meet... After considering the wants of his wide Louisville community, Abramson worked to continue making important accomplishments while serving as mayor of Louisville. He did this based off of the notes he would take when meeting with constituents. Abramson recounts how he established the recycling system in Louisville. He implemented this system upon desires of citizens wanting to clean up the community. Mayors ; Recycling Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Politicians--Kentucky 17 4762 Wife and family life So we've talked about that period of your life, but we didn't really talk about your personal life during that time, and, uh, your life in the Jewish community... Abramson's wife is named Madeline. Madeline Abramson converted to Judaism from the Roman Catholic Church before marrying Jerry. Abramson's son is named Sidney and he attended Hebrew school in Louisville at Temple Shalom, just as his father did. Sidney was bar mitzvahed. Catholic ; Crescent Hill ; Jewish converts ; Keneseth Israel Synagogue ; Louisville Male High School ; Rabbis Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Judaism. ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.223, -85.609 17 Temple Shalom https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/oh/render.php?cachefile=2016oh399_jk034_ohm.xml Interview with Madeline Abramson, wife of Jerry Abramson. 4993 Responsibilities as mayor and political work Well, you, uh, had the chance to return as mayor... Abramson believes that there is much separation of socioeconomic classes in the city of Louisville, and that is something of a concern to him. Being in politics, Abramson got the chance to travel around Kentucky a lot, and applied his first-hand knowledge of this separation to his political views and career. He worked to hear all views from the different socioeconomic classes. Fern Creek ; Government outreach ; Hike's Point ; Prospects ; Socioeconomic classes Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Politicians--Kentucky 17 5656 Living in Washington, D.C. So you decided that your family would stay in Louisville and you would commute? While in D.C., Abramson would occasionally be working on Capitol Hill and take domestic issues to legislators there. Abramson attended the Sixth &amp ; I synagogue on occasion while in Washington, D.C. Abramson describes a lot of Jewish people being at the White House. Louisville (Ky.) ; Sixth &amp ; I ; White House Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Kentucky--Politics and government ; Politicians--Kentucky ; Religion ; Washington (D.C.) 17 https://www.sixthandi.org/ Information on the historic &quot ; Sixth &amp ; I&quot ; synagogue in Washington D.C. 5940 Israel-Palestine --J Street being the, uh, progressive Jewish organization that-- Abramson recalls attending J Street dinners and organization meetings. The progressive organization promotes a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Abramson discusses talking about the issue with a few people in the political realm, including the founder of the mentioned organization. Israel ; J Street ; Palestine ; Politics Politicians ; Politics and government 17 http://jstreet.org/ Information on the organization, J Street. 6255 Role models and values And so I have some sort of summary questions-- Abramson looks up to many voices in politics as role models. Abramson especially is a fan of Robert Kennedy. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama are two other politicians that Abramson mentions as political role models. Abramson believes that he played a role in bridging a gap between Louisville and many of the more rural places in Kentucky. Barack Obama ; Bill Clinton ; Operation Brightside ; Robert Kennedy Kentucky--Politics and government ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Politicians--Kentucky 17 interview This interview with the former Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, Jerry Abramson, discusses his life and the effect Judaism had on it. The interview goes in chronological order, starting with his family coming to America and his childhood in Louisville. He describes both sides of his family and the experiences they had upon arriving to America from Poland and Lithuania. Abramson offers a unique perspective of growing up in the Jewish community in Louisville in the 1950s. He discusses the Jewish community he grew up in and the interactions his family had with the synagogues, Keneseth Israel and Temple Shalom. Abramson continues the discussion by talking about his college experiences at Indiana University and serving in the military during the Vietnam War. The former mayor also discusses his extensive career in law and the law firm he worked for, along with his political career and frequent trips to the nation’s capital. Abramson served as the mayor of Louisville Metro from 2003-2011 and Lieutenant Governor of the state of Kentucky from 2011-2014. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. video Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh348_jk053_abramson_ohm.xml 2017oh348_jk053_abramson_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7w6m33529z OHMS Object https://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh348_jk053_abramson_ohm.xml Interview Rights All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Interview Usage Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Jerry Abramson, April 6, 2017 Description An account of the resource This interview with the former Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, Jerry Abramson, discusses his life and the effect Judaism had on it. The interview goes in chronological order, starting with his family coming to America and his childhood in Louisville. He describes both sides of his family and the experiences they had upon arriving to America from Poland and Lithuania. Abramson offers a unique perspective of growing up in the Jewish community in Louisville in the 1950s. He discusses the Jewish community he grew up in and the interactions his family had with the synagogues, Keneseth Israel and Temple Shalom. Abramson continues the discussion by talking about his college experiences at Indiana University and serving in the military during the Vietnam War. The former mayor also discusses his extensive career in law and the law firm he worked for, along with his political career and frequent trips to the nation’s capital. Abramson served as the mayor of Louisville Metro from 2003-2011 and Lieutenant Governor of the state of Kentucky from 2011-2014. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh348_jk053 Subject The topic of the resource Louisville (Ky.) Childhood Jewish children Jewish families. Judaism. Worship (Judaism) Religion Jews--Identity. Education--Kentucky Louisville (Ky.)--Social conditions College environment Universities and colleges. Georgetown University Washington (D.C.) College students--Political activity. Kentucky--Politics and government Lawyers Politicians--Kentucky Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource video https://www.nunncenter.net/jewishkentucky/files/original/891d6494e4a4c13984f660dc9c5afed0.png ef0efa00a48fd041ffacf12bf935da0c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral Histories Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Hannah Thompson Trupte Patel Dylan Morris Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Sharon L. Cohen Interview Keyword Education, Higher Higher education Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Ohavay Zion Synagogue Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) Dating (Social customs) Sex discrimination against women Phoenix (Ariz.) Miami (Fla.) Chattanooga (Tenn.) OHMS Object Text 5.2 2017oh231_jk051 Interview with Sharon L. Cohen, March 31, 2017 2017oh231_jk051 jk Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Families. Childhood Jews--Social life and customs. Jewish families. Jewish children Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Jewish women Worship (Judaism) Rabbis Women rabbis Jewish leadership Lexington (Ky.) Discrimination. Education, Higher Higher education Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Ohavay Zion Synagogue Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) Dating (Social customs) Sex discrimination against women Phoenix (Ariz.) Miami (Fla.) Chattanooga (Tenn.) Sharon L. Cohen Hannah Thompson Trupte Patel Dylan Morris 2017oh231_jk051_cohen_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh231_jk051_cohen_acc001.mp3 Other audio 0 Introduction Hello, our names are Hannah Thompson-- This interview is being conducted by three students in WRD 112, interviewing Rabbi Sharon Cohen for the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence Jewish Kentucky Oral History project. Jewish ; Kentucky ; Rabbis 17 49 Family background Okay, so to begin, when and where were you born? Rabbi Cohen was born in Miami, Florida in 1969. She lived there with her family until she was 12 years old. Rabbi Cohen's mother is a Florida native, while her father is from Pennsylvania, but he moved to Miami at a rather young age. Rabbi Cohen's grandparents were both United States natives, but her great-grandparents came to the United States as Russian immigrants. During Rabbi Cohen's childhood, her mother was employed by numerous different jobs but worked mostly in the personnel department in a hospital. Rabbi Cohen's father was employed by a company that manufactured zippers. Employment ; Immigrants ; Miami, Florida Childhood ; Families. ; Jewish families. ; Miami (Fla.) 25.775278, -80.208889 17 Miami (Fla.) 204 Family's involvement in the Jewish community Um, how were your parents involved within the Jewish community, and, like, how does that differ from your Jewish identity now, perhaps? Rabbi Cohen's parents laid a great foundation for her Jewish identity through their avid activity in the Jewish community throughout her childhood. Although Cohen's parents were raised with different ideas of religion, they were very involved in the Jewish community throughout Cohen's childhood. Cohen's mother was raised on the reform side of Judaism, while her father was raised more on the conservative end of the spectrum. Cohen has two brothers ; however, one has passed away. Her deceased brother was not very involved in the Jewish community. As well, her older brother is not very involved in the Jewish community, but still celebrates the High Holy Days as well as Passover. Brothers ; Chattanooga, Tennessee ; Congregations ; High Holy Days ; Jewish identity ; Kosher ; Orthodox ; Parents ; Passover ; Preschools ; Reform ; Siblings ; Sunday school Chattanooga (Tenn.) ; Childhood ; Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion 35.045556, -85.267222 17 Chattanooga (Tenn.) 403 Choosing and attending colleges of Jewish heritage Um, to backtrack a little, you mentioned how, uh, growing up, you also inten--attended, like Jewish schools and all that. Um, where did you go to college, if you did? Rabbi Cohen attended Washington University in St. Louis for her undergraduate studies. Upon graduation, she attended the rabbinical school of the University of Judaism in Los Angeles, which is now American Jewish University. She then did a year of her rabbinical studies in Israel. Rabbi Cohen's interest in attending colleges of Jewish heritage was initially sparked when Cohen was 12 years old and her family moved from Miami to Chattanooga. This move had a significant impact on her life as a Jewish individual because of the drastic changes she experienced in Jewish communal life. From this experience, Rabbi Cohen was inspired to attend a college of Jewish heritage so she could surround herself with other people her age experiencing the same events that she was. As well, having the opportunity to be surrounded by people that encouraged her to be more involved in the Jewish community had a high impact on her choice of colleges of Jewish heritage. Colleges ; Pre-rabbinical ; Rabbinical ; Undergraduate College students--Religious life ; Education, Higher ; Higher education ; Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. 38.648, -90.305 17 Washington University in St. Louis http://www.aju.edu The American Jewish University official website. 728 Experiences of anti-Semitism Um, so, you've been very involved within the Jewish community all throughout your life, and up to this point, have you had any experiences with anti-Semitism personally that you would like to share? When asked about experiences of anti-Semitism, Rabbi Cohen recalls an experience from her high school days in Chattanooga. A classmate of Rabbi Cohen's badgered her with the discriminating question of, &quot ; Well, what are you, a Jew?&quot ; Which Rabbi Cohen answered honestly. Even though this was an act of stereotyping, Rabbi Cohen did not take offense to it, but instead blamed it strictly on ignorance and cultural differences. Anti-Semitism ; Cultural differences ; Stereotypes Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. 17 889 Childhood memories Um, do you have any other memories from growing up that you'd like to share, and perhaps happier ones? A vivid memory from Cohen's childhood was the move her family made from Miami to Chattanooga. This move, and the adjustments that came with it, enabled Cohen to develop skills she would need for her future in rabbinical life through the process of joining a new synagogue and community. As a child, Rabbi Cohen was never a part of a congregation that gave men and women equal rights to participate. The women of her congregation were never allowed to be rabbis, or even get onto the bimah. However, Rabbi Cohen did not let these experiences limit her dreams of being a female rabbi. Another childhood memory Rabbi Cohen reflects on was attending Jewish summer camp, which set the stage for her future as a rabbi by allowing Rabbi Cohen to see how people her age were already getting involved in the Jewish community at such a young age. Camp Ramah ; Chattanooga, Tennessee ; Conservative movements ; Feminist views ; Judaism ; Miami (Fla.) ; Miami, Florida ; Synagogue Chattanooga (Tenn.) ; Childhood ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish women ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion 35.045N, -85.309 W 17 Chattanooga (Tenn.) 1201 Early congregations as a rabbi All right. All right, so now that we've talked about your experiences growing up and in your higher education, let's talk a little about your professional life after college. After engaging in six years of rabbinical school, Cohen had finally completed the rabbinical program. At that point in her life, she wished to become a pulpit rabbi due to her love of Hillel. To begin this process, she then went through an interview process to find the right place for her to become a rabbi. Cohen was matched with a congregation located in Arizona, where her mentor also worked. Even though she loved the congregation that she worked for, the environment in Arizona was not one in which she enjoyed. Rabbi Cohen spent three years serving there before she moved to Lexington to accept a job at Ohavay Zion Synagogue. Jewish identity ; Jobs ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Rabbinical schools Jewish leadership ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Women rabbis ; Worship (Judaism) 37.998629, -84.471813 17 Ohavay Zion Synagogue, Lexington (Ky.) http://www.hillel.org Link to the Hillel official website. 1521 The impact of ending her tenure at Ohavay Zion Synagogue Um, and in 2009, I ended my tenure. Um, the congregation was phenomenal in understanding why, and very supportive. In 2009, Cohen made the difficult decision to end her tenure at OZS. She had a great love for her congregation, but had to make a difficult decision for her well-being. Cohen then applied for the clinical pastoral education (CPE) program at the VA hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. After her year-long residency at the VA hospital, she realized she was in need of a new job. Clinical pastoral education (CPE) ; CPE Program ; Jobs ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Tenure Employment--Kentucky ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Women rabbis ; Worship (Judaism) 37.998629, -84.471813 17 Ohavay Zion Synagogue http://www.ozs.org The official website of Ohavay Zion Synagogue. 1711 Meeting her husband, Jeffery And, um, so I came back here, and around that time, as I was starting to do interviewing, uh, I met, online, my--Jeffrey, who became my husband--(laughs)--a year later, but. After returning to Lexington, Kentucky, Rabbi Cohen began online dating, and in the process, she met her now-husband, Jeffrey. Rabbi Cohen describes meeting him as luck due to the fact that it was solely based on the terms of her job location and timing. Similarly to Rabbi Cohen, Jeffrey grew up in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Rabbi Cohen and Jeffrey bonded over the similarities in their childhoods of moving to and from cities that have great differences in their Jewish communities. Childhood ; Dating ; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida ; Husbands ; Jewish children ; Relationships Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) ; Jewish families. ; Marriage 26.133333, -80.15 17 Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) 1769 Working at Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates And I ended up getting a position at Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates as, uh, a f, um, a family support liaison. Rabbi Cohen applied and got a position at Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) after ending her tenure at Ohavay Zion Synagogue. Her new job at KODA required her to act as a family support liaison where she assisted families in the decision-making process of donating their loved-ones' organs. Rabbi Cohen enjoyed her co-workers and the families she worked with tremendously, but this position was very mentally and physically draining. It was difficult for Rabbi Cohen to spend long hours of comforting families who had lost their loved ones and did not allow her to spend what she considered ample time with her newborn. Consequently, Cohen decided to end her employment at KODA and obtain a job that enabled her to spend more time with her family. After Rabbi Cohen left KODA, an opportunity arose at St. Joe as a chaplain. This job required her to lean on her previous CPE training. During this period, Rabbi Cohen also found out that she was pregnant with her second son, Joshua. Through her employment at St. Joe, she was able to be greatly involved in her children's lives while also remaining active in the Jewish community. Another job that Rabbi Cohen participated in during this time was the director of adult and youth education of Ohavay Zion Synagogue. Rabbi Cohen says she was grateful to have a job that allowed her to be able to spend much needed time with her children and husband. Family support liaisons ; Jobs ; Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; St. Joseph Hospital Employment--Kentucky ; Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. 38.223784, -85.568897 17 Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates http://www.kyorgandonor.org The official website of KODA. 2116 Factors contributing to her Jewish identity Since you were talking about the--your family, is there anything else you would want to share about that and how that factors into your Jewish identity? A significant factor that impacted Cohen's Jewish identity is her children. The choice she made to raise her children in Lexington instead of anywhere else is something that she is exceedingly thankful for due to its impact on her and her family members' Jewish identities. She describes the congregation at Ohavay Zion Synagogue in Lexington provided the support and help she needed to realize her personal and professional goals. They acted as an extended family and pushed her to believe that she can do anything despite her gender. In addition, living in the city of Lexington gave her the sense of not being a minority, but as a part of the diversity due to her religious beliefs, and was a significant contributor to her Jewish identity. Beliefs ; Congregations ; Diversity ; Identity ; Lexington, Kentucky ; Minorities ; Minority ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Lexington (Ky.) 38.029722, -84.494722 17 Lexington (Ky.) 2356 Being a rabbi in the south in the 2000s Alright. Well, to backtrack a little bit, what was it like being a rabbi in a midsize Southern town in the 2000s? Being a female rabbi during the early 2000s was a challenge not many took on. However, Rabbi Cohen fought the gender stereotypes to realize her personal and professional goals. During her time as a rabbi, she developed some of her dearest relationships. However, being a rabbi did come with some negative aspects. Being a public figure was a lot of pressure for Cohen and brought about many struggles for her. However, knowing that she helped everyone in the congregation in some shape or form brought peace to Rabbi Cohen during the hard times. B'nai Mitzvah ; Bar mitzvahs ; Bat mitzvahs ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Pseudo family ; Southern ; Torah Jewish leadership ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Women rabbis ; Worship (Judaism) 37.998629, -84.471813 17 Ohavay Zion Synagogue, Lexington (Ky.) 2785 Later congregations as a rabbi What synagogue were you a rabbi at, and can you share some details of what it was like for that synagogue? Rabbi Cohen initially began her rabbinical practices at a congregation in Phoenix, Arizona. She acted as an assistant at this synagogue and was assigned specific programs, but was able to experience all aspects of a rabbinical career. Rabbi Cohen then moved to Lexington, Kentucky and began working at Ohavay Zion Synagogue. She served at OZS for nine years (2000-2009), as a pulpit rabbi. During her time at OZS, Rabbi Cohen conducted many weddings, Torah readings, conversions, funerals, and worked with the bat and bar mitzvah children. Most of all, Rabbi Cohen developed hundreds of relationships with the members of the congregation and grew to know each of them on a personal level in a unique way. Bar mitzvahs ; Bat mitzvahs ; Cassette tapes ; Congregations ; Conversions ; Funerals ; Kisharim ; Lexington, Kentucky ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Phoenix, Arizona ; Synagogues ; Torah readings Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jewish women--Kentucky--Lexington ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Phoenix (Ariz.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Women rabbis ; Worship (Judaism) 33.45, -112.066667 17 Phoenix (Ariz.) 3018 Challenges of being a female rabbi What were the--some of the greatest challenges you faced as a rabbi, specifically as a female rabbi? Despite the idea of gender equality not being accepted by many, Rabbi Cohen interacted mostly with individuals that did believe this way. In Rabbi Cohen's graduating rabbinical class, one third were women. Even though being a female rabbi is still not as familiar, it is not a great surprise. However, during Rabbi Cohen's childhood, female rabbis were few and far between. At Ohavay Zion Synagogue, Rabbi Cohen was welcomed and accepted by the majority of the community due to men and women having equal roles throughout the community. An event in particular that pushed the community to accept Rabbi Cohen was Oscar Haber's acceptance of her. Oscar Haber gave a quote to the Lexington Herald discussing how he believed that as long as she did her job, he would accept her. The releasing of this quote gave relief to many members of the congregation and allowed them to fully open their eyes and take in the greatness that Rabbi Cohen was doing. Acceptance ; Anti-Semitism ; Congregations ; Egalitarian ; Gender equality ; Judaism ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue Discrimination. ; Jewish leadership ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Sex discrimination against women ; Women rabbis ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/oscar-haber-obituary?pid=1000000170537925 Oscar Haber's obituary. 3437 Accomplishments and achievements at Ohavay Zion Synagogue I think we've gone into a bit of detail about this already, but what do you consider to be the biggest accomplishments or achievements of your rabbinic legacy at the OZS? Rabbi Cohen felt her most significant accomplishments were the ones where she engaged with her community on a deeper level, including services, funerals, bar and bat mitzvah, and other ritually significant life-cycle events. She was very connected with the members of Ohavay Zion Synagogue and felt that developing a deeper relationship with the congregation she served was the most critical part of being a rabbi. Another achievement of Rabbi Cohen's was the increase in attendance to services. Throughout her time as a rabbi, Friday and Saturday services began to be more and more popular. As well, an active youth involvement was significant for Rabbi Cohen to establish. She strove to make the children of the congregation feel comfortable talking to her about their questions and worries. Achievements ; Bar mitzvahs ; Bat mitzvahs ; Congregations ; Engagement ; Funerals ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Sabbath ; Services ; Success ; Teen involvement Jewish children ; Jewish leadership ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Women rabbis ; Worship (Judaism) 37.998629, -84.471813 17 Ohavay Zion Synagogue 3554 Youth involvement at Ohavay Zion Synagogue Um, I think one of those achievements or successes was keeping those fifty-four--not all fifty-four--but keeping many of those kids involved in... Children and teen involvement was a huge focus of OZS leaders. Rabbi Cohen especially tried hard to keep them involved in the Jewish community. Cohen aimed to entice youth to stay involved with a mutli-pronged approach: kids' Shabbat, youth group, regional conventions, and more. This was the main focal point in her time as a rabbi. Her ability to get kids involved early and prioritize their religion encouraged many of the younger children to stay at OZS as they grew up. Cohen also describes how the synagogue must evolve and adapt to what is wanted/needed by the members. She strives to make every event a positive important experience and encourages others to get involved. Another focal point of her rabbinate was being with people as they passed away. Bar mitzvahs ; Bat mitzvahs ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Rabbi Smolkin ; Shabbat ; Teenagers ; Torah ; United Synagogue Youth (USY) convention ; Youth ; Youth groups Jewish children ; Jewish leadership ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Women rabbis ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://usy.org/ Official link to the United Synagogue Youth website. 3792 Career as a Jewish educator and chaplain We've talked a little bit about your career after being a rabbi. Are there any other details you'd want to share about that? Being a Jewish educator or chaplain? As a Jewish educator and chaplain, Cohen was still able to use her experience as a rabbi but also try new professions. Cohen is the only Jewish chaplain in the area. She feels that she services everybody as a chaplain and is not restricted by religion. She is always educating and leading but now is able to do so in various environments. Chaplains ; Jewish educators ; Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) ; Pulpits Jewish leadership ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Women rabbis ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://www.kyorgandonor.org/ This is a link to the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) website. 3904 Competing identities I did--I struggled with whether to wear my head covering, my kippah, out in those environments. That was a struggle for me. Cohen struggled with how to represent herself to others in various environments, such as professional work outside of being a rabbi. Certain religious clothing became a concern to wear but she was able to speak with others in the same position. Cohen sought advice from others who are in a similar position. She was not working at KODA in a religious way and therefore did not use her title of rabbi. In the beginning it presented many challenges, including losing the title of &quot ; Rabbi&quot ; she had worked hard for. She tends to be more comfortable in a professional Jewish environment where she can embrace her religion's culture freely. Out of a Jewish context, she often feels as though she is hiding her Jewishness during her professional life. She says her life feels compartmentalized though different identities can occasionally mix together. Chaplains ; Federation ; Identities ; Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) ; Kippah ; Organ donation ; Relationships with others ; Religious garb Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Women rabbis ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://www.kyorgandonor.org/ Official link to the Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) website. 4057 Being Jewish while working in a non-Jewish environment And, um, in my work at St. Joe, I'm--I don't either. After working in a Jewish environment for so long, Cohen found it difficult to transition to working in Veterans Affairs, a non-Jewish environment. She often did not disclose her Jewish heritage until someone else mentioned it. Cohen decided to separate her religious and professional life. Her life is compartmentalized but sometimes identities mesh together. It was also unusual for a female to be a chaplain. Cohen felt as though being a female was not as much as an issue in the Veterans Affairs environment as being Jewish was. Chaplains ; Gender ; Interfaith world ; Jewish identity ; Kippah ; Male-centered ; Narrow religious environment ; St. Joseph Hospital ; Veterans Affairs (VA) Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Women rabbis ; Worship (Judaism) 38.032928, -84.523933 17 St. Joseph Hospital, Lexington (Ky.) http://www.kentuckyonehealth.org/saint-joseph-hospital-lexington St. Joseph Hospital website 4187 Focus on raising Jewish children How do you hope to stay involved in the Jewish community in the future? While Cohen does still stay involved in the Jewish community, her young children are her main priority at the moment. Being a mom is her main focus at this point in her life. Her children are currently at young ages, both toddlers, and require much of her attention. She does still stay engaged in the Jewish community through volunteering, speaking, and other ways of contributing. She does music with the Sunday morning children's program and uses her skills in the community when she can. She has transitioned from running the programs to being in the pews with her children. Jewish community ; Kids ; Mothers ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Parenting ; Sabbaths ; Teaching ; Torah reading ; Volunteering Childhood ; Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion 17 https://jewishlexington.org/community-directory/ohavay-zion-synagogue Official link to Ohavay Zion Synagogue. 4381 Dating and social life during her youth I love education. I would love to see more adult education here in the city, and I think as my role in Federation, I can help... Cohen briefly discusses how important education is. She would like to work with an education program within the community. Cohen did not date much in her youth and mostly focused on her friendships. She went to Jewish summer camp and had a good group of friends. She felt that having a social life of just friends really created her identity, and she did not feel comfortable dating in her young life. Factors such as focusing on her academics, culture, her introvertedness, and other circumstances held Cohen back from dating in her early life. She had hoped to find her husband in rabbinical school, however academics were her main priority. She also felt culturally different from a lot of the people she had met in her youth and did not connect with anyone. She had been introverted and was not comfortable with herself as a young adult. Academics ; Connections ; Cultural differences ; Cultures ; Friends ; Growth ; Introverted ; Late bloomers ; Rabbinical schools ; Relationships ; Young life ; Youth Dating (Social customs) ; Dating (Social customs)--Religious aspects. ; Jews--Identity. ; Jews--Social life and customs. 17 4728 Coming to Lexington to seek social life Um, when I got here, I came here in particular also recognizing that Cincinnati was an hour and a half away, and I thought, &quot ; Oh, well, at least I have Cincinnati.&quot ; Cohen came to Lexington, Kentucky in search of friends and a potential spouse. She knew that Cincinnati, Ohio was close and that there would be a Jewish community there. She knew that she wanted to date someone who was Jewish, and had a hard time finding someone she was interested in dating. Her teen group was small and felt like family so dating anyone within that group was not an option. Her community in Lexington, Kentucky was also a close-knit group of friends. Cincinnati, Ohio ; Connections ; Dating pool ; Jewish community ; Sibling-like relationships ; Small peer groups ; Spouses ; Synagogues Cincinnati (Ohio) ; Dating (Social customs) ; Dating (Social customs)--Religious aspects. ; Jews--Identity. ; Jews--Social life and customs. ; Lexington (Ky.) 39.1, -84.516667 17 Cincinnati (Ohio) 4871 Meeting her husband and starting her family Um, again, I, I did the online thing, as funny as that was. Cohen used Internet dating late in her life to meet her husband. She was open to sharing that she was a Rabbi on her profile and had many funny stories of the online dating scene. For example, seeing people online she knows in real life or having people seek religious guidance after finding out she was a rabbi. She also was very open about her Judaism online both to be honest and because she was looking for someone who was Jewish as well. She eventually had two children and feels very lucky to have been able to, since she gave birth in her mid-forties. Dating scene ; eHarmony ; Forced timeline ; Jeffrey Cohen ; Marriage ; Older parents ; Online dating ; Rushed Dating (Social customs) ; Dating (Social customs)--Religious aspects. ; Dating services. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Jews--Social life and customs. 17 5098 Challenges of raising a Jewish family in Lexington, Kentucky Can you describe your experiences raising a Jewish family here in Lexington? Cohen says raising a Jewish family in Lexington, Kentucky comes with certain challenges. Cohen has had to change how she does everything, from dinner to spending time as a family. She used to only have to worry about herself but now she has to plan for a whole family. It is hard to keep the family eating Kosher, especially as the children get older and interact with people who are not Jewish. She recalls eating with non-Jewish families and having a hard time with the Jewish dietary restrictions. Sabbath also causes issues with the children's activities. Observance and ritual challenges are the most difficult. Challenges ; Changes ; Competing values ; Family ; Jewish ; Kosher ; Observance ; Rituals ; Sabbath ; Shabbat ; Soccer games Childhood ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish women ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 5323 Maintaining a committed Jewish lifestyle in Lexington, Kentucky Um, but, um--for instance, we've made the commitment to try to stay where we're at, in the house that we're at. Cohen stays committed to an observant Jewish lifestyle. In order to do this, her family has decided to stay in their home which is walking distance to the synagogue. It is very important for her to be close to the synagogue, because being so close has become a huge part of their lifestyle. It is also challenging being Jewish and juggling being involved in other things due to competing commitments to Jewish religious observances and the desire to be a part of the greater Lexington community. Choices ; Commitments ; Homes ; Lifestyles ; Observance ; Observant ; Sabbath ; Sunday school ; Synagogues Childhood ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish women ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 5459 Current involvement in the Jewish community What type of Jewish activities and organizations are you and your family involved with? Now that Cohen is not working as a rabbi, she is free to be involved in the Jewish community as she wants to be. She is able to go to the synagogue when she wants. She is a part of the Federation but would still go to many of those events as a private person as well. Mostly she is focused on her family and therefore making decisions based on what is best for them instead of her professional obligations. She is able to bring the focus to her children and husband instead of having to do things out of obligation. She predicts that as her children age they will be more involved in the Jewish community. Choices ; Congregations ; Federation ; Holiday parties ; Memories ; Memory making ; Shabbat ; Tired Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 5642 Leadership roles in the community Um, what leadership roles do you have now currently, if you have any, and what are the responsibilities associated with each? Cohen balances leadership roles and involvement in many areas while also raising a family. Her professional career is her main source of leadership but she has been able to be involved outside of that. She has volunteered in the community and been part of a panel. She also runs a music program through the synagogue. She enjoys helping as an educator or expert in the area. Her main focus is her children and she foresees that she will take on more leadership roles as they get older. Chaplains ; Educators ; Leadership roles ; Panels ; Professional careers ; Volunteering ; Volunteers Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion 17 5754 Population changes in Jewish Lexington, Kentucky Have you seen any changes in the Jewish community in Lexington or Kentucky in your time here? Right now the Lexington Jewish community is booming with young children. The population tends to be primarily affected by economic forces and especially employment opportunities at the University of Kentucky. People are looking to connect and get involved ; the leaders of the community are responsible for getting people to join when possible. The Jewish population is growing in Lexington, Kentucky which poses both new benefits and challenges to the community. Younger families are becoming a large part of the Jewish community. The city and good economy draws in new families. Lexington has expanded and various areas have changed to be more inviting. People want to get involved and connect. The leaders of the synagogue are responsible for facilitating others get involved and join the community. Budgets ; Challenges ; Changes in population ; City ; Connections ; Cyclical ; Economics ; Economy ; Funds ; Future ; Growth ; Hiring freezes ; Immigration ; Income ; Job opportunities ; Members ; University of Kentucky (UK) ; Young families ; Young kids Employment--Kentucky ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://www.uky.edu/UKHome/ Official website for the University of Kentucky. 6194 Influences of Jewish culture on learning styles Um, do you have anything else you'd like to add for the record? Cohen says that Jewish culture encourages questioning, thinking, and challenging, which can be perceived differently by various cultures. While studying religion it is common to study with others in order to question and discuss. Cohen describes an event in which her questioning was perceived in a way she did not mean it. She was working at Veterans' Affairs and was in a peer evaluation program. She was told by her boss that he had noticed she asked a lot of questions and he had taken it the wrong way. Eventually he accepted that that was how she learned. She explains how this experience helped her better understand the way learning stems from a cultural base. Clinical pastoral education program (CPE) ; Cultural base to learning ; Curiosity ; Differences ; Engagement ; Haver ; Havruta ; Inherent ; Interfaith experiences ; Interpersonal relations ; Learning ; Passover Seder ; Perspectives ; Questioning ; Supervisors ; Thinking ; Traditions ; Veterans Affairs (VA) Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 https://www.acpe.edu/ACPE/_Students/FAQ_S.aspx Official website for the clinical pastoral education (CPE) that explains the program. interview Rabbi Sharon L. Cohen was born in 1969 in Miami, Florida. While her parents are both from the United States, her great-grandparents emigrated from Russia. Growing up, Cohen’s parents raised her in a Jewish home with strong values that eventually influenced her decision to attend institutions of higher education with strong Jewish student life. The importance of Judaism in her life also shaped her career choices. Cohen was ordained as a rabbi and she later was employed as the first female rabbi at Ohavay Zion Synagogue in Lexington, Kentucky. Cohen describes the varying levels of acceptance she encountered: she felt welcomed by her congregants, while she also experienced some resistance to her authority from others. In her life, Cohen has taken on many different roles--as a Rabbi, Jewish educator, chaplain, mother, and more. Due to these sometimes-competing roles, she struggled with which version of herself to show to the world in various environments. She has advocated for gender equality in the professional realm, and discusses the challenges that pursuing a career and higher education can present for women who also want to have a family. She reflects on the experiences of parenting small children while in her forties while also continuing to work. Consequently, she has dealt with the struggles and benefits of raising a Jewish family in Lexington, Kentucky. Now, her life focuses on her family as she has two young sons and a husband. Though she is no longer the rabbi at Ohavay Zion, she still continues to work as a chaplain. She describes how Lexington and its Jewish culture has evolved over the years. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh231_jk051_cohen_ohm.xml 2017oh231_jk051_cohen_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7w6m33529z OHMS Object https://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh231_jk051_cohen_ohm.xml Interview Rights All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Interview Usage Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Sharon L. Cohen, March 31, 2017 Description An account of the resource Rabbi Sharon L. Cohen was born in 1969 in Miami, Florida. While her parents are both from the United States, her great-grandparents emigrated from Russia. Growing up, Cohen’s parents raised her in a Jewish home with strong values that eventually influenced her decision to attend institutions of higher education with strong Jewish student life. The importance of Judaism in her life also shaped her career choices. Cohen was ordained as a rabbi and she later was employed as the first female rabbi at Ohavay Zion Synagogue in Lexington, Kentucky. Cohen describes the varying levels of acceptance she encountered: she felt welcomed by her congregants, while she also experienced some resistance to her authority from others. In her life, Cohen has taken on many different roles--as a Rabbi, Jewish educator, chaplain, mother, and more. Due to these sometimes-competing roles, she struggled with which version of herself to show to the world in various environments. She has advocated for gender equality in the professional realm, and discusses the challenges that pursuing a career and higher education can present for women who also want to have a family. She reflects on the experiences of parenting small children while in her forties while also continuing to work. Consequently, she has dealt with the struggles and benefits of raising a Jewish family in Lexington, Kentucky. Now, her life focuses on her family as she has two young sons and a husband. Though she is no longer the rabbi at Ohavay Zion, she still continues to work as a chaplain. She describes how Lexington and its Jewish culture has evolved over the years. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh231_jk051 Subject The topic of the resource Families. Childhood Jews--Social life and customs. Jewish families. Jewish children Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Jewish women Worship (Judaism) Rabbis Women rabbis Jewish leadership Lexington (Ky.) Discrimination. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://www.nunncenter.net/jewishkentucky/files/original/3d1ac21c9a2e9f2635e144aaaabc3273.jpg aa8836e2436551bdea19cc331abe5fcd Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral Histories Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Megan Yorkey Raiffa Syamil Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Moshe Smolkin Interview Keyword Holidays. Fasts and feasts--Judaism. College students--Religious life Education, Higher Universities and colleges. OHMS Object Text 5.2 2017oh225_jk050 Interview with Moshe Smolkin, March 31, 2017 2017oh225_jk050 jk Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Jewish families. Childhood Jewish children Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Rabbis Israel. Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. Lexington (Ky.) Religion and politics Holidays. Fasts and feasts--Judaism. College students--Religious life Education, Higher Universities and colleges. Moshe Smolkin Megan Yorkey Raiffa Syamil 2017oh225_jk050_smolkin_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh225_jk050_smolkin_acc001.mp3 Other audio 0 Family background Hello. Our names are Raiffa Syamil and Megan Yorkey. Smolkin discusses his birth in Atlanta, Georgia and mentions moving to the state of Texas as a young child. His father, Mitchell Smolkin, is an internal medicine doctor from the area around Washington, D.C., and his mom, Laura Smolkin, is an educator from Madison, Wisconsin. He also has an older sister, Rachel, who currently works for CNN. His ancestors hail from the regions now controlled by Israel and Russia. Atlanta (Ga.) ; CNN ; East European immigrants ; Ellis Island ; Family history ; Georgia ; Israel ; Palestine ; Russia ; Texas Emigration and immigration. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Immigrants ; Jewish families. 33.755, -84.39 17 Atlanta, Georgia 270 Childhood in Texas and New Mexico Okay.​ ​​So,​ ​now​ ​we're​ ​going​ ​to​ ​transition​ ​into​ ​you​ ​talking​ ​about​ ​when​ ​you​ ​were​ ​growing​ ​up.​ Smolkin grew up in Clear Lake City, Texas, a suburb of Houston, where he remembers the weather being quite hot and humid and the people having a lot of state pride. He grew up close to NASA, and remembers the Challenger explosion hitting his community very hard. Before the start of seventh grade, his family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where his mom received her PhD in education. He remembers getting a good public school education as a child, especially in Texas. Albuquerque (N.M.) ; Albuquerque, New Mexico ; Challenger disaster ; Clear Lake City (Tex.) ; Clear Lake City, Texas ; Houston (Tex.) ; Houston, Texas ; Indian American ; NASA ; University of New Mexico Childhood ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. 29.555, -95.115 17 Clear Lake City, Texas https://www.space.com/18084-space-shuttle-challenger.html The above link summarizes the Challenger explosion. 529 Role of Judaism during his childhood ​​​Okay.​​ ​​​​Now​​ ​​could​​ ​​you​​ ​​tell​​ ​​us​​ ​​about​​ ​​the​​ ​​role​​ ​​of​​ ​​Jewish​​ ​​tradition​​ ​​in​​ ​​your​​ ​​childhood? Smolkin’s family was somewhat involved in Judaism ; they celebrated Shabbat with Smolkin’s grandparents every Friday. However, his family did not attend synagogue services very often. His parents were divided on how strong a role they wanted religion to play in their household: his father was more secular and his mother was more involved in the faith. Meanwhile, Smolkin himself was more concerned with childhood cartoons and the like. He mentions that he didn’t feel close to his rabbi, which contributed to his own lack of interest in the faith, as well as his experiences with antisemitism around Christmastime. Specifically, he describes when a classmate told him he was going to hell for not celebrating the holiday. Albuquerque (N.M.) ; Christmas ; Religious attendance ; Shabbat Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Childhood ; Discrimination. ; Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 35.110833, -106.61 17 Albuquerque, New Mexico 944 Relationship with Chabad Judaism ​​Okay,​​ ​​so​​ ​​moving​​ ​​later​​ ​​on​​ ​​in​​ ​​your​​ ​​life,​​ ​​we​​ ​​understand​​ ​​that​​ ​​you​​ ​​had​​ ​​some​​ ​​immersive​​ ​​residential experiences​​ ​​with​​ ​​Chab--Chabad.​​ ​​​​Is​​ ​​that-- After having his bar mitzvah in Albuquerque, Smolkin became disenchanted with his faith and reached out to different religious groups, experimenting with Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. He eventually became interested in the Hasidic movement of Judaism, and he became affiliated with the Chabad movement. While at first he felt strongly drawn to the movement, he eventually began to disagree with how it viewed the world, specifically their lack of openness to change. Later, he left the movement. Chabad ; Hasidic ; Kabbalah ; Yeshiva ; Zen Buddhism Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 35.110833, -106.61 17 Albuquerque, New Mexico http://www.chabad.org/ Chabad's official website. 1313 College life and early teaching experiences Um, was​ ​this​ ​all​ ​before​ ​college,​ ​or​ ​after​ ​college? Smolkin attended the University of New Mexico for one year and Brandeis University for two years as an undergraduate. He started college with a growing interest in the Chabad movement, but by the time he graduated he had left it. He also involved himself in the UNM Hillel organization, where he found that Orthodox Jews were less friendly with him than Conservative Jews. He majored in mathematics, but was also interested in studying philosophy and Yiddish. He got a master’s in teaching and secondary math education from Tufts University. After a couple of years teaching high school math he grew interested in attending rabbinical school, largely after working at a pluralistic Jewish high school and connecting with the local rabbi, Rabbi Sarah Zachariah. He eventually chose to attend a Conservative rabbinical school in Los Angeles, California. Brandeis University ; Conservative Judaism ; Hillel ; Los Angeles (Calif.) ; Los Angeles, California ; Math education ; Mathematics ; Orthodox Judaism ; Philosophy ; Rabbinical schools ; Tufts University ; University of New Mexico ; Yiddish language College environment ; College students--Religious life ; College students--Social conditions ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Universities and colleges. ; Worship (Judaism) 42.365664, -71.259742 17 Brandeis University http://www.unmhillel.org/ University of New Mexico's Hillel organization's website. 1690 Rabbinical school Yeah,​ ​could​ ​you​ ​talk​ ​more​ ​about​ ​why​ ​you​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​pick​ ​L.A.​ ​over​ ​like​ ​New​ ​York? Smolkin decided to attend rabbinical school in Los Angeles largely because of the more liberal attitudes present in the region’s Conservative movement regarding the ordination of LGBT rabbis. Here, he got a master's of Hebrew letters. He says he also liked their teaching methods more. He describes how becoming a rabbi is constantly a learning experience, one in which you always continue to learn more about your job even after graduating rabbinical school. Hebrew language ; Homosexuality ; LGBT rights ; Los Angeles (Calif.) ; Rabbinical schools Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion 34.05, -118.25 17 Los Angeles, California 1990 Experiences in Israel Jerusalem was an incredible experience. Smolkin spent half of 2006 and 2007 studying in Jerusalem, where he says the people were very friendly and felt like family to him. He was afraid of the country at first, worried about terrorist attacks and disapproving of Israel’s policies in Gaza, but with time he grew closer to the country and felt like he understood more about the complexity of the issues it was facing. He even considered permanently immigrating to Israel, but he ultimately decided to return to Los Angeles and finish rabbinical school. Today, he wants to take his children to Israel at some point, as he and his wife Talia both have family there. Aliyah ; Gaza Strip ; Hamas ; Hebrew language ; Hitnatkut ; Jerusalem, Israel ; Neshek ; Palestine ; Sderot (Israel) ; Sderot, Israel Israel. ; Jerusalem (Israel) 31.783333, 35.216667 17 Jerusalem, Israel 2658 Experiences being Jewish in college ​Yeah.​ ​​Um,​​ ​I​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​go​ ​back​ ​a​ ​little​ ​bit​ ​to​ ​when​ ​you​ ​were,​ ​um,​ ​in​ ​college​ ​in​ ​Boston​ ​and​ ​New Mexico.​ ​​ Reflecting back on his experiences at the University of New Mexico, Smolkin discusses how he rarely experienced antisemitism on campus, although he did experience a few instances on his way to his local synagogue in Albuquerque. At Brandeis University, a large portion of the student population was Jewish and he felt quite comfortable there. By studying to be a math teacher, he noticed more clearly that each teacher in his secular education instructed him differently, leading him to draw parallels in the Jewish faith and helping him gravitate to the Conservative movement. Because of this decision, he became interested in studying other Jewish denominations, and this exploration eventually led him to decide to become a rabbi. Albuquerque (N.M.) ; Albuquerque, New Mexico ; Brandeis University ; Conservative Judaism ; Education ; Pedagogy ; University of New Mexico Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; College students--Attitudes. ; College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Religious life ; College students--Social conditions ; Discrimination. ; Education, Higher ; Universities and colleges. 35.08389, -106.61861 17 University of New Mexico 2949 Experiences as a rabbi ​Okay.​ ​​ ​Well,​ ​now​ ​we​ ​want​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​your​ ​experiences​ ​as​ ​a​ ​rabbi.​ Smolkin started as an intern rabbi at Mishkon Tephilo in Venice Beach, California. He has been working as a rabbi in Lexington for 8 years at the time of the interview in 2017. He explains that his synagogue in Lexington, Congregation Ohavay Zion, has grown to be slightly larger than the one he worked at in California, despite the smaller size of the Lexington Jewish community. Prior to moving to Lexington, he was interviewed to become a local rabbi in Alpharetta, Georgia ; Chattanooga, Tennessee ; and Saint Albans, England, but he ultimately chose Lexington because he and his wife Talia felt that Lexington was a very warm community and would be a good place to raise children in. Alpharetta (Ga.) ; Chattanooga (Tenn.) ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Saint Albans (England) ; Venice Beach (Calif.) ; ​ ​Alpharetta,​ ​Georgia ; ​ ​Chattanooga, Tennessee ; ​ ​Lexington,​ ​Kentucky ; ​ ​New​ ​York ; ​ ​Saint​ ​Albans,​ ​England ; ​ ​Venice​ ​Beach,​ ​California ; ​Mishkon​ ​Tephilo Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Judaism. ; Rabbis 37.998629, -84.471813 17 Ohavay Zion Synagogue 3154 Jewish community in Lexington Well​ ​you've--you​ ​touched​ ​on​ ​how​ ​Lexington​ ​is​ ​a​ ​much​ ​smaller​ ​community​ ​than​ ​the​ ​other​ ​ones​ ​you've been​ ​in.​ ​​ ​ Smolkin reflects on how highly involved the Lexington Jewish community is, especially compared to the communities in the cities he has previously lived in. His own synagogue, Ohavay Zion, has a high rate of participation. He also spends much of his time teaching both the children and adults of the congregation, often engaging in deep discussions with its members about social issues and their relationship to Judaism. He discusses his experiences with others in the Lexington community, such as strange calls he has received concerning a variety of subjects and invitations he has had to speak at different schools and colleges. He discusses his congregation’s relationship to other minority groups in the city, particularly the Muslim community and the Latino community. Specifically, he describes the way his congregation showed support to the community of Masjid Bilal Mosque following a bomb threat after the 2016 presidential election. Smolkin concludes this section by discussing the importance of teaching children Hebrew, which he argues is important because of its religious significance in the Jewish community. Education ; Hebrew language ; Islamophobia ; Latino community ; Muslim community ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue Discrimination. ; Jews--Identity. ; Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Religion and politics ; Worship (Judaism) 37.998629, -84.471813 17 Ohavay Zion Synagogue http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/crime/article136828668.html Article describing the bomb threat to Masjid Bilal Mosque. 3734 Inter-generational differences--LGBTQ rights Um, as​ ​a​ ​relatively​ ​young​ ​rabbi,​ ​what​ ​type​ ​of​ ​inter-generational​ ​challenges​ ​have​ ​you​ ​faced​ ​with your​ ​older​ ​congregants? Here, Smolkin discusses his congregation’s polarized views on LGBT rights and Israel. After reflecting on his childhood and college experiences (when his then-roommate came out to him, which made him support LGBT rights), he mentions that young people are overwhelmingly supportive of these rights while older members are much less likely to do so because they have already gone through so much in their lifetimes. He brings up a conversation he had with an older woman in his congregation, explaining that the large number of historical events older members of the community have gone through as well as their familiarity with earlier social norms make it much harder for their views to change. Coming out ; Holocaust ; Homosexuality ; LGBT rights ; Trembling Before God ; War Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Religion and politics 40.7127, -74.0059 17 New York City, where the Rabbinical Assembly voted to allow the ordination of LGBT rabbis in 2006 4028 Inter-generational differences--Views on Israel ​Israel​ ​is another​ ​topic​ ​where​ ​there's​ ​an​ ​interesting​ ​divide​ ​in​ ​the​ ​community. Following Smolkin's discussing of inter-generational divisions regarding LGBT rights, he continues by describing attitudinal differences in generational perspectives about Israel. He perceives that older people are generally overwhelmingly supportive of the country while younger people are much more skeptical. He brings context to the issue by discussing the numerous invasions of Israel in the 20th century, as well as the view of Israel as a sort of life boat against antisemitism for many people. On the other hand, he explains that younger people are less supportive of Israel because they are aware of the current issues in Gaza, yet didn’t grow up witnessing the various events which threatened Israel’s very existence. He concludes by connecting these attitudes to political divisions in his congregation, with many older people voting Republican solely due to their support of Israel. Holocaust ; Terrorism ; War ; ​ ​antisemitism ; ​ ​Gaza​ ​Strip ; ​ ​Palestine ; ​ ​West​ ​Bank ; ​Israel Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Israel. ; Politics and government ; Religion and politics 31.416667, 34.333333 17 Gaza Strip 4682 Inter-congregational relations in Lexington Um, switching focus just a little bit-- Smolkin talks about the differences between the Conservative movement and the Reform movement. He says that Conservative congregations make every attempt to stick to the traditions and ideals upheld in Judaism, while Reform congregations are adapting Jewish traditions to better fit modern times. He begins to focus on the interactions between different synagogues within Lexington and who the interactions benefit. Bat mitzvahs ; Conservative Judaism ; Intercongregational interactions ; Ohavay Zion Synagogues ; Reform Judaism ; Shtetl Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 5041 Challenges and rewards of being a rabbi Okay. And what would you say is the most challenging and rewarding experiences you've had as a rabbi? Smolkin discusses some of the difficulties he faces outside rabbinical school, such as adapting to the technological changes of the times. He feels he can now impact people in new ways, for example, through email. There have been more and more conflicts between current and political events that have negatively impacted Jewish communities globally, such as the disagreements on LGBTQ civil rights within the Jewish community, as well as how different people in the same Jewish communities have contrasting views on such events. The feedback he gets from this compels him to continue his work as rabbi. Communities ; Community ; Minority groups ; Outreach ; Torah Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Religion and politics ; Worship (Judaism) 17 5418 Discrimination between faiths and social issues Do you feel the community reaction to like the interfaith efforts are mostly positive? Smolkin explains some of the different beliefs and practices of Muslim and Jewish communities, how they are similar, and also where their values differ. He focuses on some of the larger issues faced by U.S. Jews regarding undocumented immigrants such as deportations. He also points out where the line is drawn between those who support the residence of undocumented immigrants and those who think their permanent presence is unfair. Communities ; Community ; Deportation ; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ; Interfaith ; Liberation ; Minority groups ; Outreach Emigration and immigration. ; Immigrants ; Judaism. ; Religion and politics 17 5830 Rabbinical work and personal faith Um, this is kind of like a little bit of a shift from what you're talking about, but how has being a rabbi contributed to your personal faith? Smolkin talks about his religious path through and beyond rabbinical school. He explains how the Torah impacted his personal faith after his experimentation with several other denominations and religions, and how his education in rabbinical school deepened his knowledge of history and its connection to religion. Communities ; Community ; Congregants ; Liturgy ; Torah Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 6051 Judaism and the family Um, but now we want to switch focus to your wife and kids. In this segment, Smolkin explains a bit about his own family and how Judaism is a part of their lives. He begins by introducing his wife, Talia Smolkin, whom he knew through mutual friends and met through a Jewish dating site called JDate. He gives a brief description of her background and community involvement with Judaism and then introduces his children and how Judaism is a part of their lives. He says they are just getting to the point where his oldest child, Ashira, age five, is noticing how faith can conflict with personal interests such as a Saturday dance recital. This conflict has posed a new challenge of where to be lenient and where to be firm in their religious practices. Adonai ; Conflicting values ; JDate ; Los Angeles (Calif.) ; PJ Library ; Raising Jewish children ; Shema ; Traditions ; Ve’ahavta ; Work-life balance Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jewish women--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 6498 Inter-communal relations Do you have any plans like outside of synagogue and religious school of involving them in the Jewish community? Smolkin describes the work his family and community do through the charitable organization God’s Pantry, as well as a personal story of his daughter Ashira’s take on charity. God’s Pantry ; Sadaqah ; Shabbat ; Social action ; Volunteering Charity. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Volunteers 17 http://www.godspantry.org/ God's Pantry 6603 Raising children in the Jewish faith How would you say your--the way you share your religion with your kids compares to how your parents shared their religion with you? Smolkin starts by explaining some of the discussions between him and his wife, Talia, on how to introduce Judaism to their children. Smolkin refocuses on the way maturity directly impacts the will to practice religion. While short term things, such as playdates or sporting events, may seem more favorable to their children, the long-term importance of religious practice is still always evident to Smolkin and his wife. However, convincing the children to go against their will to follow religious practices can be difficult. Conservative ; Reform ; Shabbat ; Sunday school ; Traditions Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jewish women--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 6931 Temple-synagogue interaction Okay. So we're going to, um, switch, or transition a little bit into talking kind of like temple-synagogue like interactions. Smolkin refers to the unique aspects of Chabad practice and how they can be seen in a negative light by some of his congregants. Because of this negative connotation, interaction between the members of these two organizations is difficult at times. Smolkin pushes for crossover education, or education between synagogues of different denominations, to give his the students coming to OZS a broader perspective based on open mindedness. He briefly mentions the differences in how temples and synagogues practice and the different things parents look for when choosing one over the other for their children. Chabad ; Jewish education ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Temple Adath Israel ; Traditional Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Religion and politics ; Worship (Judaism) 17 7310 Inter-generational differences--Faith and practice Okay. So, um, you already talked about the genera--generational changes that you've noticed, but we want to go back and elaborate on that little bit more. Smolkin talks about how being Jewish means different things to people of different ages. To younger generations, it often serves as an ethnic identity, giving them a group to associate themselves with and a way to easier follow their ideals and traditions to live by. For the older generations it is often more of a lifestyle than merely a group to associate with. He talks about some of the attempts made to unite the older and younger generations, whether that be through dinners, religious holidays, or philanthropic events. Assimilation ; Bar mitzvahs ; Communities ; Community ; Congregations ; Generations ; Social connections Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 7769 Integration of politics in preaching Um, how do you discuss the various social movements and current events that are affecting our society with your congregation? In this segment, Smolkin talks about the tedious nature of integrating social and political events into his preaching in attempt to keep with the times. He highlights on part of the inter-generational divide in this segment by referring to how the older and younger generations handle politics differently. He claims to &quot ; never get push-back from the younger generation&quot ; on topics such as LGBTQ rights. Diverse ; Diversity ; Elections ; International political views ; Personal development ; Sermons Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Religion and politics ; Worship (Judaism) 17 7859 Plays and festivities in Ohavay Zion Synagogue So, for this class we had to listen to other Jewish interviews. Smolkin talks about the declining popularity of plays within the synagogue and the difficulties of preventing their complete disappearance, as they are currently not practiced in most areas. He then discusses some other events in or through the synagogue, such as Yom Kippur activities, that are also slowly declining because of more people preferring to stay connected to a “larger community” made possible through new technology. Due to this technological transition, events such as the Yom Kippur Ball and plays are becoming more and more obsolete in the community because they are meant to be practiced by a smaller, more intimate kind of community. Communities ; Community ; Congregations ; Passover ; Plays ; Rosh Hashanah ; Shabbat ; Social ; Social events ; Sukkot ; Tikkun Olam ; Yom Kippur Ball Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 8149 Synagogue youth group and Camp Shalom Do you feel that Camp Shalom is still successful today with getting the younger generation involved in the community? In this brief segment, Smolkin brushes over his synagogue's Jewish youth group as well as one of their major annual programs, Camp Shalom, that helps get the younger generation involved in the community. He also mentions efforts with other synagogues to help give members of his youth group a broader experience of Judaism and its different denominations. Camp Shalom ; Communities ; Community ; Kids ; Synagogues ; Youth groups Jewish children ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 8220 Congregational attitudes regarding LGBTQ rights Um, um, you talked about this a little bit earlier, and I was really interested in, um, kind of, how Judaism had that switch in attitudes towards like the LGBTQ community and like congregation members... Smolkin further discusses LGBTQ rights. He brings up the two major views--for or against gay rights, gay marriage, etc.--held by the greater public on this topic and provides reasoning as to why or why not members of the synagogue choose to support either side of the debate. He points out that as times are changing, this disagreement within the synagogue is becoming a more relevant topic and is coming up in more and more synagogues across the country. He also talks about the split opinions between younger and older generations on the topic. He believes the older generation tends to be more disapproving of the expansion LGBT rights, meanwhile the younger generation is more open-minded and supportive. Conservative Judaism ; Forbidden ; Generations ; Judaism ; LGBT rights ; Orthodoxy ; Perspectives ; Reconstructionist Judaism ; Reform ; Renewal Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Religion and politics ; Worship (Judaism) 17 8579 Antisemitism Um, um, we're going to transition now a little bit into talking a little bit more about like some anti-Semitic experience you might have had? Smolkin describes some of his experiences with antisemitism through harsh words, social media, and even projectiles directed at him. He then talks about hatred and general close-mindedness on a broader scale, particularly focusing on hatred stemming from homophobia and racism. He expresses sadness toward hate and states that “We can all be great together,&quot ; strongly believing that there is place for everyone in American society. Communities ; Community ; Criticism ; Criticized ; Hate ; LGBTQ rights ; Society ; Targeted Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. 17 interview Rabbi Moshe Smolkin was born in Atlanta, Georgia in the late 1970s, though he grew up in Clear Lake City, Texas and Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a child, he practiced as an Orthodox Jew, but he experimented with both other faiths and Hasidic Judaism while attending the University of New Mexico and Brandeis University in the late 1990s. Near the end of his college experience, he changed his affiliation to Conservative Judaism, and a few years later he chose to attend rabbinical school and become a rabbi. In addition to discussing his life experiences as a young adult, Smolkin touches on his experiences and the intergenerational differences in the Lexington Jewish community. Specifically, he explains how these differences can be put into context on a wider scale that covers the greater Jewish American community. As the interview progresses, the focus shifts to Smolkin’s role as a congregational rabbi, and how he impacts the community both inside and outside Ohavay Zion Synagogue in Lexington, Kentucky. He talks about his family, and especially how he feels antisemitism will impact his young children. He also describes how synagogues of the Conservative and Reform movements differ in their teachings and practices. He then discusses how he integrates politics and modern day events into his preaching and how preaching to different generations requires different levels of care due to their varied experiences. Finally, he delves into the discrimination faced by modern Jews and how regional locales shape their experiences. He provides examples of how he has personally witnessed discrimination, before finishing with a brief reflection on the Jewish community’s relationship to Israel. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh225_jk050_smolkin_ohm.xml 2017oh225_jk050_smolkin_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7w6m33529z OHMS Object https://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh225_jk050_smolkin_ohm.xml Interview Rights All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Interview Usage Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Moshe Smolkin, March 31, 2017 Description An account of the resource Rabbi Moshe Smolkin was born in Atlanta, Georgia in the late 1970s, though he grew up in Clear Lake City, Texas and Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a child, he practiced as an Orthodox Jew, but he experimented with both other faiths and Hasidic Judaism while attending the University of New Mexico and Brandeis University in the late 1990s. Near the end of his college experience, he changed his affiliation to Conservative Judaism, and a few years later he chose to attend rabbinical school and become a rabbi. In addition to discussing his life experiences as a young adult, Smolkin touches on his experiences and the intergenerational differences in the Lexington Jewish community. Specifically, he explains how these differences can be put into context on a wider scale that covers the greater Jewish American community. As the interview progresses, the focus shifts to Smolkin’s role as a congregational rabbi, and how he impacts the community both inside and outside Ohavay Zion Synagogue in Lexington, Kentucky. He talks about his family, and especially how he feels antisemitism will impact his young children. He also describes how synagogues of the Conservative and Reform movements differ in their teachings and practices. He then discusses how he integrates politics and modern day events into his preaching and how preaching to different generations requires different levels of care due to their varied experiences. Finally, he delves into the discrimination faced by modern Jews and how regional locales shape their experiences. He provides examples of how he has personally witnessed discrimination, before finishing with a brief reflection on the Jewish community’s relationship to Israel. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh225_jk050 Subject The topic of the resource Jewish families. Childhood Jewish children Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Rabbis Israel. Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. Lexington (Ky.) Religion and politics Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://www.nunncenter.net/jewishkentucky/files/original/b4dbb7f99bbc33e2b6e1cada788203b6.png ef0efa00a48fd041ffacf12bf935da0c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral Histories Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Amanda Holbrook Matthew Starks Thomas Hart Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed David Wirtschafter Interview Keyword Education--Kentucky Physicians--Kentucky Temple Adath Israel Minneapolis (Minn.) Fasts and feasts--Judaism. Holidays. OHMS Object Text 5.2 2017oh220_jk049 Interview with David Wirtschafter, March 30, 2017 2017oh220_jk049 jk Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Families. Family histories. Genealogy Jewish families. Childhood Jewish children Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Lexington (Ky.) Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. Jewish leadership Rabbis Education--Kentucky Physicians--Kentucky Temple Adath Israel Minneapolis (Minn.) Fasts and feasts--Judaism. Holidays. David Wirtschafter Amanda Holbrook Matthew Starks Thomas Hart 2017oh220_jk049_wirtschafter_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh220_jk049_wirtschafter_acc001.mp3 Other audio 2 Introduction Hello, our names are Thomas Hart-- Thomas Hart, Amanda Holbrook, and Matthew Starks introduce themselves and state that they are students at the University of Kentucky who are conducting the interview for a WRD 112 class at the University of Kentucky and for the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project. The date is stated as March 30th, 2017 and they are interviewing Rabbi D. Wirtschafter. Heritage ; Jewish ; Oral history projects ; Rabbi D. Wirtschafter ; Rabbis ; University of Kentucky 38.0307, -84.5040 17 University of Kentucky https://jewishheritagefund.com/about-2/about-jhfe/ A webpage detailing the Jewish Heritage Fund For Excellence. 38 Family background and ancestry So I know we just introduced you, but for the record, could you tell us your full name at birth? Rabbi D. Wirtschafter states his full name as David Dine Wirtschafter. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter explains he was born in 1970 in the University of Kentucky Hospital. To the best of his knowledge, he is the first Lexington-born rabbi. He identifies his father as Dr. Jonathan Wirtschafter and his mother as Carol Lavinstein Wirtschafter. He lists his four siblings: Jacob Daniel Wirtschafter, Benjamin Zoltan Wirtschafter, Joshua Schoen Wirtschafter, and Brooke Wirtschafter. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter states that he has two children, Zachariah and Emanuelle Wirtschafter. He discusses how the family name has remained fairly constant since his ancestors immigrated to the United States. David Dine Wirtschafter ; Dr. Jonathan Wirtschafter ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rabbi D. Wirtschafter ; Rabbis ; Siblings Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Immigrants ; Jewish families. 17 373 Early education in Lexington, Kentucky Okay. So I have a few questions about growing up in Lexington, and more about your parents. Um, so where did you go to school growing up? Wirtschafter talks about his early schooling at St. Peter Claver Montessori (2 years) and Cassidy Elementary (1 year). He distinguishes the old and new Picadome schools and talks about school size. He states that he left Lexington in 1978 at the age of 8 years old. Cassidy Elementary School ; New Picadome ; Old Picadome ; Picadome Elementary School ; Saint Peter Claver Montessori School ; St. Peter Claver Montessori School Childhood ; Education--Kentucky ; Lexington (Ky.) 17 526 Childhood Jewish traditions Um, so, about, like Judaish--um, Judaism in your family, what Jewish--or, like, even non-Jewish, traditions did your family follow? Wirtschafter says he never preferred spending time with Jewish people over non-Jewish people, neither as a child nor now. He discusses Jewish traditions that he grew up with, such as Chanukah, Sukkot, Purim, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, strict observance of the Sabbath, a disciplined approach to the prayer book, and stricter observance of dietary laws. When considering these traditions, he references the Passover story of the four sons. He explains that this made Judaism relatable to him because he had three brothers. He finds it difficult to differentiate time spent in Camp Shalom and congregation. Chanukah ; Hanukkah ; Jewish ; Kosher ; Passover ; Rosh Hashanah ; Sabbath ; Sukkot ; Yom Kippur Childhood ; Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 1119 Raising children in Lexington Um, also, so do your children, um, attend the temple and the synagogue, or? Wirtschafter discusses his children. Zachariah is said to be a teacher at Ohavay Zion Synagogue, with Emmanuelle being likely to do the same. He says both children attended a Jewish day school in Minneapolis, where they had Hebrew and Torah every day. Zachariah is described as the president of the Temple youth group. The competition between temple and synagogue is touched on by Rabbi D. Wirtschafter. Hebrew ; Jewish ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Synagogues ; Temples ; Torah ; Youth groups Childhood ; Education ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://www.ozs.org The website of Ohavay Zion Synagogue. 1246 Childhood involvement in Jewish youth enrichment organizations Um, so, growing up, did you participate in, like, any clubs or organizations, like, related to the Jewish community? Wirtschafter says he participated in many Jewish organizations as a child. There were two different religious schools, a chapter of the Cub Scouts, the JCC, musicals in the Temple youth group, and the Temple Israel Minneapolis Youth Choir. He describes the gentile versus Jewish child proportion at the JCC of St. Louis Park in Greater Minneapolis. Cub Scouts ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Minneapolis Youth Choir ; St. Louis Park ; Temple Israel, Minneapolis (Minn.) ; Temple youth groups ; Temples Childhood ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 https://templeisrael.com/ Official website of Temple Israel in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1407 General history and terminology of Reform and Conservative Judaism Um, so were you--um, you mentioned earlier, uh--I don't remember who it was, exactly--but you said something about confirmation-- Wirtschafter explains the differences between confirmation, bar mitzvah, and bat mitzvah. He explains the differences between Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism. He describes how all forms of Judaism must balance practicing religion with fitting in. Wirtschafter says that Reform got its start in the 1800s. He says that around World War II, Reform changed its approach and embraced more traditional Jewish practices. He says that Judaism became something to love not to hide. He also touches on the gender distinctions surrounding bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah, and how Reform embraced the bat mitzvah before Conservative Judaism did. Bar mitzvahs ; Bat mitzvahs ; Conservative ; Conservative Judaism ; Gender ; Judaism ; Orthodox Judaism ; Reform ; Reform Judaism ; World War 2 ; World War II ; World War Two ; WW2 ; WWII Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 2104 Jewish pride and anti-Semitism post-World War II I just wanted to jump back a few minutes to where you mentioned, um, following the Holocaust, that--when, you said the Reform Jews kind of had a change of attitude-- Wirtschafter says that Jewish people may act &quot ; normal&quot ; on the outside, but on the inside they are very much rooted in Judaism. He states that with increased anti-Semitism since the 2016 U.S. presidential election, there has been an increase in anxiety within the Jewish community. He describes attacks on temples, synagogues, and JCCs throughout the beginning of 2017. He says that while none have directly occurred at Temple Adath Israel, they have had their Facebook page attacked by those that deny the Holocaust. Wirtschafter conveys that there has been an unacceptable step backward since the 2016 U.S. presidential election, but it has at least created a renewed sense of urgency to respect one another (Muslims and Jews). 2016 election, United States ; 2016 presidential election ; 2016 U.S. election ; 2016 United States election ; Holocaust ; Jewish ; Muslim ; Temple Adath Israel ; Temples ; U.S. election 2016 ; U.S. elections ; United States elections Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Jews--Identity. ; Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Politics and government ; Religion ; Religion and politics 17 http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/crime/2017/03/08/bomb-threat-called-into-louisville-jewish-community-center/98901798/ An article about a bomb threat on a Louisville JCC on March 8, 2017. 2557 Discrimination and the 2017 Syrian refugee crisis So I know you work a lot with--or at least you're very outspoken about the refugee problem-- Wirtschafter talks about the Syrian refugee crisis and Bluegrass values. He states that standing up to friends and utilizing social media and technology platforms are some of the most efficient ways to stop unacceptable and prejudiced behavior. He describes those who do not help a refugee when they have the ability as 'bystanders of death.' Bluegrass ; Crisis ; Jewish ; Prejudice ; Refugee crisis ; Refugees ; Social media Discrimination. ; Emigration and immigration. ; Immigrants ; Politics and government 17 3016 Father's involvement in Jewish and medical communities in the 1960s-1970s Um, so, I guess, on a bit of a lighter topic, um, so we know your father was an important figure in Lexington-- Wirtschafter states that his father, Dr. Jonathan Wirtschafter, founded the Ophthalmology Department of the University of Kentucky Medical School. He says that his father was inducted on the Board of Trustees in the Temple. He describes family lore, stating that Adolph Rupp supposedly called Wirtschafter's father seeking medical help but Dr. Wirtschafter was not home. Adolph Rupp ; Doctors ; Dr. Jonathan Wirtschafter ; Family ; Family lore ; Ophthalmologists ; Ophthalmology Families. ; Family histories. ; Jewish families. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Physicians--Kentucky 17 3322 Reflections on childhood education Um, so, I guess, are there any other, like, specific memories from your childhood growing up, that you'd like to share? Wirtschafter reflects on his childhood and says that he appreciates his time at St. Peter Claver, as he began to strengthen his values and learned the importance of play. He says that play is how we can make sense of the world, and then states that the underlying question in religion is how one can make life meaningful. He recognizes his former violin teacher, Kay Collier McLaughlin, as well as the teacher that taught him to read, Ms. Angela Johnson at Cassidy Elementary. Angela Johnson ; Cassidy Elementary School ; Kay Collier McLaughlin ; Saint Peter Claver ; Saint Peter Claver Montessori School ; St. Peter Claver ; St. Peter Claver Montessori School ; Teachers ; Values Education--Kentucky ; Jewish children ; Religion 17 3759 Transition to Minneapolis, Minnesota So, now that we've talked a lot about your childhood--(laughter)--um, I think we can move on to you leaving Lexington with your family. Wirtschafter says he moved to Minneapolis in the year of 1978. He states that his father, Dr. Jonathan Wirtschafter, who had become tired of administrative responsibilities, got offered a position at the University of Minnesota. The position gave him more time in the operating room and more time to write, and his father remained in this position until the day he died. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter relays that he attended the University of Minnesota for a year before going to Brandeis University, influenced by its Jewish background. He explains how he had to leave home to finally grow up, and while at Brandeis he majored in English. 1978 ; Brandeis University ; English majors ; Jewish ; Minneapolis (Minn.) ; Minnesota ; University of Minnesota Childhood ; Education ; Education, Higher ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Physicians 17 https://www.brandeis.edu/ Brandeis University's web page. 3983 On becoming a rabbi So, did that ultimately, uh--how did you ultimately become wanting to be a, a rabbi? Wirtschafter says there were many reasons for becoming a rabbi. He lists Camp Shalom, the local Jewish summer day camp attended by many Jewish Lexingtonians' children ; studying abroad in the Israeli city of Haifa during high school ; the influence of current rabbis ; Brandeis University ; and a family who modeled Judaism, as important factors. He notes a moment in which a rabbi read a segment of &quot ; Death of a Salesman&quot ; by Arthur Miller during a sermon. He stated that he found this cool and felt that he could indeed be a rabbi. The interleaving of modern literature with a sermon showed him that you can remind people what matters in life without the use of scripture. Arthur Miller ; Camp Shalom ; Death of a Salesman (Play) ; Haifa ; Israel ; Jewish ; Sermons Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 4362 Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion So all these influences drew you to attend, uh, uh, the Union--Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute in New York-- Wirtschafter says that in attending the Institute, his first year of training was done in Jerusalem, while he then had the choice to go to either New York, Cincinnati, or Los Angeles. He explains that he chose New York, and depicts the city as dynamic, exhilarating, and historical. He then makes a reference to his age, 47, and how more of his teachers are beginning to die. Cincinnati (Ohio) ; Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion ; Jerusalem ; Los Angeles (Calif.) ; New York ; Schools College students--Religious life ; Education, Higher ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion 17 http://huc.edu/ Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion's official website. 4547 Early rabbinical experience in the 2000s So, after you graduated from rabbinic school, where'd you begin your professional life as a rabbi? Wirtschafter says that he began as an assistant rabbi for three years in Huntington, Long Island. He relays that the congregation was only about 470 members and that this was where his son Zachariah was born. He then says he was offered a position as associate rabbi at a bigger congregation of about 800 to 850 families in the Bay Area (Burlingame). He then states that he took on a position as senior rabbi at the Temple Beth Sholom of Orange County California (Santa Ana, living in Irvine). He says he eventually moved back to Minneapolis and was the rabbi in residence of a Jewish day school, as well as the rabbi in residence for the Catholic Church. He then explains that during this, he worked part time as a rabbi in Ames, Iowa. His transition between these communities was motivated by the ability to reach more people and job availability. Ames (Iowa) ; Bay Area (Calif.) ; Burlingame (Calif.) ; Congregations ; Huntington (N.Y.) ; Irvine (Calif.) ; Jewish ; Long Island (N.Y.) ; Minnesota ; Orange County (Calif.) ; Orange County, California ; Santa Ana (Calif.) ; Temple Beth Sholom Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 https://www.tbsoc.com/ Official website of Temple Beth Sholom of Orange County 4714 Returning to Lexington, Kentucky in 2015 Uh, was there anything specific that influenced your decision to come back here? Wirtschafter says that nostalgia was one reason for finally returning to Lexington, Kentucky in 2015, however, it wasn’t enough on its own. He states that he needed a congregation that shared his vision and values for the rabbinate and the community, and he found that at Temple Adath Israel. He describes how living in a smaller town in comparison to New York offers a greater appreciation of the Jewish community. He says that there is a lot to be gained, such as flexibility with planning and one-on-one with students, in comparison to larger areas. He also says that volunteers are vital. Congregations ; Jewish ; Lexington, Kentucky ; New York ; Temple Adath Israel ; Volunteers Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 5118 Inner workings of Temple Adath Israel So, how would--uh, could you describe for us a few of the, say, like clubs, or organizations, or, you know, just activities that go on at the temple? Wirtschafter says that the workings of a temple are very similar to the workings of a church. He states that stewardship is done by the Board of Trustees and that the rabbi provides the religious tone, helps young people, and helps with the social justice component. He says that in the temple there are high school and junior high youth groups who typically meet once a week on Sundays. He explains that there are programs for elders, and that a deli is opened one or two Sundays a year. He summarizes it as a multi-faceted operation. Churches ; Jewish ; Social justice ; Stewardship ; Sundays ; Temple Adath Israel ; Temples ; Trustees Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 5402 Wirtschafter's influence on Temple Adath Israel How would you say--as far as you kind of inheriting the temple, in a way, um, has that--has the activity increased, as you've come? Wirtschafter says that an interim rabbi before him assisted the congregation in becoming more accepting of the transition into him. He relays that he is not at liberty to compare himself to his predecessors, but he does think that there is generally more going on, as well as more involvement than when he started 18 months earlier. He states that while he wants the temple size to grow, he does not want that to change the values and goals of the temple. He says it’s about more than just numbers. Goals ; Temple Adath Israel ; Temples ; Values Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://www.lextai.org/60-cbe/about-us/our-history Official website for Temple Adath Israel 5653 Work-life balance as a pulpit rabbi Okay, um, maybe we could ask a bit about, um, your wife. Wirtschafter explains that it is important to limit one’s work persona to just work. He says when at home he maintains his spouse and father role, and tries his best to limit any &quot ; leaking&quot ; between the two worlds to the best of his abilities. He states that his family undergoes democratic processes regarding how to practice and that they decide as a family. He also establishes that he can’t control his children as they get older, and that they will hopefully follow their conscience. Co-parenting ; Coparenting ; Democratic ; Divisions ; Fathers ; Home roles ; Jewish ; Roles ; Spouses ; Work roles Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 6079 His wife, Shana Lisa Sippy Uh, we've mentioned your wife a few times, so-- Wirtschafter elaborates on his relationship with his wife Shana Lisa Sippy. He states that she is a professor of comparative religion at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota and will soon be teaching at Centre College. He says she had a Hindu father and a Jewish mother and that she was raised Jewish with exposure to Hindu culture. Her parents met in Berkley in the 1960s. He says he and Shana met in New York during his gap year. He depicts his wife Shana as a good listener and as someone who is very dedicated to the temple. He states that she runs the Jewish women’s group. Berkley (Calif.) ; Carleton College ; Centre College ; Cultures ; Hindu ; Jewish ; Minnesota ; New York ; Northfield (Minn.) ; Northfield, Minnesota ; Shana Lisa Sippy Families. ; Jewish families. ; Jewish women ; Judaism. ; Marriage ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 6427 Generational changes in Jewish community beliefs and practices Um, so, I guess a little bit about, um, like, generational changes-- Wirtschafter explains the difference between being in a Jewish congregation in the 21st century in contrast to the 20th. He says there are still families who attend both temple and synagogue, but the number is certainly less. He states that the number of days in religious school a week has dropped from three to two. Wirtschafter also relays changes in how often families come to service, how much money they give, and who is on the Board of Trustees. Lastly, Wirtschafter explains the change in views of women in Judaism and the culture in general, and states that the Jewish community in Lexington is much smaller than it used to be proportionally. Congregations ; Generational changes ; Generations ; Jewish ; Lexington, Kentucky ; Religious ; Synagogues ; Temples Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jewish women--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 interview Rabbi D. Wirtschafter is a religious family man, who was raised with three other children in 20th century United States. His father, Dr. Jonathan Wirtschafter, was a doctor and founder of the Ophthalmology Department at the University of Kentucky Medical School. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter describes what it was like to be a Jewish youth in Lexington in the 1970s and the family traditions that were celebrated within his household. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter explains Jewish terms and history for those unfamiliar, and describes how growing anti-Semitic viewpoints of non-Jewish people in 2016 have influenced the feelings of his congregants. He explains the discrimination that is becoming inexcusably normal in 21st century United States, especially following the 2016 United States presidential election. He elaborates on the need to help refugees and those in need during the current Syrian refugee crisis. In 1978, Rabbi D. Wirtschafter moved to Minneapolis when his father got a job at the University of Minnesota. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter was an English major and went to the University of Minnesota for a year before switching to the private college of Brandeis University. He explains his rationale for becoming a rabbi and recounts his experiences at the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of New York. He describes his first rabbinical jobs in Huntington, New York ; Santa Ana, California ; Burlingame, California ; Ames, Iowa ; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter touches on how he arrived back in Lexington later in life primarily because he found a congregation—Temple Adath Israel-- that shared his visions and values. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter touches on the leadership roles of a Reform temple and the programs offered for youth and adults. Lastly, he explains how being a rabbi influences his home life, and contrasts 21st century Jewish practices to those of the 20th. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh220_jk049_wirtschafter_ohm.xml 2017oh220_jk049_wirtschafter_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7w6m33529z OHMS Object https://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh220_jk049_wirtschafter_ohm.xml Interview Rights All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Interview Usage Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource David Wirtschafter, March 30, 2017 Description An account of the resource Rabbi D. Wirtschafter is a religious family man, who was raised with three other children in 20th century United States. His father, Dr. Jonathan Wirtschafter, was a doctor and founder of the Ophthalmology Department at the University of Kentucky Medical School. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter describes what it was like to be a Jewish youth in Lexington in the 1970s and the family traditions that were celebrated within his household. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter explains Jewish terms and history for those unfamiliar, and describes how growing anti-Semitic viewpoints of non-Jewish people in 2016 have influenced the feelings of his congregants. He explains the discrimination that is becoming inexcusably normal in 21st century United States, especially following the 2016 United States presidential election. He elaborates on the need to help refugees and those in need during the current Syrian refugee crisis. In 1978, Rabbi D. Wirtschafter moved to Minneapolis when his father got a job at the University of Minnesota. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter was an English major and went to the University of Minnesota for a year before switching to the private college of Brandeis University. He explains his rationale for becoming a rabbi and recounts his experiences at the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of New York. He describes his first rabbinical jobs in Huntington, New York; Santa Ana, California; Burlingame, California; Ames, Iowa; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter touches on how he arrived back in Lexington later in life primarily because he found a congregation—Temple Adath Israel-- that shared his visions and values. Rabbi D. Wirtschafter touches on the leadership roles of a Reform temple and the programs offered for youth and adults. Lastly, he explains how being a rabbi influences his home life, and contrasts 21st century Jewish practices to those of the 20th. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh220_jk049 Subject The topic of the resource Families. Family histories. Genealogy Jewish families. Childhood Jewish children Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Lexington (Ky.) Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. Jewish leadership Rabbis Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://www.nunncenter.net/jewishkentucky/files/original/6691667c168e64aede94ea7cf6188539.png ef0efa00a48fd041ffacf12bf935da0c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral Histories Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Hannah Newberry Samantha Winslett Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Robin Michler Interview Keyword Kentucky Native Café Michler's Florist, Greenhouses & Garden Design Be'er Sheva (Israel) Racism Race discrimination. Race relations Discrimination. Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Holidays. OHMS Object Text 5.2 2017oh218_jk048 Interview with Robin Michler, March 29, 2017 2017oh218_jk048 jk Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) University of Kentucky Lexington (Ky.) Entrepreneurship Families. Family histories. Jewish businesspeople Jewish families. Small business--Kentucky Small business--Ownership Jewish children Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) College students--Religious life Kentucky Native Café Michler's Florist, Greenhouses &amp ; Garden Design Be'er Sheva (Israel) Racism Race discrimination. Race relations Discrimination. Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Holidays. Robin Michler Hannah Newberry Samantha Winslett 2017oh218_jk048_michler_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh218_jk048_michler_acc001.mp3 Other audio 0 Introduction and family background All right. So, tell us a little about yourself. Michler provides some general information about himself. He identifies as an alumnus of the University of Kentucky class of 2008, and also as the proprietor of a fifth-generation family business, Michler's Florist, and a native born-Lexingtonian. Robin details his ancestral history. His paternal relatives and also the side which founded the business, the Michler side, immigrated to the U.S. as early as 1870. His mother's side changed their last name, upon immigrating to the U.S., from Katz to Kane. 1870 ; 1871 ; Family businesses ; Florists ; Kane family ; Katz family ; Kentucky Native Cafe ; Michler Family ; Robin Michler ; University of Kentucky Emigration and immigration. ; Entrepreneurship ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Immigrants--Kentucky ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish families. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership 38.038, -84.495 17 Michler's Florist, Greenhouses &amp ; Garden Design 279 Responsibilities with Michler's Florist What is your, um, job at the family business? After a brief interruption for water, Michler explains the role he plays in the family business. He typically doesn't do the work of a florist, except in emergency situations. Rather he does more executive duties. He explains that they are one of the few modern floristries to still have their own greenhouses and grow their own flowers. They have also added on a café and beer garden in order to capitalize on their location in a college town. Beer gardens ; Business management ; Cafes ; Classical floristry ; College towns ; Contemporary floristry ; Family businesses ; Florists ; Gardening ; Greenhouses ; Kentucky Native Café ; Landscaping Entrepreneurship ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish families. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership 38.038, -84.497 17 Michler's Florist, Greenhouses &amp ; Garden Design 438 Early life and schooling in Lexington, Kentucky in the 1990s Can you describe your childhood and what it was like growing up? Michler spent much of his early years bouncing around from school to school. His parents were trying to find a school where he could succeed but Michler states that it was never the school but his own opposition to doing any work in middle school that caused him to fail out of so many options. His parents' house was on Maxwell Street near the family business and near the University of Kentucky, which he says made for a cool place to grow up as a kid. Bryan Station High School ; Henry Clay High School ; Homeschooling ; Maxwell Elementary School ; Maxwell Street ; Montessori schools Childhood ; Education--Kentucky ; Families. 38.016, -84.473 17 Henry Clay High School 532 Growing up in a nontraditional Jewish household How would you describe your parents' relationship to Judaism? Michler describes what it was like growing up with parents who were somewhat involved with the Jewish community yet without any strong religious convictions. He feels drawn to different traditions, stating that he enjoyed going to Hebrew school at Ohavay Zion Synagogue. His family would keep Kosher inside the house in order to host dinners for family and other members of the Jewish community, however they did not keep kosher when eating out. Summer camp was a staple for kids in the Jewish community, which he describes as being what he calls a &quot ; typical summer camp experience.&quot ; Central Christian Church ; Community ; Hebrew schools ; Jewish family ; Kosher food (see also Kashrut) ; Non-traditional ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Religious schools ; Shul ; Summer camps ; Zionism Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 37.998, -84.474 17 Ohavay Zion Synagogue http://www.ozs.org/ Ohavay Zion Synagogue website 930 Unity within the international Jewish community Did you ex--um--what is the most important aspect of your Judaism? Michler believes that community is one of the most important aspects of Judaism. It has allowed him to travel much of the world and still be able to find Jewish communities that share many values and cultural norms based off faith. Because Hebrew is the language used by most conservative synagogues, he doesn't have to worry about the language barrier to attend services in various foreign countries. Thus far, Michler has traveled to Germany, Holland, and Israel. Community ; Cultural norms ; Germany ; Hebrew ; Holland ; Israel ; Jewish traditions ; Judaism internationally ; New York ; Religious community ; Religious observance ; Russia ; Synagogues ; Travel ; Values ; West Virginia Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 31.386, 32.837 17 Israel 1079 Travels abroad in Germany and Israel in 2005 and 2007-2008 respectively What was your time abroad like? Michler spent a year abroad in Munich, Germany during his senior year of high school, 2002-2003. As a recipient of UK’s prestigious Heidelberg Scholarship, he spent his sophomore year at UK in Heidelberg, Germany. Because Germany had no separation of church and state, he had the opportunity to take many classes on religion. He enjoyed this first academic exposure to Jewish studies, even though he was a geography major. Anti-Americanism ; Geography ; Higher education ; Jewish studies ; Munich, Germany ; Scholarships ; Study abroad ; Tanach ; Travel ; University of Heidelberg ; University of Kentucky ; University of North Carolina Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; College students--Religious life ; Education, Higher ; Munich (Germany) 49.418, 8.665 17 Heidelberg University 1427 Student life at the University of Kentucky (UK), 2003-2008 Um, so you said you attended the University of Kentucky-- Michler describes his experience at the University of Kentucky, starting with a boring freshman year. He attributes this ennui to easy classes which he felt were trivial. Much of his time as an undergraduate was spent abroad, studying in Heidelberg, Germany his sophomore year and Israel his first semester of senior year. The only club he mentions participating in was an environmental club: Greenthumb. His social circle revolved around this club and most of his lasting friendships were made through it as well. Clubs ; Geography ; Greenthumb Club ; Seminars ; Study abroad ; University of Kentucky College environment ; College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Social conditions ; Lexington (Ky.) ; University of Kentucky 38.030, -84.506 17 University of Kentucky https://www.uky.edu/sustainability/student-organizations Provides a description of UK Greenthumb 1681 Jewish life at the University of Kentucky (UK), 2003-2008 Can you tell us a little bit about your involvement in the Jewish community? Michler speaks about his involvement in various Jewish student organizations at UK as an alum. He focuses on his reviving of Hillel, an organization that helps bring together Jewish students, at UK. He describes how Hillel helps students connect with one another and celebrate traditional Jewish ceremonies and holidays together as they would do at home. Challahs ; Community ; Hillel ; Jewish holidays ; Jewish student groups ; Jewish traditions ; Jung and Judisch ; Minyan ; North Carolina ; Shabbat (also Shabbos, Sabbath) ; Shabbos dinners College students--Religious life ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://www.hillel.org/ Hillel International's website 2425 Jewish traditions and changes in the Jewish community Do you have any vivid memories of Jewish life or Jewish rituals? Michler speaks about his experiences observing various Jewish traditions. He describes some of the more intriguing traditions, such as the role of the gabbai, which is to assist in the running of synagogue services, particularly during holidays, associated with various Jewish holidays. He also discusses the current political climate of the North American Jewish community, particularly with respect to the slow adaptation of egalitarianism in many congregations. He is also noticing changes in the Lexington Jewish community, particularly at the University of Kentucky. More and more Jewish students seem to be coming from out of state and he believes this is because it is becoming more common for Jewish residents of Lexington and Louisville to go out of state for college. Demographics ; Egalitarianism ; Gabbai ; Gender roles ; Hebrew ; High holidays (Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur) ; Israel ; Jewish rituals ; Shul ; Torah ; Yemenite College students--Religious life ; College students--Social conditions ; Holidays. ; Jewish families. ; Jewish women ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 52.071, 4.239 17 The Hague, Den Haag 3034 Jewish community in Lexington and Israel during the early 2000s Um, so can you tell me a little bit more about how you think that the Lexington Jewish community is different than other Jewish communities, um, in the United States that you've been to and, I guess, uh, across the world too? Michler explains that a Jewish population's size in a given area impacts the way that Judaism is integrated into daily life. He explains that in places with large Jewish populations, such as Israel, religion is more likely to permeate every area of life. Alternatively, in places such as Lexington, Jewish life may orient itself largely around Hebrew schools or synagogues. Community ; Culture ; Differences ; International ; Israel ; Jewish religion ; Lexington, Kentucky ; Religious schools ; Synagogue Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 3175 Religious observance in Michler's family Um, how do you think that your Jewishness is different from your parents' Jewishness? Um, and do you think it's changed through the years? Michler discusses how his religious commitment differs from that of his family members, noting that while his siblings dropped out of Hebrew school, he adored it and continued to pursue greater understanding of Jewish practice. He recounts preparing for and celebrating his Bar Mitzvah. Michler also discusses his parents' interfaith marriage and how they first met in Lexington after his mother moved there from New York. Bar mitzvahs ; Family ; Family values ; Hebrew schools ; Interfaith family ; Interfaith marriages ; Jewish ; Jewish family life ; Jewish traditions ; Marriage ; Observance ; Shabbat (also Shabbos, Sabbath) ; Siblings ; Traditions Families. ; Family histories. ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 3514 Jewish life in Lexington Um, okay. And so you grew up in Lexington. So how do you think that that--growing up and living here, um, as an adult, has affected your relationship with Judaism? Michler explains that the Lexington Jewish community is both welcoming and diverse. He discusses his marriage to Penina Goldstein and how her family is one of the more observant Jewish families in Lexington. He explains that he wants to raise his own children in a &quot ; more Jewish household&quot ; than the one in which he was raised. Hebrew schools ; Jewish traditions ; Judaism ; Lexington, Kentucky ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Penina Goldstein Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 37.998, -84.474 17 Ohavay Zion Synagogue http://www.ozs.org/ Ohavay Zion Synagogue's website 3646 Michler's Florist and Kentucky Native Cafe So you own Michler's Florist and Beer Garden and Café. Correct? Michler discusses his businesses, Michler's Florist and the Kentucky Native Cafe. He explains some of his business partnerships, and also his attempt to provide consistent, quality food and flowers for his customers. He acknowledges Reed Valley Orchard as a business partner that helps him provide local food to his customers. Beer ; Family businesses ; Floristry ; Food ; Imported ; Kentucky Native Cafe ; Local ; Michler's Florist ; Produce Entrepreneurship ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Jewish businesspeople ; Jewish families. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership 38.291100, -84.341487 17 Reed Valley Orchard 3919 Business inspiration and execution So what inspired you to open up the café and beer garden? Michler explains that through his Kentucky Native Cafe he was able to blend the beer social scene with a family-friendly environment. He notes the dirt pile in particular, where kids get to play. He explains how the demographics of his clientele change throughout the day, from families earlier in the day to young adults in the evenings. Beer ; Beer gardens ; Children ; Community ; Demographics ; Family ; Kentucky Native Cafe ; Kids ; Local businesses ; Social scenes Entrepreneurship ; Families. ; Jewish businesspeople ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership 38.038308, -84.494569 17 Kentucky Native Cafe 4252 Jewish observance and business practices Um, d, do you think that Michler's or your café helped you connect to other Jews in the community, or, or not? Michler explains how his cafe offers an un-announced kosher menu, noting that he offers dairy meals. He also details that in the busy schedule of the Kentucky Native Cafe, he is rarely able to keep the Sabbath, explaining how his work-life balance varies throughout the year. Businesses ; Community ; Competing values ; Dairy meals ; Kosher food (see also Kashrut) ; Schedules ; Shabbat (also Shabbos, Sabbath) ; Work-life balance Entrepreneurship ; Jewish businesspeople ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership ; Worship (Judaism) 17 4442 The challenges of running a seasonal business What is it like only working for a season, instead of the full year? Michler explains his schedule and how it varies throughout the year. He also discusses his love of projects and his commitment to continually improving the business. Beer gardens ; Building businesses ; Florists ; Jewish businesses ; Kentucky Native Cafe ; Management ; Seasons ; Work-life balance Entrepreneurship ; Jewish businesspeople ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership 17 4669 Michler's wife, Penina, and her work in special education Is your wife involved in the business at all? Michler explains that his wife has a Masters degree and operates her own business as a consultant for parents of autistic children. He shares that she goes into their homes to help them fix unhealthy dynamics and incorporate better parenting practices. He also explains how sometimes parents of autistic children need help in order to meet their children's needs. Family consulting ; Jewish businesses ; Jobs ; Parenting ; Verbal behavior consulting ; Wife Autism. ; Education--Kentucky ; Employment--Kentucky ; Special education. 17 4753 Business during busy holidays Um, what's your fondest memory of the business? Michler discusses particularly exciting and meaningful times of the year for his business, including Valentine's Day, Oktoberfest, and Sundays. He details how families come to the cafe and children get messy in the dirt pile. He also describes some of the challenges and adrenaline involved in running a business during busy holidays. Businesses ; Kentucky Native Cafe ; Memories ; Michler's Florist ; Oktoberfest ; Seasonal ; Valentine's Day Entrepreneurship ; Families. ; Jewish businesspeople ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Small business--Kentucky ; Small business--Ownership 38.038, -84.497 17 Michler's Florist 4919 Culture and history of Be'er Sheva Um, is there anything else you want to talk about, anything that we haven't touched on? Michler explains that he wrote his senior research thesis on the planning of Be'er Sheva in Israel. Be'er Sheva was planned by the government in stages, resulting in an eclectic area where few actually bought houses. Be'er Sheva ; Ben Gurion University ; City planning ; Geography ; History ; Neighborhoods ; Senior research thesis ; Study abroad Beersheba (Israel) ; Israel. 31.258889, 34.799708 17 Be'er Sheva http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/Pages/default.aspx The official website of Ben Gurion University 5230 Racism and political correctness in Israel and America Um, um, and, you know, you also learned--uh, I think I got a, uh, an early primer in, in, uh, a society and a culture that, uh, doesn't follow political correctness in terms of like, uh, you're not supposed to say racist things out loud, whether you think them or not. Michler explains that during his time in Israel, he was exposed to blatantly racist rhetoric that was not acceptable in the United States at that time. He also notes that those kinds of racist statements have become more socially acceptable today in the United States, after the 2016 presidential election. Comparisons ; Cultures ; Israel ; Political correctness ; United States Race discrimination. ; Race relations ; Racism 17 5352 Attempts to integrate Be'er Sheva You mentioned that a lot of the neighborhoods in Be'er Sheva were built with a lot of social baggage. What did you mean by that? Michler explains how Europeans in Tel Aviv attempted to plan Be'er Sheva and use it to integrate diverse immigrants from European and Muslim-majority countries. He recounts various government attempts to integrate different people groups, including the attempt to organize a neighborhood around a movie theater and the attempt to eliminate cars from the neighborhood. Be'er Sheva ; Communities ; Community ; Cultures ; Government ; History ; Immigrants ; Integration ; Neighborhoods ; Racism Beersheba (Israel) ; Israel. 31.258889, 34.799708 17 Be'er Sheva 5531 Zionism and antagonism in Israel Um, can I ask what your opinion is on Israel and Zionism? Michler explains how he first understood the appeal of Zionism after encountering antagonism and poverty in Israel. He recounts a situation in which his Muslim roommates were antagonistic toward him and ultimately he moved out. Be'er Sheva ; Dorms ; Housing ; Jewish friends ; Muslims ; Racism ; Study abroad ; Zionism Discrimination. ; Israel. 17 5738 Changes in U.S. discourse after the 2016 presidential election You mentioned that you were much more likely to face anti-Americanism than anti-Semitism. Did you personally experience any anti-Americanism? Michler explains that it is difficult to create a democratic Jewish state when many of the citizens are Muslim rather than Jewish. He also recounts the anti-Americanism he encountered while he was in Germany, remembering when an angry student assaulted him in the cafeteria. Michler then notes that &quot ; something has changed,&quot ; in the United States, and that antagonistic rhetoric is now more socially acceptable in America. He notes the dangers of the fact that bullying behaviors are now associated with &quot ; telling it as it is,&quot ; and expresses concern over the lack of civil discourse. American ; Anti-Americanism ; Bullying ; Democratic ; Heidelburg ; Intolerance ; Iraq War ; Jewish ; Jewish state ; Muslim Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. 49.410278, 8.706389 17 Heidelberg University interview Robin Michler, owner of Kentucky Native Café in Lexington, discusses his experiences as a businessman, international traveler, and Jewish man. He recounts how his maternal family changed their name from Katz to Kane upon their immigration to the U.S. Although his parents were less observant, Michler explains that his family nevertheless ensured he received education through Hebrew school and engagement with the Lexington Jewish community. Michler recounts his undergraduate career at the University of Kentucky, expressing annoyance at the lack of academic challenge in freshmen classes. He shares his later involvement in UK Hillel, recounting how he was hired by the University of Kentucky to revitalize the Jewish student organization on the UK campus. He also relays his extensive travel experiences in both Israel and Germany, which influenced his personal and political beliefs. Touching on Zionism, roommate situations, and cultural tensions, Michler explains how his experiences with people in Germany and Israel expanded his understanding of ethnic conflict and also connected him to the broader, international Jewish community. He also discusses anti-Americanism, cultural differences between Israel and the United States, and history. He gives special attention to the Israeli government’s attempts to re-integrate Be’er Sheva. Acknowledging the rise in anti-Semitic rhetoric post-2016, Michler expresses concern over the growing antagonism in America. Michler also recounts how, in later life, he expanded his family’s greenhouse, opening a new café and beer garden. He discusses the challenges of observing his religious practices and running a successful local business, as well as the joys of Jewish culture and community. He shares some of his favorite aspects of his business, noting both its kosher menu and its family-friendly atmosphere. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh218_jk048_michler_ohm.xml 2017oh218_jk048_michler_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7w6m33529z OHMS Object https://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh218_jk048_michler_ohm.xml Interview Rights All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Interview Usage Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Robin Michler, March 29, 2017 Description An account of the resource Robin Michler, owner of Kentucky Native Café in Lexington, discusses his experiences as a businessman, international traveler, and Jewish man. He recounts how his maternal family changed their name from Katz to Kane upon their immigration to the U.S. Although his parents were less observant, Michler explains that his family nevertheless ensured he received education through Hebrew school and engagement with the Lexington Jewish community. Michler recounts his undergraduate career at the University of Kentucky, expressing annoyance at the lack of academic challenge in freshmen classes. He shares his later involvement in UK Hillel, recounting how he was hired by the University of Kentucky to revitalize the Jewish student organization on the UK campus. He also relays his extensive travel experiences in both Israel and Germany, which influenced his personal and political beliefs. Touching on Zionism, roommate situations, and cultural tensions, Michler explains how his experiences with people in Germany and Israel expanded his understanding of ethnic conflict and also connected him to the broader, international Jewish community. He also discusses anti-Americanism, cultural differences between Israel and the United States, and history. He gives special attention to the Israeli government’s attempts to re-integrate Be’er Sheva. Acknowledging the rise in anti-Semitic rhetoric post-2016, Michler expresses concern over the growing antagonism in America. Michler also recounts how, in later life, he expanded his family’s greenhouse, opening a new café and beer garden. He discusses the challenges of observing his religious practices and running a successful local business, as well as the joys of Jewish culture and community. He shares some of his favorite aspects of his business, noting both its kosher menu and its family-friendly atmosphere. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh218_jk048 Subject The topic of the resource University of Kentucky Lexington (Ky.) Entrepreneurship Families. Family histories. Jewish businesspeople Jewish families. Small business--Kentucky Small business--Ownership Jewish children Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) College students--Religious life Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio https://www.nunncenter.net/jewishkentucky/files/original/ebef09588654ae8be16fa46295decfa1.png ef0efa00a48fd041ffacf12bf935da0c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral Histories Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Matthew Bell Saisindhu Marella Marisa Varone Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Elizabeth Crane Interview Keyword Emigration and immigration. Genealogy Education, Higher University of Georgia College students--Social conditions Dating (Social customs) Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Holidays. Fasts and feasts--Judaism. OHMS Object Text 5.2 2017oh217_jk047 Interview with Elizabeth Crane, March 24, 2017 2017oh217_jk047 jk Jewish Kentucky Oral History Project Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries (Exhibit) Families. Jewish families. Jewish children Childhood Education--Kentucky Family histories. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Children's theater. Dietitians. Marriage Child rearing Emigration and immigration. Genealogy Education, Higher University of Georgia College students--Social conditions Dating (Social customs) Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Discrimination. Holidays. Fasts and feasts--Judaism. Elizabeth Crane Matthew Bell Saisindhu Marella Marisa Varone 2017oh217_jk047_crane_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2017oh217_jk047_crane_acc001.mp3 Other audio 0 Introduction and family background Hello, our names are Saisindhu Marella, Marisa Varone, and Matt Bell. Interviewer Saisindhu Marella begins by prompting interviewee Elizabeth Crane to share a brief summary of her life thus far. Crane goes on to give a brief description of her family. She discusses how little she knows about the specifics of her family origins, especially with respect to her father's family. Crane also speaks about her parents and their occupations in the fields of gastroenterology and statistics. Anne Banks ; Charleston (S.C.) ; Dietetics ; Ellis Island (N.Y.) ; Grandparents ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Mark Bronner ; Miami Beach (Fla.) ; Missoula Children's Theatre ; Mount Pleasant (S.C.) ; University of Georgia ; Virginia Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Immigrants ; Jewish families. 32.786, -79.876 17 Mount Pleasant (S.C.) https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/catalog/xt73ff3m048s Interview with Mark Bronner, Elizabeth Crane's father 225 Ancestry and family tree Um, Beth, from Janice's interview with your father, I know that your great-grandfather Nat Levy originally had his last name changed when he was coming from Russia to the U.S. Crane recounts an anecdote about her family's origins in the United States, where her great-grandfather accidentally changed his last name upon arriving. She goes on to describe her grandparents, siblings, and step-siblings, as well as their respective occupations. Ellis Island (N.Y.) ; Grandparents ; Siblings ; Step-siblings Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Immigrants ; Jewish families. 17 527 Childhood experiences Um, tell me about your experiences growing up. Crane gives a brief description of her childhood, specifically the summer camp she and her siblings used to attend called Camp Thunderbird in Bemidji, Minnesota. Bemidji, Minnesota ; Cousins ; Family ; Girls' camps ; Summer camps ; Theater Bemidji (Minn.) ; Childhood ; Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Recreation 47.376, -94.906 17 Camp Thunderbird for Girls 730 Early education and extracurricular activities Um, as a child, where did you go to school, like elementary, middle, and high? Crane details how she moved schools very frequently in her youth because of ethnicity ratios in Louisville public schools, placement into advanced programs, and moving across town. She also speaks briefly about her most lasting friendships. She then recounts her childhood involvement in sports, as well as her initial love for theater, which stemmed from her involvement at the Jewish African American Christian Kentucky Youth Royale Program. Advanced programs ; Ballard High School ; Childhood friends ; Clubs ; Dunn Elementary School ; Ethnicity ; JACKY Royale ; Jewish African American Christian Kentucky Youth ; Jewish Community Center day camps ; Kammerer Middle School ; Karen Hunter ; Norton Elementary School ; Private schools ; Soccer ; Synagogues ; Tennis ; Theater ; Walden Elementary School Childhood ; Education--Kentucky ; Jewish children ; Recreation 38.286, -85.558 17 Tom Sawyer Park 925 Judaism in childhood Um, with activities that you were involved in, were you involved in anything in the JCC? Crane describes her involvement in the Louisville Jewish Community Center and the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization. She explains the influence of her parents and grandparents on her personal experiences as a Jew, especially in terms of holiday celebrations. She recalls fondly spending time with her cousins for the holidays. B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO) ; Bat mitzvahs ; Community ; Cousins ; Culture ; Faith ; Family ; Food ; Grandparents ; Hanukkah ; Hebrew ; Heritage ; High Holidays ; Holidays ; JACKY Royale ; Jewish ; Jewish background ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Lord's Prayer ; Ohavay Zion ; Passover ; Seder ; Services ; Shabbat dinners ; Shema ; Sunday school ; Temple Shalom ; Ten Commandments ; Tradition Families. ; Family histories. ; Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.225, -85.650 17 B'nai B'rith Youth Organization Louisville 1904 Higher education Okay, so we're going to move more on towards your like adult life. Crane explains the rationale behind her decision to attend the University of Georgia for her undergraduate degree in theatre. She then explains her decision to pursue another degree in dietetics. She earned this degree from the University of Kentucky in 2015, after completing some prerequisites at the University of Louisville. College search ; Colleges ; Degree ; Dietetics ; Education ; Performance ; Prerequisites ; Theater arts ; University of Georgia ; University of Kentucky ; University of Louisville College environment ; College students. ; Education, Higher ; Universities and colleges. 33.952, -83.375 17 University of Georgia Department of Theatre 2124 Undergraduate extracurricular involvement Um, what kind of student organizations were you involved in during undergrad? Crane explains how she was involved mainly with the theater organization at the University of Georgia, which consumed much of her time. She talks about pledging but not completing the joining process of a sorority, and how she instead worked as the house manager for the university. House managers ; Sororities ; Sorority ; Theater ; Working College environment ; College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Employment. ; College students--Social conditions ; College students. ; Education, Higher ; Greek letter societies. ; Universities and colleges. ; University of Georgia 17 2188 Jewish identity at the University of Georgia Um, what kind of like Jewish student life was there at UGA, if there was any? Crane talks about how little she was involved in Jewish student life on campus at the University of Georgia. She recalls finding a temple where she attended High Holiday services, though she did not particularly like the rabbi, which caused her to somewhat lose her Jewish identity during that time. Colleges ; Community ; High Holiday services ; Hillel ; Jewish ; Jewish fraternities ; Jewish identity ; Rabbis ; Student life ; Temples College environment ; College students--Conduct of life. ; College students--Religious life ; College students--Social conditions ; College students. ; Education, Higher ; Greek letter societies. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Universities and colleges. ; University of Georgia ; Worship (Judaism) 40.741, -73.989 17 University of Georgia Hillel House 2278 Professional career and career change Then, um, kind of going back towards your professional life after college. How did you begin your professional career after graduating all the schools you went to? Crane describes the process by which she got her first job in the theater world, with Missoula Children's Theater Company. She explains how much travelling she did with the company, both in and out of the United States. She recalls how her decision to settle down and start a family led her to ultimately switch careers. Crane then goes more in depth in her explanation of her career change to dietetics. Boston (Mass.) ; Careers ; Clinical ; Curves ; Eating disorders ; Home health ; Insurance ; Medicaid ; Missoula Children's Theater Company ; Monologues ; Musical theater ; Nutrition ; Nutritionists ; Rehabilitation facilities ; Science ; Theater conferences ; Trilogy Healthcare ; Weight ; Weight-loss coaches Children's theater. ; Dietitians. ; Employment ; Theater. 17 2622 Influence of Judaism on her career Kind of redirecting it back to like relating things to Judaism, do you think that your Judaism has affected any parts of your career or kind of influenced it, or your lifestyle even, after college? Crane explains how her knowledge of the Jewish faith has allowed her to help the people she works with, especially in terms of special food for High Holidays. Specifically, she mentions her work in a nursing home and ensuring that the Jewish residents received traditional foods of honey and apples on Rosh Hashanah. Careers ; Food ; High Holidays ; Jewish community ; Kosher ; Rosh Hashanah Dietitians. ; Employment ; Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 2703 The impact of Judaism on assimilation and dating And, okay, uh, yeah we'll kind of go towards, like--do you think assimilation has kind of affected your religious practices throughout your life? Crane discusses her move to Lexington and the transition from living in one place to another. She also mentions the initial meeting of her now-husband. She then recounts her past romantic relationships and the demographics of her dating history not being entirely made up of people of the same race as her. She tells the story of her main experience with anti-Semitism while dating. Anti-Semitic ; Assimilation ; Community ; Conservative ; Dating ; Interracial dating ; Lexington ; Moving ; Non-Jewish partners ; Reform Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Dating (Social customs) ; Discrimination. ; Interethnic dating ; Interfaith dating ; Jewish women--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Race relations 38.030, -84.504 17 University of Kentucky 3099 Relationship with her husband Okay. So now to talk about your husband. Uh, where’s he from? Where did you two meet? Crane tells the story of how she and her husband met once she moved to Lexington, explaining her first few interactions with him at work and online, then recounting her first few dates with him. She talks about how she eventually decided that he was the one for her when he gave her a sandcastle building kit to give to her nephews when she went on vacation. Businesses ; Local businesses ; Online dating ; Village Host ; Waitresses Dating (Social customs) ; Jewish women--Kentucky--Lexington 38.040, -84.491 17 Former location of Village Host 3441 Judaism's influence on her wedding and marriage Um, towards like your wedding. Do you feel like--did Judaism play a role in the actual ceremony? Crane describes her wedding and the pre-existing societal expectations of Christian-centric ceremonies. She talks about the struggle she faced with incorporating her religion into the ceremony and celebration through meals provided and the order and type of ceremonial events associated with Judaism. Following this, she explains the impact marriage and motherhood has had on her in respect to her daughter and how she wishes to raise her with a stronger religious upbringing. Chuppah ; Community ; Goyim ; Hebrew names ; High Holiday services ; Jewish preschools ; Jewish traditions ; Jewish weddings ; Ketubah ; Kittel ; Kosher ; New generations ; Parenting ; Passing on beliefs ; Preschools ; Purim ; Rabbis ; Raising kids ; Reading Hebrew ; Shabbat ; Small towns ; Synagogues ; Values Child rearing ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Marriage ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 37.997. -84.471 17 Gan Shalom 3929 Jewish education for her children And, okay, um, kind of going to--towards education for your daughter. Crane expresses her wish to give her daughter an early childhood Jewish education. She enrolled her in Gan Shalom, the preschool program at Ohavay Zion Synagogue, to help her gain a Jewish foundation. She then explains her family's recent involvement in the Jewish community in Lexington as her daughter has been growing up and introduced to the culture and practices through events and festivals. Board of Gan Shalom ; Building community ; Daycare ; Earl Levy ; Gan Shalom ; Involvement ; Jewish literature ; Jewish roots ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Passover ; PJ Library Organization ; Preschools ; Rabbis ; Shabbat ; Sunday school ; Synagogues Childhood ; Education--Kentucky ; Families. ; Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 37.998, -84.471 17 Ohavay Zion Synagogue 4155 Relationship to Rabbi Smolkin You mentioned him a little bit earlier. And you got very excited. Um, what is your relationship to your rabbi like right now? And how does--what does that mean to you? Crane explains her liking and veneration for her rabbi at Ohavy Zion Synagogue, Rabbi Smolkin, describing how he has helped her with understanding her faith as she transitioned to the Conservative denomination from previously being in the Reform denomination. She also further recounts some stories about how he explained things to anyone who was curious, like why eating a kosher diet includes not eating chicken and drinking milk, and the specific practices in the synagogue she attends concerning women's involvement. Bris ; Chicken ; Egalitarian synagogues ; Gender ; Hebrew names ; Kashrut ; Kippah ; Kosher ; Reform ; Tallis ; Traditional ; women Jewish leadership--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jewish women--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. ; Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. ; Judaism. ; Rabbis ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://www.ozs.org/rabbi/ Rabbi Smolkin's information web page at Ohavay Zion Synagogue 4422 Judaism in adulthood--Comparing the Louisville and Lexington communities Um, so with that question we’re going to kind of transition into more of Judaism in your adult life. Crane describes what she hopes to gain from her faith in the near future, explaining that she wants to give her daughter a faith-filled upbringing because she feels it is very valuable. She also expresses regret that she was not raised in a similar manner to the way she wishes to raise her daughter. Crane then explains the differences in the two communities she has been a part of in Kentucky--currently living in Lexington and being raised in Louisville--and the specific forms of Judaism she practiced, starting with Reform traditions and changing over to more Conservative traditions. Commemorating candles ; Conservative ; Divides ; Generations ; Grandfathers ; Grandmothers ; Grandparents ; Great grandparents ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Lighting candles ; Loss of culture ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Orthodox ; Politics ; Reform ; Relaxed practices ; Summer camps ; Values ; Weakening Child rearing ; Families. ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Lexington (Ky.) ; Louisville (Ky.) ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 38.225, -85.650 17 Jewish Community Center, Louisville (Ky.) 4649 Transition of religious affiliation Um, so we talked earlier about your transition from being, uh, raised Reform Jewish to now a member of OZS. Crane describes her transition from Reform Judaism to Conservative Judaism while also explaining her struggle with figuring out the differences in customs and practices. Bimah ; Conservative ; Differences ; Kippah ; Ohavay Zion Synagogue ; Prayers ; Reform ; Religious services ; Singing ; Tallis ; Torah Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 http://www.ozs.org/history-2/ History of Ohavay Zion Synagogue of Lexington 4761 Anti-Semitism and the perception of Judaism Um, so, um, so mostly when talking about, um--when we were talking about, uh, you--when you tell people you’re Jewish, and they might be surprised or whatever. Crane recounts the small exposure to anti-Semitism she had experienced growing up ; in particular, there was a specific event with a past boyfriend's mother's feelings towards Jewish people. She also mentions the painting of anti-Semitic symbols on her childhood synagogue during a high holiday service and her feelings at the time compared to how she perceives it now. She describes people finding out about her faith and the community's perception of her once they are aware. She talks about the hesitant nature of those who teach or talk about the Holocaust in schools or at museums. Bomb threats ; Christians ; Democracy ; Democrats ; Experiencing hate ; Fears ; Holocaust ; Holocaust museums ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Politics ; Positive interactions ; Public ; Superiority ; Swastika ; Temple Shalom Anti-Semitism ; Antisemitism ; Discrimination. ; Jewish women--Kentucky--Lexington ; Jews--Identity. 38.223, -85.609 17 Temple Shalom 5150 Jewish identity and values So, uh, this is a very broad question but, uh, how would you describe your Jewish identity? Crane explains her identity as a Jewish person, connecting it first to food. She also connects it to her roots ; Jewish immigrants that brought their culture to America. Also she praises those who have strong biblical beliefs, since she currently only sees herself as a cultural Jew but wishes to one day grow to be a more religious Jew. Crane then describes how her roots with her faith and family history reflect on her everyday life while raising her daughter. &quot ; Chicken Hyman&quot ; ; Bagels and lox ; Bar mitzvahs ; Bat mitzvahs ; Brunches ; Connectivity ; Cultural Jews ; Estranged family ; Family values ; Food ; Founding synagogue ; German immigrants ; Hyman Levy ; Jewish values ; Matriarchs ; Russian immigrants ; Soul food ; Ten Commandments ; Traditions Childhood ; Emigration and immigration. ; Families. ; Family histories. ; Fasts and feasts--Judaism. ; Holidays. ; Immigrants ; Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 5475 Impact of Zionism and Israel Um, so, kind of switching gears again, so, um, what role has Israel or Zionism played in your life? Crane recounts a 5 week high school trip to Israel as a junior, with the B'nai Brith Youth Organization funding it. She then explains the connection she felt when she was there, as well as her feelings toward the issues arising around Israel's existence politically, and her belief that everyone can find their own place and live in peace. &quot ; Melting pot&quot ; ; B'nai Brith Youth Organization (BBYO) ; Connections ; Divide in Israel ; Family in Israel ; Jerusalem ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Jewish graveyards ; Moving to Israel ; Safe havens ; Safety ; Travel ; Wailing Wall ; Western Wall Family histories. ; Genealogy ; Israel. ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion 31.7767, 35.2345 17 Western Wall, Jerusalem 5690 Closing remarks and additions Um, do you guys have any other questions? Crane ends the interview by discussing Southern culture, its connection to her Jewish identity, and the fear she and others may experience in the South. She also goes on to mention the pride she feels for her identity as a Jewish person and how much she likes being who she is. Bomb threats ; Fears ; Growing up Jewish ; Jewish Community Center (JCC) ; Kentucky ; Perceptions ; Southern culture ; Temples Jewish children ; Jewish families. ; Jews--Identity. ; Judaism. ; Religion ; Worship (Judaism) 17 interview Elizabeth Bronner Crane was born on September 14, 1984 in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and was raised briefly in Charleston, SC though she later moved to Louisville, Kentucky. Due to the name change of her paternal grandfather at Ellis Island, she has been unable to trace much of her extended family history. Her mother, Anne Banks, works as a statistician in Louisville, and her father, Mark Bronner, is a gastroenterologist. Both parents were raised in Orthodox Judaism, but chose to raise their children Reform Judaism. Mrs. Crane recalls going to Sunday school, attending High Holiday services, and having Shabbat dinners on Fridays, though she says those events became less prevalent with time. After graduating from Ballard High School in Louisville in 2002, Mrs. Crane went on to receive her undergraduate degree in theatre from the University of Georgia in 2006. She traveled with a children’s theatre company from 2006 to 2009, but decided to change career paths and re-enrolled in school in 2010. She attended the University of Louisville for one year, then transferred to the University of Kentucky, eventually earning a degree in dietetics in 2015. She now works with Trilogy Healthcare. While studying in Lexington, she met her husband--the first Jewish man she had ever dated--and they were married three years later, in October 2015. Mrs. Crane now attends her husband’s Conservative synagogue, Ohavay Zion, and is open about her struggles to adapt from Reform to Conservative Jewish traditions, largely crediting Ohavay Zion’s Rabbi Smolkin for her ability to feel at home in Conservative Judaism. She discusses the threat of anti-Semitism in the modern world, and though having few personal encounters with it, she describes the effects of anti-Semitism on her family. Mrs. Crane explains the cultural aspects of her Jewish identity and how it affects the way she plans to raise her children. No transcript. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 http://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh217_jk047_crane_ohm.xml 2017oh217_jk047_crane_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7w6m33529z OHMS Object https://www.nunncenter.net/ohms/render.php?cachefile=2017oh217_jk047_crane_ohm.xml Interview Rights All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Interview Usage Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Elizabeth Crane, March 24, 2017 Description An account of the resource Elizabeth Bronner Crane was born on September 14, 1984 in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, and was raised briefly in Charleston, SC though she later moved to Louisville, Kentucky. Due to the name change of her paternal grandfather at Ellis Island, she has been unable to trace much of her extended family history. Her mother, Anne Banks, works as a statistician in Louisville, and her father, Mark Bronner, is a gastroenterologist. Both parents were raised in Orthodox Judaism, but chose to raise their children Reform Judaism. Mrs. Crane recalls going to Sunday school, attending High Holiday services, and having Shabbat dinners on Fridays, though she says those events became less prevalent with time. After graduating from Ballard High School in Louisville in 2002, Mrs. Crane went on to receive her undergraduate degree in theatre from the University of Georgia in 2006. She traveled with a children’s theatre company from 2006 to 2009, but decided to change career paths and re-enrolled in school in 2010. She attended the University of Louisville for one year, then transferred to the University of Kentucky, eventually earning a degree in dietetics in 2015. She now works with Trilogy Healthcare. While studying in Lexington, she met her husband--the first Jewish man she had ever dated--and they were married three years later, in October 2015. Mrs. Crane now attends her husband’s Conservative synagogue, Ohavay Zion, and is open about her struggles to adapt from Reform to Conservative Jewish traditions, largely crediting Ohavay Zion’s Rabbi Smolkin for her ability to feel at home in Conservative Judaism. She discusses the threat of anti-Semitism in the modern world, and though having few personal encounters with it, she describes the effects of anti-Semitism on her family. Mrs. Crane explains the cultural aspects of her Jewish identity and how it affects the way she plans to raise her children. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 2017oh217_jk047 Subject The topic of the resource Families. Jewish families. Jewish children Childhood Education--Kentucky Family histories. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Children's theater. Dietitians. Marriage Child rearing Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource audio