Oral History Collection

The Nicki Newman Tanner

Oral History Collection

As part of JWA’s mission to expand the narrative of Jewish history, we have collected and recorded hundreds of interviews with leaders, activists, and community members across the United States, documenting their encounters with major events and movements of the 20th and 21st centuries and the many ways that gender, class, place, and religious and ethnic identities have shaped women’s lives. With generous support from Nicki Newman Tanner,  Mass Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, we are proud to make these interviews and transcripts available to the public. All entries include transcripts; audio or video recordings are also available where narrator permissions allow. 

More about the collection

Judith Ehrlich

Project
Boston Women Rabbis

Lynne Himelstein interviewed Rabbi Judi Ehrlich on March 5, 2014, in Newton, Massachusetts, as part of the Boston Women Rabbis Oral History Project. Ehrlich shares her journey from Orthodox Judaism in South Africa to becoming a rabbi in America, including her religious upbringing, education in Israel, work as a matchmaker, career as a rabbi, challenges in her family, and her role as a chaplain, providing support to patients and families dealing with loss.

Eliana Jacobowitz

Project
Boston Women Rabbis

Lynne Himelstein interviewed Rabbi Eliana Jacobowitz on February 25, 2014, in Sommerville, Massachusetts, as part of the Boston Women Rabbis Oral History Project. Rabbi Jacobowitz reflects on her spiritual path in Jewish mysticism and becoming a rabbi, aiming to create an inclusive environment at Temple B’nai B’rith, and navigating the challenges of being a woman rabbi in Israel, sharing her complex feelings towards her homeland.

Margie Klein Ronkin

Project
Boston Women Rabbis

Lynne Himelstein interviewed Rabbi Margie Klein Ronkin on February 24, 2014, in Brighton, Massachusetts, as part of the Boston Women Rabbis Oral History Project. Rabbi Klein Ronkin reflects on her Jewish upbringing, involvement in social justice activism, journey to becoming a rabbi, founding Moishe Kavod House, and her efforts to address sexual assault and domestic violence in the Jewish community, all while reflecting on her understanding of God.

Cherie Koller-Fox

Project
Boston Women Rabbis

Lynne Himelstein interviewed Rabbi Cherie Koller-Fox on March 31, 2014, in Newtonville, Massachusetts, as part of the Boston Women Rabbis Oral History Project. Rabbi Koller-Fox shares her Jewish upbringing, aspirations to become a rabbi, educational journey, involvement in founding CAJE, and reflections on the evolving rabbinate, personal challenges, and the role of Judaism in navigating crises.

Sara Meirowitz

Project
Boston Women Rabbis

Lynne Himelstein interviewed Rabbi Sara Meirowitz on April 2, 2014, in Brookline, Massachusetts, as part of the Boston Women Rabbis Oral History Project. Rabbi Meirowitz discusses her journey to becoming a rabbi, influenced by her father, experiences at Yale University's Hillel, and time in Jerusalem while discussing her perspectives on Modern Orthodoxy and Israel.

Elyse Winick

Project
Boston Women Rabbis

Lynne Himelstein interviewed Rabbi Elyse Winick on March 23, 2014, Newton, Massachusetts, as part of the Boston Women Rabbis Oral History Project. Elyse's journey from her early Jewish upbringing, college experiences, and mentorship led her to become a rabbi, where she now serves as the Jewish chaplain at Brandeis University and reflects on the role of women rabbis in the present and past, while also discussing her personal connection to Judaism.

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How to cite this page

Jewish Women's Archive. "Oral History Collection." (Viewed on November 23, 2024) <https://jwa.org/oralhistories>.