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

Jake Kupperman

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Jake Kupperman on July 18, 2007, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina’s Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Kupperman reflects on his experiences during Hurricane Katrina, including volunteering at a hospital, the aftermath of looting, and how his parents protected him and his siblings, highlighting the importance of friends, routine, and returning to New Orleans in their recovery process.

Stephen Kupperman

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Stephen Kupperman on September 8, 2006, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina’s Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Kupperman speaks about his childhood in New Orleans, his involvement in Jewish non-profits, and his experience during Hurricane Katrina, including his evacuation to Baton Rogue, reflecting on the changes in the city since then.

Jeffrey Kurtz-Lendner

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Rabbi Jeffery Kurtz-Lendner on December 4, 2006, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina’s Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Rabbi Kurtz-Lendner discusses the impact of Hurricane Katrina on his congregation, including damage to the synagogue, economic hardships, and the healing power of community support during a "refugee Shabbat," while highlighting the government's failures in response to the disaster.

Irwin Lachoff

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Irwin Lachoff on August 24, 2006, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina’s Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Lachoff reminisces on his upbringing in New Orleans, his involvement with Beth Israel Synagogue, his experience during Hurricane Katrina, and his concerns for the future of the local Jewish community.

Lenora "Leni" LaMarche

Project
Weaving Women's Words

Roz Bornstein interviewed Lenora LaMarche on May 24 and June 25, 2001, in Mercer Island, Washington, as part of the Weaving Women's Words Oral History Project. LaMarche shares her family history, Sephardic culture, and experiences growing up in the Seattle and Los Angeles Jewish communities, highlighting her education, comedic talents, work during World War II, raising a family, and involvement in various organizations.

Emily Langowitz

Project
Meet Me at Sinai

Jayne Guberman interviewed Emily Langowitz on February 8, 2015, in New York City, as part of the Meet Me at Sinai Oral History Project. Langowitz discusses her Jewish upbringing, her passion for Jewish learning, her experiences at Yale, her reflections on gender disparities in Judaism, and the influence of her renowned rabbi grandfather and Holocaust scholar grandfather on her spiritual journey.

Miriam Latter

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Miriam Latter in Metairie, Louisiana, on September 26, 2006, as part of the Katrina’s Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Latter reflects on her upbringing, running Tujague's Restaurant, her leadership in the Jewish community, and the impact of Hurricane Katrina, highlighting the community's resilience and the significance of community-wide prayer services.

Margaret Lazarus

Project
Women Who Dared

Judith Rosenbaum interviewed Margaret Lazarus on July 11, 2001, in Belmont, Massachusetts, for the Women Who Dared Oral History Project. Lazarus speaks about her upbringing in Queens, her activist parents, her perception of Judaism as a platform for questioning and civil rights, her career in documentary filmmaking, and her advocacy for women's issues and social justice.

Susan Leader

Project
DAVAR: Vermont Jewish Women's History Project

Sandra Stillman Gartner and Ann Buffum interviewed Susan Leader on July 23, 2008, in Andover, Vermont, as part of DAVAR's Oral History Project. Leader discusses her family's history, her upbringing in rural Vermont, her passion for pottery, her education, and her reflections on raising children in the Jewish tradition.

Nina Lederkremer

Project
Weaving Women's Words

Jean Freedman interviewed Nina Lederkremer on May 24 and June 24, 2001, in Baltimore, Maryland, as part of the Weaving Women's Words Oral History Project. Lederkremer shares her experiences of escaping Nazi Germany, settling in the United States, her work, teaching, marriage, and her thoughts on Jewish practice, Israel, survival, and her decision not to go to Israel after the war.

Elsie Miller Legum

Project
Weaving Women's Words

Elaine Eff interviewed Elsie Miller Legum on April 19, 2001, in Baltimore, Maryland, as part of the Weaving Women’s Words Oral History Project. Legum talks about her childhood in a large family, strict upbringing, Jewish observance, neighborhoods in Baltimore, elopement, work at Miller Brothers, second marriage, and reflections on friendship, family, and Judaism.

Michele Lenke

Project
Boston Women Rabbis

Ronda Spinak interviewed Rabbi Michele Lenke on April 1, 2014 in Massachusetts, as part of the Boston Women Rabbis Oral History Project. Rabbi Lenke reflects on her journey from her Jewish upbringing and transformative experiences to overcoming obstacles as a female rabbi and finding fulfillment in her work, particularly in helping young Jews with B'nai Mitzvot and officiating same-sex weddings.

Beatrice Levi

Project
Weaving Women's Words

Marcie Cohen Ferris and Brenda Rever interviewed Beatrice Levi on February 4 and November 8, 2002, in Baltimore, Maryland, as part of the Weaving Women’s Words Oral History Project. Levi reflects on her childhood, family life, involvement with the League of Women Voters, experiences during the Great Depression, academic pursuits, marriage, volunteer work, and pride in her daughters' achievements.

Susan Levitas

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Stuart Rockoff interviewed Susan Levitas on August 31, 2007, in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Levitas recounts her childhood, career as a folklorist, marriage, experience during Hurricane Katrina, loss of her work, support from the Atlanta Jewish community, and her involvement in a women's shelter.

Julius Levy

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Dr. Julius Levy on October 13, 2007, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Dr. Levy discusses his Jewish upbringing, medical school experience, involvement with United Jewish Appeal, and the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Jewish community and New Orleans while expressing his love for the city.

Anne Levy

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Anne Levy on November 14, 2006, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Levy shares her journey from surviving the Holocaust to settling in New Orleans, her experiences during Hurricane Katrina, the devastation of the city, and her enduring connection to Judaism, family, and New Orleans.

Frank Levy

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Frank Levy on September 3, 2006, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Levy recounts his family history, connection to New Orleans, the discovery of Judaism, a career in education and theater, experiences during Hurricane Katrina, involvement in relief efforts through interactive theater, support of the Jewish community, and the post-storm changes.

Sandy Levy

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Sandy Levy on October 3, 2006, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina’s Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Levy speaks about her Orthodox upbringing, transition to Reform Judaism, and her experiences during Hurricane Katrina, highlighting the resilience and resourcefulness of the Jewish community in New Orleans.

Ruth Levy

Project
Weaving Women's Words

Marcie Cohen Ferris interviewed Ruth Surosky Levy on September 8, 2001, in Baltimore, Maryland, as part of the Weaving Women's Words Oral History Project. Levy shares her love for family and Judaism, recounting her upbringing in Baltimore, her father's kosher butcher shop, her involvement in Zionist activities, her education, her Navy service, raising her children, and the importance of Judaism in her life.

Malka Lew

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Malka Lew on October 12, 2006, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Lew talks about her Orthodox Jewish upbringing, her transformation to an observant lifestyle, surviving cancer surgery before Hurricane Katrina, evacuating to Houston, and finding strength in her faith.

Theodore Lichtenfeld

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Theodore Lichtenfeld on August 21, 2007, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Lichtenfeld reflects on his upbringing, ​​his arrival in New Orleans as a rabbi, the challenges faced during the storm and its aftermath, and his optimism for the future of Shir Chadash and the New Orleans community.

Richard Lipsey

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Richard Lipsey on October 28, 2006, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Lipsey shares his family background, military service, and community involvement in Baton Rouge, emphasizing his pivotal role in facilitating rescue missions, coordinating angel flights, and leading a city-wide effort to rescue Torahs after Hurricane Katrina.

Selma Litman

Project
Weaving Women's Words

Marcie Cohen Ferris interviewed Selma Cohen Litman on July 9, 2002, in Baltimore, Maryland, as part of the Weaving Women's Words Oral History Project. Litman recalls her family history, including her father's journey from Russia to the United States, her mother's immigration, and her childhood memories in Baltimore, as well as experiences working at a Bridal Shop and balancing her career with raising her children in a vibrant Jewish household.

Robert Loewy

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Rabbi Robert Lowey on November 29, 2006, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Rabbi Lowey talks about his family, career as a senior rabbi, and experiences during and after Hurricane Katrina, highlighting the importance of gathering, decision-making, and providing solace to the congregation.

Micky Loveman

Project
Weaving Women's Words

Elaine Eff interviewed Miriam “Micky” Loveman on August 14, 2001, in Baltimore, Maryland, as part of the Weaving Women's Words Oral History Project. Loveman reflects on her life journey, from her childhood in Boston to move to Baltimore, her successful career in shoe sales, and her experiences with family and relationships, highlighting her love for her work and the joy she found in connecting with customers.

Birth City

Type

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How to cite this page

Jewish Women's Archive. "Oral History Collection." (Viewed on November 21, 2024) <https://jwa.org/oralhistories>.