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

Joan Berenson

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Joan Berenson on August 31, 2007, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Joan Berenson talks about her New Orleans upbringing, connection to Judaism, involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, the impact of Hurricane Katrina, and her hopes for the future.

Allan Bissinger

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Allan Bissinger on August 3, 2006, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina’s Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Bissinger talks about his upbringing in New Orleans, his experience during Hurricane Katrina, his involvement in the Jewish community's recovery efforts, and how his Jewish identity has influenced his life, despite not being religious.

Sally Bronston

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Sally Bronston on August 10, 2007, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Bronston shares her Jewish upbringing, education, involvement in Jewish organizations, experiences during Hurricane Katrina, challenges of post-storm life, and reflections on God and Judaism.

Joel Brown

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Joel Brown on October 23, 2006, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Brown explains his family background, education, Jewish upbringing, opening a kosher restaurant in New Orleans, the impact of Hurricane Katrina on his business and life, the support from the Memphis Jewish community, and his hopeful return to New Orleans.

Deena Gerber

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Deena Garber on December 12, 2006, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Garber talks about her experiences growing up in New Orleans, her involvement in Young Judea, her evacuation during Hurricane Katrina, and her role as the executive director of Jewish Family Services in providing aid and services to the community.

Jackie Gothard

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Jackie Gothard on September 20, 2006, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Gothard shares her experiences growing up as an orthodox Jew in New Orleans, the destruction of Beth Israel synagogue during Hurricane Katrina, her efforts to restore the synagogue and reassemble the congregation, and her reflections on gender and Southern politics in the Orthodox community.

Janet Krane

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Janet Krane on November 2, 2006, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina’s Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Krane recounts her experience during Hurricane Katrina, including the challenges faced at Memorial Hospital and the controversy surrounding euthanized patients, as well as her reflections on family, community, and rebuilding New Orleans.

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.

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.

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.

Yossi Nemes

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Rabbi Yossi Nemes on July 13, 2006, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Rabbi Nemes recounts his experiences during Hurricane Katrina, including hiding in his flooded house, escaping to Memphis with help from the Jewish community, and his acts of kindness, while discussing Hasidic teachings and faith.

Mark Schleifstein

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Mark Schleifstein on December 10, 2006, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Schleifstein talks about advocating for hurricane preparedness, experiencing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, and struggling to reconcile his faith in science and belief in God while finding solace in the unity of the Jewish community.

Roselle Ungar

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Roselle Ungar on August 30, 2006, in Metairie, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Ungar talks about her role as assistant executive director of the Jewish Federation, creating resources for Katrina evacuees, connecting them to aid and facilitating community, and her part in rebuilding the Jewish community in New Orleans.

Birth Country

Birth State

Interviewer

Project

Type

Donate

Help us elevate the voices of Jewish women.

donate now

Listen to Our Podcast

Get JWA in your inbox

Read the latest from JWA from your inbox.

sign up now

How to cite this page

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