Wisconsin Jewish Archives oral history interviews, 1954-1967.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

SCOPE AND CONTENT: Oral history interviews with Wisconsin Jews, concerning their lives in Europe, immigration to the United States, and family, political, religious, social, and work activities in Wisconsin. The interviews are part of the State Historical Society's Wisconsin Jewish Archives. The following are abstracts of the interviews: 

Berland, Isaac: Berland was a Milwaukee Jewish Zionist, and the interview covers his emigration from Russia with his wife and son in 1906; his occupation as a peddler; his activities as a Zionist since 1913; and his children's professional accomplishments. Mrs. Berland added additional comments about their children.

Bloom, Louis: Interview describes his religious life in Poland prior to immigrating to the United States in 1909; his job at a flour mill in Poland; and comments about the lack of an Orthodox Jewish community in Milwaukee.

Brown, Clara: Interview covers her emigration from Russia in 1882; life before emigrating; life in Milwaukee when she arrived; and reminiscences of cultural activities in which Jews participated.

Elbaum, Solomon: Elbaum was a Milwaukee businessman, and the interview covers his emigration from Russia in 1913; the emigration of his wife and five children in 1921; the bookstore of Jewish materials which he operated (1918-1958); and his activities as a Zionist since the 1920s.

Liebowitz, Robert: Interview covers his immigration to the United States from Minsk (circa 1895); anecdotes about his career as a peddler starting about 1900; information about the Jewish communities in the smaller Wisconsin towns through which he travelled, especially La Crosse, Prairie du Chien, and Green Bay; and descriptions of religious life in Milwaukee.

Luck, Harry: Interview covers his childhood in Russia; his family's immigration to the United States via England in 1928; the cattle business and farming in Waukesha County (1939-1969); the family's Jewish religious practices; and Luck's political involvement and opinions.

Raymond, Bertha Langer: Interview covers her emigration from Prague; descriptions of the Jewish communities in various cities where she lived, including Milwaukee, Chicago, and Detroit; anecdotes about boarders her mother kept; and information about her father's work as a rabbi in Milwaukee.

Ruscha, Rae: Interview concerns his early life in Marinette, Wisconsin (1881-1886), and thereafter in Milwaukee; descriptions of private social work done for Russian immigrants in Milwaukee and later for survivors of the Nazi Europe; reminiscences about Lizzie Black Kander; and insights into some of the conflicts between the older German-Jewish community and the newer Russian-Jewish community from the 1900s on.

Saltzstein, Benjamin: Interview with a lawyer covering his emigration from Poland to Milwaukee in 1906; his reminiscences of the Milwaukee Jewish community since 1906; and his work with Jewish community organizations including the Settlement House, Emanu-El Congregation, and the Hebrew Aid Society.

Urich, Jacob: Urich was a Milwaukee socialist, and the interview covers his emigration from Russia to Milwaukee in 1890 via Philadelphia; his work as a peddler, mason's helper, cigar maker, and cigar seller; his reminiscences of Milwaukee socialists Frank Zeidler and Victor Berger; and the letters he wrote to the editors of various Milwaukee newspapers since 1900.

Wolf, David: Interview covers his emigration from Germany in 1912; his occupation as a peddler in Illinois and Wisconsin; and information on the Arpin Jewish agricultural settlement in central Wisconsin.

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:

Wisconsin Jewish Archives oral history interviews, 1954-1967. Tapes UC263A, UC264A, UC352A, UC414, and UC568A. Wisconsin Historical Society. Milwaukee Area Research Center. UWM Libraries. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:

• Berland, Isaac, 1873- .
• Bloom, Louis, 1880- .
• Brown, Clara, 1870- .
• Elbaum, Solomon, 1879- .
• Jewish socialists--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Jews--Wisconsin--Milwaukee--History--Sources.
• Liebowitz, Robert, 1883- .
• Luck, Harry, 1902- .
• Oral history.
• Raymond, Bertha Langer, ca. 1867- .
• Ruscha, Rae, 1881- .
• Saltzstein, Benjamin F., 1884- .
• Urich, Jacob, 1868- .
• Wolf, David, ca. 1896.
• Zionists--Wisconsin--Biography.

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