Interview with Sam Berman, May 11, 1977

Partial Transcript: I am now interviewing Sam Berman, a former resident of Louisville, who now lives in Clearwater, Florida.

Segment Synopsis: Interviewer introduces himself and the interviewee and provides the date and location of the interview.

Partial Transcript: Now Sam, tell me about your family and how they came to Louisville.

Segment Synopsis: Discusses his birth in Cincinnati in 1898 and his family's move to Louisville, where his father's parents and siblings lived, ca. 1901.

Keywords: Abe Berman; Lancaster, Ohio

Partial Transcript: Tell us about the Jewish community that you were brought up in.

Segment Synopsis: Describes the Louisville's Jewish community during the early twentieth century, which he separates into three distinct neighborhoods.

Keywords: B'nai Jacob; Beth Hamedrash Hagodol; Market Street (Louisville, Ky.); Phoenix Hill (Louisville, Ky.); Preston Street (Louisville, Ky.)

Subjects: Jewish neighborhoods; Synagogues--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Were you active in the YMHA when you grew up in Louisville?

Segment Synopsis: Recounts playing sports and attending activities at the YMHA, which was supported by wealthier Jews. Also describes attending the Neighborhood House, where he encountered Italian and Irish boys.

Keywords: Neighborhood House; Phillip Berman; Young Men's Hebrew Association (YMHA)

Subjects: Jewish community centers; Louisville (Ky.)--Social life and customs; Social settlements

Partial Transcript: Where did you go to cheder?

Segment Synopsis: Describes the options for Jewish education in Louisville during his youth.

Keywords: B'nai Jacob; Beth Hamedrash Hagodol; Feitelson's Deli; Jacob Rosenthal; Louisville Hebrew School; Mikveh

Subjects: Jewish religious education of children; Synagogues--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Were you active in various things like the Boy Scouts?

Segment Synopsis: Recounts working as a clerk at the YMHA during his teenage years. Describes some of the programs sponsored by the YMHA, including an orchestra, a marathon, and an excellent basketball team.

Keywords: Herman Shapinsky; Junior Social and Literary Society; Young Men's Hebrew Association (YMHA)

Subjects: Jewish community centers; Recreation; Sports

Partial Transcript: What did you do after you came back from the army?

Segment Synopsis: Explains that he didn't have much involvement in the Louisville community between 1919 (when he got out of the army) and 1963 (when he retired), since he often traveled for work. Recalls that the Jewish community was more close knit when he was a child, although he also notes that there was limited contact between Orthodox/Conservative Jews and Reform Jews.

Keywords: Adath Jeshurun; Boy Scouts; Hebrew school; Rabbi Asher Zarchy; Rabbi Jacob Gittelman

Subjects: Louisville (Ky.)--Social life and customs; Orthodox Judaism--Relations--Nontraditional Jews

Partial Transcript: What other organized community activities were there in those days?

Segment Synopsis: Describes recreational activities from his youth, including synagogue picnics in various parks around the city and gatherings at social halls. Recalls the breweries that existed prior to Prohibition. Recounts selling newspapers for spending money.

Keywords: Frank Fehr Brewing Company; Phoenix Hill Brewery; Phoenix Hill Park; Senning's Park; Summers' Park

Subjects: Beer industry; Louisville (Ky.)--Social life and customs; Parks--Kentucky--Louisville

Partial Transcript: I want to know how people lived, how the community was organized.

Segment Synopsis: Describes how the Jewish community was closer during his youth, with the whole community going to synagogue on the sabbath and holidays and attending big celebrations. Recalls cordial relations with non-Jews.

Keywords: High Holidays; Rosh Hashanah; Shabbat; Yom Kippur

Subjects: Jews--United States--Social life and customs; Synagogues--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Did you run into any discrimination when you went to work for the L&N?

Segment Synopsis: Recalls working at the L&N, where he was one of the only Jews. Remembers encountering little to no discrimination there.

Keywords: Antisemitism--United States; Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N)

Subjects: Jews--Employment

Partial Transcript: What about the army? Were you at Camp Taylor?

Segment Synopsis: Describes enlisting in the army two weeks after World War I started and beginning basic training at what would become Camp Taylor. Notes that he didn't encounter any Jewish community workers during his time in the army.

Keywords: Arthur Kling; Jewish Welfare Board (JWB); Salvation Army; Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA)

Subjects: Camp Zachary Taylor (Ky.); World War, 1914-1918--Jews

Partial Transcript: You went to law school after you came out of the army?

Segment Synopsis: Discusses graduating from law school and being admitted to the bar in 1925.

Keywords: Jefferson School of Law

Subjects: Jewish lawyers