Immigrants

The narrator discusses his parents, who were Russian immigrants; his childhood in Louisville's Haymarket area; elementary education at George W. Morris and Thomas Jefferson schools; high school at Louisville Male; and professional education at the Louisville College of Pharmacy; involvement in the Young Men's Hebrew Association; a forty eight year pharmacy practice; and changes in the Jewish community during his life.

Harold Rosen was born in 1915 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His father, Zalman George Rosen, was born in Rumania. His mother, Anna Wesserman Rosen, was also born in Rumania, close to Bucharest. They married in the 1890s in Rumania. They moved from Rumania to England, and then to Canada to his mother's relatives. Mr. Rosen remembers life in Canadian Jewish neighborhood; Orthodox family; being drafted to Fort Knox, in World War II. He discusses the Young Men's Hebrew Association during war. In 1942, he married Louisville native Selma Rosen. Her grandparents came from Germany and Lithuania and married in Louisville. He discusses beginning joint Brotherhood Meetings.

Mrs. Solzman discusses her parents, who were Polish; how she came to the United States from England in 1900; early life New York City; family business ventures and living in Montreal, Chicago, and Louisville; her first marriage and living in Harrodsburg,

Switow discusses his father, a Russian immigrant who owned movie theaters in Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia; his father's work in Louisville's Adath Jeshurun congregation; his childhood and education in Louisville at Cochran Elementary School, the Louisville Hebrew School, and Louisville Male High School; service in the United States Navy during World War I; engineering education at the University of Kentucky; Louisville during the 1937 flood; work with World War II bond drives; and views on the creation of Israel following the war. Switow concludes by discussing Jewish assimilation and changes in the local Jewish community.

Voices of Courage

Jacques (Denise) Wolff recounts a pleasant life in Alsace without prejudice. She was born into a middle class family who moved to western France (near Chartres) prior to the outbreak of World War II. Slowly, the entire family made its way to southern France before emigrating in 1941. She discusses Hitler, World War II, and her hsuband's adventures and brothers-in-law during that time. People in Louisville were open, warm, helpful, but the city was a "cultural desert." She cared for her ailing husband and survived two malignancies. She discusses the medieval origins of her town, Haguenau. She mentions many return visits to France and her only visit to Germany, which was a pleasant one. Index available.

Mrs. Leo Wolkow discusses her childhood in New York City; her parents, who were Polish immigrants; her husband's work with F. Wolkow and Sons; recollections of the Depression of the 1930s and World War II; the creation of Israel following the War; and changes in the Jewish community in Louisville.

Yudofsky and his parents came to the United States from Lithuania, settling in Louisville in 1925. Yudofsky discusses the origins of his business, Yudofsky Furriers, Inc.; Mr. and Mrs. Yudofsky discuss their activities in the local orthodox Jewish community, including congregation Anshei Sfard; the Vaad Hakashruth organization; the Jewish Day School; and the Hebrew Home.