Jewish Family and Vocational Service (Louisville, Ky.)

Erlen was born in 1906 in Columbus, Ohio. He came to Louisville as Executive Director of the Jewish Social Services Agency in 1938. He recalls Jewish geographical and congregational divisions; Young Men's Hebrew Association; Secretary of YMHA, War year; then temporary Executive Director 1942-1944. He remembers desegregation of schools, parks, and neighborhoods. He recalls discrimination against Jews; the Civil Liberties Union; Civil Rights; Arthur Kling. He discusses resettlement of victims concentration camps; 1990s Russian resettlement; Polish resettlement in 1964; the family unit; nursing homes; Louisville Hebrew Home 1949; Jewish Family and Vocational Service and Dave Dobson; memories of early Jewish civil workers and volunteers.

The narrator discusses family history, local Jewish history, and present work with the Jewish Family and Vocational Service. Topics include the Louisville Hebrew School, the old Haymarket area of Louisville, family interest in Zionism, local Jewish leaders, and the orthodox Jewish community.