Rochester NY Jewish community oral history project
Creator: Karp, Abraham J.
Call Number: D.259
Dates: 1925-1975
Physical Description: 15 boxes
Language(s): Materials are in English
Repository: Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Table of Contents:

Biographical/Historical Note
Scope and Content
Subject(s)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Access
Use
Citation
Content List
Series I: Information on the project
Series II: Re-mastered CD's of interviews
Series III: Transcripts
Collection Overview
Title: Rochester NY Jewish community oral history project
Creator: Karp, Abraham J.
Call Number: D.259
Dates: 1925-1975
Physical Description: 15 boxes
Language(s): Materials are in English
Repository: Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Biographical/Historical Note
In 1976, a study was undertaken by the University of Rochester's Department of History and the Jewish Community Federation of Rochester to document Jewish life in Rochester from 1925 to 1975. Rabbi Abraham Karp, Professor of history and religion conceived and oversaw the project that consisted of conducting interviews with more than 100 members of the Jewish Community. People were identified as possible candidates for the project and a framework of questions was developed. Most interviewees were interviewed twice [two sessions]. Six advanced doctoral students undertook the interviews: Mark Friedrich, Tina Isaacs, Maurice Isserman, Dennis Klein, Brian Mitchell and Nancy Rosenbloom. The Max. A. Adler Charitable Foundation funded the project.

Professor Karp said that the project attempted to select and interview subjects that would reflect a cross-section of the Rochester Jewish community. Categories included leaders of the Jewish community, representatives of industry, mercantile trades, politicians, civic leaders, labor leaders, plus randomly selected rank and file Jewish people.

According to Milton Berman, Professor of History, who advised the interviewers, the study was a "glimpse of what it was like to live and grow up in a period of significant change for America as well as for Jews." He also observed that the study shows that "the Jewish Community in Rochester has changed from a community of small business workers to a community of highly educated professionals."

Scope and Content
The collection is made up of the original audiotapes, upgrades of these to compact disc, the transcriptions of many of the interviews and the legal agreements entered into by the interview subjects. At this point in time [2005] a little more than 50% of the interviews have been transcribed.

Subject(s):
New York (State)--Rochester
Jews
Interviews
Interviews (Sound recordings)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Professor Karp delivered the audiotapes to the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections on August 15, 1977. In addition, four boxes of audiotapes and transcriptions were received from Rabbi Karp through Professor Harold Wechsler, Warner School of Education on April 14, 1997.Access
The Rochester NY Jewish community oral history project is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.Use
Reproductions are made upon request but can be subject to restrictions. Permission to publish materials from the collection must currently be requested. Please note that some materials may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections. For more information contact rarebks@library.rochester.eduCitation
[Item title, item date], Rochester NY Jewish community oral history project, D.259, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester
Administrative Information
Author: Finding aid prepared by Rare Books and Special Collections staff
Publisher: Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester
Address:
Rush Rhees Library
Second Floor, Room 225
Rochester, NY 14627-0055
rarebks@library.rochester.edu
URL:


Content List