Council of American Jewish Museums

Thea interviews Josh Franklin Oral History Interview

Thea and Rabbi Josh speak about the many creative ways the Jewish Center of the Hamptons has been able to adapt its programming to meet the challenges of this pandemic, as well as how the community has united to provide financial and food support to the surrounding community.

Rabbi Rachel Ain Oral History Interview

Rabbi Rachel Ain recounts her own COVID experience, how her NYC synagogue responded, and what gives her hope as time marches on.

Rabbi Sandra Lawson Oral History Interview

Rabbi Sandra Lawson reflects on how, with the COVID pandemic, "the walls came down" on ritual and accessibility for Judaism, and how she draws on her multiple identities during these tumultuous times.

Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook Oral History Interview

oral history recording of Philadelphia restaurateurs Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook

Rabbi Sharon Brous Oral History Interview

IKAR Los Angeles's Rabbi Sharon Brous on her community's experience during COVID, the way IKAR has grown throughout the pandemic period, and keeping her community tethered during these tumultuous times.

Mark Swick Oral History Interview

Mark Swick, Executive Director of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE) in Charleston, South Carolina, speaks to Nora Katz, Director of Heritage and Interpretation at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL). Mark talks about making the professional transition from the College of Charleston to KKBE in the first few months of the pandemic, becoming a father in August 2020, the ways in which the Charleston Jewish community has responded to the pandemic, and how parenthood gives him hope for the future.

Tyler Daniel Oral History Interview

Tyler Daniel talks about his experiences at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, as well as his leadership role at the Mississippi State Hillel. Prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, the campus Hillel participated in interfaith and intercultural events, attended services nearby in Columbus, MS, and held their own services. The organization has not held in-person events since spring 2020 and, as of the interview date, is still deciding whether or not to resume them in spring 2021. He also discusses racial justice movements in summer 2020, as well as the 2020 presidential election and the subsequent insurrection on January 6, 2021. More recently, the Mississippi State Hillel denounced the use of Nazi-related imagery by protestors opposed to vaccine mandates, who compared public health policies to fascism. Finally, Mr. Daniel reflects on the significance of online community during a challenging and isolating time.

Barbara Rothstein Oral History Interview

Dr. Barb Rothstein from Micanopy, Florida, is interviewed by Rena Lubin, Education and Program Specialist from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) in Jackson, Mississippi. Barb shares how her sense of Jewish community has expanded over the pandemic, how her background in biology has influenced her thoughts and feelings surrounding isolation and loneliness, and what kinds of arts and interactions have provided her with little moments of joy.

Darla Newman Oral History Interview

Darla Newman, Board member of Temple Shalom of Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, interviewed by Clara Posner, History and Heritage Extern at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL). Darla discusses how forming a pod with a friend of 30 years and teaching him about different Jewish traditions has played a major role in her experience during the pandemic.

Muriel Kranowski Oral History Interview

Muriel Kranowski of Blacksburg, Virginia, speaks with Josh Parshall, Director of History at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Muriel describes her involvement as the Religion Chair of the lay-led Blacksburg Jewish Community Center and their move to online services starting in March 2020. Muriel speaks about the emotional ups and downs of the year‚Äîincluding her experiences of Passover and the High Holidays‚Äîas well life in a small college town and in a cohousing community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Helaine Braunig Oral History Interview

Helaine Braunig of Shreveport, Louisiana, speaks with Nora Katz, Director of Heritage and Interpretation at the Institute of Southern Jewish Life. They discuss how Judaism has been a touchstone for Helaine during 2020, her commitment to social justice, her concerns about the 2020 election, the experience of being a parent and grandparent during the pandemic, and her weekly Shabbat Facebook posts.

Rick Chess Oral History Interview

Dr. Rick Chess, professor and past director of Center for Jewish Studies from University of North Carolina at Asheville, interviewed by Rena Lubin, Education Fellow from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Dr. Chess discusses how the pandemic has shifted his Jewish identity, made him confront some things about himself that he did not previously have the time or space for, and mentions some artistic projects he has been a part of during this time that have helped him grapple with current events.

Rebekah Weil Oral History Interview

Dr. Rebekah Ann Weil is a clinician-educator in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Alabama Birmingham who works in outpatient clinics as well as inpatient services at Birmingham VA Medical Center and University Hospital. Rabbi Matt Dreffin, Director of Education at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) interviews her about her life with her husband, an infectious diseases doctor. The two of them have been working overtime since February of 2020, and in the midst of the pandemic got married in August.

DeLana Honaker Oral History Interview

DeLana Honaker of Amarillo, Texas, speaks with Josh Parshall, Director of History at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL). DeLana is in the process of converting to Judaism, and she belongs to Temple B'nai Israel in Amarillo. She speaks about her relationship to the Jewish community, as well as her experiences with online services and remote learning. In addition to living far from a major Jewish center, DeLana has a hearing impairment and is losing her eyesight, and the move to online events has made aspects of Jewish life more accessible to her. She also shares the story of her own COVID-19 infection early in the pandemic.

Jessica Weckstein Oral History Interview

Jessica Weckstein talks about her experiences during 2020 with Josh Parshall, Director of History at the Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL). Jessica is a stay-at-home mother and religious school instructor in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her four children range in age from 4 to ten years old. She discusses the choice to home school her children for the 2020-2021 school year, just a year after the family relocated from Northern Virginia. She describes the challenges and opportunities that have come from spending so much time together with limited exposure to extended family or nearby friends. Jessica also talks about the political events of 2020, and how she has discussed electoral politics and racial injustice with her children.

Rabbi Jesse Charyn Oral History Interview

Rabbi Jesse Charyn, Rabbi at Temple Beth David in Snellville, Georgia, speaks with Clara Posner, History and Heritage Extern at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL). From moving to Georgia to welcoming twins into the world, Rabbi Jesse discusses the personal changes that occurred during the pandemic, while emphasizing the importance of taking action in times of need.