The Albert and Pauline Dubin Oral History Archives
This collection includes stories from influential leaders, philanthropists, and those who have helped to shape the Detroit Jewish community.
Interviews
Joseph Orley
In this interview, Joseph Orley speaks about his parents’ history; how they both immigrated and settled in Detroit and eventually met each other. He talks about his experiences in his childhood home, his schooling, and his neighborhood. He mentions that his mother kept a religious household. She took going to shul very seriously. He also reminisces about his summers during this time in his life, and briefly mentions his bar mitzvah at United Hebrew School.
Graham Orley
In this interview, Graham Orley speaks about his parents’ separate immigrations to Detroit. He tells a story about his father as a young man during World War I in the Calvary since he had known how to ride a horse. From here, Orley talks about his Jewish household growing up. He speaks about his mother and how she was Orthodox, and that Shabat was taken seriously at their home every week. He remembers going to Synagogue on the High Holy Days.
David Page
In this interview, David Page discusses his childhood and family while growing up. He speaks about deciding to go to law school, becoming a lawyer and his experiences as a young Jewish man at Harvard Law School at the time. Page talks about his first involvement with the Jewish Community and also the Young Leadership Cabinet and Temple Beth El. He mentions the non-Jewish organizations he is associated with, such as the Children’s Hospital, and Boy Scouts. He goes into detail about the Kresge Foundation and changes in Detroit over the years.
Norman Pappas
In this interview, Norman Pappas speaks about his parents and their relationship and careers that led them to the Detroit area. He talks about how as a child, he grew up as one of the only Jewish children in his school, but his family stressed how important it was that he is Jewish.
Morton Plotnick
In this interview, Morton Plotnick speaks about his parents’ immigration from Poland and Russia to Israel, where he was born, and then to Detroit. He talks about their decision to move from Israel to Detroit when he was just a year old, and how Israel is always a part of his life.
Jack Robinson
In this interview, Jack Robinson talks about his childhood and growing up and moving around the Detroit area. He talks about his religious upbringing and sharing his home with his extended family and also a boarder. Robinson speaks about working at pharmacies as he was younger and being a soda jerk. He discusses his college years and being drafted into the Army during the Korean War. Next, Robinson mentions his high school hobby of photography. He then speaks about learning of the Jewish Federation.
Carol Rosenberg
In this oral history interview, Carol Rosenberg speaks about her childhood. She describes herself as always having a passion for people. She mentions her father passing away while she was young and her grandmother coming to live with them. Her grandmother was a kosher caterer and she remembers food always being an important part of their family. She speaks of the relationship she had with her grandmother as an influence on her staying involved with the care of older adults.
Charles Rubiner Oral History Interview (audio only)
In this Interview Charles gives a brief overview of his law career. He also discusses his work with interfaith groups and as President of the Jewish community Center of Detroit. He talks about the Zionist cause and his involvement. He also gives a description of the various Jewish neighborhoods in Detroit and the various synagogues based around nationality and language. He talks about the development of the Jewish Welfare Federation and the Jewish Community Center and the centralization of fundraising efforts. He also talks about his commitment to the promotion of Jewish education.
Mark Schlussel
In this interview, Mark Schlussel talks about his childhood. He speaks about growing up and moving around the Detroit area. He mentions that his aunt and uncle were responsible for immigrating with his mother when she was young and has many memories about them. He also speaks about his paternal grandfather’s immigration. Growing up in an Orthodox and Zionist household, mentions that his father was a founding member of the Mizrachi, Young Israel and Bar Ilan University.
Alan E. Schwartz
In this interview, Alan E. Schwartz speaks briefly about his parents and their immigration to Detroit. He mentions his memories of childhood, growing up in what he describes as a not very observant Jewish household. He then mentions attending Cranbrook for high school, and then University of Michigan, then into the Navy, and then graduating from Harvard Law School. From here, Schwartz talks about his experiences early in his law career in New York, then moving back to Detroit and starting a firm with Jason Honigman and Jack Miller.
Sponsorship
This collection is generously supported by the Albert and Pauline Dubin Oral History Archive fund.
Usage Rules
The Archive prohibits use of the oral history interviews in any way that infringes on individual right to privacy or results in libelous statements or slander, in accordance with U.S. law.
Copyright to the recorded interview(s) and/or subsequent transcript(s) of such remains with the Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives. Please use the following citation format:
© Leonard N. Simons Jewish Community Archives. [Name of Subject] Oral History Interview, [Date of Interview].