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
Jane Sherman, Part I
In this oral history interview, Jane Sherman talks briefly about her childhood growing up in a Jewish home, but not religious. It was not until after getting married that she got heavily involved with the Jewish community and joined the Jewish Federation’s Junior Division in Florida. She explains how a young leadership mission to Israel changed her life and she became very passionate about Israel and Jewish Education.
Jane Sherman, Part II
Part II of the interview with Jane Sherman covers the history of Jewish Agency for Israel and her work with it and related organizations and programs.
Burton R. Shifman
In this oral history, Burton Shifman speaks extensively about his grandparents’ immigration to the US from Russia. He talks about the neighborhoods he grew up in and the schools he attended as they relate to the Jewish Community. He mentions the Jewish education he received in his upbringing. He talks briefly about attending Farband Camp.
Leonard N. Simons (Audio Only)
In this interview Leonard N. Simons talks about growing up in Detroit and his first job out of High School at an advertising agency. He discusses starting his own agency in 1929, his family and his book buying and restoration hobby. He discusses his charitable donation of his books and his charity work for Federation.
Robert Slatkin
In this oral history interview, Robert Slatkin talks about his childhood home. He speaks about growing up in an assimilated household and received only informal Jewish education from being part of a group affiliated with the Jewish Community Center as a teen. This combined with his first trip to Israel helped form his Jewish education.
Joel Tauber
In this oral history, Joel Tauber talks about his various leadership roles within the Jewish Community. He talks about his early childhood in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood.
Josephine Weiner (Audio Only)
Josephine “Jo” Weiner discusses her childhood in Detroit and how her parents raised her with a sense of community and a commitment to service.
Rabbi Sherwin Wine
In this oral history interview, Rabbi Sherwin Wine talks about his childhood growing up in a poor Jewish community with Conservative parents. He speaks about his religious upbringing where he started to question Jewish ideologies.
Melba Winer
In this oral history interview, Melba Winer talks about her mother and her influence on her while growing up. She touches on her grandparents for a moment, as her grandfather, Jacob Sklar was a leader in the Jewish Community as well. Mrs. Winer speaks about her childhood memories involving the organizations that her mother was a part of, including the Shaarey Zedek Sisterhood, Hadassah, and a founding member of the Music Study Club.
Helen Zuckerman
In this oral history interview, Helen Zuckerman speaks about her upbringing. She grew up in a non-Jewish neighborhood with minimal Jewish education, but always kept holidays because of her grandmother. She did not have many Jewish friends growing up, but met her husband Paul at a Temple Beth El dance.
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].