Palten, Sylvia_1968/09/09, Oral History, September 5, 1968

GREATER HARTFORD JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION

Tape No. : 15 No. Of Tapes: Name of Interviewee: Sylvia Palten Date of Interview: September 9, 1968 Occupation: Date of Birth: Circa 1884 Place of Birth: Marsea Velinske Gubernia Russia Transcript (yes/no): Yes No. of Pages: 24

Abstract:

Sylvia was married in Russia and had a daughter, Sadie. Shortly after the persecution of the Jews began, her husband fled Russia. He settled in Hartford where he became a carpenter. At the time of the Revolution conditions in Russia became desperate. Then came the pogroms and Jews everywhere were being killed. At her mother’s urging, Sylvia wrote her husband pleading to get her family out. At the time he was earning $18.00 weekly so he borrowed the money for steerage tickets.

In 1906 Sylvia and Sadie, along with her mother, brother and sister set sail on The Amsterdam. The nine day crossing was extremely difficult with little to eat and much seasickness. Upon arrival at Castle Garden Sylvia and Sadie were separated from the rest of the family since their last names were different. They traveled by train to Hartford where they were met, not by her husband but by a stranger who lived in the same house on Governor Street. Sylvia was reunited with her entire family almost immediately.

She lived on Governor Street with her husband and Sadie only three months. Her mother, brother and sister had their own small apartment. After Governor Street they moved to Portland Street where Sylvia took in boarders, cooking and washing in exchange for $3.00 per week. Their rent was $12.00 for four rooms in a new building.

There was one synagogue on Market Street, the Litvisher Shul that later became Ados Israel. Then the Romanische Shul was built which later became the Agudas Achim. Most Jews in the community attended Shul though they often had to work on the Sabbath.

From her first days in America, Sylvia wanted to adapt. Speaking only Yiddish and Russian, she hired Ben Kaplan, a high school boy, to teach her English. An avid reader of the Jewish Forward, Sylvia became very involved in the cultural activities in Hartford. She attended numerous concerts and lectures and was active in the Labor Lyceum, a socialist organization. She had the opportunity to see, in person, such renowned people as Paderewsky, Sholom Aleichem and Chaim Weitzman. She witnessed the opening of the Bulkeley Bridge with much celebration and fanfare.

Over the years, with her Mother’s guidance, she worked to help those in need, dispensing food and clothing to the less fortunate. In her later years Sylvia continued to maintain her affiliation with her Jewish roots. She often attended Hadassah and synagogue meetings, card parties and always enjoyed reading her favorite newspaper, the Forward.

Subject Index: Anti-Semitism Community Activities (in the Jewish community) Eastern European Jewry Hartford History-Jewish Immigration Labor Movement Synagogues-Romainishe Volunteer Women Yiddish Language Oral History