Goodman, Mary_1972, Oral History, November 12, 1972

Sophie Kellin interviewing Mary Goodman – 1972

SK: And when did you come to Hartford?

MG: I came to Hartford in 1922

SK: And you’ve lived in the old peoples’ home

MG: No, no I’m in the old peoples’ home, it’s gonna be in October gonna be 3 years. I

was born in Russia. In a small town the name was Shoshka but I was _____. And you want to know something else, I was you know what that means? YIDDISH - CANNOT BE UNDERSTOOD. SK: No I don’t, what does that mean? MG: Well SK: How old were you when you came to America? MGWell I was 35 years old. SK: Were you married? MG I was married. I brought two children here. SK: Can you remember about your life in Russia? MG: Well my life in Russia was started in 1915 was not good. You know what I mean? And in 1917 I had to run away at night and I took my children and I run away from the city where I was living. SK: Is that the most outstanding thing that you can remember that happened to you in Russia? MG: Well, happened to me a lot of things, in Russia. My husband was here before me. And then when I came, I don’t remember when my husband left Russia. So I went though a lot in Russia. SK: Would you say you came as an immigrant? MG: What so you mean an immigrant? SK: Did you come though Ellis Island? MG: No, my husband sent for me. He sent for me the tickets and everything. SK: Where did you settle then? MG: Well I settled in Hartford. I went though a lot that day. I went though I was in Rumania, I was in Paris. SK: What did your husband do to make a living here? MG He was a SK: Did your family need help or could you take care of yourself? MG: I been taking care of myself. I was working. My husband has been dead 20 years already. And I was wokring and I make a living for myself. The children were married. SK: What sort of religious education did you have? Did you have it in Europe or did you have it in America? MG I have in Europe I have Jewish and Russian. and I came to America but see I didn’t go to school because I have to work. SK: Where did you work? MG: I was working in Foxes. I was sewing there. Not for long and then I was working in the Crown. I went through a lot of things. SK: You had a very nice experience? MG: Ya. Why you pick on me I would like to know? SK: I am only picking on women that could tell me of Hartford in the last 50 years and what change did you find among Jewish people? How do you find them? Do you find them close, or do you find them MG: Some of them, some of them was close friends. And some of them not. SK: Do you belong to synagogue? MG: Ya, I belong to the United Synagogue. There I belong because my husband is buried there in the cemetery and I got there a plot. And I got ready. Just to die and go there. SK: Was your family religious? MG: Well I think they religious. They religious. SK: And what education did your children have? MG: Well my children have my daughter graduated high school, made good marks but now she went to college and she is working now for the state, my daughter. And my son is he sells fruit. They making a living. SK: Were you ever interested in Zionism? MG: When I was home I was interested in all societies. I used to go around and run sell tickets and everything for the home SK: What was your favorite organization? MG: My favorite organization, any one. I used to belong to the Pioneer, I used to belong to the Home since 1923 I belonged to the Home and I still pay my dues in the Home. Nut I belong to the Yeshiva, I belong to the Teferes Israel, to the Sisterhood, there in the United Synagogue I belong to the synagogue but in Terefes Israel I just belong to the Sisterhood. You know what I mean? SK: Yes is I do. MG: So what else you want to know from me? SK: I wanted to know are there any interesting things that happened since you lived in Hartford?. There must have been some interesting things that you can think of. Something special. MG: Well when I was living, not in the home when I have an apartment for myself I have interest in a lot of things but now I am going to tell you the truth. I have no interest in anything. I like the truth. I have no interest in anything. They send me I shall send them money. Where I used to belong, when I was working I used to send them money I used to give them everything but now you know the Home doesn’t take you in for nothing. SK: I know MG: Because they got a big expense here. SK: May G-d help you and thank G-d that you can pay that expense. One more question I would like to know. Do you remember anything that happened in Yiiddishkite that you can remember? MG: In Hartford you mean? SK: In Hartford, ya. MG: I always had a kosher home and my children have the same thing, a kosher home. Otherwise I don’t eat in a traifer restaurant. Matter of fact I’m having this Sunday a shower by my grandson. They making for my future granddaughter a shower. I wouldn’t eat there. I have my lunch in the Home and I’m gonna go there to the shower. SK: All right Mrs. Goodman. Very nice meeting you and I want to thank you very much. It will be a pleasure to hear of women that remember Hartford for the last 50 years. Do you think it changed any? MG: It changed. Hartford changed a lot. SK: The people changed? MG: The people changed. In Hartford there used to be so nice and quiet I used to go out at night to meetings but since I didn’t go to the meetings. SK: Well I’m with you. I know what you mean. But I mean how did the peoples’ feelings towards each other as Jews how did you find them. MG: Well some of them they some people they in the Home and they don’t care for Jewish you know what I mean? I always bench my left. I don’t miss that I don’t make a light on Saturday. On Saturday SK: You keep up your old traditions? MG: Old religious. Like my mother learned me. My father died I was five years old. But my mother she was when I got married my mother was living. I married in Russia and then I had my two children in Russia and I came with them here when my husband sent for me. I didn’t get from anybody. I didn’t get nothing. I used to work. SK: Well you’re a very nice woman Mrs. Goodman and G-d bless you. And I hope you have a whole lot of many happy years and a happy New Year to you. MG: And the same to you. What is your name? SK: My name is Sophie Kellin