Silver, Jennie_1975/5/4, Oral History, 1975 - 1975

GREATER HARTFORD JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION

Tape No.: 49 No. of Tapes: Name of Interviewee: Jennie Silver (Mrs. Jacob) Date of Interview: May 17, 1973 Occupation: Homemaker Date of Birth: Probably last half of 1890 Place of Birth: Austria Transcript (yes/no): Yes No. of Pages: 43

Abstract: Mrs. Silver came to the United States at the age of four or five. Her father, Mr. Klein, left Austria after the prosperous family lumber business declined. He stayed for a short time in New York and then came to Hartford. His wife, daughter and son came several years later. He worked at the Pope bicycle factory but left to work for himself. After trying several different businesses, he finally went into the real estate business.

The family was orthodox and Mr. Klein was one of the founders of the Agudas Achim Synagogue. Mrs. Silver received a religious education in the Sunday School and recalled Mr. Silverman as her teacher. Her father was very interested in Judaism and Zionism. As a young girl, Mrs. Silver organized and was the first president of the “Judith Zion Club.” Other Zionist groups at the time were “Roses of Zion” and “Rosebuds of Zion.” Dora Shapiro Mallick and Sarah Goldman Porter were also members of her group.

Mrs. Silver taught in the first Sabbath School set up by Rabbi Edelson and Miss Weaver to give a Jewish education to children whose parents were not affiliated with any synagogue. Classes were held first in the Hebrew Institute and then at the Zionist headquarters. Later the Talmud Torah took over.

She gave detailed descriptions of life in Hartford in the early days, dwelling on some of the beautiful streets and houses. She was educated in the Hartford schools and during 1916 and 1917 attended the Hartford Theological Seminary and studied under the excellent tutelage of Professors Paton and Norris. After her marriage in 1917, she attended classes at the University in Valparaiso, Indiana, where her husband was studying engineering with the intention of going to Palestine to help in the building of the country. He was unable to obtain a visa, and the dream could not be realized; so they returned to Hartford. Prior to going to Indiana, her husband and his family owned a prosperous paper business in Hartford.

Mrs. Silver joined Hadassah around 1917, but it was not until 1933 that she became very active in the organization. She describes the early days of the organization, mentioning Henrietta Szold and Mrs. Bernhardt Zeman. In 1933 she became Chairman of the Membership Committee and later served as President for about six years during which time membership in the organization grew tremendously. She was a member of the National Board of Hadassah for ten years and is still a member of the National Speakers Bureau. Women affiliated with the National Board were Mrs. David Desolo Poole, Mrs. Judith Epstein and Rose Halperin who were highlighted in an issue of Life magazine on the 25th anniversary of Hadassah. She was also a member and president of the Connecticut Region of Hadassah. In the local chapter she named Anna Hoffenberg, Anna Miller, and Simcha Taylor. In addition to Hadassah, Mrs. Silver belonged to National Council of Jewish Women, Brandeis University, Hebrew Home, Mt. Sinai Hospital and Jewish Children’s Service Organization.

She spoke of the National Emergency Council organized during World War II, which was organized by Rabbi Wise, Judith Epstein, Rose Halperin, Emanuel Newman, Nachum Goldman. On the local level, active participants were Judge Klau, President; Mrs. Silver, Vice-President; Ben Rabinovitz, and Sam Hoffenberg. The Council involved non-Jewish participants, particularly President Stafford of the Hartford Theological Seminary who was sent to Palestine to obtain firsthand information that he could then relay back in Hartford. Mrs. Silver spoke of the American Zionist Committee that was anti-zionist.

Mrs. Silver described the celebrations in Hartford when Palestine became the state of Israel in 1948. In 1958 she and her husband visited Israel and had the opportunity of meeting President Ben Svi and his wife at the Presidential headquarters.

The Silvers have two sons and a daughter: Dr. David Silver, an ophthalmologist practicing in New York, Emanuel Silver who is in the family business, and Ethel Silver Sorokin, a lawyer. All are married; there are ten grandchildren, eight grandsons and two granddaughters.

Subject Index: Oral History Business Community Activities (in the Jewish community) Community Leadership (in the Jewish community) Educator - Hebrew Hartford History (general) Hartford History (Jewish) Organizations – see also individual organizations Zionism