Katz, Ida_1974, Oral History

Subjects of interview include: Growing up as an (Orthodox) Jewish girl in Hartford, Father’s mattress business, Summers spent at Woodmont and Savin Rock (Charles Abuza had a hotel at the later), Learning to drive when most women didn’t/her father’s crank start car, Her young married life, (Sort of) keeping kosher (Yes as child, partially as an adult with her own home), Start of The Emanuel, Raising money for Emanuel synagogue organ.

GREATER HARTFORD JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION

Tape No.: 77 No. of Tapes: Name of Interviewee: Ida Katz (Mrs. Abraham) Date of Interview: August 16, 1974 Occupation: Homemaker Date of Birth: circa 1894 Place of Birth: Hartford, CT Transcript (yes/no): yes No. of Pages: 15

Abstract: Mrs. Katz lived first on Morgan Street and then on Pleasant Street and her neighbors and friends were the Dr. Winick family and Abe and Bessie Bordon. She went to the Second North Street School, later called the Henry Barnard School and to the Hartford High School. She attended Sunday school at Beth Israel although her parents went to Ados Israel because girls were not admitted to school in the orthodox synagogue. Her father, whose last name was Farber, was one of the first manufacturers of bedding, mainly mattresses. The family appeared to be affluent since Ida was given a pony at her grammar school graduation. They owned a horse and carriage, had a grand piano and one of the very early cylinder gramophones and later on a car. Her father had a beautiful voice and very much interested in music and this permeated the household. The Farbers attended all the musical performances in Hartford, first going to the Kellogg Series and then Bushnell where they had series tickets for forty years. They were present at the opening of the Bushnell when Koussevitsky conducted. Famous musicians and opera singers had their tryouts in Hartford before going to New York. Mrs. Katz recalled a memorable concert with Rosa Ponselle. Mr. and Mrs. Katz belonged to Emanuel Synagogue where Mrs. Katz was active on the committee to purchase an organ for the synagogue. Mr. Gorman directed the choir. She attended the concert given in honor of the 75th birthday of Moshe Paranov (Morris Perlmutter) at the University of Hartford Music School.

Subject Index: Business Community Activities (in the Jewish community) Music Oral History