Klau, Sadie_1976/5-7, Oral History

Subjects covered in interview include: Tape One(5/12/1976): Family coming to America, living in Hartford, education Marriage, working with children, teaching Washington, Government, Jewish Community, Children, Zionism Tape Two(7/6/1976): Continuation of interview in May, Entirety of July interview About her mother, some about her father and family Culture, children, her mother

GREATER HARTFORD JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION

Tape No.: #129 No. of Tapes: Name of Interviewee: Sadie Klau (Mrs. Joseph E. Klau) Date of Interview: 05/12/76, 07/6/76 Occupation: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Minsk, Russia Transcript (yes/no): No. of Pages:

Abstract: Sadie Klau (mee Palten), who is the wife of Judge Joseph E. Klau, has been a participant in many Jewish organizations including the founding of the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Hartford, United Jewish Charities, co-chairman of the Twelfth Ward in Hartford in 1956, American Jewish Congress in 1942 and was its second president. In her involvement in these organizations, she met Rabbi Steven Wise and Rabbi Rosenburg of the Garden Street Synagogue. She was born in Minsk and though she remembers little of the place, she does remember that her mother had revolutionary friends. Her father, who had been a cabinetmaker in Minsk, came to New York City alone in 1906. After a couple years he brought his wife and four members of his family to the United States. They moved several times until they settled in Cortland Street, Hartford. Together with her uncle, Sam Offengant, her father became a builder and built several houses, including one in which they lived. In the Palten household, the Forward was an important method by which the family and others were acclimated to the English language and the important events of the day. Because her grandmother would not learn English, the language in the home was Yiddish, although other family members could speak English. Her grandmother was the first superintendent of the Hebrew Home and Hospital. Sadie Klau attended the Henry Barnard Grammer School and then continued at Northeast School. It was at high school that she originally met Emma (Pearlstein) Cohen. Subsequently, she enrolled in Storrs (Connecticut Agricultural College), where she met her husband in sophomore year. They married in 1928. She worked in the baby clinic at the Northeast School and at this time she realized that she was deficient in Jewish knowledge and so she enrolled in the Theological Seminary and took a course on the Old Testament with Dr. Payton. In 1931 she became interested in social welfare and instituted a children’s milk station where 102 children were fed two classes of milk and cookies everyday. In the early 1930’s, Mrs. Klau became involved in politics and together with other friends became interested in obtaining a site of the school in the Third Ward. Although the group lost, her involvement did not cease. Because her husband was appointed attorney in the Public Works Department, the family moved to Washington with their young son in 1933. Their second son was subsequently born in Washington. The family returned in 1935 when Mr. Klau transferred his allegiances to the State of Connecticut. In 1957, Mr. Klau was appointed to the bench. She studied and then worked as a substitute teacher in the Hartford High Schools from 1955 to 1965. Her first visit to Israel in 1956 was followed by a trip to the World Zionist Congress. Besides her devoted children Arnold, a lawyer and his wife Margaret; David, a pilot and his wife Bobbie; twins Ruth (and her husband Dan) and Eleanor, who both work in the field of social work, she has many uncles and 12 grandchildren. She was influenced by the work of Dr. Raphael Lampkin of Yale University on genocide.

Subject Index: Civic Activities (in the greater non-Jewish community) Civic Leadership (in the greater non-Jewish community) Community Activities (in the Jewish community) Community Leadership (in the Jewish community) Judges Ritual Observances Yiddush Oral History