Neiditz, Moses_1977/3/9, Oral History

Subjects covered during interview include: Moving to Hartford, Jewish community, working as child Zionism, education, Work (University of Hartford, Real estate), Wife

GREATER HARTFORD JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION

Tape No.: 147 No. of Tapes: Name of Interviewee: Neiditz, Moses Date of Interview: March 9, 1977 Occupation: Real Estate Developer Date of Birth: Circa 1899 Place of Birth: Palestine Transcript (yes/no): Yes No. of Pages: 13

Abstract: Mr. Neiditz’s father emigrated to Palestine from Russia in 1880 under the Baron Rothschild plan and stayed there until 1901 when he left for the United States with one son, bringing the rest of the family to Hartford in 1902. The father first taught Hebrew and later opened a grocery store on the east side of Hartford. Moses started working at the age of 7 together with his brother, first selling papers and then delivering milk. He attended school in addition to his jobs. He taught Sunday School when he was in high school. The people who ran the Talmud Torahs in those days were Nirenstein, Finkelstein, Antipitski, Levy and Goldman. The Talmud Torahs had financial problems and paid slowly. All of the above history took place between 1909 and 1915. Moses had three brothers, Max, Sam and Raymond, and one sister, Dora, who returned to Palestine with her parents in the 1930’s.

During his first year at Trinity College, when the Balfour Declaration established Palestine as a home for the Jews, Moses, who was an active Zionist leader, worked under the direction of Dr. George Cohen making speeches throughout the state on behalf of the new state of Israel. He put to use the skills he learned through debating in high school and college and was a member of the Hopkins Debating Society along with Dr. George Cohen, George Walski, Milton Nam, Sam Yandare, and Sam Ward. At the time Mr. Neiditz attended Trinity College, there were only about a dozen Jewish students, and they were discriminated against. He pointed out how things had changed with the appointment of Max Title as chairman of the fund raising committee who raised more money than any other campaign committee. Today Leonard Greenberg is a trustee of Trinity College.

When he was Chairman of the Israel Bond Drive, he persuaded Louis Rogow to invest a very large sum of money in bonds. He was very involved in the merger of Hillyer College, the Hartt School of Music and the Hartford Arts School into the University of Hartford. He was one of the first members of the Board of Regents and a continuing member of the building committee.

He has been in business since 1923 and is still active. He considers the highlight of his career was the assemblage of the Pearl Street property established in 1945.

He was influenced in social and religious philosophy by his wife, Rachel.

Subject Index: Business 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) Zionism Oral History