About the Project
The Jewish Meadville Project seeks to uncover the history of Jewish people and Jewish life in Meadville, Pennsylvania from their arrival in the mid-nineteenth century through the present day. This year, we will do this by conducting and recording oral history interviews with members of the Meadville Jewish Community. Six students are participating in a group study for which they will conduct one oral history each semester and complete an independent research project on one aspect of Jewish history in Meadville. We will be using the Oral History Metadata Synchronizer (OHMS) to process and store the oral histories we collect.
The Jewish population has been a consistent minority community in Meadville and we hope to gain an understanding of the challenges and celebrations of this community. We will also explore the relationship between the Meadville Jewish community and Jewish life at Allegheny College. This is a difficult time for Jews in small towns and both halves of our local Jewish community are under pressure from the outside. We are hopeful that information about the history of this relationship will ease any remaining tension and help us move into the future as a diverse and multigenerational but unified Jewish community.
Interview Index
Andrea Schafer | January 21, 2021
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Hello adrienne -My name is Andrea Schafer and i emailed you last fall about needing a letter from someone connected to the jcc that could write me a letter in order for me to apply for aliyah. you referred me to Richard Friedberg and I am thankful that he was able to write me that letter. Now I have another project I’m involved in and would love to be in contact with you about this.
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In early January I received the embroidered tablecloth from the jewish community center. why me you may ask? this is a good question. About 10 years ealier when i visited my hometown i toured the center. when i saw the tablecloth, i thought to myself how i would love to have this. when i told this story to estelle Reisner she said she would be delighted to send this to me.
after receiving the tABLECLOTH I KNEW THIS WAS NOT THE END. NOT ONLY IS THIS MEANINGFUL TO ME BUT THIS IS AN AMAZING PIECE OF JEWISH HISTORY THAT I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION. I AM PRESENTLY WORKING WITH A PHOTOGRAPHER TO MAKE A PICTURE BOOK WITH USING THE TABLE CLOTH. I AM ALSO GOING TO ASK MY FRIEND THAT I STILL HAVE IN MEADVILLE IF SHE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN FINDING SOMEONE WHO COULD TAKE PROFESSIONAL PICTURES OF ALL THE REMAINING ARTIFACTS. I WILL THEN COMPILE THIS IN THE PICTURE BOOK. AFTER THE BOOK IS COMPLETED, I’M GOING TO SEND A COPY TO ALL THE REMAINING FAMILY MEMBERS LISTED ON THE TABLECLOTH.
MY MAIN PURPOSE FOR REACHING OUT TO YOU IS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO FORM SOME KIND OF FOUNDATION OR A SMALL BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PRESERVING ALL OF THE ITEMS IN THE CENTER INCLUDING THE TABLECLOTH. I AM CALLING THIS PROJECT, “KEEPING JUDAISM ALIVE”. I AM IMPRESSED WITH YOUR JEWISH MEADVILLE PROJECT AND THOUGHT MAYBE WE COULD COLLABORATE?
PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS AND I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU SHORTLY REGARDING THIS.