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Julius Levy

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Dr. Julius Levy on October 13, 2007, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Dr. Levy discusses his Jewish upbringing, medical school experience, involvement with United Jewish Appeal, and the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the Jewish community and New Orleans while expressing his love for the city.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/levy-julius
Ellen Kanner headshot

Ellen Kanner

Ellen Kanner is an independent scholar who has lived and studied in Spain for many years. In 2022, she and artist Annie Zeybekoglue created I, Teresa de Lucena: Reflections on the Trial of a Conversa, an intimate look at the life of a woman who faced the Spanish Inquisition twice. The book features Ellen’s translations of archival documents from the Archivo Histórico Nacional in Madrid, Spain, and original illustrations by the artist.

Ellen also has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector and has led development and strategic planning efforts in Boston and in the Berkshires; she served as JWA’s Director of Development from 2004- 2007.Ellen holds a BA in Hispanic Studies from Smith College, and an MAT in Spanish from Johns Hopkins University. She can be reached at iteresadelucena@gmail.com. 

http://qa.jwa.org/blog/author/kanner-ellen
Politician Dalya Attar, c. 2023

Dalya Attar Elected to the Maryland House of Delegates

November 4, 2018

Dalya Attar, the first Orthodox Jew elected to the Maryland House of Delegates, is committed to challenging common misconceptions held about the Orthodox Jewish community. “We do believe in tikkun olam,” she said, “It’s in our Torah that you have to help others, whether or not they look like you.”  

http://qa.jwa.org/thisweek/nov/04/2018/dalya-attar-elected-maryland-house-delegates

Yemema Seligson

Project
Women Whose Lives Span the Century

Joan Rachlin interviewed Yemema Seligson on January 7, 1998, in Brookline, Massachusetts, for the Women Who Lives Spanned the Century Oral History Project. Seligson reflects on her family's immigration, her mother's work as a seamstress, childhood memories, the friendship with linguist Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, her career journey, and her current life, activities, and friendships.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/seligson-yemema
Merle Feld, 2010

Merle Feld

Project
Women Who Dared

Judith Rosenbaum interviewed Merle Feld on July 19, 2000, in Northampton, Massachusetts, as part of the Women Who Dared Oral History Project. Feld recounts her upbringing in Brooklyn, her involvement in the Jewish community, her work in facilitating Israeli-Palestinian dialogue, and the profound impact of her activism on her life and career as a writer and public figure.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/feld-merle
Eden Alene by Moshe Nachumovich

Eden Alene represents Israel in the Eurovision Semi-Finals

May 18, 2021

Eden Alene, an Israeli singer of Ethiopian descent, represented Israel in the 2021 Eurovision Song contest, where she reached the finals and broke the record for highest note sung at the competition. She showed great pride in representing Israel and her Ethiopian-Israeli community in the international song competition.

http://qa.jwa.org/thisweek/may/18/2021/eden-alene-represents-israel-eurovision-semi-finals
Leila Murad, 1947

Birth of Leila Murad, Egyptian Singer and Actress

February 17, 1918

The face and voice of Leila Murad were well-known to the Arab world between the 1930s and the 1950s. Murad, like many other Jewish movie stars, struggled to reconcile her career with a religion that oftentimes obstructed paths to success. Her father, a Jewish chazan (cantor) and respected musician, nurtured her stardom, training her and introducing her to prominent Egyptian actors and musicians.

http://qa.jwa.org/thisweek/feb/17/1918/birth-leila-murad-egyptian-singer-and-actress
Joan Feynman

Joan Feynman

Project
General

Jayne Guberman interviewed Joan Feynman on January 16, 2013, in Pasadena, California, as part of the Jewish Women’s Archive General Oral History Project. Astrophysicist Feynman talks about researching solar phenomena, fighting for gender equality in science, and conducting groundbreaking research on solar radiation and climate change, earning prestigious accolades for her exceptional achievements.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/feynman-joan
Jill Weinberg, Gerda Weisman Klein, and Kurt Klein, Chicago, October 23, 2000

Jill Weinberg

Project
Women Who Dared

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Jill Weinberg on January 31, 2005, in Chicago, Illinois, as a part of the Women Who Dared Oral History Project. Weinberg talks about her upbringing, involvement in Jewish communal service, experiences in Israel, work at the Jewish Federation and Holocaust Museum, and her commitment to bridging Jewish and Indigenous heritage.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/weinberg-jill

Jeffrey Smith

Project
Katrina's Jewish Voices

Rosalind Hinton interviewed Jeffrey Smith on July 16, 2007, in New Orleans, Louisiana, as part of the Katrina's Jewish Voices Oral History Project. Smith talks about his Jewish upbringing, the effects of Hurricane Katrina, his family's conversion to Judaism, their evacuation experience, and his work representing Jewish individuals on death penalty cases, reflecting on racism and his hopes for his children.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/smith-jeffrey
Elana Sztokman

Elana Sztokman

Project
Meet Me at Sinai

Jayne Guberman interviewed Dr. Elana Maryles Sztokmann on February 8, 2015, in New York City, New York for the "Meet Me at Sinai" Oral History Project. Dr. Sztokman, raised in a Modern Orthodox family, became a feminist activist challenging Orthodox Judaism's sexism, pursuing higher education, and seeking a balance between her beliefs and her commitment to gender equality.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/sztokman-elana

Julie Dorf

Julie Dorf is a leader in the global LGBTQI rights movement, having co-founded OutRight International and the Council for Global Equality.

http://qa.jwa.org/encyclopedia/author/dorf-julie

Chai Feldblum

Chai Feldblum is a former commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and one of the drafters of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

http://qa.jwa.org/encyclopedia/author/feldblum-chai
Disability rights advocate Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi

Disability Rights Activist Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi is Born  

May 8, 1964

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, who has dyslexia and ADHD, knows that it can be harder to get ahead with a disability. She founded the non-profit RespectAbility in 2013 to combat discriminatory practices and widespread stigmas. During her tenure as the President and CEO of the organization which she left in 2021, Mizrahi led efforts to diversify the entertainment industry, empower leadership, and expand employment and educational opportunities for people with disabilities.  

http://qa.jwa.org/thisweek/may/08/1964/disability-rights-activist-jennifer-laszlo-mizrahi-born

Florence Gross

Project
Women Whose Lives Span the Century

Rachel Alexander interviewed Florence Gross on July 11, 1997, in Boston, Massachusetts, as part of the Women Whose Lives Spanned The Century Oral History Project. Gross shares her family history, childhood memories, career path as a social worker, marriages, volunteering experiences, and her lifelong connection to Temple Israel, reflecting on the role of Judaism in her life.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/gross-florence
Betsy Shure Gross

Betsy Shure Gross

Project
Women Who Dared

Judith Rosenbaum interviewed Betsy Shure Gross on July 31, 2001, in Brookline, Massachusetts, as part of the Women Who Dared Oral History Project. Gross discusses her childhood, family roots, connection to Judaism, involvement in community restoration, and environmental justice issues, emphasizing the intersectionality of her activism as a woman and highlighting the impact of her work on others.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/gross-betsy
Tory Burch in India

Tory Burch Appears on Forbes’ “World’s Most Powerful Women” List

December 8, 2020

On December 8, 2020, Forbes magazine released its “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women List,” with Tory Burch at number 88. Just sixteen years earlier, Tory Burch founded her fashion label Tory Burch LLC. When she launched the label in a retail store in Manhattan in February 2004, almost the entire inventory flew off the shelves within the first day. The demand for Tory Burch’s items only grew. As of 2023, there were over 300 Tory Burch stores, with the products also sold in over 3,000 department stores. Tory Burch’s preppy aesthetic extends to handbags, shoes, ready-to-wear apparel, accessories, household items, and jewelry.  

http://qa.jwa.org/thisweek/dec/08/2020/tory-burch-appears-forbes-worlds-most-powerful-women-list
Ballerina Franceska Mann

Ballerina Franceska Mann Kills Nazi Guard and Injures Two Others at Auschwitz

October 23, 1943

On October 23, 1943, at just 26 years old, ballerina Franceska Manheimer-Rosenberg, also known as Franceska Mann, killed Nazi guard Joseph Schillinger and injured two others at Auschwitz.  

http://qa.jwa.org/thisweek/oct/23/1943/ballerina-franceska-mann-kills-nazi-guard-and-injures-two-others-auschwitz
Abby Shevitz, 2004

Abby Shevitz

Project
Women Who Dared

Elise Brenner interviewed Abby Shevitz on December 12, 2003, in Sharon, Massachusetts, as part of the Women Who Dared Oral History Project. Shevitz discusses her family, childhood, education, Jewish identity, and involvement in HIV/AIDS activism, emphasizing the impact of womanhood and the women's movement while reflecting on her accomplishments and offering advice for community organizing.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/shevitz-abby
Empress Seble Wongel of Ethiopia

Death of Empress of Ethiopia Seble Wongel

December 4, 1567

Seble Wongel became Empress of Ethiopia after her marriage to Emperor Lebna Dengel in 1512 or 1513. Wongel was one of the more important and powerful female figures in Ethiopia during the time. She played a noteworthy role in the Ethiopian–Adal war and was known to leave a strong impression on foreigners. 

http://qa.jwa.org/thisweek/dec/04/1567/death-empress-ethiopia-seble-wongel
Bernice Stern

Bernice Stern

Project
Weaving Women's Words

Pamela Brown Lavitt interviewed Bernice Stern on June 22 and July 31, 2001, in Seattle, Washington as part of the Weaving Women's Words Oral History Project. Stern discusses her Seattle upbringing, involvement in the Jewish community, activism in social justice causes, political engagement, and her roles as a councilwoman and grandmother.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/stern-bernice
Beanie Feldstein, 2019

Beanie Feldstein Stars in Broadway Revival of “Funny Girl”

March 26, 2022

After several decades off the stage, Funny Girl returned to Broadway in a 2022 revival starring Jewish actress Beanie Feldstein. On March 26, 2022, Feldstein mounted the stage of the August Wilson Theatre, and stepped into the role of Fanny Brice, bringing her own comedic twist to the Jewish vaudeville character that left the theater roaring with laughter.  

http://qa.jwa.org/thisweek/mar/26/2022/beanie-feldstein-stars-broadway-revival-funny-girl

Mindy Weisel

Project
Washington D.C. Stories

Deborah Ross interviewed Mindy Weisel on October 19, 2010, in Washington, DC, as part of the Washington D.C. Stories Oral History Project. Weisel reflects on her childhood, the impact of her family's Holocaust legacy, and her journey as an artist to express emotions, find beauty amidst darkness, and foster person-to-person connections for hope and healing.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/weisel-mindy
Mildred Hardin Rosenbaum

Mildred Rosenbaum

Project
Weaving Women's Words

Roz Bornstein interviewed Mildred Rosenbaum on August 8th and 9th, 2001, in Seattle, Washington, for the Weaving Women's Words Oral History Project. Rosenbaum recounts her journey from a childhood accident and hospitalization to her involvement in the Jewish community, her marriage, her support for Israel, and the establishment of Congregation Beth Shalom in Seattle.

http://qa.jwa.org/oralhistories/rosenbaum-mildred

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