Friedman, Susie M. (Susie Michael)

Susie Michael was a music teacher and pianist in Seattle, Washington when she met Maurice Friedman, a baritone who had begus singing in Seattle's Bikur Cholim choir. Friedman had immigrated to Seattle from Vilna, Poland when he was six years old, and his father, Sam Friedman, was Seattle's first cantor at Bikur Cholim. Susie Michael married Maurice Friedman in 1930 and they spent many years working together as performers. After participating in a 1935 lecture series on Jewish music arranged by Rabbi Philip Langh (Herzl), they became concerned with the importance of sharing Jewish folk music with others. Together they created "The Cavalcade of Jewish Music," and other Jewish music programs infused with humor, using Hebrew, Yiddish, and English liturgical and secular music. Maurice sang and pantomimed while Susie narrated and played piano. The couple moved to New York in 1939 and toured with their Jewish musical programs throughout the United States and Canada for nearly two decades. They returned to Seattle in the 1950s and became actively involved in the Jewish Music Festival, sponsored by the Seattle Jewish Community Center. Following Maurice's death, Susie Michael Friedman started a business selling dolls to earn extra income.

From the description of Susie Michael Friedman photograph collection [graphic], 1924-1970. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 503478328

Susie Michael was a music teacher and pianist in Seattle when she met Maurice Friedman, a baritone who began singing in Seattle in the Bikur Cholim choir. He immigrated to Seattle from Vilna, Poland when he was six years old, and his father, Sam Friedman, was Seattle's first cantor at Bikur Cholim. Susie Michael married Maurice Friedman in 1930 and they spent many years thereafter performing together. After participating in a lecture series arranged by Rabbi Philip Langh (Herzl) in 1935 on Jewish music, they became concerned with the importance of sharing Jewish folk music with others. Together they created "The Cavalcade of Jewish Music," and other Jewish music programs infused with humor, using Hebrew, Yiddish, and English liturgical and secular music. Maurice sang and pantomimed while Susie narrated and played piano. They moved to New York in 1939 and toured their Jewish musical programs throughout the United States and Canada for nearly two decades. They returned to Seattle in the 1950s and became actively involved in the Jewish Music Festival sponsored by the Seattle Jewish Community Center.

Following Maurice's death, Susie Michael Friedman started a business selling dolls to earn extra income.

From the guide to the Susie Michael Friedman photograph collection, 1924-1960s, (University of Washington Libraries Special Collections)