Oral history interview with Gertrude Sosnick Solomon, 1998.

ArchivalResource

Solomon, Gertrude Sosnick, 1919-. Oral history interview with Gertrude Sosnick Solomon, 1998.

Oral history interview with Gertrude Sosnick Solomon, 1998.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/55703662

Interview begins with Solomon's recollections of growing up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Sosnick family lived in a predominantly Jewish area of the city and Solomon's mother kept a kosher household. Solomon describes Jewish holidays (the family followed orthodox traditions,) and Sabbath meals. She details her mother's skill as a cook, mentioning the traditional Jewish dishes she prepared. Solomon's father owned a dry cleaning business in Winston-Salem and she describes how family finances were hit hard during the Depression. Interview continues with discussion of how Solomon met her husband, Aaron Solomon, at a Valentine's Day dance. The couple married in 1940 and settled in Charleston, South Carolina. Solomon recalls that as newlyweds, she and Aaron lived with his parents in their home on St. Philip Street; they later moved to their own apartment a few blocks away. Solomon kept a kosher home in the tradition of her parents and adhered to strict orthodox rituals, such as not tearing paper on the Sabbath. Conversation moves to Aaron Solomon's family business, the dry goods department store Sam Solomon and Company. Aaron worked as a salesman for a time, but later left the business, opting for the life of a stockbroker. Solomon mentions that her husband was opposed to the company being open for business on the Sabbath, preferring Sunday hours instead. Solomon's views were in direct opposition to Charleston's Blue Laws, which prohibited business hours on Sundays. Interview concludes with memories of Solomon family events including Hanukah and Passover gatherings. Solomon also recalls her parents speaking Yiddish (which was how she learned), the birth of her first child and changes in Charleston's orthodox synagogue over the years.

Sound recording : 1 sound cassette : analog.Transcript : 14 p. ; 28 cm.

College of Charleston, Marlene and Nathan Addlestone Library