The Yiddish Book Center's

Wexler Oral History Project

A growing collection of in-depth interviews with people of all ages and backgrounds, whose stories about the legacy and changing nature of Yiddish language and culture offer a rich and complex chronicle of Jewish identity.

"This was my way of giving back."

Watch now:

Al Berkowitz, former docent at the Yiddish Book Center, describes why he spent 15 years volunteering as an English tutor in his retirement.

This is an excerpt from an oral history with Albert Berkowitz.

This excerpt is in English.

Albert Berkowitz was born in New Rochelle, New York in 1921. Albert died in 2015.

Other video highlights from this oral history

Jewish Identity Over a Lifetime

1 min 29 sec

Explaining Maritime Service

3 min 4 sec

My Grandmother's Immigration

5 min 33 sec

Food Memories

3 min 21 sec

"When you're being pushed, push back."

2 min 16 sec

"Gettin' 'em back for ploesti."

1 min 19 sec

"I Still Remember Where I Was..." The 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor

1 min 11 sec

More information about this oral history excerpt

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