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.

The Beginning of A Catskills Career

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Peter Sokolow, a full-time professional musician active in Klezmer revival, describes his first gig in the Catskills playing in an Orthodox hotel and being treated like a non-Jew by the ultra-observant guests. He goes on to speak about his second Catskills job at a bungalow colony.

This is an excerpt from an oral history with Peter Sokolow.

This excerpt is in English.

Peter Sokolow was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1940.

This interview is part of the Yiddish and the Arts: musicians, actors, and artists series.

Other video highlights from this oral history

What’s a Club Date?: Peter Sokolow Explains

2 min 26 sec

Working with Dave Tarras

1 min 40 sec

Mentors in Jewish Music: the Epstein Brothers and Sydney Beckerman

9 min 35 sec

Peter Sokolow Remembers Humorously Bad Gigs

6 min 29 sec

"It's Not Hip To Be Authentically Jewish": Klezmer Trends and Fusion

5 min 8 sec

What is Klezmer Revival?

1 min 21 sec

Peter Sokolow, Klezmer Fats

3 min 4 sec

My Father's Piano

1 min 32 sec

"Rumania, Rumania"

4 min 5 sec

Reflecting on a Secular Jewish Upbringing

4 min 59 sec

“I Found Out I Could Play Tunes on That Thing”: The Beginning of A Music Career

3 min 9 sec

More information about this oral history excerpt

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