Interviewer: Judith Berlowitz
Interview Date: September 20, 1991
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
Duration: 0:33:55
Ruth Goldberg opens the interview with a description of the Jewish community in Corvallis at the time when she arrived, in 1942. She recalls that there was only a handful of Jewish families living in Corvallis at the time and that it was a loosely organized community. Many of the Jewish families who came to Corvallis were associated with Oregon State University, primarily as faculty. Goldberg’s husband was a roentgenologist, a pre-cursor to radiology. He served at Camp Adair and overseas in World War II. His assignment to Camp Adair was the reason the family moved out to Corvallis. They settled in Corvallis after the war because Goldberg decided she preferred the west coast over the Midwest, where they were originally from.
The couple quickly became involved in the local Jewish community. Goldberg recalls that her husband was very active in the community and was the instigator of many community events and gatherings. They hosted Jewish servicemen from Camp Adair at their home on a weekly basis and fed them potato pancakes. She also describes her experiences as a member of a minority community. She did not feel any judgement or anti-Semitism from the larger Corvallis community, although she does know of later events that occurred in that vein which did not affect her personally.
Goldberg then talks about the organization and demographics of the community. She mentions some of the families that she remembers and makes note of Hillel, the Jewish students’ group at Oregon State University, as well as the founding of the local Hadassah chapter. She then returns to her personal memories, including her close friendship with the Friedmans. She concludes the interview by describing some community activites, including a women’s sewing group that made garments for Israel.
Ruth Goldberg was born in 1911 in Chicago, Illinois, where she was also raised. With her husband, Ben, and their young daughter, the Goldbergs moved to Corvallis in 1942, and settled permanently in the community following the conclusion of World War II. Ruth was heavily involved with Corvallis civic activities and also worked for the Red Cross for ten years. After her husband died, she and Sally Friedman, also a widow, travelled the world together for ten years. Ruth Goldberg passed away in 1995.
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The couple quickly became involved in the local Jewish community. Goldberg recalls that her husband was very active in the community and was the instigator of many community events and gatherings. They hosted Jewish servicemen from Camp Adair at their home on a weekly basis and fed them potato pancakes. She also describes her experiences as a member of a minority community. She did not feel any judgement or anti-Semitism from the larger Corvallis community, although she does know of later events that occurred in that vein which did not affect her personally.
Goldberg then talks about the organization and demographics of the community. She mentions some of the families that she remembers and makes note of Hillel, the Jewish students’ group at Oregon State University, as well as the founding of the local Hadassah chapter. She then returns to her personal memories, including her close friendship with the Friedmans. She concludes the interview by describing some community activites, including a women’s sewing group that made garments for Israel.
Ruth Goldberg was born in 1911 in Chicago, Illinois, where she was also raised. With her husband, Ben, and their young daughter, the Goldbergs moved to Corvallis in 1942, and settled permanently in the community following the conclusion of World War II. Ruth was heavily involved with Corvallis civic activities and also worked for the Red Cross for ten years. After her husband died, she and Sally Friedman, also a widow, travelled the world together for ten years. Ruth Goldberg passed away in 1995.