Summary of an oral history interview conducted with Madeline Bernstein (1926-) in 2001. The interview was part of the Louisville Jewish Family and Career Services's project to document the lives of Jewish seniors in Louisville, Kentucky.
Madeline Bernstein grew up in a Jewish household in which her family spoke Russian, Yiddish, and English. She attended Synagogue with her family despite not having a full time Rabbi; however, she was not confirmed and did not receive a Bat Mitzvah. She lived in a primarily German and Polish part of Louisville. After attending Indiana University with her husband she came to Louisville, had three children together, and joined the Jewish Community Center as a family. Though losing her brother, uncle, and her uncle’s children to the Second World War, she maintained good health herself. Her pastimes include playing Bridge, Maj Jong, volunteering in Louisville, and following in the footsteps of her mother to pass on her values to future generations.
