Interview with Al Erlen, 2002

Summary of an oral history interview conducted with Al Erlen (1906-2003) on May 6, 2002. The interview was part of the Louisville Jewish Family and Career Services's project to document the lives of Jewish seniors in Louisville, Kentucky.

Al Erlen came to Louisville after being born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, to a family that spoke Yiddish at home. Encouraged by his parents to become a Rabbi, he studied Talmud Chumash near a synagogue within walking distance from his house. All Jewish holidays were observed in his kosher household, especially Shabbat, and these practices led him to have a Bar Mitzvah but not confirmation. After receiving a BS in Education from Ohio State University and a MA in Humanities in hopes of becoming a German language professor, he instead moved down to Louisville as Executive Director of Jewish Welfare Federation, for which he was prioritized over wartime service. He met his wife, Selma, at a school in Cleveland while they both worked there, and upon moving to Louisville they joined the Jewish Community Center.. His interests include golfing, reading, listening to music, dancing, and spending time with children and grandchildren, for whom he hopes to leave behind a legacy of caring for others and abiding by the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

024x6 Jewish Family and Career Services interviews, The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Kentucky

The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Kentucky

Jewish Family and Career Services (Louisville, Ky.)

024x6_erlena