Archives West Finding Aid

Scope and Content: Tape recorded interview conducted by Howard Droker on 19 and 28 Aug 1981; transcript.

Mr. Koch talks about his mother Cora's family, the Dinkelspiels, who came to Seattle in about 1886, and their group of German-Jewish families. He discusses his father Samuel Koch in depth, from growing up in Colorado, to Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, and especially his work as Rabbi of Temple de Hirsch. Mr. Koch describes his father's work in Temple, in the Jewish community and in civic affairs. He also describes the rabbi's personality and character and his idea of Judaism. He speaks specifically about his father's anti-Zionism. He speculates about why Richard Lang left Judaism. He remembers a group of younger Temple de Hirsch men who were frustrated by the old guard of the Temple Board. Mr. Koch describes what it was like to be a rabbi's son, his mother's role in the home, and family affairs. He speaks of his own activities in the Jewish community, his inactivity in the synagogue and especially his role in the American Jewish Committee, local and national. He speaks of specific cases the AJC was involved in, including Laurelhurst Beach Club and the "DeFunis" case. He concludes with his view of recent changes in the practice of Judaism and his own concept of what it is to be a Jew.

Scope and Content: Correspondence, statements, reports, and lists. They relate to Koch's membership on the National Executive Council of the American Jewish Committee.