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Oral history interview with Ruth Peizer, 2005
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Peizer, Ruth, 1923-
- Title
- Oral history interview with Ruth Peizer
- Dates
- 2005 (inclusive)20052005
- Quantity
- 1 sound cassette; Transcript: 14 pages
- Collection Number
- 5481 (Accession No. 5481-001)
- Summary
- Tape recorded interview covering the years 1923 to 2000, taken on October 24, 2005; transcript
- Repository
-
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Open to all users.
Special Media: 1 cassette audio tape
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Ruth Emmerman Peizer (27 July 1923 – 23 October 2013) was born in Chicago to Abraham and Riva Emmerman, who emigrated from Riga, Latvia. She was their only child. In addition to her secular education, including her graduation from Herzl Community College in Chicago, she received a degree from the Sholem Aleichem Folk Institute, which forged her lifelong interest in Yiddish language and culture.
Ruth married Samuel Peizer, M.D., on 27 October 1946 and moved from Chicago to Samuel’s hometown of Seattle in 1949. Samuel established a respected medical practice of nearly 50 years in West Seattle and they both raised three children: Alan, Annette, and Mark.
She shared her expertise in literary Yiddish by teaching classes at the University of Washington, Jewish Education Council, Hebrew High School, and Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. She also gave public readings, translated private letters.
Ruth also organized shipments of medications and clothing for many years to needy, elderly Jews living in Latvia and Lithuania. She was an involved member of many Jewish organizations, including the National Yiddish Book Center, Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation, the Jewish Federation, Hadassah, and the Seattle Yiddish Group.
Preceded by her husband Samuel Peizer of 58 years, Ruth passed away in 2013.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Tape recorded interview covering the years 1923 to 2000, taken on 24 October 2005, and transcript.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Listen to the audio recording and view the transcript of this interview on the Libraries Digital Collections site.
Restrictions on Use
Creator's rights dedicated to the public. May be used for research, instruction, publication or similar purposes.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Personal Names
- Peizer, Ruth, 1923- --Interviews
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Adatto, Joseph (creator)
Corporate Names
- Washington State Jewish Archives (University of Washington) (creator)
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)