Oral history interview with Ellis Corets, 2015

Overview of the Collection

Interviewee
Corets, Ellis
Title
Oral history interview with Ellis Corets
Dates
2015 (inclusive)
Quantity
Originals as received: 1 digital audio file (WAV format) and 1 digital file (PDF format transcript)
Collection Number
6053 (Accession No. 6053-001)
Summary
Oral history with a Seattle-area Jewish American.
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

No restrictions on access.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

Ellis Corets, was born in the Bronx (NY) and grew up there. In 1962, he moved his family to Bellevue to work for Boeing. They joined Herzl Conservative Congregation, then located in the Central District of Seattle. In June 1964, primarily because of the challenges of driving to Herzl, he and three other members began to form a new congregation to be named Ner Tamid; it was officially established in May 30, 1965.

Ner Tamid offered a large number of programs and activities and eventually owned a former church in Lake Hills for its services and other activities. In 1970, as a result of financial problems, Ner Tamid merged with Herzl to form Herzl-Ner Tamid which built a new school and synagogue on Mercer Island. On May 9, 2015, Herzl-Ner Tamid gave a well-attended 50th Anniversary celebration of Ner Tamid, chaired by Marilyn Corets, Ellis Corets' daughter. Much of the celebration was based on using the huge amount of information Ellis Corets had collected.

Ellis Corets has also been involved in the collection of information on Jewish men and women who fought in WWII. He laboriously compiled information using volumes published by the National Jewish Welfare Board of Jewish men and women who fought in WW II plus the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). The result is a database of approximately 3,000 Killed in Action and Missing in Action primarily in World War II with a small number from World War I.

Mr. Corets, 83 years old at the time of the interview, continues to work hard compiling data on Jewish service members in WWI.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

In his interview, Ellis Corets relates his history as a founder of Ner Tamid Congregation. Mr. Corets then describes his work compiling information about Jewish military buried overseas or listed on a monument or memorial so that Mourner's Kaddish for them could be given at the time of their Yahrzeits.

Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top

Forms part of the Washington State Jewish Archives.

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 copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Ellis Corets, 2015-06-25

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Jewish soldiers--United States
  • Jewish veterans--United States
  • Jews--Washington (State)
  • Jews--Washington (State)--Interviews
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Synagogues--Washington (State)
  • World War, 1939-1945--Participation, Jewish

Personal Names

  • Corets, Ellis--Interviews

Corporate Names

  • Herzl-Ner Tamid Conservative Congregation (Mercer Island, Wash.)

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Blase, Nancy (interviewer)
    Corporate Names
    • Washington State Jewish Archives (University of Washington) (host institution)