WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:37.000 Elaine Weissman: About the founding of Montefiore Hospital. You mentioned that you collected donations or pledges. Is there anything else about the people you worked with. Helen Berman: I worked with Florence Davis. Elaine Weissman: And how long did you people collect the money before you were able to get the, uh, hospital started? Berman: I don't know how long it took. But I know I worked for months. Elaine Weissman: Mhm. Do you remember anyone who gave big donations or anything like that? 00:00:37.000 --> 00:01:16.000 Berman: I got a big, big donation. The amount, but I mean larger than the average because, see,some of the women really have no right to undertake that because they don't have enough push. You know, and while while I'm not the kind of woman that will come in one door and throw me out of one door and come in the other, I you have to do with that and that and collecting, which you wouldn't do otherwise, you know. And I went into the Carnegie Steel one time. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:18.000 Elaine Weissman: The corporations were all approached. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:36.000 Berman: And, and uh, I sort of talked myself into the. Main offices, and I told them what I was there for and. And there was no reason. I don't remember it so long ago, but, you know, that he collected from the employees and got hundreds of dollars. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:43.000 Elaine Weissman: What was the average donation from a household? For instance? Do you remember what people gave in those days? 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:50.000 Berman: Very so. Very. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:51.000 Berman: Most of them. Most of they. 00:01:51.000 --> 00:02:00.000 Berman: Pledged it would be anywhere from 25 to $5000. That was. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:05.000 Elaine Weissman: What do you think of intermarriage? 00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:06.000 Berman: Well. 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:22.000 Berman: It's like many other things. My opinion is that most times it doesn't work. Most times there is some friction, but then there's friction with a Jew and a Jew too. So maybe I'm wrong. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:29.000 Elaine Weissman: So if your son had married a non-Jew, you would have accepted her into your-- depending-- Berman: Well, if she. 00:02:29.000 --> 00:02:48.000 Berman: I would rather not because of my fear of it not working. It's the children. And see, I think, too, what influences me is I've had 1 or 2 examples. We have a Jewish lawyer downtown. 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:49.000 Berman: Can I mention names. 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:50.000 Elaine Weissman: If you wish. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:03:12.000 Berman: Jimmy Lippert. Very nice. And he married a Catholic girl from Castle Shannon. And then they had no children and they adopted a little girl. Well, what happened when I said, Hilda, what is what is Marilyn going to be? 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:14.000 Berman: I think the children are confused. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:21.000 Berman: And she said, What do you mean? What is Marilyn going to be? She's going to be strictly Catholic. And she was. 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:25.000 Elaine Weissman: Have your views on Zionism changed? 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:44.000 Berman: I never had any definite. Way of thinking, but to me I always felt that Zionist was just Zionism was just a form of, uh, hope for liberation. I always thought it was. Is that right? 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:49.000 Elaine Weissman: Well, it's more or less the establishment of a national home for the Jews. 00:03:49.000 --> 00:03:51.000 Berman: Well, what's wrong with that? 00:03:51.000 --> 00:04:01.000 Elaine Weissman: Nothing wrong with it. Some people, uh, have, uh, felt more strongly recently because of the state of Israel and the great need. 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:05.000 Berman: So I think it was always there. 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:47.000 Elaine Weissman: Did you ever belong to an organization specifically for Russian Jews or Romanian Jews? In the 19 tens, the Jewish Philanthropies became a federation. Uh, some changes occurred. Did it affect you in any way? Well in any way in the 19 tens. You were quite young at the time. Berman: I don't know. Elaine Weissman: Uh, have you ever, uh, what other groups, uh, for Jewish people. Have you joined? I mean, you said Hadassah and National Council. 00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:49.000 Berman: Home for the aged. 00:04:49.000 --> 00:04:52.000 Elaine Weissman: And have you dropped from membership in any of them? 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:54.000 Berman: Just the desk. 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.000 Berman: Oh, and I belong to the. 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:04.000 Berman: To the one of your auxiliary. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:45.000 Elaine Weissman: Where are your parents buried? All right. Do you know the name of the cemetery? Berman: Yes. Elaine Weissman: Do you own a cemetery plot for yourself. Where is it? Is there such a thing as a family plot? Is there anyone else or is there anything else you'd like to talk about? Any information? Any further information on Montefiore or Rodef Shalom? You said you worked for the Salvation Army. 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:47.000 Berman: My seven years. 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:56.000 Elaine Weissman: Uh huh. What did you do for them? Collect? Something happened in the air and there was two other organizations, the Red Cross. 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:59.000 Berman: And the United Fund. 00:05:59.000 --> 00:06:12.000 Elaine Weissman: And you would get donations for them too. Is there anyone else you think I might, uh, interview? An old timer from Pittsburgh. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:22.000 Berman: My son. You know, I don't think I have. So. I really feel bad. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:23.000 Berman: You know, there's something about. 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:24.000 Berman: You know. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:54.000 Berman: Too, I think that while I don't make that vast difference in. Financial circumstances. I think two is wrong to make that difference in age because I find many times that there are people of 80, 70 and 80 that are younger and more desirable to be with than some are 40 and 50. 00:06:54.000 --> 00:07:54.000 Elaine Weissman: Right. Well, thank.
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