Interview with Fred Friend, July 22, 1954, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Partial Transcript: The Friend family lived in a small town in Bavaria. His father's two oldest brothers were the first in the family to go the United States in 1837. They met the parents of Fred's mother on the ship going to America. Fred's two uncles stayed in New York for five years and came to Milwaukee in 1842.

Partial Transcript: After moving to Milwaukee, Fred's uncles started a clothing business. His father was the last of his brothers to come to the United States in 1854.

Partial Transcript: Fred does not know why his uncles specifically went to Milwaukee.

Partial Transcript: The first Jews to come to Milwaukee were from Germany. Fred's mother came to Milwaukee in 1867. Temple Emanu-el was formed in Milwaukee in 1870 and his parents joined that congregation.

Partial Transcript: The first rabbi that Fred recalls is Rabbi Isaac Moses. Fred tells a story about one of the congregation's rabbis.

Partial Transcript: When Emanu-el Congregation first formed, Fred's uncle, Henry Friend, was the president.

Partial Transcript: Temple Emanu-el originally held reform services, but the temple has gone back to holding more orthodox services. The rabbis originally did not wear the formal robes and the congregation did not have a cantor.

Partial Transcript: Many of the immigrants coming to Milwaukee were tailors. The Jewish immigrants coming prior to the 1870s were typically in the clothing and dry goods business.

Partial Transcript: During Fred's childhood, Temple Emanu-el did not stress religious education. He attended Sunday school and went through confirmation, but the education became more extensive in later years.

Partial Transcript: Most Jews in Milwaukee belonged to a temple, but there were a group of German Jews who did not go to a synagogue.

Partial Transcript: The Hebrew Relief Organization was the Milwaukee Jewish community's original charitable organization. All the workers were originally volunteers, but as the organization grew, it had to hire social workers.

Partial Transcript: Milwaukee used to have Jewish clubs to promote Jewish social life.

Partial Transcript: Milwaukee had a sisterhood and a B'nai B'rith chapter, to which Fred belonged years ago.

Partial Transcript: Fred discusses some members of the Jewish community who were involved in politics.

Partial Transcript: Fred talks about working for the manufacturing department of his family's clothing company.

Partial Transcript: The Russian Orthodox Jews came to Milwaukee after many of the German Jews arrived and formed their own congregations.

Partial Transcript: There used to be a Jewish literature club called the Literary and Social Life Club, to which his mother belonged.

Partial Transcript: One of Fred's uncles had a store in Minnesota.

Partial Transcript: Many Jews stayed in Milwaukee once they moved to the city.

Partial Transcript: Once Fred and his siblings grew up, his mother became involved in many organizations, including the Widows and Orphans Society, the Wisconsin Industrial School for Girls, the School Alliance, the Flower Mission, and the Eastern Star.

Partial Transcript: The Jewish community was active in many various organizations.

Partial Transcript: Fred talks about how his aunt and uncle and a few other people from Milwaukee died in a shipwreck off the coast of England. His aunt and uncle were the first people to be buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Milwaukee.

Partial Transcript: The two brothers of Fred's mother fought in the Civil War.

Partial Transcript: Fred talks about how philanthropy is a recurring trend throughout Judaism.

Partial Transcript: Many European Jews were restricted in their occupations in Europe. They were often tailors or dealt in cattle and horses. Fred feels that he cannot give an overall general answer to the primary occupations of Jews from eastern and western Europe.

Partial Transcript: Fred's family was not very religious or observant. He was raised as a reformed Jew.

Partial Transcript: Fred does not think that his family had the capital right away to start a business when they arrived in the United States.

Partial Transcript: Most Wisconsin towns were too small to have a Jewish community. There was a Jewish community in Madison, but Fred does not know much about the community.

Partial Transcript: The interviewer asks about Jews moving from Chicago to Milwaukee in the 1870s, but Fred does not know anything about that trend.

Partial Transcript: Fred feels that the original Milwaukee Jewish community has died out. He does not recognize many people when he attends services.

Partial Transcript: Under Rabbi Friedman, the Milwaukee congregation has experienced a growth in attendance.

Partial Transcript: Some of the earlier rabbis of the congregation used to give sermons in German. That practice changed around the turn of the century because many of the members of the congregation did not understand German.

Partial Transcript: Fred says the Milwaukee Jewish and non-Jewish communities have had friendly relations.