The Dallas Jewish Historical Society Oral History Project began in the early 1970s. Since then we have recorded interviews with over 700 members of the Greater Dallas Jewish community from all walks of life—both natives and newcomers—preserving life’s lessons and important events for future generations. Our Oral History participants serve as a collective memory, conveying to the community the values and history of different generations and giving us a distinctive sense of place and time. Every person’s story is critical to capturing the true essence of the Dallas Jewish community.
Though we must physically distance ourselves from one another, we are fortunate to be in an era of technology that allows for easy data-sharing. So, we’re diversifying how we gather your stories and welcome you to be an active participant in collecting and preserving Dallas Jewish history!
Here’s what to do:
- Select a few questions from the list we provide (available here or below).
- Record your answers with your own devices—a video camera, a smartphone, a webcam, etc. (see guidelines for recording your interview here or below).
- Upload the file to our website using this form. Be sure to stay on the webpage until you receive the confirmation!
- We will review your submission and upload it to our new YouTube channel, Reconnect Amid Isolation, where you can also view videos submitted by others.
If you have already shared your oral history, add to it—anything you’ve done since your interview that you’d like to share, any thoughts that were left out of your previous one, etc.
By participating, your interview will become a part of our permanent collection, and your descendants will be able to see and hear your story as told by you! How many of you can see or hear your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents tell their life story? What a gift to provide a means for your descendants to see your smile, hear your voice share the tidbits and family folklore that would normally get lost to history—those stories that don’t really get handed down, the questions we forget to ask…
Don’t miss out on a chance to participate in this exciting project – record and share your story, then take a listen to those who have shared, as well. Become a part of the tapestry of Jewish Dallas; solidify your legacy in the community among those whose stories celebrate our history, our diversity, and their wealth of dedication to making our community a better place.
If you would prefer to share your story in writing, please refer to our Family History Survey with those same questions in a survey-style form. Each survey will also become part of our permanent reference collection.
Click here to access 50 Questions for an Oral History Interview
Click here to access Tips and Tricks for a High-Quality Interview
Click here for instructions to record with a phone or tablet, webcam, or video camera
Click here to submit your Oral History Interview
Click here to access the Dallas Jewish Family History Survey
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