Interview with Erle Levy, August 19, 2015

Interview Summary

Erle Levy discusses family lineage in Lexington, Kentucky and Europe. He discusses his childhood school life in Lexington, and his childhood life in relation to Judaism and family traditions. He talks about the Jewish businesses that existed in Lexington in the mid-twentieth century.

Levy discusses his time at the University of Kentucky and his experiences in the Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) fraternity. He talks about meeting his (future) wife during college. He discusses his life after UK, his marriage, and his life as a businessman. Levy discusses his perspective on how the Jewish community has changed in Lexington, and of how his own Jewishness has changed. He talks about the social divide between Ohavay Zion Synagogue and Temple Adath Israel in Lexington.

Interview Keyword

Entrepreneurship Small business--Kentucky Small business--Ownership Holidays. Marriage

Interview LC Subject

Jews--Identity. Worship (Judaism) Jewish children Religion Jewish businesspeople College students--Social conditions College students--Religious life Greek letter societies. Jewish families. Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. Lexington (Ky.)

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.