Interview with Mark Wides, March 18, 2016

Interview Summary

Wides describes his family history and relations in Kentucky. He provides a history of the Wides Scrap Metals company, established in 1946 after his father returned from World War II. He got a loan from his grandmother and opened the business with his brother, Ed Wides. He shares some photos from the original Wides Scrap Metal company, and talks about the process of collecting and processing scrap metal.

Wides describes his experience growing up Jewish, including his connections to the larger Jewish community through summer camps in Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and New York. Although he used to be involved with Temple Adath Israel, including teaching Sunday school, he is not as active anymore. He remembers the holidays with his family and celebrating the holidays with his Gentile friends. Wides describes his experience as a Jew at the University of Kentucky during the turbulent era of the 1970s, and his role in the establishment of the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi.

Wides describes his life as a Jew in Lexington, his involvement in the Jewish community which included a tenure on the board of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass, and his children's relationship to Judaism. Although the Lexington community was relatively open to the Jewish community, Wides describes the range of his family's attitudes, from delight to hostile, towards his marriage to his wife, who is not Jewish. Wides describes how the Lexington community has become more accepting of the Jewish community, particularly in business. He also explains how Jewish values employed in Jewish businesses, such as compassion, a strong work ethic, and a balance between work and family, has permeated to non-Jewish businesses.

Interview Keyword

Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) Wides Scrap Metals Family histories. Jewish children College environment Greek letter societies. College students--Religious life

Interview LC Subject

Entrepreneurship Jewish businesspeople Small business--Kentucky Small business--Ownership Jewish families. Jews--Kentucky--Lexington. Judaism. Lexington (Ky.) Anti-Semitism Antisemitism Jews--Identity. University of Kentucky Discrimination

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Interview Usage

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