Arthur Goodman Jr. oral history interview, 1990 April 22

Longtime Charlotte resident Arthur Goodman Jr. recalls his memories of life as a member of the city's Jewish community during the twentieth century. He reminisces about family Passover traditions, Jewish education, and the positive impact his rabbi had on him and childhood friends. Goodman explains that in his experience, Jews were readily accepted in Charlotte among the wider community during the 1930s and 1940s, and cites his own father's active civic and political involvement as well as that of his childhood rabbi as evidence. He touches on the contributions that Charlotte Jews have made to the arts and culture in the region and the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. Goodman recalls the mood in Charlotte during World War II, and he discusses local reactions to the Holocaust and enthusiasm for Zionism. Likewise, he reflects on the changes in the Charlotte Jewish community, including the population explosion during the postwar era.