Scope and Contents:
The born digital content of the Illinois Jewish Communities Oral History Collection consists of interviews with Jewish individuals who resided in Illinois during the mid-to-late 20th century, with a focus on members of small to midsized Jewish communities in central Illinois.
The collection reflects the lived experiences of Jewish Illinoisans and documents the history of Jewish communities in the state. Interviews typically discuss religious practices, education, community and faith-based organizations, immigration, and Jewish identity.
The born digital content includes MP3 audio files of interviews and PDF files of interview transcriptions.
The Illinois History and Lincoln Collections unit at the University of Illinois Library manages the items of the Illinois Jewish Communities Oral History Collection. Interviews were primarily collected by the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections starting in 2023; however, interviews conducted by community interviewers in 2022 are also included.