Interview with Michael Grossman, March 24, 2017

Interview Summary

Michael Grossman is a Jewish man who was raised in a Jewish community in Los Angeles, California. His family was not very religious growing up, but following the Six Day War in 1967, he became much more involved in his faith and Jewish organizational life. Grossman discusses his graduation from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and how he started dating his wife, who was not Jewish when they met. He talks about the challenges of being a mixed-faith couple, and the process of his wife's eventual conversion. Grossman mentions his time at Notre Dame's law school and his long career at Clark Material Handling. He also discusses raising his children Jewish, and how that strengthened his connection with the local Jewish communities in South Bend, Indiana. He talks about moving to Lexington, Kentucky for work, and the ways he became involved in this new community. Grossman details his time as the president of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass and many of the different things he accomplished in that role. He acknowledges the challenges he faced being the leader of one of one of the largest Jewish organizations in Lexington.

Interview Keyword

Discrimination. Antisemitism Anti-Semitism Universities and colleges. Holidays. Fasts and feasts--Judaism.

Interview LC Subject

Families. Family histories. Genealogy Immigrants Jewish children Jewish families. Jews--Identity. Judaism. Religion Worship (Judaism) Childhood Lawyers Jewish leadership--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 only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.