Detail View: Winnipeg Jewish Renewal Oral History Collection: Interview with Marvyne Jenoff, 10 October 2014

Collection Name: 
Winnipeg Jewish Renewal Oral History Collection
Title: 
Interview with Marvyne Jenoff, 10 October 2014
Creator: 
Lewis, Justin Jaron, 1961-
Subject: 
Jewish renewal
Subject: 
Schachter-Shalomi, Zalman, 1924-2014
Description: 
Audio interview of Marvyne Jenoff by Dr. Justin Jaron Lewis at the interviewee's building in Toronto. 00:00 Interview begins with an introduction of the interviewer and interviewee, as well as location information; 01:10 Marvyne states she referred to Zalman by “Rabbi” and she talks about meeting him at a Hillel event. Supposedly someone complained that Marvyne should not be in the group because she was not a student, even though she was student age, and Zalman said he didn’t care and she was welcome there; 03:44 Marvyne states she and her family never felt part of the conventional Jewish community. She went to a regular high school rather than a Jewish school. She continues to say she could not connect with people in her community but connected with the Rabbi so well because she was troubled during that time in her time; 08:34 Marvyne mentions she is currently a writer and artist, but became a teacher when she was eighteen. The Rabbi suggested that she send her poetry to American publishers and she got published. She recognizes how important the Rabbi was to her life; 10:00 Marvyne talks about her life in the 1960s in Winnipeg and her association with the Rabbi. She talks about the printing press in Hillel house that the Rabbi had in the basement. She explains that she made tallit for the Rabbi and started a sewing business and made clothing as well; 17:59 Marvyne talks about Rabbi Zalman’s dancing in the streets of Winnipeg; 20:28 Marvyne talks about Rabbi Zalman’s first wife and family; 26:45 Marvyne talks about the spirituality that attracted her to him. She also appreciated how accepted she felt as a woman. She also tells a story about a time she went to visit his home around 6 PM and she thought she was supposed to eat dinner at his house, but he was only expecting to talk for ten or fifteen minutes. They proceeded to eat something out of the fridge and talk in his study; 35:49 Marvyne explains what Hillel house looked like. It was on a residential street. It had a porch, kitchen, room with a piano, printing press in the basement and a chapel room. The bedrooms were offices and there was an older Jewish couple who lived there and took care of the place. There was a problem between the woman that lived there and the visitors of the house; 41:10 Justin asks Marvyne if she recalls any Shevats at his house; 50:00 Marvyne tells a story about the time she made a silk yamaka for Zalman and it kept sliding off his head so he stuck it in a drawer. Marvyne says she stole it back and gave it to a friend and he later tried to look for it; 52:13 Justin asks if Yiddish was spoken in her family. Marvyne says “yes and no” and explains her family background; 58:22 Marvyne states Zalman had a huge influence on her life. She enjoyed being accepted and communicating with someone that was so respected; 01:02:10 Justin asks Marvyne if Rabbi Zalman was good at fixing things. She states he fixed the printing press himself; 01:02:53 Justin confirms whether the famous rainbow tallit that Zalman made was taken from a tallit that she made for him; 01:04:00 Justin asks Marvyne if she knew anything about the religious fellowship he started; 01:10:00 Marvyne talks about her experience teaching first grade for one year and how poorly it went. She then became a supply teacher and learned how to control a classroom full of students; 01:14:00 Justin thanks Marvyne for her participation.
Contributor: 
Jenoff, Marvyn
Date: 
2014-10-10
Type: 
Sound
Identifier: 
WinnipegMarvyneJenoff_10Oct2014.mp3
Identifier ARK: 
https://ark.colorado.edu/ark:/47540/gw3n5p4667qv
Source: 
Rabbi Zalman Schachter's Years in Winnipeg
Language: 
English
Coverage: 
Toronto
Rights: 
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