Adrienne Cooper - Workmen's Circle

Partial Transcript: Adrienne Cooper introduces herself and her role at the Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring, located in New York

Partial Transcript: It was the secret language of my household. My mother is a Yiddish singer. And she was constantly code-switching between English and Yiddish at home.

Partial Transcript: Describes her mother’s experience as a camper in Workmen’s Circle camp and her own initial role as a performer, leading to her more formal association six years ago.

Partial Transcript: Discussion of her classical training, singing in Yiddish and Hebrew, and her engagement with Yiddish theater and music through the YIVO Institute.

Partial Transcript: Founding in the late 1800s, providing mutual aid, benefits, healthcare, and community support for Jewish immigrant workers.

Partial Transcript: Elaborate network of educational, social, and cultural programs, including schools teaching Yiddish and socialist values.

Partial Transcript: Formation of branches in the Southern U.S., including the first one in Miami in 1926, overcoming political turbulence, and developing a local presence.
Relationship with civil rights and anti-fascist activities, interactions with labor movements, and advisory on gradual approach to civil rights issues.
Relationship with more leftist groups like the JPFO, anti-Semitic elements, and handling scrutiny during the McCarthy era.

Partial Transcript: Influx of survivors post-WWII, first Holocaust commemoration, and proactive memorial efforts focusing on resistance.
Current status of the organization within gated communities in South Florida, focus on elderly members and healthcare advocacy.

Partial Transcript: Challenges and strategies for maintaining Yiddish cultural continuity, relevance of Yiddish culture, and the importance of historical awareness.