Jay Jensen

Partial Transcript: Jay introduces himself and refers to himself as Teacher to the stars." Many of the people he has taught are on Broadway and in Hollywood.

Keywords: Broadway; Hollywood; Teacher to the stars

Subjects: Introduction

Partial Transcript: Jay talks about why people should remember Wolfie’s and Joe Nevel. Joe was an icon in Miami Beach. He brought life to a neighborhood that was pretty dead. Joe Nevel entertained many stars at Wolfie’s. Jay himself brought Geraldine Page and her husband Rip Torn to Miami Beach High School. After a day at the school, Joe Nevel threw a party for them. Joe was very involved with education and the Yiddish culture.

Keywords: Geraldine Page; Joe Nevel; Miami Beach High School; Rip Torn; Yiddish culture; Wolfie’s

Subjects: Joe Nevel

Partial Transcript: Jay explains why Joe Nevel took over Wolfie’s deli. Joe was a people person and he loved being with people. He also wanted to help educate people about the Yiddish culture. Many people who were Yiddish or part Yiddish came to the deli because Joe’s wife Blanche was a translator for many works of Yiddish. They spoke Yiddish while they were there it was like a family affair. The food was a great attraction but Joe was the main attraction. Joe had been an actor and enjoyed being around people. Joe’s children were Jay’s students at the high school. Joe was very involved with the Children’s Theater. Wolfie’s was the only place on Miami Beach open late at night. Jay mentions he worked on the Gleason Show and a lot of those people came to Wolfie’s. Wolfie’s was like a meeting place for show business people.

Keywords: Yiddish culture

Subjects: Joe Nevel and Wolfie’s Deli

Partial Transcript: Jay talks about Joe’s connection to the cultural life in Miami. Joe was very involved with entertainment in the city. He did many plays in the Temples, he did community theater plays, he did many plays for Temple Emanu-El. Jay first met Joe while he was in a play directed by Jay’s partner Trixie Levin. Joe’s loves were theater and literature.

Keywords: Community Theater; Trixie Levin.; Temple Emanu-El

Subjects: cultural life in Miami.

Partial Transcript: Jay describes the high lights and the low lights of Miami Beach back 20 – 30 years. In the early days, there was the Lincoln Road with its fabulous stores. Slowly Miami went downhill but slowly started to come back in the 80s and 90s. People started to move in and take over the dumpy old buildings. Outside of Judy Drucker and the Concert Association, there wasn’t much going on.

Keywords: Judy Drucker and concert association.; Lincoln Road

Subjects: Miami was like 20-30 years ago.

Partial Transcript: Jay talks about what is lost when we lose people like Joe Nevel and institutions like Wolfie’s. The loss was like putting a dark spot on Miami Beach. Everyone gathered there after for a night out. Jay mentions the Jackie Gleason Theater, the High School, and the Bass Museum, established by John and Johanna Bass. There were fabulous parties on Saturday Nights at the Museum. Phil Spitalny and Evelyn, Evelyn with the Golden Violin, came to play at the museum. Once they retired they ate every day at Wolfie’s.

Keywords: Bass Museum; Evelyn; Famous Evelyn with her Golden Violin.; John and Johanna Bass; Phil Spitalny; Jackie Gleason theater

Subjects: What is lost

Partial Transcript: Jay talks about what makes places like Wolfie’s different from the everyday average place. It is the excitement and the personal touch. You never saw stars at other places. Jay mentions that Jackie Mason came to Wolfie’s. Larry King came to Wolfie’s many times and did some radio interviews there.

Keywords: Larry King; Jackie Mason

Subjects: Difference

Partial Transcript: Jay talks more about Joe Nevel and his wife Blanche. They were lovers all their lives, and the love spark was always alive. When Blanche became sick Joe spent all his time with her. Joe was also involved in the politics of Miami Beach. His parents had been in politics and he always kept his eye on what was happening. He could be counted on to sponsor a charity event.

Keywords: charity events; politics

Subjects: Love

Partial Transcript: Jay has lived in Miami Beach since 1960 and has watched it change from mom-and-pop stores to chain stores. This has taken away the little city feeling. Now Miami is like any other city in America. The hotels are no longer the friendly mom-and-pop places. Miami was a family-type situation now that is gone. The personal touch is no longer there. Jay calls Miami Beach, New York City in the sun.

Keywords: Lincoln Road

Subjects: Changes

Partial Transcript: Jay talks about why places like Wolfie’s helped to accentuate the communal life in Miami. For many years Wolfie’s was the community place, a place everyone went. Joe was always there to greet everyone and make them comfortable. Joe threw Jay’s mother a surprise party on her 90th birthday.

Keywords: communal life

Subjects: the community

Partial Transcript: Jay wanted to add that he thinks Miami Beach has lost a great deal when it lost Wolfie’s and Joe Nevel. Joe was a mensch, he was always there for everyone and he will be greatly missed.

Keywords: mensch

Subjects: final words