Tama Fogelman, February 5, 2016

Tama Fogelman, February 5, 2016

Tama talks about the joy of growing up in Northampton and, later living in Allentown as wife and mother

Muhlenberg College Special Collections and College Archives

Muhlenberg College Special Collections and College Archives

2016-02-05

Copyright remains with the interview subject and their heirs.

video

LVTNT-04

Susan Clemens-Bruder

Tama Fogelman

00:09:47

5.4 February 5, 2016 Tama Fogelman, February 5, 2016 LVTNT-04 9:48 LVTNT Lehigh Valley Textile and Needlework Trades Muhlenberg College: Trexler Library Oral History Repository trexlerlibrarymuhlenberg Tama Fogelman Susan Clemens-Bruder Gail Eisenberg video/mp4 FogelmanTama_20160205.mp4 1.0:|29(8)|52(16)|75(9)|98(2)|125(4)|150(3)|177(7)|202(14)|243(4)|266(10) 0 https://youtu.be/m1ztFsMJSl0 YouTube video 0 Introduction—Tama Fogelman SC: Today is the 5th of November- of February, I was going to say November. &#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Thank you.&#13 ; &#13 ; SC: Thank you. I hear you. Fifth of February, 2016. And what is your full name? &#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Tama Kivert Fogelman. &#13 ; &#13 ; SC: And could you- What is your address? &#13 ; &#13 ; TF: 3057 Fairfield Drive, Allentown, P.A. 0 30 Tama's Religious Observances SC: [W]e want to start with just stories about how you joined the synagogue and your religious life? &#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Okay, well, I think I can do that. My husband and I joined the reform Temple originally. We were married at Bethel, which is- Oh what is that?&#13 ; &#13 ; GE: Conservative. &#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Conservative, right. And then we had our daughter and she was about eight or nine years old when you start religious training. And we thought we would join K.I. because it was more how we lived and how we believed. And so that's what we did, and at that time, you went to the rabbi's house- home on a Friday. It was very, very small. Maybe it was still at 13th Street, the reformed, I don't remember. But then we had other children, we had two more- we had two boys and we had another daughter ; and they all chose different synagogues, because that's who they were friendly with. And we felt very comfortable joining others also, we were part of the whole community. That's how we felt. We were friendly with different people of different beliefs in Judaism, and we were very comfortable with that. 0 111 Tama's Joy as Wife and Mother SC: Well, what are some of your favorite family memories, as a wife and mother? &#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Oh my gosh. So many, I don't know. We always loved getting together for everybody's birthdays. You know, my sister and my parents and—we always had two parties for our children, one with just their friends and one with the family. And it was always fun and wonderful and it was wonderful. I was very happy being a wife and mother, that's how I- There was nothing else I wanted to do at that time. But as I was telling Gail, you know, every day was a new day. Your life is evolving all the time, even though you're in the same job. But it- it changes all the time. So- And my husband, we were on the same page about many things. 0 322 Tama's Children, Grandchildren, and Great-Grandchildren SC: With each one of them, what is something that's really memorable for each one of them? Or where they are right now, what are they doing? &#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Oh my gosh. Well, and you know, it would take forever, but—well the one son is in town now. He- He was in our business. Of course, it closed. Now he's started a business in Philadelphia called Intelligent Office, and it's like a- What do you call those offices? What's the word?&#13 ; &#13 ; GE: Sharing? &#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Well yeah, that, but it has another name to it. You know, they offer all kinds of help in office work—phone, services, rooms. I mean, it's a beautiful office. It's a- It's a- What do you call it that he bought?&#13 ; &#13 ; GE: Oh, a franchise?&#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Yeah, a franchise. And he seems very well-suited for this kind of thing—to bring in customers all the time, and... He likes meeting people. Well, you met him. He likes talking to people and hearing, you know, what they're doing. So he's been at that a few years now. So that's good. &#13 ; &#13 ; SC: This is Mark?&#13 ; &#13 ; TF: That’s Mark, yeah. And Steve is in New York now, and he’s- he's a writer, an actor, and that kind of thing. And our oldest daughter is a visiting nurse. She's still doing it at sixty-two years old, she still is doing that. She likes it. And then our youngest daughter works for Riderwood. I don't know if you ever heard of that whole franchise of retirement villages, of big villages, very nice. So she- She became a real estate agent and then she went into this job. So she helps people, she helps recruit people and helps them with their move to the- to the facility. So she likes it. She's very good. So- And you know, I have a lot of grandchildren, and great-grandchildren—I have seven great-grandchildren now. 0 460 What Gave You the Most Meaning as Wife and Mother? SC: One other thing though—what meant the most, what gave you the most meaning of being a wife and mother?&#13 ; &#13 ; TF: That's a very good question. I wish I had given it more thought. I think just to see them all become good people and they were- they were kind people, they were good people. They weren't mean spirited that I could see. I mean, maybe they had their moments, I'm not saying that. But in general, it felt good to see how they developed and- and- and wanted to do something in the- in the world. I-&#13 ; &#13 ; SC: Seems like you and Jules were good parents.&#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Well, I don’t know.&#13 ; &#13 ; SC: That’s wonderful, wow.&#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Well, that's good. But I mean, there were so many things I wanted to tell you. My sister said I should write it down. I said, “Oh, don't worry. I'll remember everything.”&#13 ; &#13 ; SC: But it’s your view at this time.&#13 ; &#13 ; TF: At that time, that’s right. 0 523 Fogelman Family's Synagogue Affiliations GE: With your four children, how they ended up being at different synagogues when they were growing up? &#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Oh, that's right, yes, that’s right. What didn't I already say that online?&#13 ; &#13 ; GE: Well you said that you belonged to different synagogues, but here, you know- Each one ended.&#13 ; &#13 ; TF: Okay, that’s right. Each one ended. Well the two girls ended at the Reform Synagogue. And the two- The one boy was bar mitzvahed at Bethel, where we had been married. And the other one at Sons of Israel, the Orthodox, because their friends were there. And so we never had to have a fuss about- to go to services. They- They- You know, they went with their friends. We went to the different ones, too. We felt very comfortable wherever we were. And we knew people in all the synagogues and it was very pleasant, very easy. 0 MovingImage Tama talks about the joy of growing up in Northampton and, later living in Allentown as wife and mother Interview with Tama Fogelman, February 5, 2016 SUSAN CLEMENS-BRUDER: Today is the 5th of November- of February, I was going to say November. TAMA FOGELMAN: Thank you. SC: Thank you. I hear you. Fifth of February, 2016. And what is your full name? TF: Tama Kivert Fogelman. SC: And could you- What is your address? TF: 3057 Fairfield Drive, Allentown, P.A. SC: And so, we want to start with just stories about how you joined the synagogue and your religious life? TF: Okay, well, I think I can do that. My husband and I joined the reform Temple originally. We were married at Bethel, which is- Oh what is that? GAIL EISENBERG: Conservative. TF: Conservative, right. And then we had our daughter and she was about eight or nine years old when you start religious training. And we thought we would join K.I. because it was more how we lived and how we believed. And so that's what we did, and at that time, you went to the rabbi's house- home on a Friday. It was very, very small. Maybe it was still at 13th Street, the reformed, I don't remember. But then we had other children, we had two more- we had two boys and we had another daughter ; and they all chose different synagogues, because that's who they were friendly with. And we felt very comfortable joining others also, we were part of the whole community. That's how we felt. We were friendly with different people of different beliefs in Judaism, and we were very comfortable with that. What else can I tell you? SC: Well, what are some of your favorite family memories, as a wife and mother? TF: Oh my gosh. So many, I don't know. We always loved getting together for everybody's birthdays. You know, my sister and my parents and--we always had two parties for our children, one with just their friends and one with the family. And it was always fun and wonderful and it was wonderful. I was very happy being a wife and mother, that's how I- There was nothing else I wanted to do at that time. But as I was telling Gail, you know, every day was a new day. Your life is evolving all the time, even though you're in the same job. But it- it changes all the time. So- And my husband, we were on the same page about many things. So that made it very nice. What? GE: Do you have a story you want to share of that- about you and Jules? Either as a young couple, before you had children, or-- TF: Well, it seemed like we always had children! I don't know, we- We just got along very well, I I mean, for the most part. There was not a lot of stress in our life. I'll tell you one funny story. We- I think we only had one child then, and we lived in a little house near my parents. And so we shared a car. We had one car. He took it to work. And then if- and then I went with- with my parents- my mother or something, if I had something to do. Or if he- If I needed the car, then he went with my father to work. So one time I remember that I borrowed the car, returned it, you know, and went to work the next day. And he called me, he said, "You know," he said, "you didn't fill up the tank, the gas tank. I ran out of gas." Oh, I felt so bad. "Oh, I'm so sorry, honey!" Then another time I borrowed the car and I did it again. But the thing that- and I- I felt bad. But from then on, I never did--the whole rest of my life, I never let it get below half, half full, half empty, whatever. But the point about him was he never yelled at me. Isn't that sweet? Because he knew, you know, I didn't do it on purpose and I felt bad. But I'm just telling you what type of person he was. And that's- that's what our relationship was. I think we had a lot of respect for each other and we had a lot of fun. He was- He was a lot of fun, and I guess I was, too. And- And that was our focus--to have fun with our children, also. So that's how we lived. SC: What are your- What are your favorite stories about your children, being a mother to your children? TF: Oh, yeah, oh my gosh. There's just so many, you know, each one--now I remember people saying, "Well, boys are this way, girls are another way." I never thought that way. To me, they were individuals and that's how I treated them. Really, as individuals. And I'm sure we made a lot of mistakes, I'm not saying that, but mostly they were good kids, they turned out very nice people, I think. Loving and good, you know, so we- we had a good life with them. We had a lot of trials and tribulations along the way with them, but- but it was a good family all- all the way around, yeah. SC: What- what- With each one of them, what is something that's really memorable for each one of them? Or where they are right now, what are they doing? TF: Oh my gosh. Well, and you know, it would take forever, but--well the one son is in town now. He- He was in our business. Of course, it closed. Now he's started a business in Philadelphia called Intelligent Office, and it's like a- What do you call those offices? What's the word? GE: Sharing? TF: Well yeah, that, but it has another name to it. You know, they offer all kinds of help in office work--phone, services, rooms. I mean, it's a beautiful office. It's a- It's a- What do you call it that he bought? GE: Oh, a franchise? TF: Yeah, a franchise. And he seems very well-suited for this kind of thing--to bring in customers all the time, and... He likes meeting people. Well, you met him. He likes talking to people and hearing, you know, what they're doing. So he's been at that a few years now. So that's good. SC: This is Mark? TF: That's Mark, yeah. And Steve is in New York now, and he's- he's a writer, an actor, and that kind of thing. And our oldest daughter is a visiting nurse. She's still doing it at sixty-two years old, she still is doing that. She likes it. And then our youngest daughter works for Riderwood. I don't know if you ever heard of that whole franchise of retirement villages, of big villages, very nice. So she- She became a real estate agent and then she went into this job. So she helps people, she helps recruit people and helps them with their move to the- to the facility. So she likes it. She's very good. So- And you know, I have a lot of grandchildren, and great-grandchildren--I have seven great-grandchildren now. So it's very exciting to hear what they're all doing, and I have to write down what they say they're doing, because I may not remember it all, it's so foreign to me, but I like learning about it, you know? So what else did you want to know? GE: I think that's fine. SC: Yeah, that's fine. One other thing though--what meant the most, what gave you the most meaning of being a wife and mother? TF: That's a very good question. I wish I had given it more thought. I think just to see them all become good people and they were- they were kind people, they were good people. They weren't mean spirited that I could see. I mean, maybe they had their moments, I'm not saying that. But in general, it felt good to see how they developed and- and- and wanted to do something in the- in the world. I- SC: Seems like you and Jules were good parents. TF: Well, I don't know. SC: That's wonderful, wow. TF: Well, that's good. But I mean, there were so many things I wanted to tell you. My sister said I should write it down. I said, "Oh, don't worry. I'll remember everything." SC: But it's your view at this time. TF: At that time, that's right. SC: And so that's fine. TF: Yeah, that's right. GE: One- One last story, since you had said it earlier and I just thought it was very cute. With your four children, how they ended up being at different synagogues when they were growing up? TF: Oh, that's right, yes, that's right. What didn't I already say that online? GE: Well you said that you belonged to different synagogues, but here, you know- Each one ended. TF: Okay, that's right. Each one ended. Well the two girls ended at the Reform Synagogue. And the two- The one boy was bar mitzvahed at Bethel, where we had been married. And the other one at Sons of Israel, the Orthodox, because their friends were there. And so we never had to have a fuss about- to go to services. They- They- You know, they went with their friends. We went to the different ones, too. We felt very comfortable wherever we were. And we knew people in all the synagogues and it was very pleasant, very easy. SC: That's good. Thank you. GE: Thank you, that's wonderful. And I'm going to walk you down, so he- TF: I don't think I want to see it, though. GE: No, no, no, no, no. It will be beautiful. TF: Because I'm not good at this at all. Copyright for this interview is held by Muhlenberg College. video This oral history is made available with a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). The public can access and share the interview for educational, research, and other noncommercial purposes as long as they identify the original source. 0 /render.php?cachefile=