Disciplines

Jewish Studies

Abstract

Alexandra Vozick Hans was born to Canadian parents, who, upon moving to New York, lived in the Amalgamated Housing Cooperative, where she grew up. She remained in the Bronx until she graduated college in 1966. After college, she moved to Boston and became a social worker.

Hans and her family were socialists, and Hans recalls tensions between the socialists and the communists in the Amalgamated. She also recalls tensions over the issue of integration in the building: the Amalgamated was not integrated, and residents complained about the lack of integration. Overall, however, Hans looks back with great fondness on the Amalgamated.

Hans attended high school at Bronx Science, and, like most people from her high school at the time, she attended college at City College, because it was free. She feels that her education was high-quality. She notes that her education focused more on breadth, while education today, she feels, focuses more on depth. She appreciates that she had the opportunity to learn music and art appreciation, take trips to museums, and attend summer camp.

While living in the Bronx, Hans spent time in Van Cortlandt Park playing music, particularly folk music. She describes herself at that time as a beatnik or a Beat Bohemian. Hans also recalls going for walks with friends, going to the movies at the David Marcus, and going to concerts.

Hans does not describe herself as being a very observant Jew. Her family did not keep kosher when she was growing up. They were kosher style, as she still is. She took her three sons to a Reform synagogue until they became bar mitzvah. One of her sons is Orthodox, one is Conservative, and one does not describe himself as Jewish. Hans is very invested in Judaism.

Hans recalls being involved in civil rights protests and protests about the Vietnam War. She participated in teach-ins and sit-ins to protest the war.

Keywords: Amalgamated, co-op, socialism, communism, race, City College, Van Cortlandt Park, socialism, civil rights, Vietnam War, music

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