"Silver. Jerry and Irene" by Reyna Lee Stovall
 

Disciplines

Jewish Studies

Abstract

Jerry Silver grew up in the Bronx after moving from Brooklyn in the mid-1930s. His family rented an apartment on Kruger Avenue before buying a home on Holland Avenue during the Depression. Jerry attended PS 96 and PS 76 before graduating early from Christopher Columbus High School and later earning his undergraduate and law degrees from NYU. He fondly remembers playing in the street, working part-time jobs, and being passionate about baseball, often attending games. He served in the military from 1952 to 1954, started a small law practice in the Bronx, and worked extensively with the Legal Aid Society. Most of his clients were from the Bronx, and his practice reflected the borough’s ethnic diversity. Jerry noted changes in the legal profession, the demographics of the Bronx, and the shifting dynamics of urban life throughout the decades.

Irene Silver described the expectations placed on women during her youth, noting that college attendance for women was rare and professional fields like law or medicine were largely inaccessible. She became a teacher and later attended law school, working alongside her husband in the Bronx. She reflected on how daily life, community dynamics, and gender roles have changed, including the rising cost of living and evolving attitudes toward work and family. The couple discussed the changes in their Bronx neighborhood, including the impact of developments like Co-Op City and the Cross Bronx Expressway, which they believe significantly altered the community. They also shared memories of vibrant shopping areas, kosher food stores, and simpler ways of life. Both remembered the effects of wartime rationing, the rise of television, and their experiences of antisemitism and racial segregation. They emphasized the strong sense of community that once characterized the Bronx and noted how much urban life and culture have shifted over time.

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