Interview with Si Reznik

Interview with Si Reznik

Simon Reznik

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Interviewers

Alan Hoff

Description

Interview with Simon "Si" Reznik (1911-2001) recorded on August 9, 1995 in South Haven, Michigan. Originally recorded by Monadnock Media for a Kalamazoo Valley Museum exhibit on Jewish resorts in South Haven. Si Reznik came to South Haven as a baby when his family purchased land to start a farm, which expanded into a farm resort. He recounts his memories of the farm resort, including

  • born in Sandwich, IL, his family rents a box car to travel to South Haven with their livestock in 1912;
  • early benefactors in the Jewish Agricultural Society help them expand;
  • early farm life and hardships, though never a lack of food;
  • keeping a kosher home, and using their dining room for worship, holidays;
  • his father, Abraham, helping to gather funds to build the first synagogue for Jewish farmers;
  • the farm developing into a resort destination for city folk to escape the summer heat;
  • remodeling an old horse barn into a dining hall to seat around 100;
  • mother and sisters doing the cooking, serving;
  • as a little boy, showing off the farm animals and the route to the Black River swimming hole;
  • arriving at the docks with a horse-drawn 'bus' to pick up guests arriving on steamers from Chicago;
  • guests wanting to watch the hens laying eggs and milking the cows, the harvesting, and having bonfires at night in the orchards;
  • the establishment of resorts in the city, with more amenities, leading to the decline of the more rustic farm resort;
  • building the new synagogue in the city of South Haven (First Hebrew Congregation);
  • losing his father Abraham in 1926;
  • his brothers and sisters leaving for city jobs while he stayed with his mother Hinda until he graduated high school; and
  • unable to maintain the farm, losing it.

Date of Interview

8-9-1995

Location of Interview

South Haven, MI

Series

The South Haven Jewish Resort Oral History Project

Keywords

Farms, Agriculture, Resorts, South Haven (Mich.)

Disciplines

Agriculture | Jewish Studies | Oral History | Public History

Language

ENG

Document Type

Interview

Length of video

01:42:38

Length of video log

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Interview with Si Reznik

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Rights Statement

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted.