This collection contains audio and video oral histories and transcripts conducted by staff of the Joan and Stanford Alexander South Texas Jewish Archives (STJA- formerly the Houston Jewish History Archive), and documents the lives and activities of the Jewish community in Texas.
Founded in 2017 in the wake of Hurricane Harvey as the Houston Jewish History Archive, the name of the archive changed in January 2023 to the Joan and Stanford Alexander South Texas Jewish Archives (STJA). STJA is dedicated to the study and preservation of Jewish life in South Texas by collecting artifacts from all facets of Jewish life, and making the archival records available to the public for research, learning, and enjoyment.
The original materials are held by the Woodson Research Center in Fondren Library. Search the finding aid/inventory for the South Texas Jewish Archives oral histories, MS 976.
"The real record of history is found in the lives of ordinary people who lived it."
Do you have a story to tell about Jewish life in Houston and South Texas?
Oral History Inquiry Form-
To be contacted by the curator of STJA about an oral history, please complete the form HERE
Documenting October 7 and Its Aftermath -The Experience of the Jewish Community of Houston and South Texas
We would like your help in gathering sources from the South Texas Jewish community regarding the events of October 7 and the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. It is crucial to document this significant moment in history for future generations. The Joan and Stanford Alexander Jewish Archives aims to create a comprehensive collection that captures a wide range of perspectives and experiences. Any materials you can share—such as sermons, memorial programs, community activist activities, or editorials—would be invaluable.
We are also looking for individuals who are willing to be interviewed for oral histories about the Houston Jewish community's response to the October 7 attack and the war that followed. The effects of these events are still unfolding, with global repercussions, including the rise of antisemitism, shifts within Jewish communities, increased feelings of isolation, and changes in Israeli society.
If you want to submit your experiences in writing or are interested in having a member of STJA contact you about creating an oral history recording, please use the link here.
You are welcome to submit your own story or share an interview with a Jewish community member in writing or as an audio recording via mobile app, Zoom, or a digital recorder. Please send submissions to Melissa Cohen-Nickels at mc220@rice.edu.
