ROSEMAN:

[laughs]

SIGRIST:

All right. Good morning. I'm Paul Sigrist.

ROSEMAN:

Yeah, sure. I know.

SIGRIST:

And I work at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum —

ROSEMAN:

Good.

SIGRIST:

— run by the National Park Service. And I'm here in Bayonne, New Jersey. Today is Monday, September 29 th , 1997.

ROSEMAN:

Thanks for telling me what time it is.

SIGRIST:

I'm here with Mrs. Pearl Roseman.

ROSEMAN:

Yeah.

SIGRIST:

Yes. And we're going to talk about Mrs. Roseman when she came to America from Europe. Do you remember what year you came to America?

ROSEMAN:

No, I d — I don't even remember coming here. [laughter]

SIGRIST:

Okay. And —

ROSEMAN:

We were all — we — we ran away.

SIGRIST:

Right. Well, we'll —

ROSEMAN:

So you see, I can — I didn't know what — what's all about it.

SIGRIST:

What — what country were you born in?

ROSEMAN:

Well —

SIGRIST:

Russia?

ROSEMAN:

You think [unclear] never have a problem. In Europe, you know, the old fashioned people, they — they have children, you know, and that's all. And — and so what do you want to know? In Russia. In Russia.

SIGRIST:

You came from Russia. Okay, that's good. You came from Russia.

ROSEMAN:

I'll tell you a whole story before [chuckles] —

SIGRIST:

Do you remember how old you were when you came to America?

ROSEMAN:

Women don't for — forget how old they are. You know what I mean?

SIGRIST:

Do you remember appropriately how old you were when you came?

ROSEMAN:

Well, this is one thing I'm not afraid to say. But I don't know exactly.

SIGRIST:

Yes, approximately.

ROSEMAN:

Well, how old am I now? Did you know?

SIGRIST:

You're 91. I — I should say in the room also is Edie Horn [PH], Edith Horn, who is Mrs. Roseman's daughter. Just a second. And also a caregiver is also here, who's name is Anna. And — and we're all in the room with Mrs. Roseman. It is possible that Edie will speak and, if she does speak, to speak loudly so that the microphone picks you up. Appropriately how old? Appropriately?

ROSEMAN:

I — you know, I'm a perfectionist. I like to say the right thing but I just can't [unclear].

HORN:

No, but when — when you came from Russia, you said you were about 18. Is that right?

ROSEMAN:

For [unclear]. Listen, what do I — if I said, maybe I said a lot with the children playing with people with the young things. You know, you want to go nicer.

SIGRIST:

But — but you — when — when you came to America, you were a young lady.

ROSEMAN:

Yes.

SIGRIST:

You were not a child anymore.

ROSEMAN:

No, no, no.

SIGRIST:

Okay. That's fine.

ROSEMAN:

No.

SIGRIST:

Now, Edie said that — that the birth date — your birth date that you use now for — for legal reasons is S —

ROSEMAN:

Edie knows my birthdays. Then she knows more than I do.

SIGRIST:

[chuckles] Well, I'm going to tell you your birthday. It's September 9 th , 1906.

ROSEMAN:

Say — say what you want. You [chuckles] — you'll never get a thing from me. [laughter]

HORN:

[unclear].

SIGRIST:

That's all right. This is wonderful, actually. Well, for the sake of the tape we're going to say September 9 th , 1906.

ROSEMAN:

Go ahead.

SIGRIST:

Which makes you 91.

ROSEMAN:

That's what I'm old now.

SIGRIST:

That's how old you are now.

ROSEMAN:

Now, 91?

SIGRIST:

Ninety-one.

ROSEMAN:

Well, it's possible.

SIGRIST:

Yes.

ROSEMAN:

And even more. [laughter]

HORN:

What did Uncle William do when you came to [unclear]?

ROSEMAN:

Huh?

SIGRIST:

Wait, wait. No. Do you remember the town that you grew up in in Russia?

ROSEMAN:

Ah —

SIGRIST:

What it looked like?

ROSEMAN:

It was a — well, a thing that the water runs. And I ran through the water on this side and then the children were playing on the other side. It was a business [unclear], which water. And we — we played.

SIGRIST:

So — so as a little child you played in the water that was in [unclear]?

ROSEMAN:

Oh, sure. Oh, especially, we lived right near the water. Yeah, so I — I — I lived in the water. Yeah.

SIGRIST:

Uh-huh. Did you — did you ever fish in the water?

ROSEMAN:

Fish?

SIGRIST:

Go fishing.

ROSEMAN:

We didn't know what it means, fishing. I didn't know a thing about fishing.

SIGRIST:

What else did you do when you were a little girl in this town?

ROSEMAN:

I was eating and drinking.

SIGRIST:

Yeah, what did you eat?

ROSEMAN:

Whatever the — there was. Mostly, a piece of bread, a strong piece of bread. Food, a little, you know, something, you know, and you eat it.

SIGRIST:

Where did you get the bread?

ROSEMAN:

Where?

SIGRIST:

Yes. Who made the bread?

ROSEMAN:

Mother.

SIGRIST:

Your mother made the bread.

ROSEMAN:

Oh, yeah.

SIGRIST:

Do you remember how she made the bread?

ROSEMAN:

You know, [chuckles] how can you have — ask me a — a question like that? I — I — the — you know, the thing is that he's got something, you know.

SIGRIST:

What — what other kinds of food did you eat in Russia? You ate bread. What else did you eat?

ROSEMAN:

Well, it was a luxury, you know, when you had to put some — some, like, bread — milk — you know, milk — milk and —

HORN:

Cheeses.

ROSEMAN:

— and — and [unclear] something that was an a — a [unclear]. I go the [unclear].

SIGRIST:

A lu — luxury.

ROSEMAN:

That's right.

SIGRIST:

Edie wanted me to ask you about the pickles.

ROSEMAN:

[unclear]?

SIGRIST:

Pickles. Edie said to ask you about the pickles.

HORN:

Your — your mother —

ROSEMAN:

The sour pickles?

HORN:

What your mother did in the basement.

ROSEMAN:

Sure.

HORN:

Yeah.

ROSEMAN:

They [unclear] — we — we — we — we put 'em in the basement, you know, all the ways down in the cold weather. Then it came out real good food to eat.

SIGRIST:

Did you eat any meat?

ROSEMAN:

Meat? Yeah, have piece of meat once in a while. Sure.

SIGRIST:

Did — do you know, was it your meat? Where did the meat come from? What kind of —

ROSEMAN:

From the butcher. [chuckles]

SIGRIST:

So you didn't have any animals?

ROSEMAN:

Sure, we had a — a — a — you know, a — [unclear] chickens. [unclear] chickens.

HORN:

A chicken or two?

ROSEMAN:

A chicken. Yeah. That was a must on Saturday according to the, you know, Saturday af — Friday, you cooked that and you watch it like it was diamonds. [chuckles] And Friday night you eat it at the beginning, you know, when — when [unclear]. And — and Saturday, you — you will still have it in [unclear] pieces, you know.

SIGRIST:

What would you eat on a special occasion? Like for Passover, what would you eat for —

ROSEMAN:

Passover?

SIGRIST:

In Russia?

ROSEMAN:

Matzahs. That's — that's it. Matzahs. Matzah [unclear], matzah [unclear], you know.

SIGRIST:

What — what else do you remember about celebrating Passover in Russia?

ROSEMAN:

Well, I don't remember — they go out dancing. It's mostly, you know, like an important holiday. So you stayed in the house and eat and drink and that's all.

SIGRIST:

Who would come to your house to celebrate?

ROSEMAN:

Oh, family, relatives. We had [unclear] — we went to them and that's all.

SIGRIST:

Did you have a synagogue in your town in Russia?

ROSEMAN:

Kindergarten?

SIGRIST:

Syn — synagogue, a temple?

ROSEMAN:

Sure, we had a shul, a shul, you know, a nice big shul.

SIGRIST:

You said shul? Shul.

ROSEMAN:

Shul.

SIGRIST:

Shul. How often would you go to shul?

ROSEMAN:

[chuckles] Children — I would [unclear] celebrate the [unclear]. [unclear], that was the [several words unclear] and then you do a kiddish [PH], you know — you know what a —

SIGRIST:

Kiddish. No, just — what is a kiddish?

ROSEMAN:

A kiddish, after they — they pray, they eat and [unclear] something. That's a kiddish, you know. Like a little —

SIGRIST:

Prayer?

ROSEMAN:

Celebrate. Now, you're [unclear]. What else? Take 'em out [several words unclear].

SIGRIST:

You — you're doing a wonderful job. You got a — you — you're remembering a lot.

ROSEMAN:

Oh, yeah.

SIGRIST:

T — tell me what your father's name was.

ROSEMAN:

Father's name —

SIGRIST:

What was your father's name?

ROSEMAN:

All I know is the prayed mor — morning and all the night. That's all I can tell you.

SIGRIST:

What was your father's name?

ROSEMAN:

Name?

SIGRIST:

His name.

ROSEMAN:

Yeah. Well, I can't remember. [chuckles] Josef [PH], I guess.

SIGRIST:

Josef?

ROSEMAN:

Yes.

SIGRIST:

And what was his last name? Your maiden name?

ROSEMAN:

Listen, stop it right there. I don't know a thing. [unclear]. [chuckles]

SIGRIST:

What was your name before you got married? Your last name?

ROSEMAN:

Harash — Harash. I got it. See? I got it.

SIGRIST:

Edie. Can you spell?

HORN:

Well, it was Americanized to Harris when they came over.

SIGRIST:

All right. What — what was it —

HORN:

Harash.

SIGRIST:

Just say it louder. Yeah.

HORN:

Harash. You'll have to do it phonetically. I have no idea.

SIGRIST:

H-A-R-A-S-H.

HORN:

Yeah.

ROSEMAN:

Harash. Harris in English.

HORN:

Yeah, in America — and when they came to — when her brother came to —

ROSEMAN:

Where did you get — that's a young man.

SIGRIST:

To Harash.

ROSEMAN:

A handsome young man.

SIGRIST:

Harris.

ROSEMAN:

Where did you get him, Edith?

HORN:

[chuckles] He's a friend, Ma. Good friend.

SIGRIST:

What — what was — Pable? Pebble?

HORN:

Paro. Paro is Pearl.

SIGRIST:

Can you spell Perl? P-E-R-L or —

HORN:

Well, I guess you would have to spell it [unclear].

ROSEMAN:

Paulia [PH]. Paulia.

SIGRIST:

Paulia?

ROSEMAN:

They called me in — in Austria, it's Paulia.

SIGRIST:

Do you know how to spell that?

ROSEMAN:

Ah —

SIGRIST:

Just thought I'd ask.

ROSEMAN:

Any old way you spell.

SIGRIST:

All right. We'll look it up.

ROSEMAN:

[unclear]

SIGRIST:

What did your father do for a living in Russia?

ROSEMAN:

He — he prayed. That's all he done. Oh, yes. They still [unclear]. He pray day and night and night and day, a very religious man. I can't see why my mother ever got married to him. [chuckles]

SIGRIST:

Do you remember a prayer that he taught you when you were a girl?

ROSEMAN:

No. He didn't have the time to take — take anybody. He prayed morning and — don't even ask me anymore. [chuckles] Okay. I'm [unclear].

SIGRIST:

Wait. You just lost your microphone here.

ROSEMAN:

[unclear].

SIGRIST:

Yeah, tell me when it's on here.

HORN:

[sentence unclear].

SIGRIST:

Yeah. Well, yeah. Yeah. Don't take it personally. [unclear]. But there's a way to — I'm going to put the microphone back on you. Because you —

ROSEMAN:

Where do you come to get this guy?

HORN:

He's a good friend. We've known him for years.

ROSEMAN:

Oh, good.

SIGRIST:

Are you enjoying yourself? [laughs]

HORN:

She is.

ROSEMAN:

[laughs]

SIGRIST:

And I'm enjoying myself.

HORN:

[sentence unclear].

SIGRIST:

Mrs. Roseman, what was your mother's name?

ROSEMAN:

What us [unclear]? Oh, gee. Ruchel [PH]. Ruchel, I suppose.

SIGRIST:

Gokel?

HORN:

Ruchel.

ROSEMAN:

Ruchel, Ruchel.

SIGRIST:

Gret — like Gretl.

HORN:

Like when [unclear] —

SIGRIST:

Uh-huh.

HORN:

Ruchel. R-U-C-H-E-L. Something like that.

SIGRIST:

R-U-C-H-E-L. Ruchel.

HORN:

I'll have to —

ROSEMAN:

If you know what you're asking now of people lived years ago —

SIGRIST:

Yes.

ROSEMAN:

— you wouldn't have the nerve to bother me. [chuckles]

SIGRIST:

Let me — let me ask you, what did your mother do around the house?

ROSEMAN:

She worked very hard.

SIGRIST:

Doing what?

ROSEMAN:

Baking bread. Bread.

SIGRIST:

What kind of bread was it?

ROSEMAN:

Well, what can I describe you? You know, when you bought it, it's that bake.

SIGRIST:

Was it dark bread or light bread?

ROSEMAN:

Just like the companies make. Very good.

SIGRIST:

Uh-huh.

ROSEMAN:

Yeah, see.

SIGRIST:

Did she have a job outside of the home?

ROSEMAN:

This was the job. She was always — she was always home, you know. She — they had a — a basement all the ways there. There we used to [unclear] —

HORN:

Pickle. You used to —

ROSEMAN:

Yeah, my [unclear].

SIGRIST:

Yeah. Speak louder when you speak.

HORN:

Remember, you had barrels and she would pickle vegetables and cabbage. And they would trade it for other foods and other things. And she would — that was her business. But she — and — and maybe the [unclear].

SIGRIST:

Did she sell the bread that she made? Did she ever sell it?

ROSEMAN:

I don't know. Maybe — maybe the — maybe they changed from one another, you know, at holidays, that, you know.

SIGRIST:

Did you have brothers and sisters?

ROSEMAN:

Well, if I had brothers and sisters?

SIGRIST:

Yeah.

ROSEMAN:

Oh, well. You got brothers and sister —

HORN:

Well, the sisters were very big sewers, remember? Your sisters, dressmakers.

ROSEMAN:

It's a long time.

HORN:

Yeah.

ROSEMAN:

Long time. I can't [unclear] —

SIGRIST:

Careful not to give too much information.

HORN:

Oh, okay. So —

SIGRIST:

Yeah. Did you go to school in Russia?

ROSEMAN:

[chuckles] Are you joking?

SIGRIST:

W — well, tell — tell me what — tell me —

ROSEMAN:

I didn't go to school and I learned how to write in — write a letter to send to my [unclear], keep my [unclear] in a different town. Yeah, yeah.

SIGRIST:

Who taught you how to write?

ROSEMAN:

Huh?

SIGRIST:

Who taught you how to write?

ROSEMAN:

Who — who taught me?

SIGRIST:

Who taught you?

ROSEMAN:

Well, they — that guy over there.

HORN:

No. Uncle William, maybe?

ROSEMAN:

Huh?

HORN:

Maybe Uncle William? Your older brother?

ROSEMAN:

[unclear] somebody in the family. Oh, yeah.

SIGRIST:

Were — [clears throat] excuse me. Were girls allowed to get an education at that time?

ROSEMAN:

Huh?

SIGRIST:

Were — were young ladies allowed to get an education at that time?

ROSEMAN:

I believe that they did. I find out. I listen. I didn't mix with the young girls too much. There was a very famous family that lived right around the corner in there [unclear] people. But they had to live what you call downtown where we lived. And that was the best family. I never met and I was with them until I came to America.

SIGRIST:

Why did you want to come to America?

ROSEMAN:

Because in America [unclear] gelt [PH]. You know? [chuckles] You know, they call the money with — just when you give a look, that's what you are taught. [chuckles] Now you got it?

SIGRIST:

Did you have any relatives who were in America before you got here?

ROSEMAN:

I think, yes. Yeah, yeah. I had somebody. And I wanted to go to America. I — I thought I'll — really going to [unclear] but it didn't. I worked very hard but it's okay. As long as in America.

SIGRIST:

Did any other people from your family come with you to America?

ROSEMAN:

No, no.

HORN:

Your mother.

ROSEMAN:

Huh?

HORN:

Your — your mother and another —

ROSEMAN:

My mother?

HORN:

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

ROSEMAN:

Yeah, my mother.

SIGRIST:

Oh, your mother came with you?

ROSEMAN:

Yeah, sure.

SIGRIST:

Uh-huh. And Edie, and somebody else?

HORN:

There was another elderly woman but not from the family.

ROSEMAN:

What?

HORN:

You — you were — you brought your mother and another elderly woman, another older woman. But I don't know the name. She —

ROSEMAN:

[sentence unclear].

HORN:

But really, just the mother.

SIGRIST:

You remember your mother coming with you?

ROSEMAN:

My mother. Of course.

SIGRIST:

Yeah.

ROSEMAN:

Yeah.

SIGRIST:

What did you — what did you take with you from Russia when you left to come to America?

ROSEMAN:

You talking America [unclear] gold. And you'll get everything. And I didn't have to get anything from Russia to come to the golden land in America. But that was a mistake. [chuckles]

SIGRIST:

[chuckles]

ROSEMAN:

Every [unclear] I should have bring. But I didn't bring [unclear] managed with the [unclear] and [several words unclear]. You know. And I ma — managed in America.

SIGRIST:

Did you have to be examined before you left Russia?

ROSEMAN:

I suppose so. I don't remember. I — possible, you know.

SIGRIST:

Do you remember saying goodbye to your family before you left?

ROSEMAN:

Yes. Yeah, this is — was in the family stuff, you know, when you go to Amer — [chuckles] — [unclear] America. Well, they didn't know that when I came to America I had to work very hard right here in America. Remember? [chuckles]

SIGRIST:

When you left your town in Russia, where did you have to go to get on the boat?

ROSEMAN:

Listen. Don't — you figure it out. I don't [chuckles] —

SIGRIST:

[chuckles] Okay. Do you remember — you mentioned earlier you had to — to cross a river or go over a river.

ROSEMAN:

Ah —

SIGRIST:

What do you remember about leaving Russia and traveling to get to the boat? What happened?

ROSEMAN:

I guess [unclear], you know, that across the street from us you had to walk. And there's a big river underneath. So me, I must have [unclear] somebody, you know, that I walked with a [unclear] or something. Don't mind me what I said.

SIGRIST:

Okay. [chuckles]

ROSEMAN:

Don't pay attention.

SIGRIST:

Before we leave Russia, is there anything I should ask about, Edie [unclear]?

ROSEMAN:

I wanted to show off.

HORN:

[unclear] Do you remember —

SIGRIST:

Do you remember the Russian Revolution? What happened during the Revolution?

ROSEMAN:

Listen, don't make a story out of me. [chuckles]

HORN:

No, [several words unclear].

ROSEMAN:

I'm a [unclear]. I'm not an educated lady.

SIGRIST:

Okay. [chuckles]

ROSEMAN:

[laughs]

SIGRIST:

Do you remember being on the boat?

ROSEMAN:

On the — yes, I — yes.

SIGRIST:

Do you remember the name of the boat?

ROSEMAN:

I don't remember the name. I remember it's — a young man was there. And he said, "Let's take a — on the boat. On the boat. Let's — let's take a walk," he said. So I said — said to myself, '[unclear].' As soon as we turned around, he wanted to start playing with me. I'll never forget that guy. [chuckles] He didn't ask me anymore. [laughs]

SIGRIST:

Haven't had this much fun [unclear] —

ROSEMAN:

I'll never —

SIGRIST:

— in a long time. [laughs]

ROSEMAN:

I'll never forget it. [chuckles]

HORN:

[sentence unclear].

ROSEMAN:

[unclear]. No, those characters are all over. No. What else?

SIGRIST:

What else do you remember about the boat?

ROSEMAN:

Please. I remember [unclear].

HORN:

Tell him how you liked to look over at —

SIGRIST:

Did you —

ROSEMAN:

Oh?

HORN:

How you liked to stand by the railing.

SIGRIST:

D — did you go up on deck on the — on the deck of the ship?

ROSEMAN:

I'm — I'm sure I — I [unclear] all over to see what's going on.

SIGRIST:

Do you remember what you could see up there?

ROSEMAN:

From — from the ship?

SIGRIST:

From the deck.

ROSEMAN:

You see the world, see plenty. Oh, yeah. This I wouldn't miss. You know how you — I won't have to say things I was.

SIGRIST:

Do you remember where you slept on the ship?

ROSEMAN:

I — I could have — oh, [unclear] mark down where I slept. Everybody had a place, you know.

SIGRIST:

Did you ever eat anything on the boat that —

ROSEMAN:

Eat?

SIGRIST:

— made an impression on you?

ROSEMAN:

In order — in order to live you had to eat. So whatever they gave me, I ate, I suppose. If not, I [unclear].

SIGRIST:

Do you remember how long the — the trip took to get to America?

ROSEMAN:

Oh, yes. About 10 days, I think. Sure, it was [unclear]. You know, it went kind of fast.

SIGRIST:

Uh-huh. How did — did you — did you like being on the boat?

ROSEMAN:

[sentence unclear]. I was glad to run away from there. I wanted to come to America to golden land.

SIGRIST:

To get the money off the streets. [chuckles]

ROSEMAN:

Yeah, yeah.

SIGRIST:

Now, where did the ship land?

ROSEMAN:

Don't ask me a question like that. I wasn't that smart.

SIGRIST:

Well —

ROSEMAN:

It landed. That's all.

SIGRIST:

But what city did the ship go to? Do you remember?

ROSEMAN:

No.

SIGRIST:

Because we had talked earlier. Edie — Edie thought that it was that you came in in Boston or maybe New York. You're not sure.

ROSEMAN:

Now, you see, so you — I got it the same thing.

HORN:

Did it make one stop when it got to America or two?

ROSEMAN:

Oh, no. Oh, the [unclear]. Listen.

SIGRIST:

Do you remember —

ROSEMAN:

I came to America. That's all I wanted to know.

SIGRIST:

Did you see the Statue of Liberty when the boat came in?

ROSEMAN:

Is that — that reminds me. Later on, I think somebody took — took me for [unclear].

SIGRIST:

But not necessarily when the boat first came in.

ROSEMAN:

No.

SIGRIST:

No.

ROSEMAN:

No.

SIGRIST:

Well, what happened when you got off the boat? What — what happened?

ROSEMAN:

[chuckles] I got feet so I started to walk where I had to go. But don't ask me where I went.

SIGRIST:

Well, when you first got to America, where did you live? What town — what city did you live in?

ROSEMAN:

In Brooklyn, I think.

HORN:

Milford, Milford.

ROSEMAN:

Where?

HORN:

Didn't you go to Uncle William, to Milford first?

ROSEMAN:

To Milford?

HORN:

Yeah, Milford.

ROSEMAN:

Milford, where?

HORN:

Massachusetts.

ROSEMAN:

Milford, Massachusetts.

SIGRIST:

Milford, Massachusetts.

ROSEMAN:

Oh, very classy place there.

HORN:

But did you like it? Remember how you felt it was too small town?

ROSEMAN:

Well, listen —

HORN:

She was —

ROSEMAN:

What I didn't like, they didn't pay no attention, but it was nice.

SIGRIST:

Did you get a job?

ROSEMAN:

This I got right away, a job.

SIGRIST:

What kind of a job?

ROSEMAN:

They have a [unclear] sitting by the machine, by the sewing machine. Did you see it? That's in [unclear].

SIGRIST:

So you were working on a sewing machine.

ROSEMAN:

Oh —

SIGRIST:

What were you making? Do you remember what — what — what kind of clothing?

ROSEMAN:

Well, that — whatever the company gave me, that's what I made.

SIGRIST:

Do you — and do you remember how much you were paid for that?

ROSEMAN:

How much I made?

SIGRIST:

Yeah.

ROSEMAN:

This I can't remember.

HORN:

[unclear].

SIGRIST:

Okay. H — do you remember being interviewed for that job?

ROSEMAN:

Sure.

SIGRIST:

What do you remember?

ROSEMAN:

Well, they — they tell me and they — they said — they said, you know, can't [unclear].

SIGRIST:

What — you were living with your brother?

ROSEMAN:

Who is the guy?

HORN:

A friend of mine, [unclear].

SIGRIST:

[chuckles] I'm from Ellis Island.

ROSEMAN:

Oh, yeah?

SIGRIST:

Yeah.

ROSEMAN:

You're joking.

SIGRIST:

No, I'm serious.

ROSEMAN:

You live now near —

SIGRIST:

M — no, I work at Ellis Island.

ROSEMAN:

No, you work.

SIGRIST:

I work at Ellis Island.

ROSEMAN:

Well, you'll find out in Ellis Island the rest of me.

SIGRIST:

Just a couple more questions and then we'll stop. What was your brother doing in Milford? What — what was his job?

ROSEMAN:

That brother? Did you say a —

SIGRIST:

Your brother.

ROSEMAN:

My brother?

SIGRIST:

Yeah, you —

HORN:

Uncle William.

SIGRIST:

You lived with Uncle William, with your brother, William.

ROSEMAN:

Oh, I don't know what I did. All I know is that I — I was a good worker, whatever I done and wherever I worked.

SIGRIST:

Do you remember how you learned English?

ROSEMAN:

Well, I'm a smart little girl. You know, right away I know English. C — come to think of it, how did I learn? You think that I've done it fast? [unclear] fast English. Well, I — you know, I — I remember at my friends [unclear] me [unclear] was furious because I spoke English and they didn't. Remember, you know, I told you?

HORN:

Yeah.

ROSEMAN:

Yeah. I was a smart lady.

SIGRIST:

Did you become an American citizen?

ROSEMAN:

Am I — I — sure.

SIGRIST:

Yes.

ROSEMAN:

You know, who's the guy, Edith?

SIGRIST:

[laughs]

ROSEMAN:

He's too fast for me.

SIGRIST:

[laughs] All right. Well, we're almost done. Did you — did you —

ROSEMAN:

Oh, it's at the beginning now?

SIGRIST:

No, no. We're at the end now.

ROSEMAN:

I hope so.

SIGRIST:

[chuckles] Okay.

ROSEMAN:

[unclear] needs a cup of coffee [unclear]. [laughter]

SIGRIST:

Did you ever want to go back to Russia?

ROSEMAN:

No.

SIGRIST:

Did you ever see any of your family again?

ROSEMAN:

My family? No.

SIGRIST:

Your mother or — or your father?

ROSEMAN:

Sure.

SIGRIST:

Your mother was with you.

ROSEMAN:

Oh, sure. Sure. Yeah, my father, sure. He — he prayed day and night. Oh, he didn't know a thing but praying day and night.

SIGRIST:

Did he ever come to America?

ROSEMAN:

Who?

SIGRIST:

Your father.

ROSEMAN:

Who knows? I — I — I was a — [unclear] a little girl, me. I was a very — I was among the people, the this, the that. Oh, I — I was active.

SIGRIST:

Did your mother get a job when you came to America?

ROSEMAN:

No.

SIGRIST:

No.

ROSEMAN:

She was a woman that she didn't have to have a job. People, they know Gietl [PH] — her name is Gietl. Remember?

SIGRIST:

Gietl, uh-huh.

ROSEMAN:

Gietl. And she would bake for them, calling, you know, that — that perfect baker, you know.

SIGRIST:

Did she learn English?

ROSEMAN:

No.

SIGRIST:

Did she like being in America?

ROSEMAN:

Who doesn't like when you live in Russia, you know. I can't see anybody not liking. Right?

SIGRIST:

Right. Well, I think that's probably a good place for us to end.

HORN:

[laughs]

SIGRIST:

Mrs. Roseman, thank you very much —

ROSEMAN:

Oh. [chuckles]

SIGRIST:

— for letting me ask these questions.

ROSEMAN:

Thank you for — it's a pleasure to — who's the guy?

HORN:

Ellis Island. [laughter]

SIGRIST:

All right. Let me just sign off. This is Paul Sigrist. My name is Paul.

ROSEMAN:

Paul?

SIGRIST:

Paul Sigrist and I'm signing off with Pearl Roseman, with her daughter, Edie Horn, in attendance on Monday, September 29 th , 1997 in Bayonne, New Jersey. Thank you very much.

ROSEMAN:

So I'll be in the paper.

SIGRIST:

Well, no. You'll be on tape though. [laughter] [END OF INTERVIEW]