New Oral Histories: 
Ola and Fawzy Abdelwahed of B & H Dairy,
and Arthur Levin

We’ve just added our 49th and 50th oral histories to our collection – Ola and Fawzy Abdelwahed of B & H Dairy, and Arthur Levin. 
 

Ola and Fawzy Abdelwahed: This true New York love story features a Muslim born in Egypt and a former Catholic born in Poland who worked across the street from one another, fell in love, were married, and now run a Kosher restaurant together, B&H Dairy, at 127 2nd Avenue between 7th Street and St. Mark’s Place. B&H Dairy has served generations of Lower East Side and East Village residents and New Yorkers from every walk of life. B&H Dairy received a Village Preservation Village Award in 2017 and celebrated its 80th birthday in 2018. In the oral history Ola and Fwazy discuss running B&H Dairy since 2003 and the challenges they have faced, including the near-destruction of their space and closure for months as a result of the nearby 2nd Avenue gas explosion in 2015.

Read or listen here.

Arthur (Art) Levin has served as a Village Preservation Trustee for over 20 years, including as President since 2012, overseeing a period of great organizational growth. Art grew up on the Upper West Side and has lived on West 11th Street since 1969. This oral history explores his experience with progressive politics, spearheading social programs, and community organizing over fifty years, as well as how the Village has changed in that time. He also discusses his experience with the explosion of the Weather Underground bomb factory next door to his house in 1970. 

Read or listen here.

These latest oral histories follow four dozen others available on our website, from preservation pioneers like Jane Jacobs to dance pioneers like Merce Cunningham; trailblazing architects like Richard Meier to film and photo trailblazers like Jonas Mekas and Marlis Momber; from Village Voice co-founder Edwin Fancher to CHARAS-El Bohio co-founder Chino Garcia, and many more.  Explore them all here.