John Baker, born in 1955 in Columbia, South Carolina, recounts the history of Baker & Baker, the law practice turned real estate development firm established by his father, David Baker, and his father's first cousin, Lee Baker, after World War II. David married JoAnn Schreiber of Brunswick, Georgia, and they raised five children in Columbia. Growing up Jewish, John remarks that although the Bakers were not very observant, they were intensely proud of their heritage. He and his twin brother, Frank, became bar mitzvahs in a double ceremony at Tree of Life Synagogue, attended by prominent South Carolina politicians, including Strom Thurmond, who knew David Baker through his civic engagement. John notes his admiration for his paternal grandmother, Clara Kligman (Kligerman) Baker, a Polish immigrant who ran a grocery store in Columbia. After earning his business degree from the University of South Carolina, the interviewee worked for real estate developer Walter Keenan. In 1979 John joined his father and Lee Baker in their firm as a property manager. Twelve years later he married Marcie Stern of Columbia; they have a daughter, Gabrielle. In the mid-1990s John and Lee Baker's son-in-law, Steven Anastasion, took over daily operations at Baker & Baker. John discusses his support of Israel and describes his involvement in the local community. The transcript contains corrections made by the interviewee during proofing.
Black-and-white engraving depicting a masked ball on the occasion of Purim. Engraving by Caspar Jacobsz Philips after a drawing by Pieter Wagenaar, Jr. From Oude en tegenwoordige staat en geschiedenis van alle godsdiensten, Volume 1, by William Hurd, published Amsterdam: M. de Bruyn, 1781-1791.
Eyewitness account of 1910 appearance of Halley's comet in Croatia (then part of Austro-Hungarian Empire). Author mentions that the comet's appearance portended eventual war in that country and points to the later assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and the outbreak of WWI as validation.
Color photographic postcard of Arthur Balfour's reception at the electrical power station in Tel Aviv during his 1925 visit to Palestine. Balfour (fourth from right); to his right, Pinhas Rutenberg. Meir Dizengoff stands second from right.
Color photographic postcard of Arthur Balfour's reception at the Zionist Club in Tel Aviv during his 1925 visit to Palestine. Meir Dizengoff stands to his left.
Color photographic postcard of Arthur Balfour's reception at the Agricultural Experiment Station in Tel Aviv during his 1925 visit to Palestine. With Chaim Weizmann (third from right), Meir Dizengoff (far right), and Nahum Sokolow (second from left).
