Episode 116: Dalia Taft

Dalia Taft and Jeanne Pepper together for recording of Episode 116

Dalia Taft

The Historian with a History of Giving Back

Director, Orange County Jewish Historical Society

Grants Committee Chairman, Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County

Dalia Taft is the Director and Archivist for the Orange County Jewish Historical Society (OCJHS), a program of the Merage Jewish Community Center. Since 2007, she has been the leading expert responsible for discovering, preserving, and promoting the rich history of the Jewish presence in Orange County, California, which has roots stretching back over 160 years. Her work involves maintaining and digitizing the Society's growing archives, lecturing regularly on significant historical periods, and raising public awareness of Jewish contributions to the region's development.

A skilled communicator and scholar, Ms. Taft is a recognized author and filmmaker dedicated to telling the story of her community. She wrote and directed the influential documentary California Orange Jews: The Story of the Jews of Orange County, and published the authoritative book Jewish Pioneers of Orange County. She is also a long-standing monthly columnist for JLife, Orange County’s Jewish magazine, where she shares archival images and stories. Ms. Taft's formal education includes graduating summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from UCLA with a degree in art.

Taft's dedication to service, often described by the phrase "A History of Giving Back," is evident in her extensive volunteer roles. She serves as the volunteer Chair of the Grants Committee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County and has an established history of involvement in Jewish communal professional life. Prior to her work in historical preservation, her professional experience included impactful roles such as an educator at the renowned Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles and a public relations manager for the Easter Seals organization, underscoring her commitment to education, tolerance, and philanthropy.

Dalia Taft, tells us about her personal journey in philanthropy and how she became an integral part of the Jewish community’s volunteer superstars. I first met Dalia almost twenty years ago when she was participating with our children in the Orange County standout organization “The Community Scholars Program” which brought us together for scholarship, camping trips, and other family friendly Jewish activities. Dalia presently is the volunteer chair of the Grants Committee of the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County. She also lives at the intersection of illegal immigration, the Hispanic community and the Jewish community because her son recently married a “Dreamer.” Dalia discusses the importance of compassion for these children of illegal immigrants that are not allowed citizenship as adults and fear deportation. She also discusses her religious and spiritual beliefs and how they have changed over the years. This is a fascinating interview which will leave you with new perspectives on immigration and its affect on the children in this marginalized community.

Episode 116

Hosted by: Jeanne Pepper

Guest: Dalia Taft

Executive Producer: Jeanne Pepper

Producer: Eli Moskowitz

Original Theme: Jay Bernstein

Special Thank You to our volunteers

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