Page 50 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - Autumn 21
P. 50
old enough to remember the problems of Habonim was a crucial and
1956 though the machinations between the significant part of my life
English, the French, however the Israelis for the few years that I was
were not known to me until much later. I heavily involved in it– part
remember saying to friends of mine that the of my past but I owe it a lot.
1967 war was a magnificent success, which The fact that Habonim and
will lead to nothing but trouble. Conquerors I could not manage to
always become dictators. No doubt there are consummate our
various views about this among anyone who Charlie Pottins relationship any further
is reading this article, but I still believe that than we did, is simply that not everything
protecting Israel whatever else happened, suits everybody all the time. But that does not
justified the war. stop me being grateful for what it gave me.
So, I had and still do have mixed views. I P.S. I am conscious that this article is all
come regularly to Israel and my base is now about me and very little about anybody else
the Dan Hotel in Tel Aviv. It shows how far involved with Manchester at the time I was
I have come from the David Eder farm in involved. So let me mention, apart from
Sussex. Mike Leigh, the late Esther Clayton and the
late Jackie Levine, Charlie Pottins, who
We called into what was the David Eder
farm, a few years ago on our way home from was forever fermenting a world revolution
Glyndebourne – also a far cry from sing- somewhere, Barbara Hulme, Joy (Walzer)
songs around a campfire. The place was Rosen and Judith (Moss) Angel and
unrecognisable. It was empty but all the countless others who came into and drifted
doors were open and it was littered outside out of the environment. There must be
with expensive toys for children. I would records somewhere that someone could put
love to have talked to someone about how together a less egotistical view of the world.
they came to acquire this property, but there However, I was asked to write about my
was no one there to talk to, so before we were experiences there, and this is what I have
challenged as trespassers, we left. produced.
2015 Garin Zayin Celebration. Geoff and Gay
Shindler with IBH Chairman Barry Coleman
rd
Extract of one poem from 3 Seder Haggadah, Manchester 1960
50
