Page 7 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - February 14
P. 7
HABONIM AND MEDICINE
GERRY HASS, BOSTON USA
W I was determined to join and I loved the singing
riting about my life in Habonim in
the 1950s is not easy because the
and made friends with many members of the
passage of time has erased a lot of
steps. We went on tour to Liverpool and
details. I remember the friendships and the choir, even becoming a dancer once I learned the
highlights and the enjoyment of the activities. I Glasgow as well as performing at the Royal
didn’t go to Israel; instead I went to medical Albert Hall in London.
school and grew up absorbed by the demands of
student life and the intensity of training as a I also became involved with Gedud HaNegev
newly qualified doctor. where I was a madrich and saw Harold and
Miriam Hirsch and Rosa (Shosh) Webber.
I joined Plugat Yagur in North West London
when I was about 14 and quickly became close My family never really participated in my
friends with Geoffrey Felberg, Michael Flower movement activities but they got to meet and
and Neville Harris. The last two had older like my friends. We spent most weekends
siblings who were our madrichim. They were visiting each other’s homes and noshing on cake
June Flower (Blank) and Geoffrey Harris. and fizzy drinks as well as singing and swapping
stories.
We had weekly meetings in Golders Green and
often went to the NW London Bayit in Kilburn We lived in Hendon, in a conservative Jewish
for activities and events. We went on rambles community although we were not ultra orthodox.
and we had wonderful weekend camping trips My two brothers and I were in the synagogue
and in the summers spent two weeks under choir and we had many friends in the community
canvas in Yorkshire and Ireland. and in our local schools.
These meetings and trips were probably the most I played football and did athletics in the school
fun. I looked forward to the singing, dancing and teams but since games were on Shabbat I had to
good friends. Lela Goodman (now Argyle) was sneak out to compete instead of going to shul.
part of our group. Bert (Aryeh) Wolfin and Paul To everyone’s surprise (including me) I was
Bilgory, Alan Rosenthal and Wilf Webber were awarded a national scholarship given by the
good friends. The biggest draw for me was the Royal College of Surgeons of England and I was
Habonim Choir which I first saw at a accepted by the London Hospital Medical
performance in a large cinema in Finchley and I College to study medicine. I was eighteen years
was hooked. This easily outshone the synagogue old and terrified that I wouldn’t survive medical
choir in which I had sung since I was 10 years school. My older brother Fred was in law school
old. The songs were powerful and thrilling and at University College and my younger brother
the conductor, Yehudah Goodman was Sidney studied at the London School of
charismatic. Israeli dances were exciting and Economics.
beautiful and I lapped it all up.
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