![]() ![]() It wasn’t everyday a Brit could be celebrated in Hawkes Bay so everyone came! Our parents and friends travelled up from Wellington, so we had a lot of people for one small house. We invited the entire Jewish community to the Brit. There had been a strong presence of Jews in the Hawkes Bay and still quite a few families remained there. Six months later I was transferred to Apple Radio in Hastings and this is where our first son Ari was born. It was a big event with a packed Shule with the mayor and politicians in attendance. It was in 1977 that I was asked to MC the official opening of the new Wellington Jewish Community Centre in Webb Street. It was back in Wellington where Darlya, the first of our three children was born. We returned to Wellington after a year to join Radio 2ZM. So we got married again and again, but this time at the Civic Theatre which seated over a 1,000 people. I played the part of Motel and Linda played Tzeitel. We doubled the Jewish population of Invercargill! During our spare time Linda and I performed in the Invercargill Operatic Society’s production of Fiddler on the Roof. ![]() I was president of JYM (Jewish Young Marrieds) at the time and had to resign to take up my new post. I had joined my father in the handbag business but left a few years later to join NZBC as a radio announcer. In fact this was one of the last weddings to take place at the Beth El Synagogue, as it was demolished shortly afterwards to make way for the new motorway. Linda and I married at the same Shule on The Terrace my parents had. It took considerable skills to convince her to change her allegiance and be part of ‘Milk and Honey’. I was producing a musical for the WJSC called ‘The Land of Milk and Honey’ and she was rehearsing for another show for the Wellington Operatic Society. She had just returned from London after almost 3 years doing her OE. It was at a Habonim 3rd Seder, when I was in my early 20’s that Linda Gould took my attention. Many of the friends I made at Habonim remain firm friends and are the centre of our social circle today. I was heavily involved with Habonim as a leader and as Rosh Ken. My mother Betty was secretary for WJSC for many years, involved in Banot Group of WIZO and for a great many years with Chevra Kadisha. I played for the WJSC basketball team for many years and was Captain for half of that time. The WJSC had its own premises in Ghuznee Street, and was the hub for recreational and cultural activities for the Wellington Jewish Community. He was president of the WJSC (Wellington Jewish Social Club) for 17 years. My father owned a handbag manufacturing business in Wellington and he worked tirelessly for the Jewish community. ![]()
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