Errol Gotsman’s talk at Krugersdorp and K.H.S.

reunion at Raanana, 21^st March,

Speaking from own personal experience and of course, experiences and impressions are time dependent.

Although I was born in Krugersdorp and went to Krugersdorp Town School,

at age 12 I moved to Randfonten and attended KHS from 1947 to 1951; 1947 was the year that KHS moved to Kenmare.

Classmates, Wolfie Shar and Gina Eting (nee Silverman)

(These were some of our favorite Jewish Youth Leaders, there were others who we admired greatly)

As regards Habonim (the builders, the name of the Jewish scouts), I was a member for as long as I can remember.

In Habonim circles we were often referred to as the “Wild West Rand” and in preparing this, I tried to analyze why?

A We had a sense of freedom – and a healthy attitude of questioning authority,

no doubt due to the atmosphere that prevailed at KHS.

The time was just after WWII and its influence was still felt.

i. KHS was one of the few co-ed high schools (so we grew up in natural surroundings, with girls around.)

ii. The school in Kenmare was isolated, far from everything. If you missed the bus, you had to walk for miles thro’ the koppies.

iii. We Jews, although a small minority, were well integrated , possibly not socially, but there were some Jewish – Gentile “couples”.

iv. KHS was the only school in the Transvaal that allowed one to study Hebrew (classical) for Matric, during normal school classes.

B An important influence in shaping our characters and contributing to the atmosphere were the TEACHERS.

Before telling a few stories from KHS, I would like to relate an incident that is typical of the dorp I was exposed to at Town School.

I think I was ten years old, in standard 4, anyway our class teacher was a fellow named Marais.

One day he didn’t come to school and all the art equipment was locked in a cupboard and he had the key.

The substitute teacher wanted to know who had come to school by bike and I put up my hand.

He said I was to go to the boarding house in Ockerse St. where Marais lived and get the key to the cupboards.

Off I went to the boarding house – the proprietor told which room was Marais’ and I knocked on the door and went in.

Marais was lying on the bed, well the worse for wear for drink.

The odor wasn’t too good, but anyway I told him why I was there and he gave me the keys.

Before I could get out of the door, he called me back and said,

“Gotsman, remember when you get married, you don’t only marry your wife, you also marry her family!”

I don’t know what caused these words of wisdom, but it stuck with me for 65 years.

I also remember Rabbi Wolk Z”L (at cheder (the afternoon Hebrew school) in K’dorp and also I think the first year at KHS)

He had also been a shochet (a ritual slaughterer) and had split his forefinger.

Anyway, it was double the width of his other fingers and when he got annoyed, he used to hit you on the ear with it, calling you a “confounded fool”.

-2-At KHS, of course the spirit of the school was set by the principal “Orri” Rogers, who used to come to school on a horse.

He was a kind , liberal and erudite man (where else did they have a principal on a pony?)

Amongst other impressions:

Riding the train every school day from Randfontein to Luipaardsvlei, (20 minutes)

we learnt to write while travelling and had sufficient time to copy homework when necessary.

Sports was of course important, and took up most of our afternoons.

Other memories were spending time at the “baths” (Municipal swimming pool in Krugersdorp)

(Or Robinson Lake in Randfontein), playing water polo.)

After matriculating, coming to Israel for a year on the course “Mahon L’Madrichei Cutz LaAretz”

(also on the course, Lee Danilowitz from K”dorp) in 1952.

West Rand machanot (scout camps) were also great, frightening to think of the responsibility we took,

taking 8 year old away under those primitive conditions, tents being washed away in heavy rainfall…

learning to improvise, but it was good training for the future.

I was leader of a chavurah (shomrim (a group of older kids who took care of the younger ones) in Johannesburg.

Could tell many stories of machanot at Leaches Bay (East London) and West Rand machanot – on another occasion.

Finished a B.Sc. (Hons) in Applies Maths and Physics at Wits. Married Lesley Targowsky, whom I met through Habonim.

(Frankie, late Les’ sister is here and she is also a KHS alumni)

Went to London in 1959. Read for a Ph.D. in Physics at Imperial College, London. 1959-1962.

We came on Aliyah in 1963, got a job with the I.A.E.C. in Nahal Soreq (Israel’s centre for Nuclear Research) and we lived in Recovot until

1967.

After 6 day war moved to Tel Aviv University (Ramat Hasharon) where I have been ever since, doing research and teaching.

Also a fair amount of administration. My experience as a madrich (youth leader) in Habonim was put to good use, for the period when I served as chairman of the School of Physics and Astronomy at T.A.U.

In summarizing, I think that my generation were fortunate to be born at the time they were.

We enjoyed the positive events resulting from WWII.

We were too young to be engaged in the War of Independence, but enjoyed the fruits of the establishment of the State of Israel.

We were old enough to come on Aliyah (immigration to Israel) before the Six Day War,

when people here were still positive ideologically in helping to build a country based on positive-liberal and democratic values.

You can now draw the obvious conclusion that I have reached the age where things in the past always appear better than they really were.