Mazal Tov - Great news from Judy in Bet Shemesh.

Judy writes:
"I'm writing to you now because we have a new Davnob recruit to add to the tribe.  Last Sunday,  we celebrated the Brit Milah of my first great-grandson, Ori David, son of Nadav and his wife Reut.  He has an adorable older sister Halleli, who will be two on Boxing Day.  

Nadav and Reut met during their compulsory military service. Nadav is about to begin studying Electrical Engineering at Bar Ilan University and Reut is just completing a Law degree. Rachel’s daughter Yael is a dietician at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, working in the oncology department. Yair, Rachel's middle son, has finished his military service and Yoav, their youngest brother was recently honoured as the most outstanding soldier in his entire platoon.

Rachel in addition to her work as an Archivist at the National Library is preparing for a PhD in aspects of Modern Jewish history and Yehudah is an officer in the Jerusalem police."

Judy has recently moved, and writes: "I recently moved away from Netanya where David and I had enjoyed our sea-front flat as a holiday home since the 90’s and where I had lived since coming to Israel on Aliyah in 2013. I am now happily savouring a new kind of lifestyle in a delightful granny flat which Rachel and Yehudah designed and had built for me on to the back of their hillside house in Bet Shemesh. Amazingly, there's even room for ALL my  numerous books. My front door opens on to a sunny patio with a solar fountain, an impressive rockery, sun umbrellas and a shapely fig tree, producing the sweetest fruit you can imagine. But don’t worry -  my telly brings me British TV so I'm not that far from reality, especially at the moment!"

Congratulations Colin!

Davnob is delighted to send warmest greetings to Colin, the most senior member of the Davidson-Davidovitz family who celebrates his 89th birthday today!

and more congratulations due - to Timna and Darren celebrating 15 years anniversary.  so soon!

Mazal Tov - Steve and Joan

Davnob sends

 Mazal Tov and many congratulations to 

Steve and Joan 

on the occasion of their golden wedding anniversary. 

מזל טוב ושכוייח!

Remembering Jane

At the beginning of July, close family and friends 
gathered near Dunoon to celebrate the life of 
Jane Foreman 
and scatter her ashes in a spectacularly beautiful 
and peaceful mountainside glade 
in the Benmore Botanic Gardens.  

Led by Iri, Margi, Sara, Noam and Gil, 
there were memories, anecdotes, poems and music 
that left lasting echoes amongst the highland trees and shrubs.

When to the sessions of sweet silent thought 
I summon up remembrance of things past...

Jane Foreman 1944 - 2018

Continuing the search for Grandpa Avraham Chaim...

So this is the set up. After disappointment at not finding mention of Avram Chaim in Hordzieszka, I thought perhaps I’d find some trace in Hull.  From a Jewish burial website I discovered that he was buried in the Delhi Street cemetery. 

This morning we found that the tiny grave yard is hidden away on the far side of Hull.  Miscalculating the distance, we set out early, walking through the surprisingly green and pleasant but extensive outskirts of the city, then along a busy road, and finally we found it. As feared it was fenced off, and locked.  We peeped through the gates, and were taking photos of what we could see when a woman, Heather, appeared and told us she thought we could get the keys from a Jewish organisation somewhere. She said that a gardener came every few weeks to look after the place, but she wasn’t sure when. Generously she offered to take a photo of the grave the next time he came, and took our email address. 

Sadly we began to head back to the city centre. This time we’d take the bus. We were still waiting at the nearby bus stop when Heather drew up in her car, calling out that the gardener had just turned up. She whisked us back to Delhi Street on the way telling us that she recently discovered that some of her family was Jewish but had changed their names during the war. She drops us outside the entrance where the gardener stops strimming to let us in.  But no-one knows where Avram Chaim is.  The gardener has only just started work so the place is wildly overgrown (though obviously tended). We hunt around finding (perhaps) Moisha’s in-laws (the Sultans). But no Davidovitch. It has been a long morning so after a long systematic search, it begins to look unlikely that we’ll find anything. 

‘One last look...’ I say stumbling through thick weeds between crumbling graves towards a last area I hadn’t been able to see close up. And there, at the last moment, I find it.  Not in good condition, but unlike many still clearly legible. I tidy it up a bit (not too much, for the letters are only semi-engraved and very worn, and the in-laid material of the letters comes away slightly as I brush away the weeds). I take photos, say a few words from the Kaddish (I don’t even know what he’d have thought of that), leave a stone, and stumble back through the tightly packed graves. So, I think, perhaps a better prepared visit to Horzieszka is called for.

(More close ups and interpretation to follow)

Frances Davidson z"l

DAVNOB received today the following tragic information from Jonathan.  The whole family sends its deepest condolences.

We’re sorry to have to ask you to let the Davnob family know the following tragic news, so soon after our joyful if poignant gathering in Cambridge to remember Daniel, after which we were heartened and uplifted to receive many loving, uplifting and warm messages of appreciation for the opportunity to celebrate his life. 

With profound sadness we now must inform you that our beloved Frances died this morning, May 12th, in George Washington Hospital in Washington DC, following a sudden and unexpected ruptured aneurysm in the brain on Friday. Her catastrophic illness was mercifully short, and she died peacefully, surrounded by her deeply grieving husband, daughter, and granddaughters. Thankfully she was comfortable throughout the ordeal and suffered no apparent pain.

Donations in Frances’s memory may be made to a charity of your choice. Among Frances’s favorite causes were HIAS https://www.hias.org/ , breast cancer research https://www.breastcancerinstitute.org/ , and Wellfleet Public Library http://wellfleetlibrary.org/index.php/friends

We were delighted to reconnect with so many Davnobs in Cambridge and look forward to meeting on happier occasions before too long. 

In sorrow and love, Jonathan, Joanna and Bobby, Lyna, Jasper, and Zoly.

Celebrating the life of Daniel Davidson

Daniel Davidson 1968 - 2018

An event to celebrate the life of Daniel Davidson 

was held at Pembroke College in Cambridge on April 14th 2019.

More information, and news from the event will appear soon.

Happy Birthday to our Young Matriarch

Davnob and the whole family join together to wish 

Judy 

a very happy and significant birthday.

"Many women have done excellently, 
but you have surpassed them all"

Daniel Davidson

The American Davidsons are hosting a lunch on April 14th, 2019, at Pembroke College, Cambridge for family and friends to remember Daniel, who died in Cambodia on August 11th,  2018, at the age of 49. They have sent Evites to Davnobs and other family and friends in the UK, so if you haven’t already done so you may post your RSVPs or other messages directly in response to the Evite. If for some reason you didn’t receive the Evite please let Davnob or Jonathan ( davidsonj3@comcast.net ) know.

A couple of guests asked if they could stay in College, so Jonathan sent a follow up Evite message confirming that this is indeed possible for any who may be interested on a first-come-first-served basis, and hopefully those who choose to stay can get together for breakfast. If you need accommodation or parking information please let Jonathan know.

For those who may need an update or refresher on the transatlantic Davidsons, they are Daniel’s parents, Frances and Jonathan; Daniel’s birth daughter Lyna, who turns 16 in March, has lived with Frances and Jonathan in Washington DC since May, 2005 and was formally adopted by them in September, 2010; Daniel’s sister Joanna, who lives in Boston with her husband, Bobby Milstein, and their children Jasper (13), who will celebrate her bat mitzvah in June, and Zoly (6). All will travel together for the event in Cambridge and they look forward to greeting as many of you and your families as possible.