Goldstein Ernest – Portret
It was around 1940, when due to racial laws we had to leave Constantin Diaconovici Loga High School and move to Israel High School. We all knew how to read texts written in Hebrew, but unfortunately we did not understand the meaning of what we read. The first lesson in Hebrew highlighted this state of affairs, given that the other colleagues were doing very well in this field, and the tenured teacher did not understand the situation. The principal of the school, Dr. Marcus, understood and delegated Professor Goldstein-Zehavi to our training in this field.
I was given on this occasion to meet a man dedicated to the profession, using a modern method of training, well-graded texts, so that in a short time we came to manage and love the language of our ancestors.
But the teacher was not limited to that. Realizing that we were not doing well in the divine service, he suggested that we pray in a small hall of the Fabric Temple every Saturday, each of us taking turns to present the pericope of the week. I still have mine now, and when I feel the need to pray, I imagine myself in the small room mentioned above, in the presence of the teacher from whom emanated the deep conviction that we must keep our traditions.
The first Hebrew lesson began with Iam (sea). Ba Iam Onia (The Ship at Sea) seemed to foretell that my Hebrew teacher would end up with the ship Mefkure somewhere on the bottom of the sea on his way to the land of his dreams.
Bernhard Rothenstein