Letters
As I read Adam
Miller's letter in your January issue some memories were stirred, which
I thought had long been laid to rest in the back of my mind. As they
concern both Adam's father Alan, and his grandfather Rabbi Louis, I
thought I might share them with Adam and anyone else who might be
interested.
My name is
John Grunthal and I have lived in Middlesbrough since 1930. Alan and I
were very good friends, and similarly my father had the greatest respect
for Rabbi Miller. I am talking of the years leading up to the second
world war. My father and Rabbi Miller would often walk part of the way
home together after the final Shabbat service on Saturday evenings - no
doubt deep in conversation on some religious matter. One evening my
father took out his cigarette case and offered one to the Rabbi, who
stopped and turned to my father and said, "Mr Grunthal, you really do
disappoint me - you must have been carrying that in your pocket
throughout the Sabbath" (tongue in cheek, no doubt). My father said
nothing, but he opened the case and offered it - there was one cigarette
there. "Go on, you have it, Rabbi Miller", he said, "I don't want one
right now."
He then
offered Rabbi Miller a 1ight, thus compounding his sin by also carrying
a lighter or box of matches. I somehow feel Rabbi Miller must have
almost choked on that cigarette - but they continued their talk and
finally went their separate ways. I seem to remember the Rabbi also
tucked his handkerchief up his sleeve – he wouldn't even put that in his
pocket.
One day during
the school holidays, my father said to Rabbi Miller, "I am taking my son
out for the day next week, would Alan like to come and keep him
company?". Now Rabbi Miller was pretty strict in the upbringing of his
children, but to our surprise he agreed - it would probably be the first
time Alan had been anywhere for a whole day with anyone except his own
family. Obviously, Rabbi Miller had great faith in my father's judgment
as to what constituted a suitable day out for the Rabbi's son - aged
about 11, I would say.
In the event,
he took us for the day to look round Durham Cathedral - in great detail
- I'm sure Alan's religious education was immeasurably broadened on that
day! At lunchtime we went for a snack in a small restaurant. I remember
that weeks afterwards, Alan told me he had never eaten out before, so he
determined to watch my father closely and do exactly as he did. So when
Dad ordered a plate of mulligatawny soup, Alan did the same, and didn't
enjoy it too much!
On another
occasion I was at the Millers' house for Saturday afternoon tea - Mrs
Miller provided the most delicious spread, she was such a kind and
generous person. As we sat down, Alan's sister Naomi, said "Oh, I
haven't got a serviette". (We used to bother about such things in those
days!). I said, "Never mind Naomi, you can have half of mine" and I
promptly tore mine down the middle. Now it was the turn of the younger
generation to upset the Rabbi, and in his own house too! One just DID
NOT tear paper on the Sabbath. There was a sharp intake of breath on my
left, where the Rabbi sat and a deathly hush descended on the tea table
- plus a few giggles, I must say. Rabbi Miller raised his right arm, and
I instinctively ducked, but he only wished to adjust his kippa! Needless
to say, the bounds of friendship were more than enough to overcome such
minor transgressions, and with the coming of the war we all went our
separate ways. Alan and I did not meet again for over 50 years. when he
came back to Middlesbrough for his mother's funera1 - what an emotional
reunion that was.
To end on a
lighter note, I wonder if Alan remembers in the old Brentnall Street
shul (now alas a multi storey car park) we used to play at times in a
back yard. There was a gate opening onto a back alley, and on the wall
outside was a machine that dispensed chewing gum - you put in your penny
and pulled out a drawer and there was your packet of gum. Two lads (who
shall be nameless - not who you think!), worked out that if you were
very careful and didn't push the drawer all the way back, then pulled it
out again smartly, you got a second packet for nothing! The smart ones
among you will have realized of course that this was the origin of the
now ubiquitous offer "Buy one, get one free". Trust the CHILDREN OF
ISRAEL to have all the best ideas and long before Mr Tesco et al came
along!
It's nice to
reminisce sometimes and I have enjoyed putting all this on paper. I hope
you will share these few memories with me, Adam, and that they will help
to put a little flesh on those photographs you saw so recently.
John Grunthal
Middlesbrough, England
