Creativity
by Francis Bentley
 The Kelihat
Middlesbrough Newsletters focussing on the Middlesbrough Hebrew
Congregation evoked many memories.
Whatever happened to Rita Brisk, nee Benjamin?
Searching for further enlightenment led me to her home deep in
the heart of rural Cheshire.
Rita, much loved daughter of the late Rhoda and Horace Benjamin
and twin sister of Geoffrey, who sadly died recently.
She married Maurice Brisk of Manchester, a company director,
music lover, sportsman and well-known "Ace" bachelor to
name but a few accomplishments. They were to travel world wide
together during their long and happy partnership. Maurice passed
away in his 98th year. Rita describes their long mutually shared
life as "Times" blessing.
Rabbi Miller officiated at their wedding in 1949 and the whole
community celebrated the event.
Blessed with two daughters, Jane and Susanne and four lovely
grandchildren, indeed a rich family harvest.
Writing since ten years of age, educated privately at
Collingwoode School in Middlesbrough and boarding school in
Harrogate, Rita joined the North Eastern Evening Gazette as a cub
reporter. She learnt word structure and word power, which has
served her well.
Both the twins served in the Navy in Word War II, Geoffrey in
the Royal Marine Commandos. Mentioned in despatches, his
Commanding Officer commented he made light work of heavy going.
Rita joined the WRENS and experienced "Operation
Overlord"—D.Day. This experience was to prove indelible.
After demobilisation she wrote her first book, "Jenny
Wren" which lies in London’s Imperial War Museum and is
regarded by their Curator as a graphic, moving account of World
War II. "The Song of the Seasons" with the Duke and
Duchess of Westminster’s personal foreword is now part of the
London British Library’s heritage collection.
Royal Family profiles of the Prince of Wales and the later
beloved Princess Diana and the Queen Mother, have Royal
commendations which are valued family possessions.
The Manchester Sketch, Jewish Life Magazine and the Recruitment
Journal all contained her many literary diversities.
"Dawn and Dusk", a collaboration with an Austrian
author, now Israel-based, explores the Nazi Tyranny leavened with
Rita’s Love Odes.
Future plans include lecturing to schools on World War II and
Word Power.
Finally, I have many sentimental links with the Middlesbrough
Community. Her paternal grandparents Jane and Hyman Benjamin
brought to that town Judaism with a sense of Englishness.
Charitable mitzvah was their intrinsic gift.
The first founding family whose son Horace Benjamin followed in
his father's tradition. Both served as Presidents of the
congregation, for many years. Horace Benjamin was beloved of all
who knew him. Rev Kersh referred to him as "A prince of
Israel"- Wise kindly and courteous, his lasting keynote.
Accorded the military medal in World War I for gallantry on the
Somme.
Rita, Founder Fellow of the International Poetry Society and
International Academy of Poets, Cambridge, continues her literary
journey with a novella "A Fine Romance" and yet another
collection of children's verse, "Favourite Choice", with
illustrations by her youngest granddaughter, Rosemary.
Writing if good enough is "eternality"; today’s
litterateurs value the past but achievement lies within their
Present. Rita Brisk epitomises that creativity.
Cultural Societies can contact her through Donald Wiseman,
Jerusalem
Cosmic Heart
By Rita Brisk
The Holocaust’s pall
depicted
On an exhibition wall
Bared bones evoking
groans
Horror and despair
Ours
to bear
Time cannot efface
Humanity debased
Wrought in gold
heritage unfold
Kiddish cup and praying shawl
Where are they all?
Bud and blossom trees in
Spring
Children’s murder sing
Innocent eyes rise above the
funeral pyres
Memorial light
ignite
Their darkest night
From the grave
Massada
Not the slave
Judea
does not depart
Within the cosmic heart
The Long Gallery Of Life
Rita Brisk
Sepia portraits
of those we have loved encapsulate Times’s
Testament
Departures
insight, the rose surrounded by thorns tear the heart
capture the
calender’s concept
Guardians of our
past trustees of the present sentinels of the future
Still they smile
inviolate to the inlets of change
Giving and
sharing compassions compound, essence and kernel of all
religious belief
Memory remains
integral illumining "The Long Gallery of Life"
World
War 2 Memoir
By
Rita Brisk
Burning cordite,
marching feet,
the scream of sirens.
How well I remember
the tension of those
invasion hours.
"D Day"
Portsmouth 1944.
All through the night
and long into the day
came the steady thud
of marching men,
the swell of a calm
sea as our armadas
nosed their way to
the French coast.
What indomitable
spirit inspires men
to go to war with a
smile and a song?
Recollections of
"Take Me Back To
Dear Old Blighty"
and "Land of
Hope and Glory" as
the thronging landing
crafts moved forward,
forward to Victory by
the fruits of
selflessness,
devotion to duty,
and the fighting
prowess of a truly
great people and of
an even greater country.
Click
here for more poems by Rita Brisk
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