I doubt IÌ¢âÂã¢m the only non-Jew who studied Hebrew with Mrs. Finkel but like the countless other Jewish children whose lives she influenced, Geveret Finkel shaped mine tremendouslyÌ¢âÂÛthough I was already in my mid-twenties when I studied with her.
From the moment we met at Park Avenue Synagogue she exerted her wonderful energy and indomitable spirit onto my life. At the end of my very first Hebrew lesson she called me a Ì¢âÂÒchachamÌ¢âÂå and had this twinkle in her eye when I asked her what that meant. She encouraged me to find out before our next lesson. I was a hopeful NYC actor in those days, mostly earning my living as an art model. During a session at the National Academy not far from Park Avenue Synagogue I put out feelers on the definition of Ì¢âÂÒchachamÌ¢âÂå and got my answer. The woman sculptor told me it all depended on context. It could mean smart but it could also mean smart-alecky. Up to that point in my life, sadly, the second definition was more apt so I went with that one.
I will never forget the horror on Mrs. FinkelÌ¢âÂã¢s face when she replied loudly, Ì¢âÂÒDani (my Hebrew name). No, no, no,Ì¢âÂå at our next lesson. She went on to reinforce the first meaning of the word and continued to do so for the four years I studied with her. This absolutely changed my life.
In my struggling years in NYC, her classes were the highlight of my week. My stomach may have been growling but my spirits were high. She was the most dynamic teacher, exuding such charisma. ItÌ¢âÂã¢s because of her that I went back to school, studied the Great Books at St. JohnÌ¢âÂã¢s College, tried law school before moving on to a Master of Science in Counseling. And though I studied other foreign languages I never came across another language teacher with her skills.
We corresponded on and off until the early aughts, letters I just recently discovered and which set me on a Google search that led me to this site and the sad news of her passing. She will be missed.
I doubt IÌ¢âÂã¢m the only non-Jew who studied Hebrew with Mrs. Finkel but like the countless other Jewish children whose lives she influenced, Geveret Finkel shaped mine tremendouslyÌ¢âÂÛthough I was already in my mid-twenties when I studied with her.
From the moment we met at Park Avenue Synagogue she exerted her wonderful energy and indomitable spirit onto my life. At the end of my very first Hebrew lesson she called me a Ì¢âÂÒchachamÌ¢âÂå and had this twinkle in her eye when I asked her what that meant. She encouraged me to find out before our next lesson. I was a hopeful NYC actor in those days, mostly earning my living as an art model. During a session at the National Academy not far from Park Avenue Synagogue I put out feelers on the definition of Ì¢âÂÒchachamÌ¢âÂå and got my answer. The woman sculptor told me it all depended on context. It could mean smart but it could also mean smart-alecky. Up to that point in my life, sadly, the second definition was more apt so I went with that one.
I will never forget the horror on Mrs. FinkelÌ¢âÂã¢s face when she replied loudly, Ì¢âÂÒDani (my Hebrew name). No, no, no,Ì¢âÂå at our next lesson. She went on to reinforce the first meaning of the word and continued to do so for the four years I studied with her. This absolutely changed my life.
In my struggling years in NYC, her classes were the highlight of my week. My stomach may have been growling but my spirits were high. She was the most dynamic teacher, exuding such charisma. ItÌ¢âÂã¢s because of her that I went back to school, studied the Great Books at St. JohnÌ¢âÂã¢s College, tried law school before moving on to a Master of Science in Counseling. And though I studied other foreign languages I never came across another language teacher with her skills.
We corresponded on and off until the early aughts, letters I just recently discovered and which set me on a Google search that led me to this site and the sad news of her passing. She will be missed.