#hasmonean

“As I approach the top, I understand why the first century BCE settlers were inspired to name this steep hill Gamla, the narrow-pointed hill really resembles the hump-backed desert animal. In Aramaic, the word Gamla means camel (in Hebrew gamal), the language spoken by the inhabitants during this period.”

“The Hasmonean ruler Alexander Yannaeus founded the city in the first century BCE and it continued to be inhabited by Jews. Flavius Josephus was captain of the Galilee regiment at Gamla, he gave us a very detailed topographical description of the city, and describes the siege under the command of Vespasian. The Romans attempted to take the city by means of a ramp but were turned back by the defenders. Sadly, they succeeded on the second attempt by penetrating the fortifications.”

Gave my drooshe today on Parshes Bollok (sic – but I pronounced it Bay-lack and Bullock (first syllable as in “but”)). Tony Brown said he’d never had any trouble with Parshes Bollock. The double entendre was new to Meyer; I notice he pronounced it Boòleck yesterday morning. Strange, I spent literally months thinking what form I should give the drooshe, trying to draw topical analogies. In the…

Term ended on Friday with no mishaps. The reports which I twice thought would be lost, turned up, and Stanton signed without comment. Two open evenings. Rather moving, the concern shown by parents in their kids. Some parents’ remarks rather revealing – Mr X never seems to give them homework, Mr Y is regularly drunk (one had heard something to this effect about Mr Y from the kids, but had not…

My drooshe went down well. Perhaps I will copy it out here if I get a chance. On the morning I deviated slightly from script. Stanton [headmaster] said “Excellent”, and there were plenty of Yishor Koach’s [“congratulations!”]. Again, Meno Male. Sam B. [teacher and cousin] was conspicuous by his non-reference to my drooshe, but he told me that he disapproved of lay staff preaching, in principle,…

I have committed myself to giving a drooshe [sermon] at next Friday’s assembly – every Friday a volunteer master talks about the next day’s sidra [weekly Torah portion]. My sidra is Shemini which concerns itself with sacrifices or impurities or something and – what I shall talk about – the dietary laws in Lev XI. Can I pick holes in them! I suppose the main objection is that it is disgraceful…