London UK Graduation
By Judy Trotter, Director
9 July 2008/ 6 Tammuz 5768

On a day when the rain had not stopped falling the warmth and buzz from the graduates and their guests was a much needed boost.  The Melton Graduation Ceremony is one of the nicest events in the year and this was a wonderful evening.  We celebrated 10 years of Melton UK and 10 years of the ‘reign’ of Gerald Rothman as Chair of the Melton Board.  Incumbent Michael Hacker chaired the proceedings and introduced Gerald as the keynote speaker for the evening. It was a lovely speech hitting all the right spots, full of wisdom and education and Melton thoughts and memories.  In her thank you Judy remembered the first London graduation in the summer of 2000 where as Chair of Limmud she had thanked Gerald for his 2 ˝ years of hard work to set up Melton and 10 years on how those thanks were so multiplied.  Gerald will be much missed and yet we know that Michael will carry the mantle forward in a most positive way.  Ayelet Erez, Director of the Alumni Association of the Hebrew U then spoke.  This is a new innovation for London and we hope Melton graduates will all join the Alumni Association.

The student presentations were terrific, they dread the thought of performing yet put so much enthusiasm and hard work into each one.  This year there were songs and poems and texts and memories.

The Graduates for 2008 are: Ed Allen, Loretta Cash, Shirley Davis, Donna Feldman, Steven Feldman, Rosemarie Fenwick, Selina Goldberg, Angela Harding, Tracy Hillel, Melanie Kilim, Joyce Kustow, Mildred Levison, Sue Levy, Geraldine Maidment, Jo Miller, Marcia Mishcon, Yvonne Mocatta, Anthony Pavlovich, Jane Prevezer, Ora Rioumine, Robert Sacks, Renee Salamon, Andrea Shall, Linda Sharpe, Leslie Sheinman, Ruth Starr, Sharon Steel, Paula Tracken, Pauline Weldon, Hilda Worth

The faculty were thanked, photos were taken and food consumed. The overwhelming feeling from the evening was how much the students had gained from their relationship with the faculty and with each other and how much they had gained from the course. Many had been reluctant or nervous and had taken the step with great caution (and the knowledge that they had 3 weeks to back out) and were now so pleased that they had made this right choice. They were all enthusiastic about signing up for the graduate course in the autumn, so they could continue their studies, their relationship with Melton and each other.

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