Name: | Henry (Bish) Bishopverder (new surname Ben Ezra since 1974) |
Where I live: | Netanya, Israel since 1974 |
Married: | I married Ros Freedman at the Sydney Great Synagogue in May 1967. We both had a short honeymoon in the Hunter Valley, Randwick and then an extended honeymoon in Kibbutz Kissufim as volunteers following the 6-day war. We stayed on for 2 years in Israel, mainly in Nahariya before returning to Sydney in 1969 to complete our studies and begin a family. We made aliyah in 1974 with two children. We built a house in Netanya in 1975 and moved in and had a third child in 1976. Our kids are all married and have presented us with eight grandchildren aged 2 - 17. |
Occupation: | I am now retired having worked as a high school and college teacher of Maths and Computer Studies, subject master and deputy principal. |
Betar History: | Joined the movement after the May 1954 Towlers Bay camp. Our madrichim included Danny Rosing, Tommy Traurig, Larry Sitsky and the late Brian Addess. Our maon was in a garage near Strathfield Railway Station, at the Sekels' Orchard St. home and later at the old Strathfield Synagogue. At a later stage I was in Bnei Kochav with Ian Groden. In 1959 I became a Betar madrich in Strathfield and later in Allawah, at first with the late Ruth Addess (nee Berkon). As the years rolled by I led several camps as mefaked machaneh and was elected Rosh HaHanaga HaArtzit in 1965 - 1966. |
Betar experiences | One of the exciting camp occurrences ( not counting the various camp raids etc ) was the summer camp at Woronora when the river overflowed its banks and some of the wooden stretchers were transformed into amphibious ducks floating around without rudders. More recently I had the privilege (with Leo Rogovin (Regev) , Miriam Barasch (Gottlieb) and Flapper Bomzon) of organizing a Sydney Betar survivor / Kissufim volunteer reunion in April 2015 for 19 in Tel Aviv and Rosh Pinah. |