Fifty-two years after the closure of Hove Jewish boarding school Whittingehame College, more than 100 former pupils travelled from across the globe for a reunion at Brighton’s Metropole Hotel.
Despite having dispersed around the world, many of the “boys”, as they still call themselves, have kept in close contact down the years. They concur that the education and values instilled in them at Whittingehame, which opened in 1931, has positively influenced their lives and careers.
Among those at the reunion was Jack Abraham, president of a precious stone company and founder of the Afghan synagogue in New York, who attended the school for four years from 1958.
He said it gave him and his friends “powerful life values, teaching us —students from five continents with diverse languages and cultures — to be accountable for our own actions. We formed strong brotherly friendships that have lasted to this day.”
Many of the pupils who arrived in Brighton in the 1950s were from Muslim or Middle Eastern countries. Ernest Sinyor, now living in Montreal, arrived at Whittingehame, aged 11, from Egypt.
He credits the school for an “appreciation of my heritage, as well as understanding the importance of respect”.
Teaching staff were also represented at the reunion, including Brighton-based Simon Hatchwell, who taught Hebrew and Jewish history.
“It gives me great pleasure to know that so many of the pupils have done so well in their lives and careers and are still in contact with one another,” he said.
Also present was Judy March, daughter of another teacher, Stanley Frank.
“My father taught English, French, history and football from 1949 until the school closed in 1967,” explained Ms March, who moved back to Brighton from America. “As I grew up, I used to spot some of the boys from school sneaking out to the cinema and the coffee bars in town. Daddy always plugged me for info on the boys but he never reported them.”
She added that “the memories shared by the boys at the reunion were priceless and there was such a special feeling of family and camaraderie. These men will go anywhere and do anything for each other.”
A number of participants attended the Shabbat morning service at the local Holland Road Synagogue.
