Goodman Family

Avi Goodman was born in New York, USA in 1934. His parents were Chana Chasida Goodman nee Caspi (Zilberman) and Shragai Philip Goodman. His mother, Chana Chasida was born in Jerusalem in 1912 to Abraham Chaim Caspi and Nechama Rivka Caspi nee Diskin. Chana was one of 12 children. She studied in Evelina De Rothschild School and in the Girl's School G. Upon completion of her schooling she worked in the Loans and Savings Bank in Jerusalem. Chana, who was known for her culinary skills, taught cooking classes for adults in Jewish cooking and even wrote a book on the subject. His father, Philip, was born in 1911 in New York, USA. He studied in New York College and Yeshiva University. In 1930 he came to Jerusalem and was ordained by Harav Kook, It was in Jerusalem that he met his future wife and the mother of his children, Chana Caspi (Zilberman). They were married in 1832 and then returned to the United States. Philip held many central positions in the national educational system of American Jewry and even wrote a book about the Jewish Holidays. In 1978 they returned to Jerusalem with their children. Shragai Philip Goodman passed away in 2006 at the age of 95. His wife died in 2007. She too was 95. Their son, Avi, learned in Ramaz and the Yeshiva University High School. He came to Israel for the 1952/53 school year. He participated in the Bnei Akiva Training Program in the School for Counselors from Abroad. The program was the initiative of the World Zionist Organization. Its goal was to train, in Israel, Jewish staff from the diaspora who would return to their respective communities in order to develop the basis for educational Zionistic activities in their home towns. Upon his return to the US he studied in Yeshiva University and the Beit Midrash for Teachers at the University. He was a central figure in the Bnei Akiva Movement. In 1956 he married Sarah Sarbaro and immediately after their wedding they made aliyah to Israel. They live, until today, in Kibbutz Shluchot. Avi worked in the barn, in the gardens and in the Ulpan. During the Six Day War he was a combat medic and afterwards started working as a clinical and educational psychologist in the educational system of the kibbutzim in the North. He also began lecturing at Seminar Hakibbutzim. Starting in 1992 he was the educational director of the Midrasha for Jerusalem Studies. He trained about 750 guides for educational tours in Jerusalem and wrote many publications on Jerusalem, including, " A Calendar: Jerusalem Through the Generations" of which 19,500 copies were published in three languages. In 2005 Avi resigned from the Midrasha and worked as an educational advisor to institutions and designed curriculum on Jerusalem for many organizations including; The Fund for the Legacy of the Western Wall, the Jerusalem Movement, Amiad-Gesher, the City of David, the Foundation for the Development of the Jewish Quarter and the Jerusalem Quarter Museum. In 2015 Sarah and Avi resigned and are now devoting their time to their family- their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The pictures in this collection are primarily of Avi's trip to Israel in 1952/53 when he studied at the Machon for Counselors from Abroad through the Jewish Agency. It also includes family pictures. Read more