The Margolin music shop

My dear Friends

It's a small world. A rather tired-looking Englishman was standing at the corner of the Clare bridge, near the Scholar's Garden, peering into the river at all the punts, as i was crossing the bridge from the college to go to the University library.

I engaged him in conversation and discovered he was on a conference of Spanish literature, which was just coming to an end. In the course of our chat, I discovered that he had lived in Mexico City for over 35 years. I have never been there, but my father's sister had married a GI during the war and i had a feeling that a relative of his had made his way to South America.

'Is it true that there is a music shop in Mexico City, which bears my family name of Margolin?' I asked the nice gentleman. 'Yes indeed,' he replied. 'It has been known for many years as a great centre for classical music. But it is on the point of closing down, as they can't compete with the internet.'

I felt a little sad, and went on my way. Next day i wrote to my sister-in-law in London and asked her to tell my brother this story about the music shop.I am sure that he already knew that it existed. My brother and my late father worked together to build up Dansette Record Players, a firm that was to produce the first hi-fis in the UK in the 1950's.

Music is in my blood and in my genes.It gives me great pleasure that our family name, a Russian Jewish one (my grandfather came from Minsk and was a cabinet maker) has travelled so far and became the name of a music shop in an entirely different continent.

But my heart goes out to the man on the bridge in Clare college, who seemed a little sad too.

Have a good week
Shalom from Gila

My friend Sister Jane

My dear Friends

Recently, as you know, I lost an old and dear Friend, Benigna, someone with whom I lived for sixteen years. Very recently I lost another dear Friend, Sister Jane, who used to come and visit me and got to know Benigna.

Sister Jane, an Irish nun, who lived in community in Cambridge for 60 years  but who made regular trips back home to see her family and revisit the beauties of the Irish countryside, was one of my first Catholic friends when I came into the Church in 1989. I was struck by her deeply prayerful and contemplative nature, which was combined with a love and empathy with the poor and the marginalised and those who were depressed, upset or grieving.

But she could be very joyful too-she loved the Jewish people and was very moved by a visit she made to Israel-Palestine. Perhaps that was why I felt so close to her. When I started co-hosting Passover Seder meals in the traditional way for mainly Catholics in the large Catholic Church in Cambridge, she not only participated in every one over the fifteen years but arrived early to lay out the tables with all the ritual foods.

She had a very simple and pure heart, combined with a curious mind. She loved music and came to some of my concerts. When we were able to have a chapel in Benigna's garden in 2002 and Mass was occasionally celebrated there, she would attend with a few of her fellow Sisters. I remember on one occasion that she was very keen afterwards to sample the Polish vodka I was so fond of. From time to time she would invite me to the convent, for Mass and a bite of supper, making sure that i was well looked after.

She died in Holy Week and on the Jewish Passover, just hours before I was due to attend a communal Seder in the Jewish community-no accident I felt. I had a lovely warm presence to accompany me, just as I had had in all those other Seder meals. Her funeral was full to overflowing, with a lovely Irish hymn amongst others and her presence lives on.

Hallelujah!
Shalom from Gila