Sie haben das Recht zu schweigen. Henryk M. Broders Sparring-Arena

Henryk M. Broder

29.11.2006   21:31   +Feedback

Schalom, Chawer!

Robert Rosenberg ist tot. Er starb vor über ein em Monat in Tel Aviv an einer Krankheit, die er noch im Frühjahr besiegt glaubte. Wir kannten uns seit 25 Jahren, seitdem wir uns in Yamit ein paar Tage vor dem Rückzug der Israelis aus dem Sinai getroffen hatten.Er sah aus wie der jüngere Bruder von Omar Sharif, und wenn er nicht arbeitete, hielt er Hof im Cafe Tamar in der Rehov Sheinkin. Bevor andere wußten, dass es so etwas gibt, hatte er schon e-mail und eine eigene Homepage. “Henryk, you must have this, its great”, sagte er jedesmal, wenn ich ihn staunend bei der Arbeit beobachtete. Er zog immer wieder um, fing immer etwas Neues an, der einzige stabile Faktor in seinem Leben war seine Frau Silvia. Kurz vor dem Ausbruch des ersten Golfkrieges saßen wir alle bei den Rosenbergs auf dem Sofa, hatten Gasmasken an und fotografierten uns gegenseitig. Ein paar Tage später verpaßte eine irakische Scud-Rakete das Haus um ein paar Meter.
Zuerst Andre, jetzt Robert. Es wird langsam leer im Cafe Tamar.

GREER FAY CASHMAN über RR in der Jerusalem Post:

BEFORE HE died just over a month ago, Robert Rosenberg, poet, journalist and one of Israel’s Internet pioneers, told his wife, Silvia, that he wanted his friends to get together for a party to celebrate his life, rather than mourn his death. Coincidentally, what would have been his 55th birthday more or less coincided with the 30th day after his death.

His relatives and friends had not been able to say the customary goodbye, because there had been no funeral. Rosenberg, who had been ill for a long time, but kept working almost till the end, had willed his body to science.

Although hordes of people had shown up at his home during the shiva period, it was not the same kind of get-together as that which took place Saturday night at the Shablul Jazz Club at the Tel Aviv Port to celebrate the man and his work.

Together with Michael Eilan, Rosenberg had founded the The Jerusalem Post’s local supplement, In Jerusalem.

The two had later gone on to create LINK, which promoted Israel business and technology, and after that Koldoon, an online database devoted to Israeli venture capital and technology. Rosenberg was ahead of his time in recognizing the potential of communications technology. He persuaded many Post colleagues to buy their first PCs, which were infinitely more expensive than they are today.

He also established the Ariga (Weave) Web site to promote business, pleasure and peace in the Middle East, writing every day for the benefit of countless readers around the world, some of whom became his cyber friends.

Rosenberg and Eilan maintained a dialogue through poetry, starting every morning with a poem that each had written. At the memorial event, Eilan read two of these aloud. Others were read by other attendees, including Itay and Keren Frost, who were working with Rosenberg to translate his works into Hebrew.

The professionalism of Rosenberg the journalist, who had the ability to concentrate on his work and josh around at the same time, was discussed by Hanna Brutman, the widow of noted press photographer Andre Brutman, with whom Rosenberg had worked on numerous assignments; and Roy Isacowitz, a former Post news editor and Tel Aviv bureau chief.

Looking as ethereally beautiful as ever, Silvia Rosenberg spoke eloquently about her husband, his life’s work, the books he’d written, the poetry he’d published (and that which remained unpublished) and the importance of Ariga, for which she is seeking sponsors to enable it to continue with the help of volunteer writers and editors.

The huge crowd included former colleagues from the Post and Haaretz, as well as drinking buddies from bohemian hang-outs, such as Tel Aviv’s legendary Caf Tamar.

The “birthday party” was emceed by cookery queen, friend and former Post colleague Phyllis Glazer. It concluded with a wonderful musical tribute by rock singer Libby, who sang two songs: Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” and Janis Joplin’s “Mercedes Benz.” Libby said Rosenberg was “rocking out with Janis in heaven.”

Among those present were: Hillel Schenker, co-editor of the Palestine-Israel Journal; cartoonist Yaacov Kirschen and his wife, artist Sali Ariel; Hanan Sher; Michal Yudelman; Amy Ducas; Vivian Eden; Charlotte Halle; Ruthie Meisels, whose late mother, Martha Meisels, was for many years the prize-winning consumer affairs reporter for the Post; Batsheva Tsur; Margery Greenfeld Morgan; Rachel Neiman and Faye Bittker. Some had not seen each other for years, making Rosenberg’s birthday/memorial party not only a celebration of his life, but a reunion - which is exactly what he would have liked it to be.

 

Permanenter Link

Achgut  Ausland  

Die Achse des Guten