News from Michael and Claire – October 2024
This was the year of the wedding! Jacob Hilton and Holly Mandel were married in August in a little amphitheatre at the redwood grove at the University of California Botanical Garden, Berkeley. Around 60 people were present – Holly’s family from New York and surrounds, us with Samuel, Benjamin and Bella (his girlfriend) from London, and Claire’s brothers Robin from Manchester and Fabian from Taiwan.
The day began with a frisbee match in a local and quite rural park. This was followed by a huge catered picnic. Later in the afternoon we gathered for the wedding, at which Michael officiated, accompanied by a klezmer band. After a reception across the road at the Botanical Gardens centre, we had a great dinner (mainly vegan), speeches and dancing. Jacob joined the band on his accordion. The following morning, Jacob and Holly put on a brunch for everyone in the common room at their block of flats. There were lots of games: a giant jigsaw and maths puzzles in the evening and Jenga and table football the following morning.
While Jacob and Holly were on honeymoon in Paris and the Alps, they kindly allowed us to borrow their flat, and we were able to explore San Francisco and surrounds, enjoying the cool oasis of the Bay Area amidst the hot California summer. We also spent a couple of days in nearby Martinez, where we found some very enthusiastic volunteers who run the local museum and archives.
During the year, Michael has continued his teaching of classical Greek, his mental health campaigning, his interfaith work, leading occasional prayer services, and his study of Arabic and Judeo-Arabic. After years of preparation, last December he started writing a book with the working title of ‘The Impact of Islam on Judaism’, and has now written nearly 100 thousand words covering sacred texts, grammar, philosophy, theology, mysticism, law and poetry in the two faiths. There is going to need to be a shorter version too.
Claire has now completed her book with the provisional title ‘Petty tyranny and soulless discipline’? Patients, policy and practice in public mental hospitals in England, 1918–1930 and is looking forward to its publication by UCL Press, with completely open access meaning you will be able to download it free of charge. She too is continuing her Arabic studies, and also continues her work as a historian and in her new role as Honorary Archivist at the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Samuel is winding up his work at Charity Entrepreneurship, and is exploring new opportunities. Jacob continues his work on the safety of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Benjamin is now in that field too, in a new Civil Service post working for the Director of the UK’s new AI Safety Institute.
The world continues to be a very troubled place and the news from the Middle East is constantly disturbing. As the Jewish New Year comes around, we hope, pray and campaign for the mistakes of the past not to be repeated. In a world where so much needs putting right, we need to maintain both our social anger and our personal joy. May 5785 be a year of peace and blessings for us all.
Design and calligraphy by Claire, with dried leaves and flowers from California, and with help from Nazmina and Michael