Alison Fisch Katz & Sally Green Wallis (1973-80)

Joining Jill and Doron on the 35th episode of the podcast, the seventeenth and penultimate of our second season, to tell us their story are Dr. Alison Fisch Katz and Sally Green Wallis, BFFs - for half a century and counting - from the northern provinces of England who attended Carmel from 1973 to 1980.

 

Alison Fisch grew up in Leeds. She studied for her BA and MA in English Literature at Bar Ilan University in Israel and completed her PhD at the University of Leeds.  A former lecturer at Bar Ilan and the Open University in Israel, she eventually became Senior Lecturer and Head of the Languages and General Studies Department at the Azrieli College of Engineering in Jerusalem - a position she has held for 14 years.  Alongside her academic career, Alison has developed a business as a Personal and Rehab Fitness Trainer.  She lives in Ra’anana and has been married to Israeli-born Geri for almost 40 years. They have two grown sons, Tomer and Assaf.

 

Sally Green grew up in Grimsby.  After Carmel, she briefly attended Manchester Polytechnic before moving to London with a passion to work in travel, which is how she met her husband of 38 years, Howard.  She is now a director and shareholder at a bespoke travel agency in Radlett.   Sally has three children in their thirties, and four grandchildren, three of whom were born in a five month span earlier this year.

 

Hear Alison and Sally talk about the kashrut of sausage rolls, the evolution of their northern accents, the letter that nearly undid their friendship, the playwright who attended his play’s opening night at Carmel, meeting the late Ted Heath, and how they maintained their bond over 50 years.

 

Thank you, Dr. Alison Fisch Katz and Sally Green Wallis, for turning us again to Carmel days!

 

Dedication: at Alison’s and Sally’s request, this episode is dedicated to the memory of Sally’s late brother Michael Green, who inspired her to go to Carmel, and was a pupil himself from 1967 to 1973.  He worked in real estate, and was married with one daughter. Sadly, he passed away from a heart attack in 2012 at the age of 53 in Watford Hospital.

 

Personal mentions in this episode:

• Rabbi Jeremy Rosen (Headmaster)

• Trevor Bolton (French & Housemaster)

• Keith Pusey (Music)

• Helmut Dan Schmidt (History & Economics)

• Anthony Barr Taylor (Biology)

• Dr. John Addis (History)

• Yoel Silver (Computer Studies & Ridgeway Housemaster)

• Mike O’Connor (Art)

• Alastair Falk (English & Drama)

• Ron Evans (Mathematics)

• Mary Evans (Mathematics)

• Dr. Mendel Bloch (Jewish Studies & English)

• Geoff Lebens (English literature)

• Miss Haig (Housemistress)

• Alex Gerlis