Adrian Agassi (1972-82)

The Road from Carmel

Joining Jill and Doron on our 27th episode, the 9th of our second season, to tell us his story is Adrian Agassi, better known as Agi.

Agi studied Law at Kings College London and was called to the Bar in 1986, the same year he made Aliyah. In 1989, after receiving a Masters degree in Public International Law from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he was called to the Israel Bar and began a 20 year-long legal career in the IDF, rising to military judge with the rank of Major, presiding over land disputes in Judea and Samaria and anti-terrorism cases. On retiring from the IDF at the age of 44, he went to study at Aish HaTorah Yeshiva in Jerusalem, which led him to write numerical kabbalistic commentaries to the Torah and five megillot which appear on his web site (https://sites.google.com/site/shem18hai). In 2013 he established a monthly Kollel for Kabbalah studies on Mount Zion in Jerusalem to pursue his passion for Jewish mysticism leading to the final redemption of Israel. But for now he owns a lottery concession in Nahariya and dabbles in refurbishing classic cars. He and his wife Hilary have six children.

Hear Agi talk about saying kaddish for his father at Carmel, playing the judge in the 1982 production of Trial by Jury, the meaning of true love, smashing a car into Newnham House, life as an evacuee, ‘transvestite metals’, and why he originally failed his Jewish Studies O-Level.

Thank you, Adrian Agassi, for turning us again to Carmel days!

Dedication: at Agi’s request, this episode is dedicated to Reverend and Mrs. Segal, of beloved memory, who in the 1970s were resident Orthodox Jewish Studies teaching staff at Carmel, committed to Jewish leadership of the school. In their staff house, the Segals often hosted kiddush after shul services on Shabbat. Prior to Carmel, Reverend Segal had been a Minister of Religion in Liverpool. After Carmel, the Segals retired to Netanya, Israel.

Personal mentions in this episode:

• Rabbi Jeremy Rosen (Headmaster)

• Vera Rosen (Headmaster’s wife)

• Isabel Craston (English & EFL)

• Reverend Segal (Jewish Studies)

• Mrs. Segal (Jewish Studies)

• Geoff Lebens (English literature)

• Dr. John Addis (History)

• Alistair Falk (English & School House Housemaster)

• Anthony Barr Taylor (Biology)

• Gordon Nickerson (EFL, Cricket & Mongewell Housemaster)

• Dr. Renee Grassby (Librarian)

• Paul Shaw (Jewish Studies)

• Alan Edmondson (Chemistry)

• Michael Tabor (English)

• John Browning (German & French)

• Jack Mizel

• Guy Alberga

• Lawrence Kirschel

• Steve Dabbah

• Paul Ozin

• Eric Abrahams

• Adam Science

• David Segal

• Robert Maxwell

• Gideon Moore

• Daniel Moore

• David Swanwick

• Adam Johnson

• Philip Shalam

• Lisa Rones

• Donna Kaufman

• David Solts

• Lewis Mail

• Danny Shirazi

• Simon Lew

• Jane Gold

• Judith Glass

• Douglas Green

• Sean Casper

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