AIS/AES Alumni Network - American International School/American Embassy School

Judy Isenberg Kaufmann, AIS class of 1969 kaufwomann@townisp.com

Artur Isenberg, father of Judy Isenberg Kaufmann, AIS class of 1969, and Mark Isenberg, AIS class of 1964, died August 4th, 2006, in Afula, Israel, age 89. Judy sends this letter about her father and AIS.

August 18, 2006

Hi, Tim:

Thanks for the bulletin about my father in the AIS web page. I especially liked the link you inserted to "Hello and Namaste." I've been swamped with an unanticipated surge of phone calls and e-mails since he died. As word gets around, I'm hearing from so many of his friends from all over the world. It is both touching and wonderful to renew contact with people whom I hadn't heard from for years.

I was able to track down two of his very dear friends from India days by finding their daughters' e-mail addresses on the AIS website -- Jasminka Stajduhar (AIS '70) and Martha Banwell (AIS '74).

Some of the AIS family will remember my father from the class that he taught in the sixties on Indian philosophy and religion. He and my mother Shirley (who died in 2000) shared their love of India with students when they were inter-cultural consultants at AIS. ("Hello and Namaste" was written by them at that time.) They also founded the AIS Archaeology Club, complete with an actual site for us to excavate under the guidance of trained archaeologists. Not far from AIS, the site had been a dumping ground in Moghul times. We unearthed a few artifacts from that era, and then discovered a skull which was probably human. Interestingly, the Indian government--which had provided us with the site and the archaeologists--immediately shut down the dig. They feared that it might stir up Hindu-Muslim animosity.

Recently, Tommy Noonan (AIS '64) reminded me that my dad had hosted a book discussion group for my brother Mark (AIS '64) and some of his friends. Tommy said that my dad is responsible for passing along to him a love of books and reading through those Saturday sessions at our home.

Shortly after my father died, I started to write you a notice for the AIS website. When I began to write something about his life, it quickly turned into the eulogy that I wrote for his funeral. I am attaching the eulogy here, in case you think it may be of interest to some people. Although most of it is specifically about my dad, a few of the paragraphs address his family and friends.

Sorry it took so long to get this to you. And thanks for all your hard work and dedication in keeping the AIS/AES family together all these years. KC no doubt left things in very capable hands.

Be well and happy.

Fondly,

Judy

Judy Isenberg Kaufmann, AIS class of 1969

Editor's Note Artur and his wife Shirley wrote Hello and Namaste, a guide to student life at AIS which is as fresh today as it was when it was published in 1965. Enjoy.