Alan Gordon (1974-81)

The Road from Carmel

This is our 33rd episode, the fourteenth of our second season, and joining us to tell us his story is our first guest from Asia, English teacher Alan Gordon, who attended Carmel College from 1974 to ‘81.

Alan grew up in North West London, where his family had moved from Edinburgh. After Carmel, he studied History and Politics at Queen Mary, and subsequently worked in finance. Twenty-five years ago, he moved to Osaka, where he teaches intensive pre-departure English to Japanese executives. He and his Balinese Hindu wife Ari have had two children.

Hear Alan talk about his father’s work with Sean Connery; asking during his interview where in the school the playground was; why he felt sorry for the boy whose parents drove a Jaguar; The Inbetweeners’ Carmel connection; Vera Rosen’s Florence Nightingale moment; tackling Rabbi Rosen’s Volvo (in his driveway) and his ankle (on the football pitch); benching in the style of Elvis; and his proudest Carmel moment, at Arsenal.

Thank you, Alan Gordon, for turning us again to Carmel days!

Dedication: at Alan's request, this episode is dedicated to the memory of the late Sonia Sabel, a former French teacher and Girls’ Housemistress at Carmel, who - in Alan’s words - nourished him “with the milk of human kindness” and gave him and many others “a home from home”. For being there for him time and time again, and teaching him how to love life’s smallest blessings, she resides deep in his heart forever. Mrs. Sabel was born as Sonia Shine around 1926 and (predeceased by her husband and eldest son, Jimmy), passed away in the 1990s.

Personal mentions in this episode:

• Jeremy Rosen (Headmaster)

• Trevor Bolton (Housemaster)

• Mary Evans (Mathematics)

• Ron Evans (Mathematics)

• Mr. Rowland (Mathematics)

• Sonia Sabel (French)

• Joel Silver (Computer Studies & Ridgeway Housemaster)

• Baruch Epstein (Jewish Studies)

• Joshua Gabay (French & Junior School Headmaster)

• Vera Rosen (Headmaster’s wife)

• Rabbi Eric Hoffman (Jewish Studies)

• Alistair Falk (English)

• Myra Rabie

• Joe Friedman

• Alan Liebert

• Jonny Weinberg

• Aron Landy

• Ruth Hoffman

• Aliza Reger

• Mark Granat

• Eli Ehrman

• Simon Sassoon

• Jamie Renton

• Simon C Margolis

• Zevi Crystal

• Ben Bridger

• Stefan Holt

• David Abraham

• Jimmy Sabel

• Colin Sabel

• Kenneth Sabel

• Lawrence Cass

• Joe Breckner

• Mark Klein

• Eric Bernstein

• Gideon Moore

• David Swanwick

• Jack Mizel

• David Da Costa

• Robert Music

• Gary Davis

• Gary Wilson

• Daniel Solomon

• Simon Myerson

• Nicholas Myerson

• Stephen Corrick

• Graham Dullop

• Suzie Greene

• Mark Givert

• Richard Klevan

• Nassimah Reynolds

• Daniel Reynolds

• David Reynolds

• Isaac Cohen

• Steven Ornstein

• Michael Hall

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