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parenting and child rearing practices so much with him because I left it to the older siblings, even
though the age gap was only 2 and 3 years between them. If Ray wanted a biscuit they not only
could get it for him because they could understand his baby talk better than any parent. At least
that’s what they led me to believe but perhaps they just did this to get a biscuit for themselves and
I believed them because it kept everyone happy. So, raising Ray was a doddle. He was a very
“easy baby” by all standards. He wasn’t picky with his food, and he would play for hours with his
toys, or was happy to be entertained by his two older brothers’ “doings.” They knew when and
what his needs were and they would tell me. Or if he cried, I would ask them to find out what the
problem was. By the time he started school; he was stylish and liked to be immaculately dressed.
His hair was plastered down with water or hair-cream because he didn’t like his curls. His shoes
were polished so you could see your face in them and he liked to have the loops of his shoelaces
exactly the same length, there is a nice little story about that! When he was only about three and
he couldn’t get the loops the same length he came to his dad who was fast asleep and shouted
“Dad – can you do my shoelaces!” Half asleep Gerry fumbled away at these shoelaces finally
tying them and Ray pulled up his dad’s eyelids and said “They’re not the same length – look at
them Ray was always organized and reliable. He was the one who cooked breakfast or lunch for
his older sibling brothers they soon learnt to take advantage of his organizational skills and most
of all his tidiness. Picture this! The big ones are upstairs lying on their beds reading comics and
Ray is scuttling around to see the beds are made and there was no rubbish or bits of paper or toys
on the floor after a chance exhortation from me downstairs – “I hope it’s not a mess up there
otherwise there’s no ice-cream tonight” Today he is a superb house husband – he cooks extremely
well, does the grocery shopping, laundry, and the garden, as well repairs and maintenance to the
family home and he has still found time to bring in a salary and also to earn himself a Doctorate
in Industry and Management.
Ray was born 19/9/1963 on
Rosh Hashana as documented
in Jewish Gazette Newspaper
clipping. Notice the photo was
taken by Bunny Hudaly.
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