• SUSAN DE LA FUENTE
As a frail asthmatic child in smoggy London, Shmuel Becker was frequently confined to bed and forced to miss out on school and athletic activities. After a specialist suggested certain dietary modifications, he gradually overcame this chronic illness. As a result of his early trials, however, he felt compelled to recoup his losses, live life to the fullest and become an intrepid adventurer.
One summer in his mid-teens he hitchhiked in Europe with his brother. At age 19 he hitchhiked mainly alone to northern Scandinavia. There on a ferry chugging through those white Arctic nights he encountered an American hypnotherapist. The latter taught him how to program his brain to control sleep patterns. Using these techniques enabled him to sleep less and achieve more throughout his mature years.
One outstanding Becker exploit was organizing a 1961 overland journey through Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran to India with three other students during law school vacation. Their vehicle was an old US army jeep. Former Bnei Akiva members in London still remember the slideshow and lecture he gave on this odyssey. Most normal Brits didn’t go so far afield in those days. A further adventure took place in 1968 when Shmuel and a friend were sent behind the Iron Curtain for four weeks by the Israeli Foreign Ministry to make ties with refuseniks and discover hidden Jewish communities.
After graduating law school and passing all exams, Shmuel married Renee – the grey-eyed girl next door and quintessential chevramanit – and they made aliyah in 1969. Though Renee’s parents were upset that their only child was departing with their first granddaughter, they too moved over within 10 years, and Shmuel’s parents arrived five years later.
The Beckers were initially housed at the absorption center in Katamon Tet, Jerusalem where they attended an ulpan for professionals. This lively social experience inspired Shmuel to recruit his brother Adrian the dentist to join him in financing the purchase of two new apartments in the Ramat Eshkol neighborhood, which they converted into a thriving medical center.
He was soon at work.
“I requalified as an Israel lawyer and started practice immediately in 1971. I ran my own law office in Jerusalem ever since – a very varied family-type practice including wills, probates, contracts, real estate and so on,” Shmuel says. Moreover, if any circumstances appeared suspicious, he would engage in detective work on occasion!
A HIGHLIGHT of those early years occurred in 1984.
“I and my former partner received the President’s Award for voluntary services as we were retraining foreign lawyers who had made aliyah and wanted to requalify here.”
This training program, which took place in the kitchen of their small law office, was aptly named the Kitchen Academy.
In 1993 Shmuel he ventured into oil exploration.
“I joined two other people and together we started a company to explore for oil in Israel. The company is now quoted on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. We have produced over one million barrels and are presently drilling two more wells, onshore, in central Israel. I am the chairman of the board and director of the company.”
Shmuel actually tried quite hard to retire a few years ago.
“I took a six-year break to try to retire during 2014-20, but have now returned to the profession and work all day and every day from home,” he relates.
During Shmuel’s attempt at retirement, he got involved with a device called the Playchair, which a flight simulator engineer designed for physically challenged children.
“I direct a start-up company planning to produce this innovative invention,” he explains. “The child sits facing a computer screen, uses the arm controls or pedals to simulate the joyous experience of a carousel ride or a playground slide, and the chair moves beneath them. We have the prototype ready and are looking for investment.”
During the last three to four years Shmuel has been teaching Hebrew voluntarily to new immigrant English-speakers three times a week and now has about 30 students (all seniors) every week.
“I have three classes – beginners, intermediate and advanced,” he explains. Classes, which originally met in his home but are now on Zoom, include conversation and reading activities to help the newcomers orient themselves to life in Israel.
Renee on her part is widely known among community leaders in Israel and the Diaspora. After initially teaching English privately and working in real estate, Renee was public relations and fundraising manager for Emunah Women’s Organization in Jerusalem for many years. This occurred between raising her four children and babysitting for many of their progeny. Now after retirement she is working twice as hard volunteering for Emunah as before.
“Everyone knows her,” her husband proudly proclaims.
Shmuel lists his greatest achievement as their “children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” and is delighted that the Becker family today numbers over 50 people.
During the lockdowns, Shmuel entertained himself with carpentry projects, producing four wooden doll houses and four metal garages with ramps for eight of his great-grandchildren. He was self-taught in these endeavors.
He also translates, edits and makes challot every week. His daily routine includes a (third cycle) Daf Yomi shiur and other classes. With basic activities listed as: “Up at 5:30 a.m., shul and study Talmud at 6. Go to the gym at 8, have breakfast at 9, then work through the day. Study again at 7 p.m., then relax with Renee in the evening,” not much time remains to laze around!