HERSHOLE

Hersh (Herman) Cojocaru

My Brother Herman

He was the Talent in the family. He had talent for music, languages, figures. Unfortunately, he loved soccer more than anything else, and so he spent the best hours of his boyhood on the"maidan" (field) playing soccer or watching others do that.

He didn't take school too seriously, but did well on violin private lessons, attending regularly and practising as required. At that time, though, there was no high school or any vocational school in our small home town Saveni, and my parents didn't have the means to keep him at school in another town. They sent him, however, to a commercial school in a bigger city where he attended some short basic course in commerce and accountancy and came back to start working and earning a living.

I don't know how he did it, but at merely 16 he got to manage a kiosk at the only mechanical plant in town. It sold chocolates, cigarettes, light beverages ,beigels. He did a good job and made a nice side profit too. However, in a year or so it closed down, and he was glad to be accepted as assistant to the manager of the cooperative grocery store in the center of the town.

In Israel, while in the army regular service, he was persuaded to attend a course in turnery , he did so, and then ,surprisingly , he sticked to this trade for many years.

My brother liked to have friends around him. He was tall and good looking, had great humor, and this attracted people. Now and then, he enjoyed playing the violin for his own pleasure or for a small audience of friends and neighbours.

The death of his only child , Shai, and the difficulty encountered by the couple in having another one, destroyed his health. He loved children in general , he used to be mad about his own child, so he was facing now a tragic situation.

By the end of June 1998, his wife insisted that they fly to the Spa of Herculane in Romania , have some light treatment, and continue from there to Budapest by train. He wasn't feeling well , so he refused the plan at first, but changed his mind as he didn't want to let her down (She hoped to meet some relatives of hers, residents of Budapest) . Looking back, I guess he was also afraid of being left  alone at home  while feeling not so well and being before an important heart echo test.

The outcome of the trip was terrible. His wife returned on the plane without him .  He, or rather his coffin with his remains, came later because of arrangements that had to be made. The tragic irony of his untimely death (on the 4th of july) was that he had collapsed suddenly in front of the TV set while watching ....the Mondial (World Cup) soccer games ! Soccer - the thing he loved most.

אחי היחיד הרמן

הרמן, אחי הגדול

היה נאה, ובעל כשרון

במוסיקה, שפות, חשבון

אך אהב כדורגל יותר מכל

למגינת לבם של ההורים

העביר זמנו במגרש המשחקים

יותר מאשר בכיתת הלימודים

והדבר הפריע לקידומו בחיים

הוא אהב אוכל טוב וטעים

ואף ניסה את ידו בבישולים

אך אהבה זו, כידוע ברבים

לא תורמת לחיים בריאים

,פטירתו של שי, ילדו הקט

סכוי נמוך להולדת ילד נוסף 

הביאו להתדרדרות במצבו

והחישו, כך נראה, את מותו

יולי 1998 הדבר הנורא קרה

בחדר בבודפסט, תוך צפיה

במשחקי גביע המונדיאל

גופו לפתע קרס, לבו נדם

אחי "שב" מהטיול בארון

איזה גורל מר, איזה אסון

אין מילים לתאר את השברון

מנת חלקי, מאז ועד היום

כאילו היה זה אתמול...

כאשר קרה הנורא מכל

והוא הלך ממני בלי שוב

בהשאירני עם לב שרוף

מכאב, ואף רגשות אשם

שלא עשיתי די להחזיקו כאן

Fratele meu Hersh (Herscu)

Herscu, singurul meu frate

Avea talent si calitate

Mai mult ca orice-i placea,

Football pe teren a juca

Dupa un curs de comerciala

A fost angajat la 'Alimentara'

Strungar a devenit aici, in tara

Lucrand in industria militara

Multi amici si cunoscuti avea

Cu care deobicei se intrunea,

discuta, se distra ,se sfatuia

El  fiind 'Meleh Hahavura'

Shai, unicul sau copil, baiat,

De o cumplita boala a decedat

Sanatatea lui Hersh a deteriorat

Ca urmare al acestui tragic fapt

In iulie '98, seara, in Budapesta

In camera doar Hersh si nevasta
El urmarea cu pasiune meci pe ecran

In cadrul jocurilor Cupa Mondial

Si dintrodata, pe neasteptate, subit

Cu tot trupul pe jos sa prabusit

Sotia , a mai apucat sa vada

Caderea lui tragica,  finala

Acasa, a ramas orfana

Vechea sa, loiala vioara

'Es Toighinisht'
Herscu , mai frate

Ai fost ceva aparte

Stiu bine ce-am avut

Si pe cine am pierdut

"Toighinisht"- iti era lozinca

In Yidish, ce mult ma enerva!

Dar azi vad clarviziunea ta
Tu, nu noi, ai inteles realitatea

Imi lipsesti si te regret

Cer iertare, dau respect

Sufletului tau nemuritor

Amintirii tale de fratior