Raymond Goldwater est né en 1918 à Hove, petite ville balnéaire sur la côte sud de l'Angleterre, à l'ouest de Brighton. Il est diplômé en droit de l'University of London. Tout au long de sa vie, M. Goldwater s'est impliqué dans les relations anglo-juives, exerçant les fonctions de président de l'Inter-University Jewish Federation of Great Britain en 1939-1940. A la fin de la seconde guerre mondiale, alors qu'il était lieutenant dans l'armée britannique, Raymond Goldwater participa à la libération d'Amiens. Il fut officier honoraire de l'United Synagogue of London, la plus grande communauté de Grande-Bretagne, dont il présida le comité d'aide sociale et le comité des publications. Il présida également le University Chaplaincy Board pour les étudiants juifs et le comité consultatif de l'Association for Jewish Youth. Outre deux ouvrages, Raymond Goldwater écrivit des articles dans Le ela, un périodique publié par la London School of Jewish Studies, et édita Jewish Philosophy and Philosophers. Un livre fut publié sous ce titre par la Hillel Foundation à Londres en 1962 et un second livre, Pioneers of Religious Zionism: Rabbis Alkalai, Kalischer, Mohliver, Reines, Kook and Maimon, consacré à la contribution des leaders religieux juifs du XIXe siècle au mouvement pour un foyer national juif, fut publié en 2005. Entre 2013 et 2016, Raymond Goldwater partage son temps entre New York et Israël. Il est décédé le 11 mars 2016 à New York et a été inhumé en Israël sur le mont des Oliviers.

Cette lettre du 19 septembre 1944 a été transcrite par David Rosenberg. Voici cette transciption :

Dear Stan,

First of all there are a couple of things I would like you to do for me when you can arrange it. I have met over here a certain Mr and Mme Aczel and their two daughters. M. Aczel has a friend (a cousin I think) in England and would like to let him know that he is all right. Could you write to this cousin with the message that the Aczel family are alive and well? For obvious reasons I cannot say where they are. The address is Mr. Ernest Blau, 19 Belvedere Court N. 2. If not there he may be found at 115 Lyttleton Rd. N. 2. Marianne Aczel, the elder daughter, would like the same message sent to a friend of hers: Ms. Ruth F. Landerman c/o Mrs. Brooks, 3 Rosslyn Drive, Moreton, Wirral, Cheshire. Would you drop her a line also I do not want to write from here myself and I do want to do this for the Aczels as they have been really wonderful to us.

This Yom Tov [note: "Holy Day" or "holidays" in Hebrew] has been wonderful in every way. I managed by means of much dashing about to get to all the services which were held in the Shoul [note: Colloquial (Yiddish) word for Synagogue, literally "school"]. It was the first service held at the Shoul for four years and there were about thirty soldiers there as well as half a dozen of the French people gathered in the stone floored building lighted by two candles and empty except for the chairs, table and Ark with curtain which we had rigged up ourselves. [note: the Ark houses the scrolls of the Torah, the Hebrew text of the Five Books of Moses, a portion of which is read at every weekly Sabbath service]. We were all very conscious that this was a rather special occasion and you could feel the tenseness of deep emotion during the service. The French people were literally in tears and after I had said a few words to the others to explain the uniqueness of the service the rest of us were very much the same. I feel very proud to have taken a major part in recovering the Shoul and the thanks showered on me were something I shall never forget.

So we had our services which I conducted in the main myself and I should add that that we had three sifray torah (note: torah scrolls) which had been hidden during the “German occupation.” Some of us went to supper and lunch with the lady whom I have mentioned before and frankly I am amazed at the amount French people eat. First we had sumptuous hors d'oeuvres consisting of cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, sardine, radishes and egg. Then came melon, believe it or not. After this we had French beans done in cream. Meanwhile we were drinking red and white wine and eating Madame's home made bread with butter. Then came duck as fine as any I've ever tasted after which we had a lettuce salad. We ended with fruit tart, fresh fruit and black coffee. Of course most of the stuff was black market which over here has not the odium of the black market in England - here every one who can afford it buys on the "marché noir". Incidentally I admire this French lady greatly: she dresses and makes herself up superlatively well and has retained her poise and carriage in spite of all she has been through. You would never know that her husband and two daughters are missing and that she does not expect to meet them again.

Her son expects to got to England in a fortnight's time : I have given him your Endsleigh Court address but told him you might not be there and, if not, arranged that he should leave a note at Student Movement House. If he cannot see you I have given him 85 Sanderson Rd as Aunt Roza speaks some French I believe. The name is Louria.

Thanks very much indeed for the books. Don't send any more just yet as I have done little reading lately and have enough books for some time. Could you send me some Colgate's Brushless Shave cream as I am running very low of it now. That is about all. Sorry I forgot all about your birthday. Many happy returns.

Ray

R. Goldwater