The memory of the special teacher

7.11.22 is Yochanan's 100 birthday!

Even today when a problem rises doing my work, I am prepared to meet Yochanan. Discuss and listen to the vast possibilities deal with it.

Even in his last days I was needed to communicate between the Doctors and his unique language so that they will understand how to support him or how to offer him to sit down in order to avoid pain. The words "support", "effort substitution" and "relative conjugate movement" had an effective use to diminish "unnecessary dialogue".

I feel privileged to have had the honor of working next to Yochanan over 25 years. In his birthdays he used to answer the blessing in the same way,saying; "Time passes and I am still here".

A meeting I always remember was between Nathan Mishori,Yochanan, Yardena and me.

He walked in the room with one hand in his trousers pocket and the other hand pointing to the ceiling with the index finger.

That is how he met Moshe teaching and asking the students to reach for the ceiling and touch it with their hands. What a provocation? aha! Before I asked what he meant Yochanan started to explain the meaning of the importance of the image prior the action. The meaning of pointing an object exactly in order to transform the image into "Action".

Yochanan was tricked in choosing his words. "Intention" & "Acceptance" had an important role in the process of his teaching.

I remember one rainy evening that Yochanan urged me to run to the bookstore and purchase a rare book.

Laocoon- An Essay on the limits of Painting and Poetry" by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (1766)!

The connection between the beauty of Ancient Greece and the German Theatre.

As serious he was at the same time he loved to tell jokes, make imitations and just laugh.

Yochanan went Feldenkrais's way devoutly and creatively. By that he lifted the level of teaching to Sciences where there are substance ,order and hierarchy in a way which promotes teaching teachers while guarding values.

I tried to be brief but Yochanan's bag which I carry is heavy with many experiences. With preemies, children at A.D Gordon school in Tel Aviv which was the first school to accept Feldenkrais ATMs, thanks to Yochanan who helped me build the curriculum. Of course working with adults in ATM&FI.

"Still here"-let us all keep the memory of the special teacher, Yochanan Rywerant.

Tel Aviv

Yona Postel