Tribute to Coach Tauber by Harvey J. Karten class of 1955

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Dear Mariam Berzon,

I was truly surprised and elated to receive the announcement of a reunion to honor Art Tauber. As a 1955 graduate of YU, (and 1959 from AECOM), and living on the left coast in Southern California, I had largely lost touch with the YU community. But Art Tauber was a particularly special person in my life. His kindness mixed with rigor, grace, and encouragement provided me with some of the happiest recollections of my years at YU. I often still think of him and his guidance when I was a young undergraduate. He provided the introduction to Art Ambramson, one of my most memorable professors at Einstein.

If fencing is a sport characterized by elegance and courage under stress, then Art Tauber was its finest representative. He showed elegance in fencing, but even greater elegance in his kind support even for so klutzy an athlete as I. At the very least, he helped break me from a lifetime of overweight clumsiness, and gave me a greater confidence in striving. I was never very good at fencing, but he always found a kind way to encourage my confidence in myself. I shall never forget him for that kindness. I attribute my ability to pursue my love of the outdoors is no small measure to the confidence he instilled in me.

I completely lost touch with him, and even to this day, wondered how he might be. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the fencing reunion. I hope to be sailing our boat heading north back to Alaska, then returning by way of the "Outside Passage".

Please tell me how Art is doing, and what he is doing.

with fondest regards to a great man,

Harvey J. Karten,
(YU, 1955, AECOM, 1959)
Distinguished Professor, UCSD
Departments of Neurosciences and Psychiatry
University of California San Diego
School of Medicine
San Diego, CA 92093

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Coach Arthur Tauber, wearing his special protective sleeve and padded vest, introduces a neophyte fencer to the form and techniques required to deliver a touch against an eventual opponent. Circa 1984.

If anyone is able to identify the fencers in the above photograph, please contact us.