Dr. Avi Scherman

Avi was born in Romania in 1938.His mother worked in a hat maker factory and his father was a baker.During World War II, his parents were sent to concentration camps in Europe.The commandant of the camp where his dad lived enjoyed the bread his father baked.Avi's dad became the commandant's personal baker in the concentration camp.

His grandmother raised Avi during the war years.They lived in Bucharest, Romania.Out of concern for his well-being, she introduced Avi to a French national.Avi received the first two years of his education in a Catholic school run by nuns.The school was totally French and young Avi learned the language.There was a tender moment during our conversation when Avi told me he did not have fun during his childhood.

From 1946 to 1948, Avi's family lived in refugee camps.They hired a man to smuggle them out of Romania.An American organization Avi called "Joint" helped the family."Joint" stands for the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the organization's mission is to serve the needs of Jews throughout the world, particularly where their lives as Jews are threatened or made more difficult.The family moved from Romania to Hungary and then to Italy before they came to Israel.Avi remembered the name of the Italian ship, Caserta that brought his family to Israel during the 1948 war.This was the Arab-Israeli War, referred to as the "War of Independence" for Israel.Israel was reborn as a nation in 1948 and recognized by the United Nations.Do you remember how the Messiah tells us we must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God (see JOH 3:3)?Have you been reborn?Avi remembers Egypt bombing Tel Avi during this war and actually saw a bomb fall in the sea from his ship.He was ten years old.

Avi lived in Israel from 1948 to 1968 where he received his undergraduate degree from the Hebrew University.He then went to Michigan State University where he met his wife.They have three children, two sons and a daughter.Two children live in the United States as does Avi and his wife.One son teaches organic chemistry at the University of Cambridge.Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world and one of the largest in the United Kingdom.

Avi's wife works with aging services in Norman, Oklahoma including the Meals on Wheels Association of America that provides home-delivered meals to people in need.Avi Scherman received his Ph.D. in counseling at Michigan State and taught graduate level courses in Oklahoma.He is a professor at the University of Oklahoma.After learning his specialty is "Crisis in the Family" this writer shared a bit of personal testimony about homosexuality.Dr. Scherman told me he had never taught about homosexuality in the family.
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Dr. Scherman travels all over the world today teaching at military bases.He was teaching in the Republic of Panama during the late 70's when this writer was stationed with the U.S. Army in the Canal Zone.Only God can arrange these encounters and next week you will read about a young pilot who shared a touching story about sexual sin in his family.Avi Scherman was flying to London for a short visit with his son who teaches at Cambridge before traveling back to Oklahoma where he and his wife have a home.This writer is praying for Dr. Scherman to become a modern day prophet of God as the Lord continues to work in his life.I was pleased when Dr. Scherman provided his personal email address to receive this newsletter.