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What I did in my school holidays in July 1968 – Lemmy

What I did in my school holidays in July 1968

By Lemmy Hadassin

‘Twas a cold and smokey highveld, before the winter dawn

A Cessna four-seater, parked neatly on the lawn

The pilot checks the fuel as we all climb on board

Uncertain what’s ahead, a silent prayer to the Lord

Final year at school, I’m just sweet sixteen

Flying to De Aar in the Cape, where I’ve never ever been

My Dad and Bill Moffett, a job there to review

With the pilot, Arthur Webster, and me make up the crew

“Fasten seatbelts rather tightly”, Captain Webster’s call is clear

Nothing to worry about, and not much for me to fear

The engine sounds so noisy as my heart begins to pound

Down the runway at high speed the plane lifts off the ground

We’re flying high, it’s daylight, so much never seen before

A highway here, a farm over there, a dam and so much more

A thermos flask of coffee, and egg sandwiches for us to share

Should be at home studying, but I don’t really care

Flying over mountains, we’re close to our destination

The engine stops, the propeller slows, a worrying situation

The captain tries a restart, unfortunately no such luck

Lets out a loud profanity, which may well rhyme with duck

We glide over the hilltops, and the town is not that far

Perhaps we’ll land on the road, but this is not a car

Arthur spots a sandy track, a good landing’s on today

Little does he know there’s a wall mound in the way

We hit the ground with a mighty bump, the plane does a total flip

Landing upside down and skidding on, as I bit hard on my lip

Held hanging by the seatbelt, I should have stayed in bed

Undo the buckle, and lo and behold I fall onto my head

The Captain fears a fire and kicks out the side door

We scramble along the roof which has now become the floor

We’re out, we’re safe, just a few cuts and bruises to show

The plane’s a wreck, will I fly again – the answer’s a definite no

A farmer saw our plane above, gliding slowly into trouble

Appears with shovels, thought we were buried deep in rubble

Transport to the town, by I know not whom

Should we check-in and get a room?

I offer to ride home on the evening train

A ride on rails sounds good to my brain

Arthur says no – it’s like riding a bike

after falling off, get up and go for a hike

He calls the aero club from a call-box phone

“Send out a bigger plane to take us all home”

A six-seater arrives as sunset is near

An engine up front and one in the rear

The town folk turn out at the aero strip

To watch us fly off in this strange looking ship

My palms are all sweaty, my nerves are a-jitter

I may be a coward but I’m surely no quitter

The new pilot is cool, so I am much calmer

Gets us back home without further drama

Arthur’s bought a new Cessna – is he quite insane?

Will I ever choose to fly with him again?

Hazel & Lemmy Hadassin
2nd Battalion Transvaal Scottish Circa 1972
Rev Sholem Moshe and Bertha (Bluma) Hadassin. Lemmy’s grandparents. Rev in Bloemfontein until 1950

 

JewishGen – The Home of Jewish Genealogy

Bloemfontein  Kehilalink

Perth Kehilalink

 

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Marek Chmielewski – Orla Poland

On the way to the Bialowieza forest lies the small village of Orla: a tiny place with an impressive synagogue that rules over the flat landscape. For many years forgotten and misused, in the past decade it gained a new keeper who, in cooperation with Jewish organizations in Poland, local authorities, and descendants of Orla’s Jews, has been bringing back the building to its former glory. Forum for Dialogue is proud and honored to support these efforts.

Marek Chmielewski, who is a member of the Leaders of Dialogue network and the Mayor of Orla, was recently nominated for the POLIN Award presented by the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews for his outstanding dedication to the preservation of Jewish heritage in Poland. In a short film, Marek shares his motivations for the work he does in Orla.
 

 

 

Aware of the complexities involved in having a non-Jew in charge of the synagogue, Marek has spent countless hours reaching out to local residents, experts, representatives of Jewish organizations in Poland, and descendants of Orla’s Jews to make sure he is working in a spirit of dialogue and mutual understanding. Himself a member of a religious and linguistic minority in Poland, he is determined to ensure that his Jewish neighbors are properly remembered. In the past years, he has created a monument commemorating Orla’s Jews, published an album featuring photographs of the pre-war community, collected oral histories from elderly residents, and connected with one of the last living Jews of Orla. This fall, thanks to a grant awarded by Forum for Dialogue to members of our Leaders of Dialogue network, he organized a conference aptly entitled “What’s to happen with the Orla synagogue?” attended by experts from all over Poland, as well as local residents and guests.

Though he admits that he does not seem like the obvious choice for a keeper of memory, he relishes in the trust he has been granted by Jews and non-Jews alike, to work to preserve and educate about Jewish Orla. As he notes himself, rather than consistent, he wants to be effective. And he is.

Andrzej Folwarczny
President and CEO Forum For Dialogue

My visit to Orla 2011 – with Marek Chmielewski and Wojciech Kononczuk

Marek Chmielewski, Dariusz Horodecki  & Wojciech Kononczuk

 

JewishGen – The Home of Jewish Genealogy
kehilalinks.jewishgen.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orla Books by Marek and Dariusz


 

 
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Rabbi Shalom Coleman In The News

9 December 2021

 

Perth’s Rabbi Dr Shalom Coleman celebrates his 103rd birthday

Perth?s Rabbi Dr Shalom Coleman celebrates his 103rd birthday
Perth?s Rabbi Dr Shalom Coleman celebrates his 103rd birthday
www.jwire.com.au

 

Rabbi Shalom Coleman – 103! – Mazeltov!

With long standing friends from the Bloemfontein days, Barney and Myra Wasserman, taken last week at the Perth Jewish Centre.

Here are photos and items reposted from my previous posts

The People’s Rabbi

Rabbi Shalom Coleman

Who Am I!

Watch Video:

Source: youtu.be/bD4pm_sQ1HE

Coleman

Source: elirab.com/Coleman.html

SHALOM COLEMAN – RABBINIC DYNAMO

by Raymond Apple, emeritus rabbi of the Great Synagogue, Sydney

 Bio about 10 years ago

Small in size but a giant in stature – that describes Rabbi Shalom Coleman, who changed the face of Judaism in Western Australia. Thanks to his refusal to give up or give in, a sleepy, distant community was set on the path to becoming a lively centre of orthodoxy. Rabbi Coleman is now over 90, hopefully with three more decades of work ahead until the proverbial 120.

Born into an orthodox family in Liverpool on 5 December, 1918, he was both a student and a man of action from his youth. At the University of Liverpool he gained a BA degree with honours, plus a Bachelor of Letters in Hebrew and Ancient Semitic Languages and Egyptology. His education was interrupted by World War II when he served with the Royal Air Force as a wireless operator/air gunner on missions in France and Western Europe, and in 1944 he was recruiting officer in England for the Jewish Brigade Group. He returned to university in 1945 as tutor, review writer and librarian.   At Jews’ College, he gained rabbinic ordination in 1955.  He also undertook postgraduate studies in Semitic languages at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

In 1947, at the suggestion of the then Chief Rabbi of South Africa, Dr Louis Rabinowitz, he went to the Potchefstroom Hebrew Congregation in the Transvaal and then served the Bloemfontein Hebrew Congregation in the Orange Free State from 1949-1960.  Whilst in South Africa, he gained an MA at the University of Pretoria and a PhD at the University of the Orange Free State for a thesis entitled “Hosea Concepts in Midrash and Talmud”.

He was chairman of the Adult Education Council (English Section) of the Orange Free State and vice-president of the Victoria League, and introduced essay and oratory contests for schools. As a military chaplain he was active in the ex-service movement and was awarded the Certificate of Comradeship, the highest award of the MOTHS (Memorable Order of Tin Hats). He edited a Jewish community journal called “HaShomer” and an anniversary volume for the 150th anniversary of the Orange Free State.

In 1961 he came to Sydney as rabbi of the South Head Synagogue. He was a member of the Sydney Beth Din, vice-president of the NSW Board of Jewish Education and director of the David J. Benjamin Institute of Jewish Studies, for whom he edited three volumes of proceedings. He established a seminary for the training of Hebrew teachers. He lectured at the University of Sydney and wrote a thesis entitled “Malachi in Midrashic Analysis” for a DLitt.

In 1964 he received the Robert Waley Cohen Scholarship of the Jewish Memorial Council, using it for research into adult education in South-East Asia, Israel and the USA. In 1965 he became rabbi of the Perth Hebrew Congregation in Western Australia.  He held office until retirement in 1985.

He determined to turn Perth into a Makom Torah. He obtained land as a gift in trust from the State Government for a new synagogue, youth centre and minister’s residence in an area where the Jewish community lived in Mount Lawley, replacing the original downtown Shule.   At that time few members were Shom’rei Shabbat. Further initiatives led to a kosher food centre in the Synagogue grounds; a mikveh; a genizah  for the burial of outworn holy books and appurtenances; a Hebrew Academy where high school students met daily, and extra classes four days a week at a nearby state school.

He taught for the Department of Adult Education of the University of WA and served on the Senate of Murdoch University. He was an honorary professor at Maimonides College in Canada, led educational tours to Israel for non-Jewish clergy and teachers, lectured to religious groups, schools and service organisations, and wrote booklets so people of all faiths could understand Jews and Judaism. Talks with the Minister of Education led to a Committee of National Consciousness in Schools, which he chaired; the Minister called his work “invaluable”.

Known as “the rabbi who never stops”, he was a member of the Karrakatta and Pinarroo Valley Cemetery Boards and wrote two histories for them to mark the State’s 150th anniversary in 1979 and the Australian Bicentenary in 1988. He was a member of the Perth Dental Hospital Board and chaired the Senior Appointments Committee and then the Board. The North Perth Dental Clinic is now known as the Shalom Coleman Dental Clinic.

A Rotarian since 1962, first in Sydney and then in Perth, he was President 1985/86 and Governor 1993/9, representative of the World President in 1995, and representative of WA Rotary at the UN Presidential Conference in San Francisco in 1995. He was co-ordinator of the District Ethics and Community Service Committees and chaired the Bangladesh Cyclone Warning Project, which saved the lives of 40,000 residents of the chief fishing port of Bangladesh. He received a certificate of appreciation as District Secretary of Probus Centre, South Pacific. He has spoken at conferences all over the world and is a patron of the Family Association of WA. He has been a vice-president of Save the Children Fund since 1967.

He was a foundation member of the Perth Round Table and their first lecturer. He is still an honorary military chaplain and was on the executive of the Returned Services League and edited their “Listening Post” from 1989-91. He holds high rank in Freemasonry. He is honorary rabbi at the Maurice Zeffertt Centre for the Aged and was made a Governor of the Perth Aged Home Society in 2004. After several years as president of the Australian and New Zealand rabbinate his colleagues made him honorary life president. Several times he went to NZ as interim rabbi for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. He shines in the pulpit, and is a fine chazzan.  He has received awards from the Queen and the Australian Government. The University of WA gave him an honorary LLD in April 2000.  He is still, despite his age, a prolific speaker and writer; travels widely and his services are in constant demand.

In 1942 he married Bessie Anna Daviat, who died in 1982.   He has a son in Melbourne, a daughter in the USA, grandchildren and great- grandchildren. He married Elena Doktorovich in 1987; she died in 1997.

Small in stature, Rabbi Coleman is a giant in energy, enterprise and enthusiasm, and is one of Australia’s best known figures. Largely thanks to him, Judaism is strong in Perth, with five synagogues, a Chabad House, a Jewish school, a fine kashrut system, and many shi’urim; his own Talmud shi’ur is legendary. No longer is it a struggle to be Jewish in Western Australia.

The Community Rabbi
With Rabbi Dan Lieberman
With Rivka Majteles
With Rabbi Dovid Freilich and the Blitz Family
With Rabbi Marcus Solomon, Eli Rachamim & Eli Rabinowitz
With Eli Rabinowitz & Joanna Fox

http://elirab.me/spiritual-treasure-book-launch-at-the-perth-hebrew-congregation/

Source: elirab.me/spiritual-treasure-book-launch-at-the-perth-hebrew-congregation/

Rabbi Coleman and The Bloemfontein Reunion

Rabbi Coleman and Bloemfontein Reunion

Rabbi Coleman reminisces about his time in Bloemfontein as Jewish Spiritual Leader – 1949 to 1959.  Perth, Australia 3 February 2016

Watch Video:

Source: youtu.be/GVUN1PtPD0g

 

Posted on

Rabbi Shalom Coleman 103! Mazeltov!

5 December 2021

Rabbi Shalom Coleman – 103! – Mazeltov!

With long standing friends from the Bloemfontein days, Barney and Myra Wasserman, taken last week at the Perth Jewish Centre.

Here are photos and items reposted from my previous posts

The People’s Rabbi

Rabbi Shalom Coleman

Who Am I!

Watch Video:

Source: youtu.be/bD4pm_sQ1HE

Coleman

Source: elirab.com/Coleman.html

SHALOM COLEMAN – RABBINIC DYNAMO

by Raymond Apple, emeritus rabbi of the Great Synagogue, Sydney

 Bio about 10 years ago

Small in size but a giant in stature – that describes Rabbi Shalom Coleman, who changed the face of Judaism in Western Australia. Thanks to his refusal to give up or give in, a sleepy, distant community was set on the path to becoming a lively centre of orthodoxy. Rabbi Coleman is now over 90, hopefully with three more decades of work ahead until the proverbial 120.

Born into an orthodox family in Liverpool on 5 December, 1918, he was both a student and a man of action from his youth. At the University of Liverpool he gained a BA degree with honours, plus a Bachelor of Letters in Hebrew and Ancient Semitic Languages and Egyptology. His education was interrupted by World War II when he served with the Royal Air Force as a wireless operator/air gunner on missions in France and Western Europe, and in 1944 he was recruiting officer in England for the Jewish Brigade Group. He returned to university in 1945 as tutor, review writer and librarian.   At Jews’ College, he gained rabbinic ordination in 1955.  He also undertook postgraduate studies in Semitic languages at Pembroke College, Cambridge.

In 1947, at the suggestion of the then Chief Rabbi of South Africa, Dr Louis Rabinowitz, he went to the Potchefstroom Hebrew Congregation in the Transvaal and then served the Bloemfontein Hebrew Congregation in the Orange Free State from 1949-1960.  Whilst in South Africa, he gained an MA at the University of Pretoria and a PhD at the University of the Orange Free State for a thesis entitled “Hosea Concepts in Midrash and Talmud”.

He was chairman of the Adult Education Council (English Section) of the Orange Free State and vice-president of the Victoria League, and introduced essay and oratory contests for schools. As a military chaplain he was active in the ex-service movement and was awarded the Certificate of Comradeship, the highest award of the MOTHS (Memorable Order of Tin Hats). He edited a Jewish community journal called “HaShomer” and an anniversary volume for the 150th anniversary of the Orange Free State.

In 1961 he came to Sydney as rabbi of the South Head Synagogue. He was a member of the Sydney Beth Din, vice-president of the NSW Board of Jewish Education and director of the David J. Benjamin Institute of Jewish Studies, for whom he edited three volumes of proceedings. He established a seminary for the training of Hebrew teachers. He lectured at the University of Sydney and wrote a thesis entitled “Malachi in Midrashic Analysis” for a DLitt.

In 1964 he received the Robert Waley Cohen Scholarship of the Jewish Memorial Council, using it for research into adult education in South-East Asia, Israel and the USA. In 1965 he became rabbi of the Perth Hebrew Congregation in Western Australia.  He held office until retirement in 1985.

He determined to turn Perth into a Makom Torah. He obtained land as a gift in trust from the State Government for a new synagogue, youth centre and minister’s residence in an area where the Jewish community lived in Mount Lawley, replacing the original downtown Shule.   At that time few members were Shom’rei Shabbat. Further initiatives led to a kosher food centre in the Synagogue grounds; a mikveh; a genizah  for the burial of outworn holy books and appurtenances; a Hebrew Academy where high school students met daily, and extra classes four days a week at a nearby state school.

He taught for the Department of Adult Education of the University of WA and served on the Senate of Murdoch University. He was an honorary professor at Maimonides College in Canada, led educational tours to Israel for non-Jewish clergy and teachers, lectured to religious groups, schools and service organisations, and wrote booklets so people of all faiths could understand Jews and Judaism. Talks with the Minister of Education led to a Committee of National Consciousness in Schools, which he chaired; the Minister called his work “invaluable”.

Known as “the rabbi who never stops”, he was a member of the Karrakatta and Pinarroo Valley Cemetery Boards and wrote two histories for them to mark the State’s 150th anniversary in 1979 and the Australian Bicentenary in 1988. He was a member of the Perth Dental Hospital Board and chaired the Senior Appointments Committee and then the Board. The North Perth Dental Clinic is now known as the Shalom Coleman Dental Clinic.

A Rotarian since 1962, first in Sydney and then in Perth, he was President 1985/86 and Governor 1993/9, representative of the World President in 1995, and representative of WA Rotary at the UN Presidential Conference in San Francisco in 1995. He was co-ordinator of the District Ethics and Community Service Committees and chaired the Bangladesh Cyclone Warning Project, which saved the lives of 40,000 residents of the chief fishing port of Bangladesh. He received a certificate of appreciation as District Secretary of Probus Centre, South Pacific. He has spoken at conferences all over the world and is a patron of the Family Association of WA. He has been a vice-president of Save the Children Fund since 1967.

He was a foundation member of the Perth Round Table and their first lecturer. He is still an honorary military chaplain and was on the executive of the Returned Services League and edited their “Listening Post” from 1989-91. He holds high rank in Freemasonry. He is honorary rabbi at the Maurice Zeffertt Centre for the Aged and was made a Governor of the Perth Aged Home Society in 2004. After several years as president of the Australian and New Zealand rabbinate his colleagues made him honorary life president. Several times he went to NZ as interim rabbi for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. He shines in the pulpit, and is a fine chazzan.  He has received awards from the Queen and the Australian Government. The University of WA gave him an honorary LLD in April 2000.  He is still, despite his age, a prolific speaker and writer; travels widely and his services are in constant demand.

In 1942 he married Bessie Anna Daviat, who died in 1982.   He has a son in Melbourne, a daughter in the USA, grandchildren and great- grandchildren. He married Elena Doktorovich in 1987; she died in 1997.

Small in stature, Rabbi Coleman is a giant in energy, enterprise and enthusiasm, and is one of Australia’s best known figures. Largely thanks to him, Judaism is strong in Perth, with five synagogues, a Chabad House, a Jewish school, a fine kashrut system, and many shi’urim; his own Talmud shi’ur is legendary. No longer is it a struggle to be Jewish in Western Australia.

The Community Rabbi
With Rabbi Dan Lieberman
With Rivka Majteles
With Rabbi Dovid Freilich and the Blitz Family
With Rabbi Marcus Solomon, Eli Rachamim & Eli Rabinowitz
With Eli Rabinowitz & Joanna Fox

http://elirab.me/spiritual-treasure-book-launch-at-the-perth-hebrew-congregation/

Source: elirab.me/spiritual-treasure-book-launch-at-the-perth-hebrew-congregation/

Rabbi Coleman and The Bloemfontein Reunion

Rabbi Coleman and Bloemfontein Reunion

Rabbi Coleman reminisces about his time in Bloemfontein as Jewish Spiritual Leader – 1949 to 1959.  Perth, Australia 3 February 2016

Watch Video:

Source: youtu.be/GVUN1PtPD0g

 

Posted on

Doornfontein, Johannesburg

25 November 2021

From Benzie Pikoos in Perth.

Beth Hamedrash HaGadol

This picture was taken around 1960 at the Beth Hamedrash HaGadol (Berele Chagi) shul. Do you recognise anyone there? I see Selwyn Feinblum, and Jossi Stern. These were most probably Doornfontein people.

I used to sing in the choir. Had my barmitzvah there as well. Rabbi Kossofsky was the rabbi. He was also the founder of Yeshivah College.

Doornfontein,

Berele Chagy
Jewish Doornfontein Part 2 ? tangential travel
elirab.me

 

My photos of the Beit Hamidrash Hagadol, now University of Johannesburg, from Ishvara Dhyan’s walking tour of Doornfontein – 24 March 2016

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

My photos of the Jewish Government School, from Ishvara Dhyan’s walking tour of Doornfontein – 24 March 2016

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Jewish government school 1959

Included in the photo is Benzie Pikoos and Mervyn Druker


Standard 1 Class of 1959 (Combined with Grade 2) Courtesy Alan Mymin
Each row L to R

Back Row: Cecil Goldstein. Jeffrey Epstein. Louis Potgieter. Benzie Pikoos. Mervyn Sherman. Reginald Rumney. Arnold Gossel.

3rd Row: Filip Nowydwor. Sylvio…………. Walter Allen. Mervyn Druker. Anthony Atkins.Tyrone Bevaud. Allan Bower. Alan Mymin.

2nd Row: Dawn Cohen. Avril Nino. Madeleine Mattis …………………Miss Shirley? Rabinowitz, Linda Shapiro. Jean Wiggil. Rene Altaris. Anita Goldstein.

Front Row: Steven (Moekie) Weiler. Calvin Fredericks. Denise Nauman. Cynthia Slutzki.Stella Botta. Denise……….. Jackie…………. Ralph Wingrove. Michael Marcus.

21 November 2021

I received a call from Ethne Epstein in Melbourne to tell me that the Harris of the Harris Camp in PE, was her grandfather, I. H. Harris from Johannesburg.

See more about Isadore Harris and Doornfontein here:

Jewish Doornfontein ? Part 4 ? tangential travel
elirab.me

The Jewish Government School

Education Several Jewish schools were built, and one, the Jewish Government School, now the IH Harris Primary School in Davies Street, Doornfontein, still goes strong. Yiddish used to be the only language heard in the playground. (City of Johannesburg – Jews mark 120 years)

From Ethne Epstein:

I don’t have very much information on the camps, but understand they took place in Port Elizabeth in the 1920’s and 1930’s. From what I understand there were no Jewish camps, and because my Grandfather Isadore Harris was the principal of the Jewish Government School in Doornfontein, he arranged camps for Jewish families from Johannesburg during the December holidays. Exactly where in Port Elizabeth I have no idea.
They were all in tents close to the beach.
In 1966 Jewish Government was renamed the I H Harris Primary school.
A photo I have is of my Granny Minnie Harris with two of the sons, Kenny and Denny. My late Dad is on the left.

Alan who is sitting on the car is the an older brother.

I am not sure if this is another photo from camp or when my Dad was in the army. Although some of the guys were smoking it looks similar surroundings

Warm Regards
Ethne
————–

Previously from Gil Friedstein, Israel on 9 October 2021

Port Elizabeth, South Africa – mid 1920s

Harris Camp – Billy, Sidney and Hilda (1st row)
Gil Friedstein is happy to share his grandparents’  holiday photos  from Port Elizabeth sometime in the mid 1920s. 
All the  photos (exept for the last one) were taken at Harris Camp and Gil will be most thankful  for any information referring to this place  gil.friedstein@hotmail.com
 
Alan Harris must have been a member of the family that ran the camp, and the two group photos give us a pretty good idea as to the number families who came to the camp.  
Alan Harris and friends
Granny, Hilda, Billy, Sidney and Elsie
Alan Harris
Hilda and Billy
Mrs Makin, Hilda, Billy and Sidney
Oupa
Harris Camp
Oupa, Granny, Hilda, Billy and the Rosenbergs at the beach
Posted on

Harris Camp, PE to Doornfontein

25 November 2021

From Benzie Pikoos in Perth.

Beth Hamedrash HaGadol

This picture was taken around 1960 at the Beth Hamedrash HaGadol (Berele Chagi) shul. Do you recognise anyone there? I see Selwyn Feinblum, and Jossi Stern. These were most probably Doornfontein people.

I used to sing in the choir. Had my barmitzvah there as well. Rabbi Kossofsky was the rabbi. He was also the founder of Yeshivah College.

Doornfontein,

Berele Chagy
Jewish Doornfontein Part 2 ? tangential travel
elirab.me

 

My photos of the Beit Hamidrash Hagadol, now University of Johannesburg, from Ishvara Dhyan’s walking tour of Doornfontein – 24 March 2016

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

My photos of the Jewish Government School, from Ishvara Dhyan’s walking tour of Doornfontein – 24 March 2016

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Jewish government school 1959

Included in the photo is Benzie Pikoos and Mervyn Druker


Standard 1 Class of 1959 (Combined with Grade 2) Courtesy Alan Mymin
Each row L to R

Back Row: Cecil Goldstein. Jeffrey Epstein. Louis Potgieter. Benzie Pikoos. Mervyn Sherman. Reginald Rumney. Arnold Gossel.

3rd Row: Filip Nowydwor. Sylvio…………. Walter Allen. Mervyn Druker. Anthony Atkins.Tyrone Bevaud. Allan Bower. Alan Mymin.

2nd Row: Dawn Cohen. Avril Nino. Madeleine Mattis …………………Miss Shirley? Rabinowitz, Linda Shapiro. Jean Wiggil. Rene Altaris. Anita Goldstein.

Front Row: Steven (Moekie) Weiler. Calvin Fredericks. Denise Nauman. Cynthia Slutzki.Stella Botta. Denise……….. Jackie…………. Ralph Wingrove. Michael Marcus.

21 November 2021

I received a call from Ethne Epstein in Melbourne to tell me that the Harris of the Harris Camp in PE, was her grandfather, I. H. Harris from Johannesburg.

See more about Isadore Harris and Doornfontein here:

Jewish Doornfontein ? Part 4 ? tangential travel
elirab.me

The Jewish Government School

Education Several Jewish schools were built, and one, the Jewish Government School, now the IH Harris Primary School in Davies Street, Doornfontein, still goes strong. Yiddish used to be the only language heard in the playground. (City of Johannesburg – Jews mark 120 years)

From Ethne Epstein:

I don’t have very much information on the camps, but understand they took place in Port Elizabeth in the 1920’s and 1930’s. From what I understand there were no Jewish camps, and because my Grandfather Isadore Harris was the principal of the Jewish Government School in Doornfontein, he arranged camps for Jewish families from Johannesburg during the December holidays. Exactly where in Port Elizabeth I have no idea.
They were all in tents close to the beach.
In 1966 Jewish Government was renamed the I H Harris Primary school.
A photo I have is of my Granny Minnie Harris with two of the sons, Kenny and Denny. My late Dad is on the left.

Alan who is sitting on the car is the an older brother.

I am not sure if this is another photo from camp or when my Dad was in the army. Although some of the guys were smoking it looks similar surroundings

Warm Regards
Ethne
————–

Previously from Gil Friedstein, Israel on 9 October 2021

Port Elizabeth, South Africa – mid 1920s

Harris Camp – Billy, Sidney and Hilda (1st row)
Gil Friedstein is happy to share his grandparents’  holiday photos  from Port Elizabeth sometime in the mid 1920s. 
All the  photos (exept for the last one) were taken at Harris Camp and Gil will be most thankful  for any information referring to this place  gil.friedstein@hotmail.com
 
Alan Harris must have been a member of the family that ran the camp, and the two group photos give us a pretty good idea as to the number families who came to the camp.  
Alan Harris and friends
Granny, Hilda, Billy, Sidney and Elsie
Alan Harris
Hilda and Billy
Mrs Makin, Hilda, Billy and Sidney
Oupa
Harris Camp
Oupa, Granny, Hilda, Billy and the Rosenbergs at the beach
Posted on

74th Yahrzeit of Josek Rotsztejn of Nasielsk

Rotsztejn means red stone – the ancestor worked in a brick field and was always covered in red brick dust

 


gen.org/nasielsk/Rotsztejn.html

Marriage #14 reg. in Nasielsk April 21, 1882 of Josek ROTSZTEJN, 23, son of the late Miszka and Chai Sura nee GRANAT of Nasielsk to Chana Rajzla BLASZKA, 20, dau. of Moszko and Ryfka Ruchla nee BANK of Nasielsk. Witnesses: Gersz RAPY, 70, and Dawid CIELOWNIKA, 60.

South Africa – Raie, Annie (Chana) Joseph (Josek), Leonard and Claude
Far right at Raie & Barney’s Wedding 1943
Chana and Josek Rotzstejn became Annie and Joseph Reitstein
Cape Town Newspaper announcement of Joseph’s death, November 1947

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Rotsztejns of Nasielsk

Warsaw to Nasielsk – 53km
Chana and Josek Rotsztejn became Annie and Joseph Reitstein
Rotsztejn means red stone – the ancestor worked in a brick field and was always covered in red brick dust
Rotsztejn Family names on the Nasielsk register, including Josek and his mother, Chaia Sura

 


gen.org/nasielsk/Rotsztejn.html

Marriage #14 reg. in Nasielsk April 21, 1882 of Josek ROTSZTEJN, 23, son of the late Miszka and Chai Sura nee GRANAT of Nasielsk to Chana Rajzla BLASZKA, 20, dau. of Moszko and Ryfka Ruchla nee BANK of Nasielsk. Witnesses: Gersz RAPY, 70, and Dawid CIELOWNIKA, 60.

1901 UK Census UK – Spitalfields, London.  Gershon and Sarah were born in London
UK Census 1911 Solomon was born in Spitafields
Family came out to South Africa on different ships
South Africa – Raie, Annie (Chana) Joseph (Josek), Leonard and Claude
Julian (Judah) Reitstein
Claude, Julian, Raie – in front :Maurice & Leonard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cape Town Newspaper announcement of Joseph’s death, November 1947

 

Descendants of Chai Sura Granat RotsztejnChai Sura Granat (Rotsztejn) – Descendant Chart

6th generation of descendants not included

Double Ancestors Dean & Neil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reitstein – Saevitzon Wedding – Cape Town 1953

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Reitstein brothers:Maurice, Claude and Leonard
Melanie & Julian Reitstein & daughters ; . Melanie & Julian are the only other family members known to have visited Nasielsk
Reitstein Family in Australia

Return to Nasielsk 2012

Jill and Eli with friend Wojceich of Warsaw

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Vabalninkas – Phil & Aldona’s visit in October 2021

From Phil and Aldona Shapiro

Vida

Aldona and I enjoyed meeting you yesterday.  As we explained, we saw the notices of the Jewish history exhibits earlier this year but yesterday was our first opportunity to visit the Vabalninkas museum.  It was particularly important for me because the ancestors of my grandfather, Philip Kramer, lived in Vabalninkas in the 19th Century.  The book of Jewish holiday recipes included one provided by my mother, Mildred Kramer Shapiro, who is his daughter.

As I mentioned, the text of the yizkor (memorial) book for Vabalninkas has been translated into English and posted on-line, https://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/lithuania6/lit6_357.html.  By using Google’s translation function, you can translate the English text into Lithuanian and, thereby, get an approximate idea of the information.

Additionally, Jews whose ancestors lived in Vabalninkas are in contact with each other through the Vabalninkas kehilalinks (community) page, https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/vabalninkas/Home.html.  The webpage is maintained by Eli Rabinowitz, a South African who lives in Australia and frequently visits Litvak towns in Belarus and Lithuania.  I will be sending him some of the photographs I took yesterday in your museum and in the area near the former turgaus aikštė.

Eli,

Earlier this year Aldona and I learned that the Vabalninkas branch of the Biržai regional museum had opened an exhibition of information about and photographs of the Jewish community of Vabalninkas.  We finally visited it yesterday, Tuesday, October 12.

Here are some photos I took.  If you think any would be useful to post on the Vabalninkas KehillaLinks site, I will be happy to provide more information.

The town had a summer synagogue and a winter synagogue. In the photos, the summer synagogue is gray and the winter synagogue is yellow.  The winter synagogue also appears to have had a mikveh.  The word “pirtis” means “bath,” and “pirties gatvė” means “bath street.”  A local photographer took lots of photographs during the inter-war period.

Phil Continue reading “Vabalninkas – Phil & Aldona’s visit in October 2021”