Voices
Blumenthal and Dirmeik both share a Brakpan link
In a strange coincidence in the Jewish Report of February 3 you have a picture of Ella Blumenthal on page 1 and on page 15, Linda Dirmeik (née Borochowitz) both who lived part of their lives in Brakpan and not very far from each other, close to Brenthurst School and Brakpan High School.
Ernest Waner, Brakpan
Linda’s late parents Scroll and Sarah Borochowitz and late brother Dennis and sisters Linda, Verna and Norma, were part of a vital family in the 50s, 60s and 70s in Brakpan.
Ella Blumenthal and her husband Ivan ran a well-known and successful business called Lambs and their children Norman, Alvin, Henry and Evelyn also attended the same schools and too were an important family in the history of Brakpan Jewry.
Brakpan Shul remains the only original structure still being used as a shul on a continual basis on the East Rand due to the efforts made by my brother Jeff Waner who has been fetching a minyan from Sandringham Gardens (in Johannesburg) for more than 11 years nearly every Shabbat.
Maurice (Mo) Skikne has been writing a book “The Social History of the Jewish Community of Brakpan from 1917 to 1970” which will be available shortly from him.