Voices
Seeking Roodepoort shul memories
I am compiling a history of the Roodepoort Florida Hebrew Congregation, which hopefully will become a book. I would like to hear from anyone who has – or has had – a connection to the old shul, and the now sadly diminished Jewish community living there now.
Brian “Joss” Josselowitz, Cape Town
Some of the names of people that come to mind include Morris Hochman – the shul hall was named after him, as well as Harry Benjis; Sandra and Barry Geffen; and Herman Klein, a renowned orthopaedic surgeon. They include Reverend Orenstein, who died in Israel but had a daughter, Nechama; Reverend Friedman; Rabbi Kaye (Kwaitovsky); the Blumson brothers; Ackerman, Bernstein; Hilton, Shirley, and Zena Jacobson – the latter, I believe, is an optometrist in Johannesburg; the late Boya Jacobson nee Levine; the Simon family; Arthur, a vet in America; Glenda and Ethne; the Kabs, who owned a bicycle shop in Roodepoort; Samuel – they had a son, Hesse, who died after a passenger in a train threw a stone at him at the Krugersdorp railway station – and a son, Joe. Then, there is the Tannenbaums, who had a son, Brian, a lawyer, and a daughter, Eleanor; the Spiro family; the Osrin and Stone families; the Hersons; Kaplans, Shubitzes; and Schutzes; the Stoppelman and Josman families – one son, Gerald, was a respected judge, to name just a few. At one stage, the late Eddie Keizan’s family also lived in Roodepoort.
I would also like information about one man, I never knew his name, who attended services regularly, but was never given an aliyah. He was already quite old at the time, and used to sit at his shlenter in the corner.
Any information about the history of the shul would be welcome, as well as memories, both happy and sad. All contributions should be accompanied with pictures in JPEG format, and will be acknowledged. If you have any questions, email me at: jossfam@mweb.co.za, or call me on 021 552 3773.