The story of Jack & Dennis (no disrespect)

ANT KATZ

See who you may recognise in this 1939 Standard 3 picture Jack and Dennis (no disrespect) from at Doornfontein School. Feel free to post comments below if you know any of the identified, or still unidentified, faces.

Jack Shnaier posted a comment SEE PREVIOUS STORY on how he and the late Dayan Dennis Isaacs were childhood friends. “We were part of the great Jewish community in Doornfontein, Johannesburg,” posted Jack. “He and his younger sister and parents lived corner Staib and Hilner St. We lived in 7 Hilner St. No 1 Hilner was Ponevez Shul. Dennis used to go every Friday night to Ponevez Shul, where my family were members. We attended Doornfontein Government School from 1935 to 1941 and Athlone High School in Bez Valley from 1942 to 1946.

“From then on,” writes Jack, “our paths changed. He studied as a Hebrew teacher. When Chief Rabbi L.I.Rabinowitz met Dennis in around 1948 he encouraged Dennis to study further & become a Rabbi.

Dennis and I met occasionally, when we would discuss “old times.” I mean no disrespect when I call him Dennis, after all he was a childhood friend.

“I enclose a class photo at Doornfontein School under separate cover (SEE BELOW -ED). The class teacher was A.J.Juyn who later was Mayor of Alberton.
 

“This photo of the Doornfontein School class Std 3 year 1939 shows (among others -ED) sitting left to right Jack Shnaier, Dennis Isaacs, Benny Josselowitz, Rachel Segal, Toby Segerman, Vivian Viviers, Katie Sarachik, Issie Shapiro and HJ Juyn.