My thanks to Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft for giving me the book he compiled which included the above article.
A sound clip of Chief Rabbi Louis Rabinowitz, showing his style of oratory. It was part of the toast he made to our Rabinowitz family at my sister, Sorrel Rabinowitz and Gidon (Clive) Katz’s wedding in 1961. Here is the Chief Rabbi making the point that we were not related, and so aren’t most Rabinowitzes!
[sc_embed_player fileurl=”http://elirab.me/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Chief-Rabbi-Louis-Rabinowitz-1961-Short.mp3″]
The book about Rabbi L I Rabinowitz written by my late cousin, Rabbi Gerald Mazabow z”l
There are several lists of names which are searchable in the WordPress search engine on the top of the sidebar on the right.
Should you wish to receive an email each time I post, please enter your email address and press “subscribe”. Confirm the email that you will receive. It is free!
Details about David Sandler and his books are available by clicking on the link above.
Ishvara Dhyan’s Walking Tour – the shuls in Doornfontein
My thanks to Naomi Musiker of the archives at Beyachad for showing me this two volume set and to Rose Norwich for writing them and giving me permission to use extracts. Rose’s thesis has never been published. Hopefully someone will take on this project!
Rose and Naomi
Poswohl Synagogue
<
►
>
Ponevez Shul
<
►
>
Ponevez Sick & Benevolent Society 1949
<
►
>
The First Chevra Kadisha on the grounds of the University of Johannesburg
Beth Hamedrash Hagadol – The Berele Chagy Shul. It is now a gym on the campus.
<
►
>
<
►
>
Berele Chagy
Chagy – soundclip
Berele CHAGY (HAGGAI)
1. The world-famous cantor, Berele CHAGY (HAGGAI), was born in Dagda, Latvia on July 25, 1892. He emigrated to the United States in 1913.
(Information from Paul Silverman)
2. The famous Cantor (Chazan) Berele (Boris) CHAGY, the son of Yitzchak and Sheine CHAGY was from Dagda.
(Information from Eli Goldstein, Johannesburg, South Africa)
3. Berele Chagy was a great hazzan and officiated at Smolensk by 17. Later he had congregations in USA (New York, Detroit and Boston) and in South Africa (BETH HAMEDRASH HAGADOL). The last few years he was at the great Brooklyn shul Bethel (Bethel Synagogue created some rushes towards a movie of its great cantors). He went from Dagda to Riga to study, thence to Smoilensky (a cigarette case given to him with inscriptions in Hebrew “From the Hassids of Smolensk” is still in the family). Because of his youth he required special permission to be a cantor presiding there.
His father and his father’s father are supposed to have all been cantors. At nine he was accompanying his own father in singing and praying. One day he ran away to another village and was found davvening there!
He married very early a young woman, Esther, who was very active as a Zionist, though they never made aliyah together and she visited only late in life. His sons became philosophers and pianists. His grandchildren are in the arts.
He had a hard time escaping the army and came to America. He died while praying in Newark, New Jersey, in l954.
(He is listed in many Jewish encyclopedias.)
(His students – or those who sang under him are – interesting: From Jan Peerce and Danny Kaye to others.)
(Information from David Shapiro, New York, USA)
Any further information about Berele CHAGY (HAGGAI) will be greatly appreciated. Write to: Elsebeth Paikin
Marc Latilla’s blog
Next time – The Great Synagogue, Wolmarans Street.
I only found out about this tour a couple of weeks before leaving for South Africa from Lewis Chiat, who also lives in Perth.
I was lucky as the tour operator and guide, Ishvara Dhyan, only runs this tour three times a year and my dates in Jo’burg matched his next tour.
I was given a lift to Doornfontein by Marc Latilla, who writes a fabulous blog: Johannesburg 1912 Suburb by suburb research- see below.
We met the rest of the group in the parking lot of Ellis Park rugby ground. It is quite safe to park there. Some of us left our cars in China City nearby.
There were 53 on this tour that day and Ish told me that he had to turn away a further 60.
My father z”l was Hachazan Yizchak Rafael Lerman and was born in the old city of Jerusalem into a family of chazonim and baalei tefilot and very musical. He was in the famous Rivlin choir and often sang solo and gave concerts as well. My Abba z”l learned chazanut under chazan Mann of operatic fame. My Abba was Chief chazan of Herzliah and davened in the shul where chazan Leibel Glans was. In 1964, a few weeks before Rosh Hashana, my Abba came to South Africa and davened in the Germiston shul on Rosh Hashana and Yom kippur. My Abba got married in the Doornfontein Lions Shul, at which chazan Shlomo Mandel and Greenblatt afficated My Abba was at the Lions Shul for 3 years, then moved to Glenhazel Shul in 1969 and was there for a long time. In between he davened at various shuls in South Africa
My Abba z”l was a baker as well – the Lerman Bakery in the old city. He also taught Bar Mitzvah lessons in cheder and taught over 1000 bochrim their bar mitzvah. My Abba didn’t make any tapes, but all the recordings were left in Eretz Yisrael. He taught people Nusach
My Abba z”l was an excellent chazan and had a good voice and everyone enjoyed my Abba’s chazanut.
My Abba z”l passed away 9 years ago and is buried on Har Hamenuchot in Givat Shaul in Eretz Yisrael.
My father comes from a chassidic and rabbinical family and was a 5th generation sabra Jerusalemite
Chaim Lerman
March 2015
Published on Sep 7, 2014
The Lions shul is Johannesburg longest standing congregation.
It is a vibrant, active and dynamic congregation.
The 108 year old synagogue is in pristine condition and the chavershaft is warm and family oriented.
The house next door
<
►
>
Marc Latilla’s blog: Johannesburg 1912 Suburb by suburb research
Two weeks ago I spoke on Litvaks on the Move at the Claremont Wynberg Shul in Cape Town:
This week I presented the Perth version of this Litvaks on the Move slideshow at the WA Jewish Historical & Genealogical Society at Noranda Shul.
Perth:
<
►
>
Some slides from the show:
<
►
>
I included slides from my recent trip to South Africa where I visited the Kaplan Centre and Gitlin Library in Cape Town and the Archives and Friends of the Beth Hatsutsoth in Johannesburg.
I also visited the Liliesleaf Museum in Rivonia.
One of highlights was the 4½ walking tour of Doornfontein run by Ishvara Dhyan.
Posts to follow.
At the end of my presentation, Sue Levy presented me with a certificate and the customary book was donated to our local genealogical society library on my behalf.
I was blown away by what book Sue chose!
The title is “Preserving Our Litvak Heritage”, something I have been passionately working on for a while now. The name of the author – Josef Rosin z”l.
In June last year, I noticed that the Birzh KehilaLink had not been updated for long time. I made some enquiries and found out that this website had been compiled by Josef Rosin, who had passed away in Israel in the previous November. When I showed interest in adopting the Birzh site, I was asked by Joel Alpert if I would be happy to adopt 25 others, all the work of late Josef Rosin.
I have previously corresponded with Joel in early 2014. He wanted to use my image of broken matsevot at the Brest Fort for the cover of the new Brest Yizkor book. That photo was one of the slides I used in my Litvaks on the Move presentation – eerie or what!
Here are a few of the photos I took at Muizenberg last week.
The people and cultures on this popular South African beach present quite a contrast to the heydays of the Litvaks, who were here in the 40s, 50s and 60s and then left!
<
►
>
Here is a short video clip:
On my last day in Cape Town, I arrived in time to see the sunrise. I enjoyed the walk to St James and back. These photos will appear in a later post.
we are meeting at the HOUSE of BAOBAB No 20 Kruger St
at the Maboneng Precinct near Arts on Main –
there is secure parking in the surrounding streets.. the walk ends at the same place at approx 13h30
Jeppestown is Johannesburgs oldest residential suburb. (1889)
We will visit many places of historical & cultural interest on the walk, including :
* the mosaics at Maboneng Precinct by artist Hannelie Coetzee * the Jooste & Bryants Building ( Victorian Beauty)
* the Mentis Building ( Art Nouveau ) * the Jozi Mall ( Somali shops – designed as a result of xenophobia ) * old Jewish shops & homes of Jeppestown * the scenes of the 2008 xenophobic attacks * the Anglican Church – Joburgs oldest (still functioning) church * the restaurant used in the movie “ Long Walk to Freedom “ * traditional herbalist shops of Zulu Inyangas * scene of the Jeppestown massacre 2006
* the first Lithuanian Shul 1903 – 1926 * the Main Jeppestown Synagogue 1926 -2002 * Salisbury House – Philosophy school 1903 * St James Preparatory School 1905
We return to the Maboneng Precinct for an optional lunch at your own expense
( Senegalese buffet ) at ” The House of Boabab ” restaurant. Cost : R150-00 per person
