Date: 24 Sep 2002
Dear Barry, I visit this site at least once a week. I am finding it very
interesting.
Regards to your brothers. Alan Stein. steinfamily@mweb.co.za
Date: 24 Sep 2002
Dear Barry Carry on the good work--I think its great. I regularly visit to get
any updates.
Hilton Sandler rickhilt@ozemail.com.au
Date: 27 Sep 2002
Barry The site is fantastic. It brings back good memories as well as information
we can share with our children. Keep up the good work.
Hymie Jechilevsky (hymiej@netspace.net.au)
Date: 02 Oct 2002
Hi Barry. What a great site! It is wonderful to see photos of our community.
Thank you for your time and interest in putting this together. It is too bad
that we are scatterred all over the world and that more of us could not attend
the reunion which you arranged. I know that those who did attend thoroughly
enjoyed it. Hopefully next time..
Shana Harris (Bernitz) Toronto, Canada shana_harris@bialik.on.ca
Date: 13 Oct 2002
hi barry i am grateful for all your hard work in putting this together. I have
spent time with my children and mother going through the photos. We found two of
my late father, Harry Swersky, that we never knew existed.
Thanks again Brian Swersky, Melbourne, Australia bswersky@bigpond.net.au
Date: 17 Oct 2002
Barry ,really u have done a great job on this venture!
Mazeltov Martin and Anne Davis
Date: 18 Oct 2002
Dear Barry, Am enjoying your updates!To fill you in -in the photo taken with
Moshe Sharett nos. 24 & 25 are my parents z"l-Rev. David & Freda Garb.
Regards Shana
Date: 30 Oct 2002
Dear Barry,I wish to compliment you for what you have produced so far.Very
professional.I go into the web site every week without fail.Just to refresh your
memory my Mother is Gladys Shlugman who lives in Israel. Keep up the good work.
Kindest regards, Aubrey Shlugman
Date: 31 Oct 2002
I think that the witbank website is particularly good and interesting for anyone
with any witbank connections to be in touch
michael kallenbach (ex witbank high school) email: michaelk@telegraph.co.uk
Date: 31 Oct 2002
Hi Barry, I was immensely moved to see the picture of the Shul I had spent most
of my childhood in. So Many memories of wonderful times that were spent there
with my siblings, family and all friends. We had a wonderful childhood within
the community and small town we were priveleged to grow up in. Thanks for all
the effort you are undergoing to keep these links to our past. When you move
continents, raise your own families and move on, the past fades somewhat and its
really wonderful to remember the times gone by.
Michelle Saling (Brouze) Melbourne saling@optushome.com.au
Date: 08 Nov 2002
Still have a lump in my throat - those were amazing times and seem so distant
now, Thank you Barry for creating this - it is an incredible act of kindness
that will take people back to a time when our world was truly so different. I
will try to dig thru my "stuff"and see if I have anything to contribute.
Alles van die Beste. tonyshill@cs.com
Date: 09 Nov 2002
Dear Barry, In the Witbank reunion photographs , in No 4, Simone Shein appears
and not Anne Kramer.
Regards, Alan Stein.
Date: 10 Nov 2002
Barry, a great surprise to see this site. Charles Bernitz told me about it. My
e-mail is "mailto:cjsandler@hotmail.com">cjsandler@hotmail.com
Regards, John Sandler
Date: 10 Nov 2002
What fun to view the photos of the reunion! So many familiar faces. Sorry to not
have been able to join you all! I have wonderful memories of yomtavim such as
succot and simchat torah - the hora and so on........ So sad to know that the
old shul is no longer there.
Well done Barry. A good website. HERMOINE STERNBERG (NEE
SCHAFFER)phsternberg@mango.zw
Date: 17 Nov 2002
Interesting work, both as a historical record and as a source of Genealogical
info to Jewish life in SA. No doubt +/-85% of the original Witbank Jewish
"settlers" were of Litvak origin. Your web pages and research are a "Work of
fond memories and personal pride with a "emotional" link to your past". A
splendid effort, for which you should be commended.
Regards, Herbert EPSTEIN [Melbourne AUSTRALIA] <heastern@netline.com.au>
Date:20 Nov 2002
Hi Barry Mann: Thought I might see some old friends I knew in Witbank. Kudos to
you.!!!! Your efforts should be lauded by all who visit your site.
Continued good success Riva 29@earthlink.net
Date: 05 Dec 2002
I was delighted to receive this web-site address.
I have spent ages looking at the photos, and in my minds eye catching up with
many friends and their lives right now. Well done Barry, and thanks. Denise Gold
(Gavronsky) Toronto, Canada drgold@pathcom.com
Date: 16 Dec 2002
Dear Barry, Wonderful to read this amazing web
site. Keep up the good work. I have a stack of old photos of Cricket, Swimming
and tennis teams and old Class Photos (1936/37) and Prefects photos which I will
e-mail to you. Jock Blumberg.
Date: 19 Dec 2002
Barry,it is really terrific,informative & quite
nostalgic what you are doing.I enjoy going into your web site on a regular
basis.Perhaps it would be nice to see some more pictures that you may have of ex
Witbankers.Keep up all the good work you have done & are doing.Fondest regards,
Sandra Schwartz (Katz). E-mail address-erasmile@global.co.za
Date: 19 Dec 2002
Dear Barry, We, Maureen Sasinsky (Friedman) and
Hilary Blumenau (Gavronsky) are delighted at this web site. We work together
(isn't that something) and are thrilled to go down memory lane (the Shul in
particular) makes us cry because it brings back so many memories!! Thanks for
such a great job and we will also try and submit anything that could be useful.
Its a matter of time. Have a happy holiday. Love Maureen (rusmau@mweb.co.za) and
Hilary (hilaryb@mossmorris.co.za or bluebabe@worldonline.co.za)
Date: 31 Dec 2002
Thank you for the latest set of photographs - it is so neat to have those to
share with my family and friends here in the US. Keep up the great work !!! Tony
Shill - shillfamily@cs.com
Date: 03 Jan 2003
Thank you for taking time to do this web site. I have ex perienced such
enjoyment looking at all the old pictures. My e-mail address is
Lyonsannie@yahoo.com. My maiden name was Milwidsky
Date: 05 Feb 2003
Hello Barry, Remember me? - Mervyn van Rooyen. We went through kindergarten and
primary school together. Lorna Bannatyne is putting together a history of Robert
Curruthers (English Medium School) and I'm giving her a hand. She gave me your
e-mail address. What an incredible surprise and pleasure to see all the
wonderful photos you've put together!! I've just taken a wonderful trip down
memory lane! When I was in primary school we used to wait for the Landau school
bus in front of the old Synagogue. I knew that building very well (from the
outside). Absolutely wonderful!
Regards, Mervyn (mervynvr@mweb.co.za)
Date: 11 Feb 2003
High High, The Witbank High Listen to those takkies fly But to beat Witbank High
Is something you should not try We are Kudus the winning Team We are kudus the
winning team We win all our races at very great paces We are kudus the winning
team!!
Date: 27 Mar 2003
Dear Barry, Good talking to you prior to viewing your web site. Took me back to
seeing boyfriends and girlfriends whom I knew in the early fifties! The work you
have done with such competence have blown me off the face of the earth. Good
luck with all your future endeavours. Louise Levi Goldwyn (ex Zwartruggens, Tvl)
lulugold@sbcglobal.net
Date: 31 Mar 2003
Barry & team, Well done on a great site. On behalf of my parents, Jock & Avis
Blumberg, the info that they got was very interesting indeed. Keep up the good
work. Paul Blumberg (paulb@southernsun.com)
Date: 13 Apr 2003
To all ex Witbankers, In South Africa and around the world Chag Sameach . Have a
wonderful Pesach. Regards, Alan Stein
Date: 09 May 2003
Hi Barry, Last contacted you Nov . Received Burkes Peerage World Book and found
an I. Toubkin in Witbank. If you know this person or have an email address for I
Toubkin would appreciate hearing from you possibility we might be related.
Pleased to read so many folks appreciate your efforts. Bless you and continued
good success. Riva 29@earthlink.net
Date: 20 Jun 2003
Hi, I am so happy to find this site. I am presently writing a novel which is
fiction but is set in Witbank. I was thinking about finding old witbank's
pictures for splaterings in the book but had no idea where to go - and it was a
midnight thought that was just as fragile as dreams are. Now this may be
possible. When my book is done I would like to contact you again for permission
to use the pics. Kind regards Sonya Merle Erkens sargeant@yebo.co.za June 20th
200
Date: 20 Jun 2003
There was a gift shop in witbank - co owned by "Chips" I believe she has gone to
the USA. If anyone can give me her address I would be so glad. She hired me for
a short while whenI was 18 and made a profound impact on my life. I would love
to write to her and tell her. If you can help, it would be great. I cannot
remember the name of the shop - perhaps "something special" ??
Thank you Sonya
Erkens sargeant@yebo.co.za
Date: 22 Jun 2003
Thank you for compiling this wonderful site. My name is Philip Becker son of the
late Mike Becker, grandson of the Late Philip Becker who is buried in the
Witbank cemetry and nephew of Max, Alec, Ruby and Sarah. I would love to hear
from anyone who knew my Dad and his family. I live in Toronto my email address
is becker.family@sympatico.ca
Date: 23 Jun 2003
Dear Barry, I am the niece of the late Max and Alec Becker and lived in Witbank
till the age of 10, and after moving to Jhb. my parents, Billy and Ruby Joss and
my brother Phillip still kept up contact with Witbank while our family remained
there. It has been a real treat for me to be able to go back in time and thank
you for all the effort you have put into getting this Site together. My email
address is hiber@yebo.co.za. Wishing you continued success, Berenice Silberg
Date: 19 Jul 2003
It's absolutely wonderful, a trip down a very pleasant memory lane. Wonderful to
see the photograph which includes my uncles Ruby Markuschowitz and Sam Friedman
Thanks for this treat Bernard Markuschowitz (Marks) living in Israel Son of
Joachim and Lena Markuschowitz. bernard@netvision.net.il
Date: 28 Jul 2003
I like this web site. Pity you don't have more info on recent members of the
Jewish community. I left Witbank in 1976 and enjoyed a wonderful childhood
there. Our cheder lessons were inspiring and I am still amazed at the sense of
Jewishness we grew up with.
Me email address is sherspta@yebo.co.za Robyn Sher
(nee Kopelowitz)
Date: 30 Oct 2003
I am the daughter of David Schraibman, he is
number 31 in the picture taken of the children - July 1930. I am absolutely
thrilled to have stumbled upon your website and will certainly spend more time
browsing. I can now show my children a enlarged photograph of their grandfather.
The same photograph is displayed in a museum in Israel. An exhibition of Jews of
South African was held in Sandton, Johannesburg during the early 1980's. My late
father (David Schraibman) visited the exhibition when is he saw this photograph
. I have in my possession a photo of him pointing to himself in the photo. I am
scanning the photo to you. I will inform other family members who lived in
Witbank of your site and I am sure that they will be excited to make contact
with you. I am related to the following people who lived in Witbank David
Schraibman (my father - deceased 1992) Sylvia Schraibman who married Alec
Kurlansky ( deceased 1983) Sister of David Schraibman Leah Schraibman ( sister
of David Schraibman) married to Benny Brasg (living in Johannesburg . Currently
visiting Sylvia Schraibman's daughter Maureen Levin who lives in Phoenix,
Arizona. Claire Schraibman(sister of David Schraibman) married Hymie Lemmer
Claire currently living in Melbourne Sybil Shein (cousin to the Schraibmans
married Kenny Sischy, Sybil lives in Johannesburg Isaac Schech cousin to all the
above mentioned people. Hymie Schwab was a family friend of the above now
deceased Ray Amaler - now Wolder is lives in Johannesburg. She is a Provincial
City Counciller. She is very good friends with Leah Schraibman. Rita Amaler now
deceased was a sister to Ray Amaler. I will pass your info onto the older
members of the family who I am sure will make contact with you. If you would
like any other info that I may be able to help you with please contact me. If
you visit SA again I would be delighted if you would contact me. I live in
Johannesburg. My email address is rifkind@icon.co.za. With best wishes for the
future success of your web.
Merle Rifkind (nee Schraibman)
Date: 29 Jan 2004
Hello Barry, Happy New Year to you and yours.
Visit your site as often as I can. Still looking for a long lost cousin from
Witbank . Name of I Toubkin, if any of your viewers have info would appreciate
hearing from them. Continued good success. riva29@earthlink .net
Date: 08 Feb 2004
Dear Barry, It was great seeing the new photos of
ex Witbankers taken in London and Israel .Had I seen some of them now, I would
not have recognised them. I look forward to seeing the other new additions to
your web site. Regards, Alan Stein.(steinfamily@mweb.co.za
Date: 07 Jun 2004
Hi my name is Robert McAlindon, I attended this
school in 1975 - 1977 ish, before we emigrated to the uk, if anybody knows me
from the era, can you please e mail me at r.mcalindon@ntlworld.com, I am longing
to return to s.a. but family commitments are holding me back at present, look
forward to hearing from you soon ps Great site
Date: 09 Jun 2004
Dear Barry, this must be a lot of work, shekeach,
well done, posterity will thank you for it. The response of all the Witbankers
is great, seeing names like Shill, Milwidsky, Stein, Bernitz,Michael Kallenbach,
my Mom will be thrilled to contact him, he was at the Hostel & used to come for
Shabbos. this is great stuff regards Richard Malkin rmalkin@icon.co.za or
rmalkin@workforcehealthcare.co.za
Date: 09 Jun 2004
Hi Barry, Just want to tell you again what a
great job you have done. Kol Hakavod. If any old Witbankers see this message,
from any place in the world, I would love to hear from them. Have been living in
Israel for the past 32 years but still have close family in South Africa and
visit there about once every 2 years. Thanks again for all your efforts. Linda
Sackstein (nee Sherman) granddaughter of Abe and Gussie Wortreich. e-mail :
linlibrary@hotmail.com
Date: 11 Jun 2004
Barry, It's a wonderful thing you have done here, I can't begin to tell you of
the nachas my folks have gotten from seeing all the photos of the old friends,
mishpochah and associates. I mainly wanted to thank you for what you have done,
I know that you have connected the dots for many people and helped people come
together which is a wonderful thing so THANK YOU several times over from all the
Shills in the USA. I hope things are good for you, please give my best to
Jeffrey and the rest of your family and to any Witbankers who might recall me,
fondly or not so fondly! Leslie Shill
Date: 27 Jun 2004
I found the presentation on the Witbank Jewish community very interesting and
useful,particularly since I am trying to track down my Lithuanian forbearers. I
found plenty of Dembo surnames but I don't know if I can tie it them to Abraham
Dembo who immigrated to the U.S. in 1904. Abraham Dembo was my father who who
was born in Kovno (Kaunus) in 1884. e-mail = mmd1923@aol.com
Date: 23 Jul 2004
Hi Barry,I attended your presentation "Zeimelis to Witbank" which you gave at
the Jewish Genealogical Society Johannes- burg's monthly meeting,on 11th July;it
was so interesting to see the response by the ex-Witbankers to your pictures and
family information,and it's good to be able to follow it up on your terrific
website. I hope you get the information and missing names for which you are
looking,to fill in the gaps;I have passed on your website address to family in
Melbourne,particularly so that they can see the photos in which Arthur Sack and
his wife- to- be Rebecca Friedman appear,as the are relations to my wife's
family. Also,viewing the photos,I found my own cousins (3rd/4th),Rev. Zive and
his sons Max and Harry,now living in Toronto,whom I didn't know came from
Witbank ! Thanks for a lesson in how to go about researching family and
community histories,and organising a wonderful and compre- hensive website. My
father,Reuven (Robert) Sieff,worked for George Isserow,in a concession store,I
think,in Ogies,and I remember visiting him, probably for a weekend,when I was
about 4 or 5 years old; we stayed at the hotel with a long stoep,and the geese
used to chase me - very frightening ! I will look through old family photos,to
see if any are relevant to your Witbank opus.
Best regards,Dave Sieff.
sieff@absamail.co.za
Date:
08 Dec 2004
To all Witbankers, Avis Blumberg (nee Broomberg) who was married to Jock
Blumberg, son of David & Annie Blumberg, passed away tragically in October 2004.
She will be missed by all who loved her and will be remembered for her loving
kindness and her passion for Witbank and what it stood for. Her last trip to
Witbank was in December 2003, when we took them to visist the old houses and of
course the Blumberg graves. M.H.D.S.R.I.P ; Baruch Hashem.
Paul Blumberg
(younger son) : paulb@suncuisine.co.za
01.28.2005 Joan Gremont
Barry, I enjoyed meeting you tonight and thanks again for working so hard on
the Witbank website. Reading it brings back wonderful memories of the many
visits to my grandparents, Meyer and Gertie Katz.
Joan
gremont@sbcglobal.net
03.13.2005 Alice
Great page!
I have found interesting things on it! Alice192@hotmail.com
03.17.2005
Allan Walkden-Davis
Hi Barry, What a delightful surprise to see faces and names from my youth in
Witbank during the 1940's and 1950's. 'Though not a member of the Jewish
community I had a number of Jewish friends: Robert Ross,Charles Bernitz,
Julian Sandlder and Ruby Schalkov(sp?)and others. I left Witbank in 1956 but
have been back on short visits since.I remember your family too!
Kindest regards, Allan neuras@mweb.com.na
04.01.2005
Ron Lager
What a trip down memory-lane: we lived in Witbank between 1967 & 1970
(barmitzvah in 1967); I attended Witbank High like all other Jewish kids at
the time...Howard, Valerie, Markham, Leslie, etc. etc. etc.
rlager@tomaatnet.nl
04.02.2005 Selwyn
& Rebecca Lager
We lived in Witbank 1964 to 1970 #14 Gladila street ext 10 Rabbi Engel
taught my son his Barmitzvah. We knew the engel family well. Rabbi was a
marvellous person I wonder If you remember us Barry. We were great freinds
of the Beckers simmy@tiscali.co.za
04.04.2005
Uri Zalk
Hi Barry, I stumbled across your page while googling for another Zalk and
found a JM Zalk about 1920 and no further details. By a strange conicidence,
my wife is at Witbank today for her work.
Regards, Uri uri@ant.co.za
05.16.2005
Ron Lager
hello everyone,
I'm just wondering how big the present Witbank Jewish Community is... can
someone tell me...
Ron Lager. rongeff@hotmail.com
05.27.2005
Stephen Kramer
Hi Barry,
I just found this website by mistake,but have a great lump in my throat
looking at the pictures and seeing the names again!As well as seeing all my
cousins(I think you're a cousin as well?) How is Jeff,and all the Mann
family?How do we stay in contact?We live in Melbourne,and it would be great
to contact more old Witbankers Best Regards Stephen Kramer (Father
Michael,mother Sylvia,uncle Arnold) skworld1@hotmail.com
06.20.2005
Ann Ezelius
Greetings from Sweden.. Finding this site sure took me back! I used to go to
the Witbank Convent from 1958 to 1962. My very good friend was Ruth Blum and
I often stayed at the Carlton Hotel because her Dad was the Manager..or
something. I knew Charles Bernitz and his sisters.
Thanks for putting out the pics..
Cheers..Ann Ezelius.. www.prisonpotpourri.com
vladd77@yahoo.com
08.15.2005
Shayna Cowley (Stein)
WOW!!! what a find, soo many wonderful memories, I certainly hope that those
of you who remember or know me will write, I love hearing from old friends.
I live in Cape Town where I run an Horse Riding School and Stables. I have a
son on 32 and a daughter of 29, and AM still married to a fantastic gye. My
family on both sides are all from Witbank and I do stil have a few pals
there with whom I do comm. These were the Most fantastic days ever. I also
have tons of family I have lost contact with or have never even met... The
Bernitz family on Moms side and the Blumbergs on Dads. Achie Stein was the
son of Shayna, who was sister to David, George, Charlie and Chalka Blumberg.
Thanx Barry, I do remember you. Love Shayna e-mail :
equuspark@absamail.co.za
10.31.2005
Dov Wright (Previously Peter Wri
Dear David I was truly surprised to see such a comprehensive website of The
Witbank Jewish community. Yoshekoach. I converted 5 years ago after marrying
Tammy Danilewitz. We have 3 childen 1 grand daughter. We live in
Johannesburg and would love to correspond with anyone who knew me.
I matriculated WHS 1981.
ldj@mweb.co.za
12.18.2005
Archie
One word - WOW!!!!! I immigrated to Israel from Pretoria in 1971.Looking
through the pictures on your site was very nostalgic.
Here in Israel, we say "Kol Ha Kavod" A compliment translated to "Well Done"
archt@gmail.com
12.19.2005
Paul
Super color scheme, I like it! Awesome content. I enjoyed me visit.
paul131@yahoo.com
12.19.2005
Johann de Bruin
Hi!
I am Carel Johann de Bruin. Born 23.05.1971.
I lived in Witbank from 1974 till 1989. My parents were there till 2000. I
attended Laerskool Kragbron and Hoërskool Patriot. My dad, Carel, was a
member of the town coucil with J Shill, and my great-grand-father bought a
farm, Klippan, from J Shill's father.
Cheers!!
cjohann@heilbron.co.za
12.31.2005
Geoff Beder
Hi Barry, I am a cousin of Len Pitum. We spent many happy school holidays in
Witbank and in 1961 to 1964 I was in business with my sister and
brother-in-law (Leon & Hinda Becker-L.Becker Whls Store-Mabena
Store-origonally owned by Hymie Pitum-Len Pitum's father) It is great having
a website like this to be able to see where everybody has spread out into
the wide world. My wife ,Diane,and I now live in Milnerton Cape Town where
my son Saul lives .We have a daughter and her family in Sydney Australia who
we visit regularly.
Keep up the good work, Geoff Beder gbeder@absamail.co.za