Welcome to the website of the
Jewish Community of Stellenbosch
Here we celebrate the life and times of the Jews who came to live and work in this town and surrounding areas over the decades. It documents their milestones and activities, both sacred and secular.
If you or your family have connections to this place and would like to develop your own family pages, we look forward to receiving your stories, photographs and biographies. Time is of the essence as the number of people that can 'tell the story' is dwindling.
By contributing your material, the fabric of Jewish life here will unfold and be available for your children and grandchildren wherever they may be. We hope that future generations will enjoy looking at this site and learning about Jewish life in this town in South Africa in the twentieth century.
This website, created in February 2023, is driven by Gerald Potash (left), who was born and grew up in Stellenbosch and worked there most of his adult life. He still lives nearby in Somerset West. To make contact and start your own family page, please answer the questions on the Contact page; write to info@chol.website or get in touch with Gerald Potash directly at gp@adept.co.za.
The website is hosted by CHOL – Community History On-line. It acknowledges, with thanks, much material assembled by Eli Rabinowitz, who grew up in Cape Town and now lives in Perth, Australia. This and other CHOL initiatives are inspired by Geraldine Auerbach MBE, who grew up in Kimberley and now lives in London, UK. The website is managed by Bramie Lenhoff, who grew up in Upington and now lives in Delaware, USA.
Please join the CHOL interactive email list where you can post information and ask questions of like-minded people. To join, send an email to listserv@jiscmail.ac.uk. Leave the subject line BLANK and in the message say: SUBSCRIBE CHOL followed by your First name and your Last name only (please delete any automatic signatures).
Click here for a map.
Home page of the Stellenbosch community
Compiled by Gerald Potash, Somerset West, South Africa
Edited by Geraldine Auerbach MBE, London, UK
With thanks to Eli Rabinowitz, Perth, Australia and others for information
Formatted and uploaded by Bramie Lenhoff, Delaware, USA
February 2023
