I am appealing for the descendants of Ochberg’s Orphans to get in contact.
In 1921 Isaac Ochberg, representative of the South African Jewish Community, travelled to Poland and the Ukraine and brought back with him to Cape Town 181 Russian, Ukraine and Polish War and Pogrom Orphans.
These children were placed either in the care of The Cape Jewish Orphanage (later called Oranjia) or in Johannesburg’s South African Jewish Orphanage (later called Arcadia). Many were then adopted by members the Jewish community.
I am collecting the life stories of these children to be publiched in book in their memory. So far I have contacted the families of 120 of these orphans, but I am still looking for information on the others. There could be more than 2,000 descendants out there, likely to be spread around the world in Israel, the UK and beyond.
If you had an ancestor in your family tree, born around 1910 with one of the following names (or similar) then there is a good chance you might be a descendant of one of Ochberg’s Orphans.
Barmatch Sara, Baruch Leya, Bernfeld Hersh, Cwengel Saul, Elman Blume, Elman Jentl/ Izzy, Elshtein Abo, Engelman Jakob, Fremd/Friend Max, Garbus /Goldstein Shmul, Gayer Chawa, Gebencolc/golz Rochel, Gerynshtein Abram, Ginsburg Mintcha, Guber/Geiber/Gruber Tcharna (Charlotte Odes), H/Gurwitz Rosa, Israelson Chaim, Judes Rubin, Kahan Channe, Kahan Golda, Kahan Morduch/Mordche, Kahan Shachna, Kailer Rywka, Kaufman Cypora, Kaufman Soloman/Shlama, Kawerberg Mayer, Kawerberg Mees/Moshe, Kigielman Jacob, Knuboviz Zlata, Kreindel Rejsel, Kruger Rejsel, Kruger Abram, Kruger Jacob, Lipshis Moishe, Lipshytz Perel, Margolin Sara, Miler Braindel, Mordochowitch Gutro, Mordochowitch Estel, Nudeman Gdalia, Ochshtein Salomon, Orliansky Abram, Perrchodnik/Perechodnik Ussr, Pinsky/Pinska Faywel, Pinsky/Pinska Feyga (Birdie Glaser), Pinsky/Pinska Maisha, Pinsky/Pinska Zlata, Reichman Abram, Reichman Chaim, Reisender Rubin, Rekler Leya, Rinsler/Rinzler Chaskiel/Chaykel, Rosenbaum Leon, Rosenblit Gdalia, Rosenblit Szamay, Y/J/Sagotkowsky Jacob/Jacov, Schtern/Shtern Szlema/Solomon, Schwarz Josef, Shteiner/Steiner Chaskel, Shteiner/Steiner Hersh, Shteiner/Szteiner/Steiner Isaac, Smith Morduch/Mordche, Shtrasner Feyga, Stillerman Hersh/Harry, Treppel Jacob and Weidman Sheindel.
Please make contact with David Solly Sandler on sedsand@ca.com.au if you can help.