36 37

Book nook by Paul Liptz

Abie Abrahamson, as portrayed in this fascinating biography, reminds one of Moses, who never quite managed to fulfill his dreams, and saw the PromisedLand from afar. Abe also had a vision. During an active political life, he aspired to move a white-dominated colony to a society where all its citizens would feel that “We are all Rhodesions together and this country belongs to us.”

The biography takes the reader to the period between 1956 to1962 when Abrahamson was a cabinet minister under Garfield Todd and EdgarWhitehead holding, at various times, the Min-istries of Labour, Housing and Social Welfare. With the failure of the multi-racial United Federal Party in 1962, Abe joined the opposition for a few years and then left politics. The turbulent years under Todd and Whitehead were a period when many white Rhodesians were increasingly attracted to a policy of white domination as black Africa was moving towards majority rule.

Abe was to be one of a small group of people who realized that the Rhodesian Front’s policy was doomed to failure. A brilliant thinker, remark-able orator and committed Jew Abe appears as a formidable figure in Clingman’s biography. Somuch was done in such a short space of time by a man whose political dreams failed.

However, in other realms he experienced remarkable success. In business ventures in Bulawayo and Johannesburg he developed extensive interests.

In Jewish affairs he took on numerous roles and was the President of the Central African Board of Depu-ties from 1964 till 1979. Later he became Chair-man of the South African

Zionist Federation.

Abe was, and is, deeply committed to Israel. In a mes-sage to the Rhodesian Zionist Conference in March 1957 he notes:-”Fundamentally we

believe that a good Jew is a good Zionist and that a good Zionist is a good citizen; that Israel and its existence in security and justice are the very basis for the self-respect, the dignity and freedom of Jews everywhere; that Israel has given the Jew that feeling of security- that he belongs somewhere and not everywhere and nowhere- that he is something and not every-thing or nothing.”

One yearns for more of Abe’s insights. Inadequate use has been made of his per-sonal archives with its vast range of articles and speeches. However, the book is also a detailed record of travels and interaction with major world players.

The conclusion places him in his true con-text. “In his eighty-first year he (Abe) is asforceful and committed as he ever was, advising on policy, consulted on strategy, and presenting his opinion in open forums. For him nothing has really changed since the heady days of his youth when he first made his appearance inthe public arena. The familiar sense of social obligation and leadership is still there, as strong as at the beginning” (p240)

Paul Liptz is a lecturer at Tel Aviv University and made aliyah from Rhodesia in 1967.

THE MOON CAN WAITA BIOGRAPHY OF ABE ABRAHAMSONBy Paul ClingmanSouth AfricaPenguin Books, 2004

36 37

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Nuptials

Yael, ex Port-Elizabeth daughter of Ann Shlom and grand-daughter of Eli and

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Shira, daughter of Richard and Cheryl Shavei-Tzion to Ido, son of Esther and the late Dov Tauber,

all from Zarchi Street in Jerusalem.

Asaf, son of Rhona and the late Shlomo Maliniak of Ra’anana, married OFri, daughter of Michal and Ilan Eshed of New York.

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Sharon, daughter of Hillel and Jennifer Hurwitz of Raanana, and granddaughter of Harry and Freda Hurwitz of Jerusalem married Jay Wohlgelernter, son of Yossi and Deby Wohlgelernter of Toronto.

Omer, son of Solly and Gita Sacks married Sarah, daughter of Israel and Miryam Schneiderman.

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40 41

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notice board

40

Pakroy Shul - A professional survey is being undertaken of the few remaining wooden synagogues in Lithuania, including that of PAKROY. Once completed, a record either in the form of a book or cd-rom, will be produced. We appeal to anyone who has photographs or memories of the Pakroy Shul to kindly make them available. Regrettably the shul’s interior has not been preserved, only the outside walls.

Could anyone who has the photographs or memories of the shul please contact me and help ensure that the most complete record will remain for future genera-tions. All photographs will be returned.

All information would be useful to the team. Please contact me, by email at: rochele@netvision.net.il, or telephone (03)523-8583. Rahel Morgenstern

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remaining wooden synagogues in Lithuania, including

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42 43

and south of the country,” and while RE/MAX have five offices in Jerusalem, “there are stillareas where we need to penetrate, like Gilo and Beit Hakerem.”

AN UPSWING IN THE MARKETBernard is bullish about the direction of the

market. “Whereas a year ago it was a buyer’s market, today the seller has the advantage. If beforehand people did not buy unless they had to, now the market perception is that prices are going up and why sell today, if I will get more tomorrow? ”

So what is stoking the fire of revival in theproperty market? Explains Bernard. “Firstly, housing starts had been low for a number of years and concurrently every year about 2% of ageing residential property becomes uninhabit-able. Coupled with a growing population and at some point demand will outpace supply.”

Secondly, there is a dramatic increase in buyers from abroad. “Everyone knows about the French, but the American and English com-munities are also climbing into the market.”

Thirdly, Bernard refers to the psychology of the market. At some point there was a change in the perception of the public about where prices were going. The net result,” asserts Bernard, “is that expectations and prices are increasing and fuelling one another.”

SOUTHERN AFRICAN CONTRIBUTIONsBernard has only praise for his fellow South

Africans in the industry. He singles out both Frank Garrun, who offered Bernard his firstjob in property after he lectured for ten years

...like Savyon and Askelon in the 1950’s

and Kochav Yair in the 1980’s, Southern Africans have been at the

forefront of rural and urban development. Companies such as API, Anglo-Saxon Real Estate Agency Ltd, Corex Mananagement & Investment Co., the David Teperson Building Company and the Garrun Group are but a few of the most noted and high pro-file players in property started and staffed bySouthern Africans engraving their expertise on the Israeli landscape.

The newest kid on the block is Bernard Raskin, a former Capetonian who is quick to point out that “I was born in Rhodesia.” In less than a decade after acquiring the rights to the American Real Estate behemoth, RE/MAX, Bernard has catapulted over his competition in the residential real estate market. With over sixty offices throughout Israel, RE/MAX todayis the largest Real Estate agency in Israel. “We overtook Anglo-Saxon, the largest local agency, (with approximately forty offices) some timeago.”

With RE/MAX’s head office located atAir-port City, the company is centrally positioned to pursue its policy of expansion. One could be excused for thinking that with so many officesin such a small country as Israel, RE/MAX would have a presence in all the major centers throughout Israel. “Not yet,” reveals Bernard. “We have still to open in Ashkelon, Bat Yam, south Tel Aviv and a few towns in the north

Business briefs

Whether raising funds for the purchase of land in pre-state Palestine or promoting housing projects

Going through the roof

42 43

omies have always empha-sized quality service. It’s in our culture, I suppose.”

ON-LINE SERVICEHaving studied and lived in America - Ber-

nard has a PhD from the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia – he understands

the “American way of doing business.” A visit to the RE/MAX website, is a display of hi-tech professional-ism. Type in the city or town where you want to buy a home, specify the size of the property and your price range and, pronto your screen

turns into an ‘oracle of information’ listing the number of properties on sale in the area with details and pictures of

each one and the agent to contact.

Despite the ongoing tumult in the political arena, Bernard is upbeat about the future. “Even in the difficult times, when there were roughly 70 thousand transactions a year, down from 140 thousand during the peak period of the Russian aliyah, we did well.”

Looking to the future? -“We are number one and still expanding. The future looks great!” •

in Criminology at Bar Ilan University and the other, Joe Hallis, who he served under when working for Ladbroke on the Mamilla Project in Jerusalem. “I learned a lot from both of them. I had a good position and a great salary at the time, but felt that if I did not start my own business soon, with each passing year, it would be more difficult to take the plunge.”

Acquiring the rights at roughly the same time as two other large American competitors - ERA and Century 21 - entered the Israeli market, Bernard says, “Neither of them has taken root. There are now four American property companies in Israel today that are collectively smaller than RE/MAX.”

“We plan on selling a further twenty franchises over the next year, but we already have an urgent need to recruit a lot more new agents. We prefer good people with no real estate experience. That way we can make sure that they become real estate professionals with our know-how.

“We have a few former South Africans doing a great job and I would like to see more in our ranks. On average they out-perform the Israelis.” Inviting an explanation for this phenomenon, Bernard suggests, “The English-speaking econ-

David Kaplan reportsBusiness briefs

large American competitors - ERA and Century 21 - entered the Israeli market, Bernard says, “Neither of them has taken root. There are now four American property companies in Israel today that are collectively smaller BernardRaskin(secondfromleft)aftersigninga

franchiseagreementwithnewfranchiseesforthe

BakaandMoshavaareasofJerusalem.MarkFisher,

originallyfromJohannesburgisontheleftandis

thedeputymanagingdirectorofthecompany.

44 45

in memoriam

The Chairman, Executive members and staff of the SAZF (Israel) offer sincere condolences to the bereaved families of:

Joe Lewis, Kfar Saba

Manfred Halberstadt, Petach Tikva

Phillip Nathanson, Tel Aviv

Phillip Lanesman, Pretoria

Natie Bortz, S. A.

Edele Chaskalson, Netanya

Irene Ellert, Herzliya

Julius Gurwitz, Raanana

Marcus Efrioken, Herzliya

Wulf Sebba, Tel Mond

Sam Matus, Kfar Saba

m

Within a few weeks of his aliyah, Adolph Leon passed away. Seriously ill, he was allotted precious little time to fulfill his dream of settling withhis family in Israel. But his illness did not impede his inspiring role in continuing a quite unique record of CAZOChairman who set the example of making aliyah.

In paying tribute at the funeral, Israel’s CAZO Chairman, Dave Bloom related that when going through photographs starting from the 1940’s docu-menting the once thriving Zionist community in what was Rhodesia, “I was struck throughout by

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Shlomo Miller, Itamar

Harold Latinsky, Netanya

Nicky Dunsky, Hod Hasharon

Lily Levin, Kiryat Ono

Gideon Susser, Kfar Saba

44 45

HHJJ

in memoriam

continued

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your smiling face – a symbolic testimony to the many years of inspirational service you gave to the Zionist cause, whether organising the Macabbi Games at Wingate, the annual Bible Quiz or as the energetic Chairman of CAZO. Your coming on aliyahleft a void in the communal affairs of Harare. You were one of the last remaining pillars of CAZO, determined to keep it going through thick and thin.”

m

Manfred Halberstadt passed away in June at the age of 92. Arriving in South Africa from Germany in the 1930’s with little more than a suitcase and a religious up-bringing, he would settle a few years later in Graaf-Reinett where he started a business. It was from this small town in the Eastern Cape, that Manfred became well-known throughout the country as a voluntary Hebrew teacher, rabbi and promoter of Israel and Yiddishkeit. Settling with his late wife in Petach Tikwa in 1976, Manfred continued with his voluntary work until a car accident three years ago, whereafter he moved to a retirement village in Jerusalem.

He enriched the lives of many who today are scattered all over the world. Sadly mourned by daughters Shelly Winnett and Melanie (Armist) Book and their families.

46 47

in memoriam cont.m

A few days after celebrating his 85th birthday and his 25th anniversary of his marriage to Esther Rimon, Wulfie Sebba passed away.

Born in Cape Town to a very traditional family, he was steeped in the knowledge of the highest principles of Judaism. As an active member of the aliyah section of the C.T. Massadah Association, he was one of the founders of South Africa’s first urban aliyah co-operative, which in 1949

set up a successful dry-cleaning enterprise in Israel.

In Israel he sought and found a synthesis between religious life and Zionism always placing the concerns of the common good before self-interest.

He recently took up residence in Protea Village and continued active employment until the very end.

Sam Levin

m

Bessie Stoller (nee Sacks) passed away recently in Israel at the age of 91. Widowed at a young age, Bessie Wolozinsky headed the Education & Information Departments at the SAZF in Johannesburg. A respected member of staff and an excellent organiser, she is well remembered for organizing the annual Yom Haatzmaut functions at Wembley Stadium as well as being the coordinator for Israeli musical and dance groups touring South Africa. Widowed a second time, (her husband was the late Abe Lipshitz of King David School) Bessie continued to work for the SAZF until the 1970’s, when she went to work at the SAZF office in Bloemfontein. In 1993, shemade aliyah with her third husband, Percy Stoller, joining her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Bessie Stoller, z’’l

46 47

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48 49

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