- Rosh Hashana 5759/1998
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N E W S L E T T E R No 30
- Rosh Hashana 5759/1998 |
Dear Family,
What a big year this has been, with so many birthdays and anniversaries. First of all, we and communities all around the world have celebrated Israel's 50th anniversary (see separate article on Anglo-Jewry's celebrations), then there has been Petach Tikva's 120th anniversary and now the 25th anniversary of the Frumkin Foundation is approaching ....
In the last issue of Frumkin News, we wrote about our intention to publish "Bereshit Petach Tikva" ("The Beginnings of Petach Tikva"), the memoirs of Rabbi Arieh Leib Frumkin's daughter Hannah Leah Segal, to mark Petach Tikva's 120th birthday. Thanks to the contributions of various members of the family we were able to finance the printing and publishing of the book, in hebrew, and to distribute it at this year's Family Gathering. The book describes Hannah Leah's childhood in Lithuania, the family's Aliyah to the Holy Land and the ten years of hardship everyone went through in the early, pioneering days of Petach Tikva.
Our thoughts are now on the coming year, when the Foundation will celebrate its 25th anniversary. We hope to be able to mark the occasion by a review of the events and activities we have organized during the past quarter of a century with the intention of perpetuating our family history: the family gatherings and trips we have enjoyed together and the books and newsletters we have published. The members of the Executive of the Foundation will meet during the coming High Holyday period in order to plan the next family gathering, and to decide whether it will take place during Pesach or on Yom Ha'Atzmaut. We will also endeavour, as is our custom, to publish another chapter in the family's history for distribution on this occasion. This depends, as usual, on our financial situation at the time.
We wish you all a pleasant summer and, although earlier than usual, a very happy and peaceful New Year.
Sincerely yours,
The Executive of the Frumkin Foundation
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1998 Family Gathering - Marking Petach-Tikva's 120th Anniversary
This year we met on May 5th 1998 to celebrate Israel's 50th birthday, Kfar Ganim's 70th birthday and 120 years since the establishment of Petach Tikva. The new municipal library in Kfar Ganim, situated in a pleasant and spacious park on the borders of the built-up area and overlooking the orchards and agricultural lands, was chosen as a very suitable venue. Elka and Binyamin Yahalom were amongst the founders of the place, in which the Epstein, Dimson, Yahalom and Marcus families also planted orchards, in addition to those planted by the Zeitlin and Israelit families in Petach Tikva, making it the area with the most orchards in the new Jewish settlement. It is also fitting to mention here that Rabbi Frumkin was the first person to plant citrus trees in Petach Tikva, in an attempt to provide work and ensure a source of income for the settlers and new immigrants. In order to perpetuate the period when Kfar Ganim was an agricultural colony, the Municipality set up a collection of agricultural tools, tractors and so on, with explanatory signs, in the Public Garden next to the Library.
This year the theme of our gathering was "The Pioneering Women of the Family". After light refreshments we were greeted by Mr. Asher Graivsky, the Head of Culture in the Petach Tikva Municipality. Our cousin Louis Frydman then spoke about his great grandmother Sheina Hodes, wife of Rabbi Arieh Leib Frumkin. He told how Sheina sacrificed her youth and health in order to accompany her husband to the isolated swamps of Petach Tikva.
Yael (Tagar) Marcus and Ora (Israelit) Levene spoke about their grandmother Elka, Sheina's daughter and Binyamin Yahalom's wife. They talked of her love of the land, which she inherited from her parents, and the great initiative and courage she showed by living in the first and only house in Kfar Ganim in the days of the riots of 1929.
Ruth (Segal) Abramovitz spoke about the pioneering spirit of her grandmother Hannah Leah Segal, Elka's sister, who lived in the most isolated house in the Arnona area of Jerusalem. The Segal family was forced to leave its home in 1948, when the Jordanian and Egyptian troops conquered the neighbouring Kibbutz Ramat Rachel. The Segal family returned to its home after the war and Hannah Leah wrote her memoirs there. Hannah Leah's neighbour Shai Agnon, the Nobel Prize Laureate, was most impressed by her stories and advised her to have them published. 50 years later the Frumkin Foundation has been privileged to do so.
Danny Ophir spoke of the family connection to the various anniversaries we are now celebrating: of how Yaakov Israelit, son of Shoshana and Nechemia, fell in the battle for the Castel on the road to Jerusalem in 1948; of how Arieh Israelit, Yaakov's brother, fell in the Negev in the War of Independence and how Frieda (Neviaski) Halaban was killed in Jerusalem in 1948 by a Jordanian mortar shell. On the occasion of Kfar Ganim's 70th anniversary we also remembered the settlement's first "Muchtar" Binyamin Yahalom and his successor, his son-in-law Yosef Marcus, who was later to become the head of Kfar Ganim's local council. Petach Tikva's 120th anniversary was the perfect time to recall and to take pride in Rabbi Arieh Leib Frumkin's significant contribution to the town's resettlement, in spite of all the difficulties and dangers of the time.
Yaakov Grossman spoke of his days in the army in the War of Independence in 1948; Shimon Friedman, great grandson of the founder of the vineyard on the Lachman-Frumkin estate reminisced about the wine business and we also heard a few words from the representative of the Society for the Preservation of Nature in Petach Tikva. Mr. Mordechai Marmer, Director of "Yad LeBanim" and of the historical archives of Petach Tikva, presented certificates from the Municipality and the Frumkin Foundation to members of the family born in Petach Tikva, in honour of the town's 120th anniversary.
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A day before Israel celebrated its 50th birthday, history was made in the capital of the United Kingdom: Prince Charles, as the first representative of the British Royal Family in 100 years to visit a synagogue (Queen Elizabeth II, as head of the Church of England, is not allowed to visit places of worship of other religions) was present at the Festive Service in St. John's Wood Synagogue led by the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Jonathan Sacks.
The ceremony in the synagogue began with a performance by a children's choir from various Jewish schools in London, followed by speeches by Dr. Sacks and the Israel Ambassador, Mr. Dror Zeigerman. They spoke of the challenges faced by the State of Israel and its achievements during the 50 years of its independence, as well as its efforts to attain a comprehensive peace settlement with its neighbours. "Israel showed much courage in war", said Dr. Sacks, and "will show no less courage in its search for peace".
Dr. Sacks, great grandson of Rabbi Arieh Leib Frumkin who arrived in England in his day with no means of support, praised the tolerance shown by Britain towards the Jewish community and added that the presence of Prince Charles at the service demonstrated not only respect for the Jewish community but also determination to protect religious faith in general and England's many and varied religious communities.
The festive service symbolized the very productive cooperation that exists between various Anglo-Jewish religious bodies, such as the United Synagogue (of which Dr. Sacks is the Chief Rabbi), the Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Congregation, The Federation of Synagogues and the Mizrachi-Hapoel Hamizrachi Federation. Members of non-Orthodox congregations were invited but did not attend. There was also vociferous objection when a small group of "Neturei Karta" followers demonstrated across the road from the synagogue with banners proclaiming their opposition to the State of Israel, thus arousing much wrath amongst the onlookers and participants at the service.
On the previous day the Israel Ambassador, Mr. Dror Zeigerman, hosted a reception attended by the Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, and the Foreign Minister, Mr. Robin Cook But the biggest birthday event of all was the one held on the Sunday afterwards at the Wembley Stadium and attended by crowds and crowds of people. The event included an exhibit of Israel's achievements during the last 50 years, a Gala Concert with the participation of Israeli artists and special activities for children. This was Anglo-Jewry's greatest ever demonstration of solidarity with the State of Israel.
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AARON FRUMKIN æ"ì (1910 - 1998)
The following is the text of the eulogy given at Aaron's funeral by his nephew Chief Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks:
"Aaron Frumkin, who died on 27th May 1998, was one of the great personalities of the Frumkin family. He loved its history and spoke about it often. He was one of the great raconteurs, and could hold you spellbound for hours with tales about the family and its great characters. We will miss him.
Born on 7th April 1910, above the family wine shop in the East End of London, he was the eldest child - and only son - of Elias and Rachel Frumkin, and thus the grandson of Rabbi Arieh Leib Frumkin of blessed memory. He was eventually to be joined by three sisters, the late Gertie Frydman, and Rose Goldberg and and Libby Sacks.
At the age of 14 he joined the family business and quickly proved to be an astute and energetic force. Frumkin's became the premier wine merchant, catering for most of the barmitzvahs and weddings in London, thanks in large measure to his drive.
In 1931 he married his beloved wife Sadie, and they had two children, Lionel and June, Tragically, Sadie died at the young age of 45, in 1955. Aaron then married again, to Yetta, in 1958 but this marriage too was cut short with Yetta's death in 1971. He had three grandchildren, Susan, Simon Robert and Susan, and three great grandchildren, Alexandra, Robert and James. To them and the rest of the family, he was known as 'Pop'.
Aaron loved life. His passions were wine, travel and sport, and people. Customers coming into Frumkin's would be regaled by stories about his time in Israel (then {Palestine) in 1947 when he crossed the Allenby Bridge, or his many tastings at Chateau Mouton Rothschild, or about Arsenal's prospects for the League. He was a large personality, outgoing, entertaining, and original. He was loved by his family and his many friends. His life was a fascinating chapter in the Frumkin story. May his memory be a blessing".
From the Frumkin Foundation in Israel:
Even when Aaron could no longer go to the shop, he would still attend family celebrations, when his sense of humour was much in evidence. He arrived at one family Bar Mitzvah with his walking frame, on which he had hung his old car registration number!. He will be sadly missed by all and we shall try to perpetuate his keen interest in the family and its history by publishing some of his recently discovered memoirs.
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Shula and Arik Marcus on the marriage of their daughter Irit, granddaughter of Rivka Marcus, to Alon Siluki (Petach Tikva).
Ruth and Gerald Bender, on the marriage of their son Eli, grandson of Bella (Nevies) and Reuben Bender, to Hagith Schachor (Netanya) - link to picture.
Gillian and Phillip Rose on the marriage of their son Avi, grandson of Pauline (Nevies) Craimer, to Rochel-Lea, daughter of Jonathan Schonfeld (Manchester).
Gabriel Ze'ev, son of Aviva (Gold) and Louis Frydman, grandson of the late Gertie and Rabbi Meyer Frydman, on his engagement to Rachel Bennett. .
Michal and Eyal Ophir, on the birth of their son Roi, grandson of Bilha Yavne and Uri Ophir, and great grandson of Chemda Kreizer (Herzliya).
Sharon and Uri Goldstein, on the birth of their twin sons Jonathan and Tom, grandsons of Ada (Appel) and Aharon Goldstein and great grandsons of Sara Appel.
Iris and Gil Gevirtzman on the birth of their daughter Eli-Yah, granddaughter of Ora (Grossman) and Yehuda Gevirtzman (Tel Aviv).
Leah and Isaac Shragai Craimer on the birth of their son Mordechai, grandson to Jeffery and Rivka Craimer and great grandson of Pauline (Nevies) Craimer.
Terry and Bert Harrison, on the birth of their daughter Gabriella, granddaughter of Sami Jane and Stanley Harrison (Ohio, USA).
Jonathan Samuel, son of Karen and Ian Abrahams, and grandson of Sonia Gottlieb, on his Bar Mitzvah (Jerusalem - London).
Rachel Levine, daughter of Janet and David Levine and granddaughter of Yisroela (Ephros) Levine, on her Bat Mitzvah (sorry for the mistake in the printed newsletter - it was actually correct in the hebrew version, but got mixed up in transalation).
Zvi Gedalya, son of Michel and Lennie Friedman and grandson of the late Mena and Reuben Rabinowitz, on his Bar Mitzvah (Ra'anana).
James, son of Susan and Peter Duboff, grandson of June (Frumkin) and Philip Gordon and great grandson of the late Aaron Frumkin, on his Bar Mitzvah (London).
Shoshana ("Shani") Tova, daughter of Elissa and Julian Weiss on her Bar Mitzvah (Ra'anana).
Chief Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks on his 50th birthday (March 1998).