Number 8: My mom Fanny Edelstein (‘nee Sirkin) z”l was born in Keetmanshoop, South West Africa on 24/8/1935, the youngest of 6 children.

Her Mother, Ida Sirkin (‘nee Schneider) married Abraham Paradisgarten who died, during the 1918 flu epidemic, when their son Hymie was one year old. Ida Paradisgarten then married Selig Sirkin and had 5 more children.

When Fanny was 11 her father died and she was sent to boarding school in Cape Town until her Mom could pack up her home and relocate to Cape Town. Ida bought a home in Bantry Bay, where my Mom stayed. After marrying  in 1957 my parents moved in with Ida who died shortly before Ilana was born in 1959.  We Edelesteins stayed there until l was 14 years old. Shortly before Sascha was born we moved to Clifton.

My Mother was a  keen Zionist and honoured for her lifelong (50 year) contribution to the Bnot Zion Organisation (now WIZO) a few years before she died. She was also on the Herzlia Schools PTA (together with my Dad). She convened the school Fete on a few occasions as well as Co-convening the Yom Yerushalayim 25th Anniversary celebrations. 

She loved classical music and played the piano as a young girl. She encouraged her children  to play the piano. Only Margo and her son Seth have continued this legacy!

My Mom was very generous, caring and warm towards others. Our parents always volunteered to host, parties, celebrations and lectures. She never complained about the huge amount of time, effort and money involved in arranging all these celebrations. In later years when my father was on the Body Corporate of the Apartment where they lived, they always hosted the meetings, where there would be copious amounts of food and drinks available.

My Mom spent hours and hours waiting outside hospitals for my Dad. She usually had a book to read or something to crochet. She was a wonderful Mom and Safta to her grandkids. I used to speak to her daily and I really miss her warmth and caring nature.

The Photographs reflect my late Mom, Fanny, as a young girl and at Yair and Debbie’s Wedding just over a year before she passed away

Written by Sheryl