My paternal Grandmother, “Golda”, z”l, born 2/09/1900 in Kupishok (Kupiskis) Shtetl, Lithuania, travelled with her mother Rachel and siblings  in 1906 to Wellington, South Africa. Her father, Michiel Katzef had arrived in 1903. Rachel’s parents Yeshayahu and Pesa (Bessie ‘nee Shagal) Locketz (Lockac’as in Lithuania) remained in Kupishok. The family was very poor during her youth.  On 15/09/1921, Granny Golda married my grandfather Victor, z”l, the first couple married in Wellington Shul – newly built, still without floorboards!

My father always said his mother’s mind was “like a whip”. “If she had the opportunity to study – the world would have been her oyster”. She was incredibly disciplined and hard working – raising her five children and in the business.  Each Tuesday she took the train to Cape Town to buy material for curtains at Sacks Futeran, for on sale from their Wellington General Dealer Store.  Our few holidays in Wellington, when very young, far away from our Port Elizabeth home,  are etched in my memory: Cocks crowing early morning, the outhouse with sandpaper like toilet paper, the house’s internal passage to the grocery store, the peppermint crisps “Gramps” gave me from the store…

When Huguenot University College purchased their land in Fountain Street Wellington, they retired, moving to 603 Eilat Flats, Hall Road, Sea Point, Cape Town.

We have few photographs of my grandmother. At my Bar Mitzvah in Port Elizabeth – green dress and white necklace, was the last I know of. Sadly she was ill by then after an operation, subsequently suffering from dementia for some years.   Grandpa would regularly visit her at Highlands House,  Jewish Aged home, bringing food and looking after her with extraordinary love and care until she sadly passed away on 7th August 1986. I feel so sad that I could not spend more time with Granny “Golda” while she was of sound mind. Remembering Golda continues through the name of our daughter Maya Golda Schkolne, also born on 2nd September, in 1988. Her Bat Mitzvah was celebrated 100 years after Golda was born!   May her memory be for a blessing!