Number 21: Sheryl’s paternal grandparents’ wedding:  Sascha Edelstein z”l (14/12/1888 – September 1971) to Sophie Nicha Werbeloff z”l (1893 –  21/06/1941) on 31st March 1921, at the Roland Street Shul in Cape Town. Both were born in Sasmarken (now Valdermarpils) in Latvia. Sophie passed away tragically in De Aar and Sascha in Cape Town.

The story is told that, around 1914, when Oupa Sascha was called up to the army in Latvia and didn’t report for duty, he was caught and locked up in jail. Fortunately the local Police Station was on the Werbeloff property and the Verbelov’s managed to bribe Sascha out of Jail. Wolf then paid two boatmen to take Sascha at night to Germany, from where he found his way to England and then to his two brothers in “Southern Rhodesia”.  Sascha, who was in love with Sophie before he left Latvia, had to wait five years before he could bring her out to South Africa in 1920, to marry in 1921.

The attached Marriage Register was signed by cousin Leopold Davidowitz and his brother-in-law Isaac Ochberg.

Sheryl wears Sophie’s Gold Wedding Band. Next year 100 years old!