Hyman (Hymie) Arenson was the son of Louis and Ester Arenson, born in Cape Town in 1900. The Arenson family migrated from Lithuania (Schud-Kovno) to South Africa in the late 1880s. Louis and Ester had eight children: four sons—Harry, Philip, Jack, Hymie—and four daughters—Betty, Yetty, Dolly, Freda. Hymie's Hebrew name was Chaim Hirsch ben Yehuda Leib. In 1932, Hymie married Leah Durbach in Clocolan in the Orange Free State. Leah was living in Clocolan at the time of their marriage. 

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Leah Durbach was the daughter of Maurice (Morris) and Jenny, born in Tukums in 1902. Several members of the Durbach family had already settled in the Orange Free State. Leah left Latvia for South Africa in 1930, arriving aboard the Durham Castle. According to the ship’s manifest, she was a seamstress by profession. Upon disembarking, she went to Clocolan to join her uncle Solomon Zalman Durbach (1884-1975), who was married to Yettie Aronson (Hyman’s sister).

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In 1946, Hymie and Leah moved to Vryburg, where Hymie—who was a bookkeeper by profession—worked for Solomon’s Stores. He eventually became part of the senior management team. The couple lived in Vryburg for 23 years and were very active in the Jewish community and broader public life. Hymie was a passionate Rotarian, served on the local Chamber of Commerce, and was elected president of the Vryburg rugby club. Hymie and Leah had three children: Clarice, Riva, and Maurice (Meish). The children were born in Clocolan. Clarice and Riva were members of the popular Shul choir started by Rabbi Kemmelman. Meish was a dedicated rugby player and served as vice-captain of the Vryburg High School rugby team. After completing their schooling in Vryburg, the three children left the town, followed later by their parents. Hymie passed away in Johannesburg in 1982, and Leah died in Israel in 1996. Clarice and Meish live in Israel, and Riva resides in the USA.

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It is important to highlight the connection between the Durbach and Friedberg families. Solomon Zalman Durbach was the first cousin of Solomon (Sloum) Durbach. Their fathers were both from Tukums. Sloum Durbach married Fanny Friedberg (born in Talsen), who passed away in Bethlehem in 1935. The Friedberg family was connected to the Toube family by marriage. 

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Anna Toube, the daughter of Faival (Philip) Toube and Shifra (Sophie) Immerman, both originally from Talsen, married David Abel Friedberg, who also hailed from Talsen. Notably, Sloum served as the executor of the estate of Feiwe Arenson and is listed as a cousin-in-law on his death certificate. Feiwe was a speculator and farmer who died in Kroonstad in 1925. Sloum Durbach passed away in 1938, and Solomon Zalman Durbach died in 1975.

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