Jack Katz was born on 7 March 1913, the second of seven children, to Shmuel (Israel Samuel) Katz and Bertha (Levy) Katz in Witbank. Shmuel was from Kovno. We do not know where the Levy family was from. They were married in 1909. Jack lost his father or mother at a young age and used his considerable talents as a violin player to earn money and support his family.

 

Jack married Zara Gabriel Wulfsohn in 19??. She was the daughter of Abraham and Bertha (nee Moss) Wulfsohn - who married in 1917. The Wulfsohn family was from Courland. Bertha was the daughter of Mark Moss and his second wife, Sarah Gabriel. She was raised in Dordrecht.

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Jack and Zara first lived in Potchefstroom and then moved to Vryburg in the late 1940. Jack was one of the three senior managers who had equity in Solomon Stores. Jack and Zara had three sons: Bram, Michael, and Samuel. Sam was born in Vryburg. The family moved to Pretoria in 1973. Jack served as chairman of the Vryburg Hebrew Congregation.

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