Early Political Leadership

From its earliest years, Jews contributed significantly to the white civic life of Vryburg. In 1886, when Vryburg was officially designated as a township, Charles Sonnenberg was elected to the Village Management Council. Another German Jew, Daniel Abt, also served on the council. By 1896, both Sonnenberg and Herman Rosenblatt were members of the first town council. In 1897, Sonnenberg was elected to the Cape Parliament, representing Vryburg.

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Simon Lewis, a researcher on the Sonnenberg family based in the United Kingdom, shared newspaper clippings detailing a trip to the United States by Charles Sonnenberg and his wife in 1897. During their journey, they visited several cities, including Washington, Richmond, Chicago, San Francisco, Buffalo, and Boston. The extensive article provides significant insights into Sonnenberg's thoughts. He expressed sympathy for Paul Kruger, discussed his association with Barney Barnato, and spoke enthusiastically about South Africa. His descriptions of life in Vryburg—particularly his remarks on cheap labor—are striking and deeply unsettling by today's standards.

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Herman Rosenblatt served as the mayor of Vryburg from 1898 to 1901 and again from 1904 to 1905. Affectionately known as “HR,” he declined a third term and later retired to Oudtshoorn, where he passed away in 1916 at the age of 69. A street in Lenasia, Vryburg’s Indian township, is named in his honor. Similarly, a street in Huhudi commemorates Harry Joffe. 

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In December 1903, the town hosted a large two-day bazaar in aid of S. Mathews Church. Surviving records (preserved by Graham Brodovcky) show strong Jewish participation. Maurice Sonnenberg, Charles’s second son, served on the committee, alongside members of the Abt, Blumgart, Rosenblatt, and Solomon families.

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Local Council Service

Vryburg has had several Jewish mayors, including Max Sonnenberg (1919–1920) and Theodore Sonnenberg (1925–1928; 1934–1938). This was not unusual in South Africa. Max Sonnenberg also served as the Member of Parliament for Bechuanaland from 1919 to 1921, representing the South African Party (SAP). In his autobiography, he recalls D. F. Malan—who later became Prime Minister—declaring during a sermon that “a Jew cannot represent Christians in Parliament.”

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Jewish involvement in local governance continued well into the twentieth century. David Smollan served on the town council in the 1920s, while Simon Lieberthal held office from 1924 to 1945. In 1922, three of Vryburg’s nine councilors were Jewish: Ephraim Gluckman (who managed Solomon's Stores), Solomon Kaplan, and David Smollan. Dr. Marcus Getz served during the 1930s, and Morris Bayer sat on the Vryburg District Council in the late 1920s.

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Decades later, Harold Scheckter was a town councilor from 1978 to 1988. Initially an independent, he later ran on a National Party ticket, reflecting the limited political opportunities available to Jewish candidates amid growing polarization. Despite this challenge, Scheckter helped secure permission for halal slaughter at the local abattoir, benefiting Vryburg’s Muslim community.​

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Civil Society and Voluntary Organisations

Jews played a significant role in the white civil society of Vryburg. Many were active in clubs such as Rotary and Freemasonry. Harry and Joe Joffe held prominent positions in the Stella Lodge, which was founded by Julius Rosenblatt. Max Sonnenberg served as the lodge's master and hosted High Holiday services there. Ludwig Salomon, a hotelier, served as the secretary of the Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes.

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Notable Rotarians included Harry Joffe, who founded the local chapter in 1955, along with Max Brodovsky, Hymie Arenson, Norman Lazarus, Mike Shapiro, Boytjie Rohloff, and Stephen Scheckter. The Grand Hotel was a venue for local Rotary meetings. However, not all applicants were accepted; for instance, Harold Scheckter faced rejection, highlighting the presence of informal barriers.

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Mike Shapiro also co-founded the Round Table in Vryburg alongside Jock de Kock.

 

Jewish community members played significant roles in various local organizations, including school boards, hospital boards, and welfare organizations. Rhita Muskat introduced Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to Vryburg and, together with Max Muskat, operated a tuberculosis clinic in Huhudi. Myra (Joffe) Sutin volunteered for the Red Cross, which was led by Ma De Kock. Harry Joffe served as the president of the local business chamber, and his daughter, Myra Sutin, shared a letter with him from the Vryburg Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, Harold Scheckter was involved with the board of the local old age home, and several local Jews served on both the school and hospital boards.

 

Political Culture and Limits of DissentPolitical debate was common in Jewish households, often taking place in private settings. Many families supported the United Party and held "verligte" views, recognizing that apartheid was unjust and unsustainable. However, the Jewish community in Vryburg largely operated within the constraints imposed by white dominance. An article Anney Garnett discovered in the Northern News, published on September 26, 1911, reveals that Herman Rosenblatt took a stand against a decision made by the mayor at the time to block an application submitted by a so-called "colored" individual to construct a building.

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Unlike larger centers, the town did not produce prominent figures like Joe Slovo or Dennis Goldberg. However, there was one exception. Members of the Lazarus family had ties to exile politics, which led to Security Branch surveillance in the early 1960s. Ruth Lazarus was in exile in Paris, where she was posted with UNESCO, and she maintained correspondence with Ruth First. Ruth Lazarus also corresponded with Shirley Graham Du Bois. Click here to see the letter. This meant that Norman and Kit Lazarus were under surveillance in the early 1960s. Steven Scheckter recounts that Max Cohen was questioned during World War II over his socialist leanings.

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In the late 1980s, Steven Scheckter and Boytjie Rohloff participated in early dialogue meetings between white business leaders and UDF representatives—interventions that involved real personal risk.

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Sport and Social Integration

Sport played a vital role in promoting integration within the community. Jewish individuals were active participants and contributors in various sports, including bowls, rugby, tennis, hockey, and golf, serving as players, administrators, and patrons. 

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Theodore Sonnenberg established the Vryburg Sports Club, which became a hub for athletic activities. Bowls and golf were particularly popular among the community. Notable golfers included Zalman Davidovitz, Joe Joffe, Mike Shapiro, Kit Lazarus, Norman Lazarus, and Max and Rhita Muskat, along with Max and Leah Cohen.

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In tennis, enthusiastic players included Mike and Miriam Shapiro, as well as Chubbie Rauff. Marie Sussman and Boytjie Rohloff, along with Justin, supported the local team, the Ramblers.

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Oom Piet Leibowitz served as the president of the local bowling club for many years and played a crucial role in its establishment. Other dedicated bowlers included Rose and Max Brodovcky, Anney and Piet Leibowitz, Aimy Kaiser, Max and Leah Cohen (who later shifted their focus to golf), Isaac van Gelderen, Chaim Sher, Joe Joffe, and Isaac Sussman.

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Hockey was a popular sport among Jews, many of whom were skilled players. Notable players included the three Rauff brothers—David, Howard, and Richard—Phil Toube, and the three Rosenberg brothers. Several of these players competed at the provincial level, with Winston Rosenblatt even reaching the national level. Esme Rauff was also a dedicated hockey player. As early as 1911, the Smollan family sponsored an annual hockey derby featuring the Town team against the Cape Mounted Police.

 

Jack Perel, Hymie Arenson, and David Smollan, who played rugby for Eastern Province, made significant contributions to local rugby administration. This is particularly noteworthy given rugby's strong association with Afrikaner identity. The Smollan family produced several provincial and national players, ultimately including Springbok Fred Smollan. Additionally, Jack Silbert was reported to have played for Griqualand West. However, acceptance within the sport was not universal. My father, Isaac Sussman, refereed local rugby matches in the 1970s and 1980s and often faced anti-Semitic abuse when making unpopular decisions.

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War Service and Sacrifice

Vryburg Jews served in and were affected by the Boer War and both World Wars.

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The Second Boer War occurred in Vryburg and had a significant impact on the local Jewish community. Unfortunately, information about this period remains limited.In 1900, the London Jewish Chronicle reported that "Private J. Abrahams, Vryburg Special Police, was accidentally severely injured." ​Additionally, a young man from Kimberley, Richard Isaacs, was killed during the Boer War in Vryburg in 1902. He was shot by the Boers at Vlakfontein, near Vryburg, and ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Correspondence between the Board of Deputies and the local community indicated that there are three Jewish war graves in Vryburg, all belonging to individuals who were killed during the Boer War. Unfortunately, these graves have never been located.

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Four Vryburg Jews were killed in the two World Wars. 

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• Albert Isaacs took his own life on September 2, 1917, in Gillingham.

• Charles Melville Sonneberg, the son of Maurice Sonnenberg, died in France in 1918 at the age of 22. He was born in Vryburg, and by that time, his father was dividing his time between Port Elizabeth and Mafikeng (as noted on his death certificate).

• Abraham (Abe) Max Lazarus died on August 13, 1944, at the age of 26 in Italy. Abe was born on January 24, 1917, and attended Grey High School in Port Elizabeth from 1929 to 1933. He taught at Vryburg High School before being drafted and was active in his community. In a letter sent to his mother, A.C. Wessels wrote, "Hammie and I lived in the same home for a few years and I, who am a Dutch South African, felt for him, a South African of Jewish extraction, the attachment one feels for a favorite younger brother. We all - English, Dutch and Jewish people-had worked and played with him. At School too and on the sports field he was one of the favorite masters on account of his loveable nature, his great and fine humanity. We all feel that he was a good Jew and at the same time an excellent South African. In making the supreme sacrifice, I feel he has made our land, South Africa, dearer to us." This is taken from South African Jews In World War II, (January 1950), published by South African Jewish Board of Deputies. 

• Monty Perel died on July 26, 1944, at the age of 20 in Italy. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Perel, who co-owned the Grand Hotel with the Cohens in the late 1920s. By then, his parents were living in Potchefstroom.

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Chubbie Rauff, Hans Julius Liebenstein, Louis Singer, Morrie Kaplan, L.S. Friedman (the lawyer), Solly Alufovitz, David Salmonson and Sam Joffee (from Delareyville) served in World War II.

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The community’s contribution was small in number but significant in commitment.

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Collective Community Work:

The Jewish Ladies Guild of Vryburg was an active organization that significantly contributed to the community by catering at the weekly Friday stock fair and running morning markets.As late as March 1985, the Stellelander reported on a market that raised R335. The fundraising efforts of the Ladies Guild served not only internal communal purposes but also played a crucial role in supporting the overall community life.  Michael Cohen highlighted that a significant event in Vryburg was the annual bazaar held by each church congregation. "The Jewish bazaar was a central event in the bazaar calendar and was extremely popular among all residents. The funds raised by the community were, as far as I recall, distributed to various charities. The Jewish ladies would work for months soliciting prizes for the tombola stall and baking cakes and tarts—some of the Vryburg residents would place food orders as much as a year in advance." Selma van Gelderen recalls that her mother helped with bazaars organized by the Jewish ladies, including events held at the town hall.

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The Jewish community in Vryburg excelled in philanthropy. An analysis of local contributions to the Mayor's Fund in 1939, as reported in the Stellelander, showed that 15 of the 39 supporters were Jewish individuals or businesses. A year later, Maurice Grace established a Holland Relief Fund, and once again, members of the Jewish community stepped up to support it—either personally (K. Levin, H. Fish, A.M. Wald, L.S. Friedman, Dr. Getz, D. Blumberg, Mick Folb, who was spelled Foll, R. Raphael, H. Nailand, and W. Lurie—presumably Willie, who was married to Dorothy Brown from Kimberley) or through their companies (such as Solomons Stores, Die Boere Helpmekaar, Central Furnishers, and Sebba and Company). In 1954, Rabbi Kay received a note shared by his daughter Pearl Kaplan, acknowledging the community’s contribution to a flood relief effort. Joe Davidovitz fondly remembers the Ladies Guild knitting socks for soldiers during the Second World War. Knitting was very popular in the community. Issy Lieberthal recalls that my grandmother, Gertie, had a "workroom where she would do crochet work on a handmade wooden frame," and would knit alongside his late mother. They would sit together and chat, as he recalls.

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When the Portuguese refugees fled Angola following the collapse of colonial rule in 1974, the Vryburg Jews joined other church groups in providing food and refreshments outside the old jail. The refugees had to pass through Vryburg on their way from Namibia (then known as South West Africa) to Johannesburg.​​​

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