Upington Jewish Community

Abe Cohen was the only one of 4 siblings born in South Africa — in Tulbagh, on 14 September 1912. The family, which came from Stolpce, near Minsk, in Russia (now Belarus), had a general dealers and produce business at the railway siding at Tulbagh Rd Station.

Cohen siblings (L to R): Abe, Bertha, Morris and David Cohen, in Upington for Farrel's bris, 1951

Abe was schooled in Afrikaans in Tulbagh. His older brother Morris finished school in Tulbagh and then went to Dublin, Ireland, to study medicine. On finishing school Abe started in medicine at UCT for one and a half years and then transferred to Liverpool, UK, to complete his medical degree. On qualifying in Liverpool he held positions at various hospitals in Liverpool from 1936 until his return to SA in 1938.

On his return he went to Kuruman to do a locum for his brother Morris, who was in practice there. There were various commercial travellers (who usually represented Jewish wholesalers) passing through Kuruman and they told him that the Upington Jewish community was in need of a Jewish doctor. Messrs Rabkin and Goldberg went to Kuruman and persuaded him to come to Upington and set up practice.

Kuruman visit, 1938. L to R: Boy Robinson, Cohen children, Ray Cohen, Abe, Sylvia, Morris Cohen.

In the beginning he had a room in the Rabkins' house. In Upington in 1939 he met Sylvia Robinson. They were engaged soon after meeting and on 22 September 1940 they married in Upington.

Sylvia Robinson, 1935

Abe and Sylvia engagement party at Robinson house. L to R: Max Cohen, Rose Cohen, Sylvia Robinson, Abe Cohen, Phil Morris, David Cohen, Sarah Brower, Clarence Robinson, Ronnie Robinson, Fanny Robinson, Mahle Shulman, Boy Robinson, Janie Shulman, Mimmie Brower, Charlie Brower, Paula Kurland, Mrs. Hamburg.

In the beginning it was very difficult for Abe to build up his practice as the other doctor in Upington and some hospital staff were very anti-semitic and made hospital work very difficult. To perform operations Abe had to enlist the Jewish doctor from Kenhardt, 120 km away, to travel to Upington to assist him.

For 10 years Abe worked as a sole practitioner. To overcome the problem he decided to take in a partner in the practice. Over the years these were young doctors newly qualified and mostly family members. Most stayed a few years and then moved on to specialise or work in Cape Town. First to join him was Ronnie Robinson (Sylvia's brother) with wife Esmé. They stayed in Upington from 1949-1953. Next was Louis Solomon (no relative), son of Mr Solomon of Keimoes. He stayed in Upington from 1953-1956. Next was Merwyn Goldblatt (Abe's nephew) and wife Greta. They stayed in Upington from 1956-1959. The last doctor who joined him was Leon Movsowitz (his nephew by marriage) with his wife Eunice. They stayed in Upington from 1959 and continued, even after Abe and Sylvia left, until 1974.

Abe and Sylvia had 3 children: Rolene, who was born in Cape Town in 1942; Marvin, who was born in Upington in 1946; and Farrel, who was born in Upington in 1951. They all went to primary school in Upington. Rolene went to high school at Wynberg Girls High in Cape Town. Marvin went to high school at Kimberley Boys High and Farrel went to Kimberley Boys High for standard 5 and then, when Abe and Sylvia moved to Cape Town, he went to Rondebosch Boys High. Marvin had his barmitzvah in Upington on 12 December 1959.

The family went on holiday to escape the summer Upington heat. Many holidays were to Muizenberg, driving and leaving Upington at 4 am and stopping on the way to say hello to friends in Kenhardt and Calvinia. This was quite a journey on unsealed roads. In Muizenberg the family stayed at the Balmoral Hotel.


Muizenberg holidays

Other holidays were boat trips from Cape Town to Durban, known as a boat trip "around the coast". One of these trips was with life-long family friends Ray and Benno Jacobson and Brian and Lynn. In 1960 Abe and Sylvia, along with Benno and Ray Jacobson, went on a trip to Europe. This was quite unusual and many of the community turned up to bid them farewell at the Upington Aerodrome.


Abe and Sylvia's trip to Europe with Benno and Ray Jacobson, 1960

In Upington Abe was a freemason for many years and was Master of the Kalahari Lodge, and when Upington Rotary Club was formed Abe and Sylvia became active members.

Kalahari Lodge (Jewish members in bold). Standing (L to R): Peter Head, Sydney Haworth, Kokkie du Toit, Lyske Hummel, ?, Jack Horn, Daantjie Josling, Willem Barnard, Eben Mocke, ? Cilliers, Danie Kuys, ?, Robert Kurland.

Sitting: Joe Schatz, Abe Cohen, Abe Hummel, ?, Eric Levy, Lionel Aronson.

Abe and Sylvia left Upington for Cape Town in 1964. As in Upington, in Cape Town Abe continued to practise with private patients as well as being a railway medical officer. He was still working into his 90s.

Abe and Sylvia continued being Rotarians for many years in both Upington and Cape Town, and in Cape Town Abe received the highest award that Rotarians can receive. Abe continued to attend Rotary meetings almost to the end of his life. When he was unable to drive Bennie Edelstein used to take him to the meetings in Sea Point.

Above: Abe receiving award from Rotary Club, Cape Town. Right: Abe and Sylvia along with Sylvia's brother Boy Robinson, who also received an award at the same event.

On moving to Cape Town the family were reunited. Rolene married Peter Rawraway in 1965 and they had 3 sons. Marvin married Lois Kuperholz in 1976 and they had one son in Cape Town and, after immigrating to Melbourne, Australia, in 1978, they had a daughter 2 years later. Farrel married Susan Rollingson in 1975 and they had 3 sons.

Abe and Sylvia visited Melbourne 12 times and Lois and Marvin returned to Cape Town on numerous occasions to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, at which many ex-Upingtonians were present.

Left: Abe and Sylvia's 55th wedding anniversary, 1995. Above: Abe's 96th birthday, 2008.

In 2005 on one of Lois and Marvin's visits to South Africa they visited Upington with Abe, Rolene and Farrel. Brian and Rhona Jacobson were passing through Upington at the same time. It was a wonderful visit after 40 years meeting up with old friends and patients.

Visit to Upington, 2005. In front of Schroder Street house & surgery.

Visits to schools: Fanie Malan (L) and Op die Voorpos (R).
Dinner at restaurant in what was Goldberg then Mendelsohn home	Dinner with Brian, Rhona, friends (in front) Eben Mocke Jr. and family (Abe delivered Eben)

In 2005 Abe travelled with Rolene and Peter to Melbourne to attend his only granddaughter's wedding. He was 93 years of age and it was to be his last visit to Melbourne.

Abe at wedding of granddaughter Robyn in Melbourne, December 2005

Sylvia passed away in Cape Town on 11 April 2004 and Abe enjoyed relatively good health until he passed away in his sleep on 7 October 2008.

Cohen graves in Pinelands Cemetery, Cape Town