Pretoria, South Africa

Conroy, David

Name

David Conroy

I received an email from Pearly (nee Schwartz) Kirstein who was at school with me in Pretoria.

I was born in London and moved with my parents and sister to South Africa when I was 4 years old. We lived in Pretoria.

My father, along with Percy Schwartz and my father-in-law, Max Peisach were some of the founders of the Carmel Jewish Day School in Sibelius St, Groenkloof  Pretoria.

My wife, then Lynne (Lynette) Peisach and her twin sister Bee (Berenice) now Braude, were the first registered at Carmel. Pearl and David Schwartz were the next in line, and as far as I know I was number 5.

The school started in South Street Hatfield with Grades 1, 2 and Standard 1. The teachers were Mrs Grossfeld (the principal), Mrs Peisach, now my mother-in-law, Mrs Silverman, who lives in Omer near to Beer Sheva at the good old age of 95. The Afrikaans teacher was Mrs Van Niekerk.

At the end of the year we moved to Sibelius street. I was top of the class all the way through to matric.

On the other hand, my wife left with her family for Israel, where her father a Nuclear Chemist, went on the three year contract. At the end of the contract they returned to SA, but to Cape Town. We remained in contact and in 1975 married in Cape Town.

In 1980 we moved to Israel with our eldest daughter Rina and had another three children in Israel. Meira, Yaron and Ora.

Our first seven and a half years we spent in Mitzpe Ramon 85 km South of Beer Sheva before moving to Beer Sheva where we have lived for the past 25 years.

We have B'H 12 grandchildren including a set of triplets (all boys) and another grandchild due by the end of this year.

I have attached three photos, including the first standard 1 class photo.

David Conroy

Newe Ofer, Beer Sheva