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Mr Fred Cohen, a young businessman with vision was captivated by the beautiful view and clean mountain air of this area.  He was carried away by the thought of opening up a wonderous and model township and in 1930 bought the farm and land. He name the area Northcliff and following in the footsteps of Abraham, pitched his tent at the foot of the hill, where would-be plot-holders could drive out on a weekend to partake of tea and view the land.

Years later, Fred Cohen would put a tearoom, dancehall, plastic theatre, swimming pool, bushmans cave and roadhouse at the top of the plateau which would be the weekend mecca for Johannesburg residents. Years later it would also be the scene of the tragic burning of the two Torahs on Rosh Hashanah, when the Northcliff and District Hebrew Congregation were using the premises for the High Festival Services.

Fred Cohen built roads, reticulated water, started his own bus service, built his own nursery school and even founded his own Building Society for facilitating building in the area. The hall of Mr Cohen’s sumptuous residence was often used by the congregation for services.  Whilst Fred Cohen was never an active member of the congregation, he never the less encouraged the formation of the congregation and in 1952 was asked to become the first President of the Northcliff and District Hebrew Congregation in honour of being the “father of the township”.

During the year of 1950 the idea of a Northcliff Congregation and Shul came to being.  On the 21 January 1951 the first meeting was held with the object of establishing a Hebrew Congregation for Northcliff and the surrounding areas.  It was an enthusiastic meeting and it was decided that a circular letter would be sent to the residents of Northcliff, Linden, Blackheath, Roosevelt Park, Honeydew and surrounding areas calling for a second meeting.  There is little detail of this meeting, but at a third meeting on 27 February 1951 a committee was elected and a motion carried unanimously that the Northcliff and District Hebrew Congregation be formed.

The United Hebrew Congregation and Chief Rabbi Rabinowitz was advised of this decision and the formation of the committee.Regular Friday evening services commenced at the home of Mr & Mrs L Reichenberg.  Men offered their services as “Chazanim” and a warm and happy atmosphere prevailed amongst the congregation.  There was a lack of formality but everyone seemed to get pleasure in the contact and socializing with his fellow Jew in this little populated are of Johannesburg.

The Gabbah – Mr Reichenberg even transliterated the “Yigdal” so everyone could join in the lusty singing of the finale to the services. Slowly the congregations began to take shape.  At a meeting on 1 April 1951 a ladies guild was elected and a decision was taken for the first time that High Festival services would be held.  A membership fee of £6.60 per annum was introduced, and a bank account was opened.Rabbi Rabinowitz suggested that a young South African who had qualified as a Reverent be invited to conduct the Friday evening service, namely Reverent Sydney Katz.  There was considerable excitement and arrangements were made to hold a special children’s service on the Saturday morning and an Oneg Shabbat at the house of Mr & Mrs S Rubin, where the Reverent was to be accommodated.

Arrangements were made for the congregation to obtain a loan of a Torah and prayer books.  The Reverent was met with an enthusiastic full house at Mr & Mrs Reichenbergs residence. Reverent Katz was also engaged to conduct the High Festivals. Chief Rabbi Rabinowitz called a meeting in October 1951 and commended Northcliff for making the most remarkable and gratifying progress.  He suggested appointing a full time spiritual leader and Hebrew teacher and recommended Reverent Katz.

Subscriptions were raised to £1.10 per family per month and Rev. Katz was appointed.  At this stage total membership was 30 families and the congregation was largely dependant on a small band of enthusiastic workers and members of the committee. It was also during this period that Basil Cohen became the first Barmitzvah of the congregation and the first Seder under the auspices of the congregation was held. During 1952 Friday evening services continued to be held at the Reichenbergs residence whilst Saturday morning services were held at the Maisels home for “on Friday nights Rev. Katz slept there.”

A choir was seemingly organised and children’s parties too. High Festival Services were again held at the Cohen’s residence and +- 150 people were present for Yom Kippur.  Succot and Simchat Torah functions were also held.

1953 was a year of upheaval for the young congregation.  At the beginning of the year Rev. Katz resigned.  To tide the congregation through a Hebrew and Barmitzvah teacher was appointed.  In March Rev. Smuckler was appointed and in June of the same year resigned.  A series of Hebrew teachers were unsuccessfully appointed and that year Dr Abt conducted the High Festival Services and Mr S Rubin began to act as the Ba’al T’filla and as the unofficial religious leader of the congregation.

During this year morale was low and little progress had been made in every field of endeavor on behalf of the Shul.  Great difficulties were also experienced in arranging Friday night Minyonim despite having a membership of 80 families.  A meeting was convened and a new committee was appointed. Mr S Rubin was elected Chairman and morale improved. It was in 1955, during the High Festival Services held in the old Northcliff tearoom, that drama and tragedy struck the congregation.

The Rosh Hashanah morning service went off smoothly, conducted by Mr L Kaplan, the Hebrew teacher at the time, and assisted by Mr S Rubin.  There was the usual scramble by the children to obtain their drop of wine from the little glasses purchased specially for this occasion.  In traditional Northcliff fashion everyone wished each and every member “Shana Tova” and went off to partake of his or her sumptuous Yom Tov fare. Soon after midday great pillars of smoke were seen coming from Northcliff hill.  Although the cause of the fire was never established, it was thought that the wind had blown the curtains against the candles in the hall used as our Shul and that this had caused the inferno. Everything the congregation had carefully collected over the years, as well as the Torahs, taleisim and machzeirim belonging to worshippers went up in smoke. The burning of the Torahs on Rosh Hashanah however, caused a feeling of aw and sorrow, not only amongst the congregation but also the hearts of many Jews of other congregations.

That evening it was decided to continue with services at the home of Mr & Mrs Wolpert.  Gloomy and dispirited a small portion of the community attended the minchah service.  After Minchah members began to discuss the fire and what steps were necessary in order to continue. Someone mentioned that the Parkview-Greenside Congregation was prepared to loan us two Sifrei Torah.  Arrangements were made and nine members: M Bacher, Harry Falkov, Hymie Falkov, I Friedman, A Gordon, M Graff, B Levy, S Revow and B Wolpert, undertook to carry the Torahs through the streets from Greenside to Northcliff.

And so began the epic walk.  In the entire history of the Shul, this was perhaps the most inspiring moment.  It was on this night that the idea was born that out of the ashes of the Torahs, a Shul would come into being. During the Sacharit service, Bennie Levy, Harry Falkov and Monty Graff delivered speeches.  Mr Levy dwelt on the poignancy of the fire so soon after the service, when even the little goblets from which the children had drunk the Kiddush wine, were still unwashed.  Mr Harry Falkov described the walk – “how with Yarmulkes on our heads and taleisim on our shoulders, we walked through the streets carrying the Torahs.  Gone were our cynicism, our embarrassment, and our superficial veneer.  How can I describe the wonderful feeling of kinship, of oneness, the feeling of joy and dedication we felt as we strode through the streets, carrying the Torahs in turn.  Fatigue was forgotten.  Each one clung to the Torah, wishing to carry it a little longer and reluctantly handed it over to the next one.  He also said that once and for all we should make up our minds to have a Shul, a permanent place in where our children could become conversant with our traditions and with the heritage of the past.

The atmosphere was electric.  People, who had cried during the speeches, became elated with the generosity shown in the donations made to the Shul.  Mr S Rubin summarily took over the position of Chazan and the service ended with some very lusty singing of Adon Olam. 

It was the end of the beginning.

The congregation responded by making generous donations and a fundraising and building sub-committee was appointed.  Architects were called in and plans were submitted to the Chief Rabbi. A unique service for the burial of the ashes of the Torahs was held on the 23 October 1955 at West Park Cemetery.

The Shul complex was designed so that it could serve not only as a Shul, but also as a communal Jewish Center for the area.  It was planned that all facets of Jewish activity such as religious, educational, cultural and social would be catered for. On the 16 June 1957 amidst much excitement the consecration of the Northcliff and Districts Shul took place.  Rabbi Rabinowitz and Cantor Backon conducted the service and the Oxford Shul Choir was in attendance.  Members received special honours in recognition of services rendered to the congregation. Many of the items, which were donated at the time, can still be seen in the Shul to this day.  One of the most interesting presentations was that of a chuppah by Mr & Mrs Bauristhene – a gentile couple, who took a great interest in the Shul.

Mr Bauristhene, in the early days, attended Shul services regularly, and was most upset when he learned that he could not be included as one of the ten to make up a minyan.

In 1958 Reverent I Reichenberg was appointed as minister and chedar teacher.  During this period the congregation purchased two stands adjoining the Shul and plans for a ministers residence were drawn up and put into being. The next few years saw a period of activity, consolidation, enthusiasm and achievement, which was quite unique.

The choir under the directorship of E Biderman became a feature of the Yom Tov and special services.  All the members of the choir gave their services in an honorary capacity. The children’s services, especially those for the High Festivals, reached an amazingly high standard of proficiency and popularity. The ladies guild, the social and cultural Seders all set standards and formats that were to lay down the pattern for years to come.

A Hebrew Nursery School, which had started some years before in the Shul hall, now became an autonomous body and a proper school was built.  It was later to win the award as one of the best schools in Johannesburg. All these things were achieved due to the careful planning and organization by a small band of inspired workers, all of whom gave generously and freely of their time and special talents. In 1966 a decision was taken to extend the Shul buildings.  Once again members donated generously to the fund and building extensions were completed in 1968.

More recently on the 10^th June 2001 Northcliff Shul was honoured with a triple Simcha.  A Torah was donated by Tandi, Lewis, Shari and Shandon Weinstein, the formation of a schtibel was donated by Julian, Helen and Talia Solomon, and a new Parochet was donated by the Watson Families. This then is the pattern and tapestry of the Northcliff Hebrew Congregation.  There have been good years and there have been less good years.  The congregation, however, has been established on a very solid foundation and our goal of yesterday, of making the Shul a means for improving the quality of Jewish life and making it more meaningful and happier still remains.

It is an inspiring to see there are some of the men and women who were prominent in the establishment of the congregation still with us today.  Even more inspiring are the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of our founder members carrying on the legacy that was built for them.

Our congregation of today is vibrant, enthusiastic, looking to the future and striving to continue.

If we all as a community can pursue these goals of contentment and fulfillment in a happier Jewish lifestyle by involving ourselves, participating and building on the wonderful community that we have, we too can pass on this heritage to our children and our children’s children.

© Copyright 2007/5768 Northcliff Hebrew Congregation