Peisach
Berger Family
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The Peisach Berger family, as it is known, began with Peisach Berger who had two sons, Iudel-Eliash, born 1872, and Itsko-Leiba. Iudel-Eliash married Geno-Beila Glezer and they had the following children: Ida, born 1902, Noson-Nota, born 1905, Itsyk, born 1907, Israel-Gersha, born 1908, Khaie, born 1910, Tsipa-Iakhna, born 1912, and the baby, Peisach (Percy), born 1924. The father left Kupiskis first and came to Cape Town, SA. There he managed to earn enough to bring over his wife and children. His eldest child, Ida, married Harry Perevoshkin (later Perkin) and she and her family are shown with two of her younger brothers in the photo that follows:
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Berger Family, c. 1925 From left to right, top row - Isaac Berger, Nathan Berger, younger brothers of Ida Berger Perkin From left to right, bottom row - Ida Berger Perkin, Chaya Ester Perkin, Harry Perkin (formerly Perevoshkin) (Brenda Bedil Chesler, daughter of Chaya Ester Perkin (the baby in this photo) donated this photo for our use.) |
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| Itsko-Leiba Berger, married Golda-Ella Hoffman and had four children: Israel, Muscia, Sonia, and Nathan. There are no photographs of this particular branch of the Berger family available at the present time. |
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This photo of Percy Berger, youngest son of Iudel-Eliash Berger, was taken in Addis Ababa, Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) during World War II, in 1941, when he was with the South African forces. |
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right: 1. Unknown Ethiopian Jew. He may be Israel Jacob, President of the Dire-Dawa congregation who came to several events in Addis Ababa, Abyssinia during 1941. 2. Lance Corporal M. Ben-Arie, born in Palestine, lived in Cape Town, SA. 3. Polish Jew, name unknown, who came to Addis Ababa in 1932. 4. Chaplain / Major Simon "Simi" Weinstein from Oudtshoorn, SA. Was an organizer of recruits for the Machal and later became involved with the SA Jewish Federation in Israel and World Machal. 5. German Jew, name unknown, who came to Addis Ababa in 1933. 6. Percy Berger, born in Kupishok, Lithuania, living in Cape Town, SA. (Photo donated by Percy Berger, Cape Town, SA) |
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Today, the Smidt Mill, once owned by Nochum Smidt, called Kupishok's millionnaire, is a crumbling remnant of the active plant that it once was when it produced the first electrical power for the town. Recently, there has been talk of converting it into a museum. (This photo was taken by Percy Berger during the summer of 2001 during a trip with his son to revisit his birthplace.) |
| (Photos donated by Percy Berger and Brenda Bedil Chesler) |
| Copyright Kupiskis SIG, 2020 |