Pessoa

Feldman, Leibl

Leibl Feldman 1896-1975

He was born on 8 June 1896 in Skopiskis, northern Lithuania. He was the second son of Joseph and Minnie Feldman. He came to South Africa in 1910 at the age of 14. His education took place at the Jewish Government School, Johannesburg. Leibl went into partnership, in a small shop trading under the name of Feldman & Stein. After a year Stein sold out to Leibl. The firm then became L. Feldman and survived under this name for 40 years.

Trade did not occupy all his interest and energy. He was a man of wide interests and a strong social conscience. After the World War I he became involved with the Jewish War Victims Relief Fund. In November 1918 he was instrumental in founding a branch of the Socialist-Zionist Poalei Zion Party in Johannesburg. In the late 1920s he became involved in the Organisation for Rehabilitation and Training (ORT). The aim of the body was to reconstruct the nature of Jewish life all over the world. In 1929 he joined the Jewish Workers Club which was anti- Zionist. In 1932 he married Shura Miller. They had one son and two daughters.

When World War II broke out he became involved in the South African Jewish war appeal. In 1946 he volunteered to join the South African Jewish Board of Deputies which visited the Displaced Persons camp in (?).