JCC Safety Helmet
Object numberM2010/020:001
TitleJCC Safety Helmet
DescriptionWhite plastic safety helmet or hard hat with JCC 2-10-1991 printed on it. This helmet was worn by Alex Weinberger at the preview of the construction of the Jewish Cultural Centre (now Sydney Jewish Museum), within the old Maccabean Hall, on 25.09.1991. On the inside of the hat are the initials M.W.
Mr. Alex Weinberger (1921-1994) was a scholar and prominent in the Zionist Federation, in Jewish education and many other communal activities. His wife Marika Weinberger was Vice President of the Sydney Jewish Museum and is also active in Jewish Affairs. Both are Holocaust survivors and came to Australia in 1950.
Alexander Weinberger was born on 20 March 1921 to Moritz and Rosa Weinberger, in Munkács, Czechoslovakia. He studied in a yeshiva, and then, during the war, was deported by the Hungarians to a labour-camp. After the war, Alex met Eva Marianna (Marika) Cierer. It was an introduction arranged by Alex's cousin Margaret Leimsieder, who had been with Marika on a 'death march' to Ravensbrück. They were married on 24 March 1946, and afterwards moved to Paris following the installation of the communist government. Alex had great language skills and was fluent in Czech, Hungarian, German, Yiddish and Hebrew. He found work with a Jewish newspaper in Paris and the family, which grew to include daughter Kathy, began to prosper once more.
Eventually, with the help of 'the Joint' (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) and the Australian Jewish Welfare Society, the Weinbergers journeyed to Australia. Marika, Alex and Kathy arrived in Sydney on 5 May 1950 on board the MV Surriento. Living first in Brisbane, Alex and his brother George established a furniture factory. In 1958 the Weinberger family moved to Melbourne, where Alex took up the position of CEO to the Jewish National Fund (Victoria). In 1963 they moved again to Sydney and Alex entered into a partnership in a retail clothing business.
In Sydney, Alex became Federal President of Youth Aliyah and Vice President of Central Synagogue, becoming involved with the State Zionist Council and Moriah College. He was a principal in the formation of the NSW Kashrut Authority. In the last years of his life, Mr Weinberger devoted himself to promoting Holocaust awareness. He was a driving force behind the Sydney Jewish Museum Library and helped to establish that resource centre. He volunteered at the SJM every Sunday.
Alex was an intellectual, a spiritual man whose loss of faith as a result of the Holocaust was a painful burden for him, and whose restored faith was achieved through intense struggle.
Mr. Alex Weinberger (1921-1994) was a scholar and prominent in the Zionist Federation, in Jewish education and many other communal activities. His wife Marika Weinberger was Vice President of the Sydney Jewish Museum and is also active in Jewish Affairs. Both are Holocaust survivors and came to Australia in 1950.
Alexander Weinberger was born on 20 March 1921 to Moritz and Rosa Weinberger, in Munkács, Czechoslovakia. He studied in a yeshiva, and then, during the war, was deported by the Hungarians to a labour-camp. After the war, Alex met Eva Marianna (Marika) Cierer. It was an introduction arranged by Alex's cousin Margaret Leimsieder, who had been with Marika on a 'death march' to Ravensbrück. They were married on 24 March 1946, and afterwards moved to Paris following the installation of the communist government. Alex had great language skills and was fluent in Czech, Hungarian, German, Yiddish and Hebrew. He found work with a Jewish newspaper in Paris and the family, which grew to include daughter Kathy, began to prosper once more.
Eventually, with the help of 'the Joint' (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) and the Australian Jewish Welfare Society, the Weinbergers journeyed to Australia. Marika, Alex and Kathy arrived in Sydney on 5 May 1950 on board the MV Surriento. Living first in Brisbane, Alex and his brother George established a furniture factory. In 1958 the Weinberger family moved to Melbourne, where Alex took up the position of CEO to the Jewish National Fund (Victoria). In 1963 they moved again to Sydney and Alex entered into a partnership in a retail clothing business.
In Sydney, Alex became Federal President of Youth Aliyah and Vice President of Central Synagogue, becoming involved with the State Zionist Council and Moriah College. He was a principal in the formation of the NSW Kashrut Authority. In the last years of his life, Mr Weinberger devoted himself to promoting Holocaust awareness. He was a driving force behind the Sydney Jewish Museum Library and helped to establish that resource centre. He volunteered at the SJM every Sunday.
Alex was an intellectual, a spiritual man whose loss of faith as a result of the Holocaust was a painful burden for him, and whose restored faith was achieved through intense struggle.
Production placeSydney, New South Wales, Australia
Production date 1991-10-02
Object nameheadgear
Materialplastic
Dimensions
- length: 270.00 mm
width: 165.00 mm
height: 115.00 mm
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Marika Weinberger