Object numberM2010/082:003
DescriptionKippah (skull cap), black with the AAJHS logo on it: burning Star of David with barbed wire and words "Son Of Man, Keep Not Silent". The kippah belonged to Alex Weinberger, husband of the donor, Marika Weinberger. He wore it every Friday night.
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.
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
Subjectreligious observance
Object namekippah
Materiallinen
Dimensions
- circumference: 150.00 mm
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Marika Weinberger