Golda Lan Lieberfreund (Rubin)

(zuni lan:) My Mom and Dan married without telling his parents. They got married and returned to their houses (Mom in Wizo still)

(zuni lan:) My mother's (Golda (Rubin) Lan) brothers' were all brought out to South Africa before the War: Sam, Barney, Golda, Max, Jack (except for Sam who was cut off while visiting France and landed up in Luxenbourg)

(zuni lan:) The Jews were expelled by the Lithuanian Czar in the 1st WW into Russia. He feared they would spy for the Germans as they spoke Yiddish On the way back they were orphaned during the Flu pandemic and split up when arriving back in Kovna. Granny was sent to become a seamstress in WIZO Max and Jack were in a orphanage. Granny was orphaned at the age of 10 and married my Dad at 17 when they immigrated to SA. He had been called up to the Lithuanian army from which few Jews survived.

(divon:) Internal passport from 6/6/1925 "Golda Rubin", born 1909 in Kaunas, a dressmaker. Found on jewishgen.org

(becky sacks:) Rivka & Chaim Yosel and the children were evacuated to Russia during WW1, and were on the return journey in a train, when they both caught the Flu, and died within two weeks of each other. Barney, at age 13-14 took all of his siblings on the train back to Kovno. Golda went to live with an aunt, and was taught dressmaking at Wizo. Max, Louis and Jack were sent to an orphanage, but didn't stay that all that long.

(becky sacks:) Barney told me this story: his grandfather was given some land (they called it the orchard), by Napolean administration during Napolean wars, and then there was a dispute with an uncle who disputed the ownership of that land. Barney fought the case, and got the money for the orchard, and that's the money they used to go to south africa. My mother and father (Goldie and Mottel) went first - they got married on Aug 5, 1928, and were given more than their share of the money. Motel's visa was "sponsored" by a friend already in south africa. Barney went to South Africa with Max. Max was a little "educationally subnormal" (not very bright), and Barney looked after him.

(hymie rubin, July 2010:) One of the parents (I think Rivka) died on the train back of Cholera, and the other (Chaim?) died three months later. Jack and Louis were put in an orphanage, and were brought up by their uncle(?) Shachna. According to my father's request, I named my son (Wayne) Shachna after him. Later, the brothers moved to South Africa, with the help of Barney and Golda's friend Dov Levy who resided there.

(divon, jan 2010:) found marriage certificate on jewishgen.org:

Kaunas 6-aug-1928

LAN, Mordkhai Leive, son of Zundel and Dushe nee KOPMAN, born in Kaunas 1908, resident of Slabada, a worker

RUBIN, Golde, daughter of Khaim Yosif and Rivke nee GORFINKEL, born in Kaunas 1909, resident of Slabada, a seamstress

(divon, sep 2012) found Golda's birth certificate RUBIN, Golda Parents: Khaim Josel son of Itska and Rivka daughter of Itsyk DOB: 12/11/1909 12 Kislev Kaunas Comments: Father was Kaunas resident

(divon, jan 2016) found Max (her husband) estate record in cape archive. The researcher that found it for me was not allowed to photo it, just take notes, and he mentions that the estate contains a note that Goldie was issued a marriage certificate on 19.7.1963. It also mentions that Max was a South African citizen, the names of his children and that his hole estate goes to his wife.

(rachel nahum 2019): According to stories I heard from my mother and also Golda: Motel was always chasing Shiksa's and his mother Dusia wanted him to settle down. But when he met Golda, she disapproved of the relationship because Golda was very poor. Golda interned as a steamstress with my grandmother Rocha Livka Lan (Likht) where Motel met her again. When they got married Rocha sewed her wedding dress, but after the wedding, Dusia refused to let Golda come sleep in the house.