Rita Myerson: Rita's Life Journey

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The Gaffen Family

Rita's father was Jacob Gaffen. His parent's names are unknown. They lived in Kovna, Lithuania where Jacob was born. Jacob moved to SA at the age of 14 to avoid being drafted into the Russian army. He came alone and worked in a general store on the mines in Johannesburg.

Rita's mother, Rei Jackson was daughter of Minnie Rosen (name probably adopted in Ireland) and Mr. Jackson. Rei's father was born in Ireland, and her mother moved as a baby from Lithuania to Ireland. The Jackson couple was married in Dublin, had 2 children around 1880 and came to Cape Town with Minnie's two brothers at the turn of the century.

Rei was born 1897 is SA, and after her came Davie (male) and Dolly (female). She went to school at the Good-Hope seminary and did a book-keeping course. Rei worked for her uncle Harry Rosen in Cape Town, and spent most of her childhood with Harry and Flo Rosen. He was mad about her, and they spent a lot of time together. (in the photo: Harry and Flo).

Jacob gradually built himself up until he owned a hotel in Johannesburg, and he invested in other hotels in the country district, and 2 others in Jo'burg. He went down to Cape Town, was introduced to Rei and they were married in 1917 in Cape Town and moved together to Johannesburg.

Norman, their first son was born in 1918, Rita was born in 1922, Joy in 1926. Rita remembers one holiday with her family, down to Margate, south-coast Natal.

Rei and Jacob were both dedicated Zionists, Jacob was on the Zionist Federation of SA, and Rei was a Wizo worker. Rei played the piano, as a young girl she used to play as silent pictures were shown in the cinema house. Around the 1930's Rei traded in an old piano for a Steinway piano. (The piano was passed on to Ronnie, her grandson, and is now in Israel).

The family members were all very close to each other, lived near by, and saw each other all the time.

Jacob passed away in 1938 from cancer after being sick for many years (from 1935). The cancer was misdiagnosed… About a year before Jacob died Norman took over the running of the hotel as a young boy of 17, with the help of Rei, his mother. He sorted the administration of the business, and she helped with the books.

They continued working together until they both passed away in 1986 (4 months apart). Rei died on the 15^th of August, Norman on the 20^thof December.

Joy married Eli Liebowitz in April 1948, and had Pam and Trevor. Norman married Denise Marselle in the 1970's, they never had children. Rita married Cecil in 1946 and had 4 sons.

Rei's nickname was Goga. Her grandson Jeffrey called her so when he was a baby, it was probably the influence of the African maid- they called grandmother- Gogo. The name stuck until today.