15 January 2014 Published in News

With friends in New York

Johanna Zürndorfer, 97 years old, addresses visitors from Rexingen in New York.
Johanna Zürndorfer, 97 years old, addresses visitors from Rexingen in New York.

On December 18th, 2013, the following families with roots in Rexingen met for lunch at a restaurant in 72nd Street, Manhattan: Gideon, Hirschfelder, Hopfer, Kahn, Lemberger, Levi, Liebmann, Löwengart, Löwenthal, Pressburger, Schwarz, Weil, Zürndorfer. Also present were Hannelore Marx from Stuttgart and Aron Berlinger (who was born in Shavei Zion) with his wife, Marette. The get-together took place on the occasion of a visit to New York by Barbara Staudacher and Heinz Högerle, members of the Association of Patrons and Friends of the Former Rexingen Synagogue.

The get-together was organized by Johanna Zürndorfer-Lemberger (who celebrated her 97th birthday in November, 2013), her daughter Susan, and 75-year-old Simon Weil ( born in Rexingen to Gertrud and Fredy Weil) who spent the first 10 years of his life in Shavei Zion, Israel, before emigrating to the USA with his parents and his sister.

Among those present were Hilda Liebmann-Kromnik and Rudy Schott who were among the last pupils to attend the Jewish school in Rexingen. All of those present (some of whom had come a long way to the gathering) were delighted at the news from Germany that - as far as possible - the family trees of all the Jewish families of Rexingen would be put together and made available. The announcement that the new website of the Association will appear on the internet in English in early summer of 2014 was also welcomed with enthusiasm.