Yiddish Folk Pre-Primary School
In September 1937, a small committee who had faith, courage and ambition, decided to establish a Yiddish Folk School in Johannesburg. The origin of the school was in a small hall, in a building in the centre of town. The pupils used to come two afternoons a week. This continued until l939 when the committee rented a small house in Doornfontein (30 Upper Meyer Street) at that time, a densely populated Jewish suburb. A Nursery School was also opened at the same time.
After a short time, the private house proved unsuitable both for an afternoon school and for a nursery school. At the end of l945, the School Committee bought a double story house in the same street and a year later, after considerable repairs were done, the Nursery School and Folk School moved in the new premises.
In the forties, a large number of Jews moved from Doornfontein to Yeoville, Orange Grove, Sydenham and other suburbs and the School Committee opened another school in Sydenham in l950 and in l953, another Nursery School was established.
The conditions in the new house in Orange Grove were not very favourable for the new nursery School and Folk school – an old house, small rooms, although the grounds were big. As a result of this, the School Committee decided to build a new modern building, which could house both educational institutions, the Nursery School and the Folk School on the same grounds. Saturday, the l6th of June l962, marked the official opening of the new school at 107-9th Avenue, Sydenham.
In 1995 the school was taken over by the SABJE.
Today, Yiddish Folk is still a well-loved school which offers a quality education in an exciting and nurturing environment.
Sheva Messias
Principal
http://yiddishfolk.org.za