More than ten years ago Ellen and I began an exchange of information about the Lurie's, starting with what we knew about our grandparent's origin in Lithuania, their life in Norway and the subsequent emigration of all the siblings to South Africa.
About three years
ago, Ellen mentioned that a Norwegian third cousin of ours, Sidsel Levin
(a great-granddaughter of "Mottemenda") was involved with the Oslo
Jewish Museum and that the museum was collecting photographs and suchlike relating to the Jewish community there. I had some photos. But to find them was another story. Earlier this year I succeeded in locating what I was looking for. However, the trail had gone cold as
Sidsel had retired.
With the few photographs now
discovered and with memories of what my mother had told me I e-mailed
the museum and asked if they would be interested. The reply was very positive and with their assistance I have been able to collect up a huge amount of information and photographs of the family's life in Norway.
More
recently Melanie and Andrea visited Norway, visiting those places and sites which were so much a part of the Lurie family.
I
will be sharing what I have discovered with you, in the coming weeks/months. Please do feel free to contribute and to comment from your own knowledge. If you have any photographs relating to the family in
Norway, the museum would welcome scanned copies for their digital archives, especially if there is an indication (usually on the back) of who is involved.
There must have been many times when each and every one of us has just wondered about our parent's early lives. We all have little bits and pieces of knowledge and stories that together can create such a rich picture of our grandparents and our parent's lives in Lithuania, Norway and just after they arrived in South Africa.
