Bernard Abrahams - Mayne Zibetsik Yor - a 1953 autobiography - now translated

Bernard Abrahams was born Avrom Shmulowitz, in 1880, Kroze Lithuania and immigrated to South Africa in 1901.

1953, Mayne Zibetsik Yor was published in Yiddish

Bernard wrote his autobiography book "Mayne Zibetsik Yor" (My Seventy Years) in perfect Yiddish (using hebrew letters and vowels) and published it in 1953. Most of the family still have one, although it can be difficult to decipher. The scan of book in the Steven Spielberg Yiddush Library , or download direct here

In about 2004, a website about the different shtetls published - Kehilalinks - with the first chapter about Kroze translated

2025, My Seventy years was translated to English

30 Mar 2025 - Click to download My Seventy Years version 0.82 (19.7MB) - please send feedback, I will still be making a better one

Now, 72 years later, I’ve rediscovered this treasure — thanks to my cousin Sue Zeiler and The Spielberg Library for Yiddish Books.

Over the past several months, I’ve worked on translating it—drawing on multiple tools and processes, including help from ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google OCR. My aim was to remain as close to a direct, literal translation as possible, with only light enhancements such as this preamble, a table of contents, chapter numbers, and a few explanatory footnotes. I’ve tried to preserve select Yiddish terms using phonetic English along with translations in parentheses. Most footnotes also include the original page numbers, and the original preamble is included at the end as an appendix.

The author, Bernard Abrahams—born Avrom Smulowitz in 1880—was a deeply spiritual man who believed Lithuania was the second Babylon of Jewish history. His wisdom and writing have greatly inspired me, and I now feel called to write my own memoir. Many talk about doing so, but few actually do. Bernard did—and left us with a rare and invaluable cultural legacy.

He passed away in Johannesburg in 1957 at the age of 77, just four years after this book was published. He was laid to rest in West Park Cemetery, alongside his wife Zille, who passed two years later.

This book vividly captures the lives, journeys, and spiritual world of our ancestors who came from da heim (the old country) in Lithuania around the turn of the 20th century. More than a personal story, it is a cultural chronicle—one of the very few Yiddish memorial books produced in South Africa. In many ways, it mirrors the stories of my four great-grandfathers, all of whom emigrated from Lithuania.

Much of the book centers on Bernard’s early struggles to become a Rabbi—a dream he eventually set aside. Yet his perseverance and dignity became a source of inspiration to the family that followed. Of his parents’ eight children, only three lived beyond their twenties. Bernard’s respect for women is especially notable—they are portrayed with dignity and honor—though he shares little about his wife personally.

This journey of rediscovery wouldn’t have been possible without my cousin Sue Zeiler. In 2012, she accepted my connection and after a new algorith was applied in 2024, we could work out with greater clairty. She kindly shared her family tree and a link to Bernard’s book. I’m endlessly grateful. Thank you, Sue, from the bottom of my heart.

I hope to connect with more descendants of Joseph Smulowitz. I’ve already heard from Gerry and Adele Abrahams, Kevin Wunch, Sharon Beinash, and Jodi Abrahams. I’m also searching for a cousin in the U.S. from another branch of the family, hoping they can help further confirm the DNA connection. I'm reaching out to the Lakiers, Sampsons, Levitans, and others — this journey continues. Hope to see all the family in the facebook group.

Chronic Diarrhea in a Cat: A Journey with Lilly

As a lifelong cat lover and someone who grew up surrounded by Turkish Vans bred by my mother, I thought I had seen it all when it came to feline care. Cats are famously clean animals, often using their litter boxes diligently and maintaining a pleasant natural scent—even in old age. However, my experience with Lilly, a remarkable yet troubled feline companion, taught me how challenging and complex cat health issues can be, particularly when it comes to chronic diarrhea.

This condition, while relatively uncommon, is deeply challenging not only for the cat but also for the caregiver. Unfortunately, it became clear to me that even experienced veterinarians often lack the specialized knowledge required to manage such cases effectively. If you are facing a similar challenge, be prepared to take the lead in your pet's care—it is a difficult road, but not without hope.

Lilly’s Story
Since my mom had been a breeder, we felt lucky that a breeding cat was now up for adoption after her cat sadly passed away. The new breeder sold her to us to be a therapy cat for my ailing mother. Lilly into our lives in September 2017, only to discover that she was already 9.5 years old. Lilly was no ordinary cat—she was a quadruple European champion and the recipient of four "Cat of the Show" awards from various countries. She had even appeared on the television show Absolutely Fabulous with Joanna Lumley, though we’ve yet to track down the episode!

However, when Lilly arrived, she was far from glamorous. She was smelly, distressed, and suffering from a severe bout of diarrhea. Her condition worsened as we learned she also had feline herpesvirus (FHV). While we eventually received this diagnosis from the third veterinarian we consulted, it took seven long years before we were told she also had inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

At first, we attributed her diarrhea to the stress of traveling—she had been flown in a large box from Johannesburg. Yet as time passed, it became clear this was a chronic issue. Despite countless consultations and treatments, including expensive diets, deworming protocols, and various medications, nothing worked. The first six veterinarians we consulted provided inconsistent, misleading, or outright incorrect advice, leaving us disheartened and frustrated. They charged full fees despite their lack of solutions, which added insult to injury.

The Turning Point
Finally, we met a locum veterinarian who was knowledgeable and open-minded. She suggested Lilly might have IBD, a complex condition involving chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, and referred us to Dr. Adi, a compassionate and skilled vet who had previously saved a cat abandoned because of this very disease. Dr. Adi’s expertise marked a turning point in Lilly’s treatment and our journey.

Treating IBD
Managing IBD in cats is no small feat. Most veterinarians begin with the basics: dietary adjustments and deworming. If these fail, the next step often involves comprehensive blood tests and a costly intestinal biopsy, which can confirm the diagnosis. However, these procedures can be financially and emotionally taxing for pet owners, especially when the cat’s quality of life is already compromised.

In our case, after weighing the costs and Lilly’s deteriorating condition, we opted to bypass the biopsy and proceed directly with treatment. This approach was controversial, as most veterinarians advocate for a definitive diagnosis before starting aggressive treatments. However, Dr. Adi agreed to try strong medications to save Lilly’s life.

Lilly’s treatment regimen included Vitamin B injections, high-dose corticosteroids, and chemotherapy using chlorambucil (Leukeran). To our relief, after three months—shorter than the anticipated five to six months—we began to see significant improvements. Lilly’s stools became firmer, her absorption improved, and she began to thrive.

Today, Lilly is a healthy, happy cat who requires lifelong cortisone therapy. While managing IBD is an ongoing commitment, the transformation in her quality of life has been nothing short of miraculous.

Reflections
Lilly’s journey has been a lesson in perseverance, advocacy, and the importance of finding the right veterinary support. Chronic diarrhea and IBD in cats are challenging conditions that require patience, determination, and sometimes unconventional solutions. My advice to others facing similar struggles is to trust your instincts, seek out knowledgeable professionals, and never hesitate to ask questions or explore alternative options.

If you are dealing with a cat suffering from chronic diarrhea, know that there is hope. With the right care and treatment, even the most severe cases can improve dramatically.

For those interested in learning more about IBD in cats, I recommend reading this comprehensive academic resource: https://www.vin.com/doc/?id=3846200.

The old Jewish cemetary in Vilna

I have written about this in the past, the petition has over fifty thousand signatures. But alas, it appears the Lithuanian government is going ahead with building over it. The latest news by Andrius Kulikauskas who is located in Vilna, is here. For the background please check out this :

York, England - 1272 expulsion of Jews

 This was a place of terrible Jewish slaughter, there is no way that the Yorkers can deny it. But alas, they have rewritten their history of the past hundred years. Whilst Jews were thriving in the past century in England, it was only around in the very late 20th century, that Jews were allowed to live in York. Somehow they have deleted this part of their recent history. How did they do that? 

In 1290, King Edward I ordered the departure of all Jews from the United Kingdon (Edict of Expulsion). The Jews were given a choice to convert or exile. Most chose the latter as opposed to what followed in Portugal and Spain some centuries later.

Edward became king in 1272 and showed future leaders how to adopt anti-Jewish measures. These included prohibitions on money-lending by Jews, a principal form of livelihood for members of the community. It was not until 1656 - some 400 years later - that Oliver Cromwell officially allowed for their return. In parts of England (e.g. York) it took until the 21st century to finally welcome Jews back.

Lithuanian anti-semitism - new facts are out

Finally there are others getting involved in the importance of facing the facts and that by covering them up in the rewriting of our history, hurts the people who the lies are told about. I've learned in my older age that this is common, governments don't want their people to know certain facts, especially crimes that they commit.  

The Times of Israel are now acknowledging an amazing woman who has effectively martyred hereself and is now seen to be a Russian collaborator, one of the most harmful things to say to a Lithuanian.  Jewish "Nazi hunter" - 'Efraim Zuroff and Ruta Vanagaite chronicle a partnership and budding friendship as they seek to convince her countrymen to face a genocide perpetrated in part by their forebears' 

I also want to record a comment I received from a Lithuanian, I try to keep in touch with some to understand their mentality. He says:

"Oh G_d! Alan, to be honest you are in the propoganga circle which you like to accept. I do not think I want to continue talking about the Lithaunians killing Jewish. However, I admit that some of Lithaunians shot Jewish at some point that was their choice, so what now??? What that anger will change in your life??? If you look closer every country with the holocaust past killed Jewish including Latvians, Belarusians, Romanians and Ukrainians. 

Ruta Vanagaite, at the same time, she is with Russians and she is one of the people who was removed from the Lithaunian poet’s/writers elite saying that our freedom rebels were killing Jewish, which is a total bullshit.

Now, with all the respect, I do not want to eacalate this further. If you hate Lithaunia and its people so much, nothing will change your mind. Discussion about me helping you to understand or sharing my oppinion with you is a waste of time."

I dare not share the Russian publication lauding her here - I recommend the video if you understand, and here more excepts from the book in Lithuianian "Ours. A Journey with the Enemy". 

I have not seen the film they made yet... I do look forward to seeing ti... 

Great design

I think good design principles are good for leaders to know and understand. Corporate identity is the basics, this is a useful departure for discussion I thought:
7 Practical Tips for Cheating at Design Improving your designs with tactics instead of talent.
1. Use color and weight to create hierarchy instead of size
2. Don’t use grey text on colored backgrounds
a.Reduce the opacity of white text
b.Hand-pick a color that’s based on the background color
3. Offset your shadows
4. Use fewer borders
a. Use a box shadow
b. Use two different background colors
c. Add extra spacing
5. Don’t blow up icons that are meant to be small
6. Use accent borders to add color to a bland design
7. Not every button needs a background color
https://medium.com/refactoring-ui/7-practical-tips-for-cheating-at-design-40c736799886

Lithuania - a place of my family ancestry, sadly

Recently I was reminded of the truth and reconciliation process which happened in South Africa after we gained full democracy and to deal with any of the atrocities of apartheid. I now realise how deeply blessed we are for having had this opportunity. A few weeks ago I was confronted by a harassing situation involving two Lithuanians. It reminded me of my ancestry and these terrible stories that I have read and seen documented by my brothers and sisters. We have not had any truth and reconciliation from the Lithuanians, I think it's safe to say as a nation, they are - imho - the worst.

Over the past decade or two, Grant Arthur Gochin has started addressing the issue by capturing detailed interactions with the President and ombudsman and other political officials. It appears to be very serious situation right now since the grave of the world renowned Vilna Gaon is under threat. The Lithuanians wish to build - or extend - the convention centre there. Please read Grants blog for more information on how the Lithuanians have refused to remove the decorations given to Lithuanians and have been distorting Holocaust facts.

Read more »

Guns don't kill people

My late dad always used to explain to me that Guns do not kill people, people kill people. He really loved guns and always carried one, he also used to sell them to people for self-defense. He lost a close cousin who accidentally shot himself, although my dad never had an opportunity - and he always lived in Joburg - to shoot anyone.

So I do buy into the common hacker refrain mentioned in this amazing article I read in WIRED a few months ago; "See no evil". I can't get my mind off this story, please read it.

The "common hacker refrain is that technology is morally neutral. This libertarian (hmm.. yes I am a libertarian) ethos holds that creators shouldn't be faulted if someone uses their gadget or hunk of code to cause harm. But this case in example makes clear that the US government rejects that permissive worldview. The technically savvy are on notice that calculated ignorance of illegal activity is not an acceptable excuse." But as identified by WIRED, at what point (in the US) does a failure to be nosy edge into criminal conduct?

Last week I read another article about a (UK) scientist revealing codes for creating keys to start luxury cars. Sounds pretty much similar to the standard hacker refrain...  is this not the same thing happening in the UK too (well at least this guy in the UK doesn't have to sit in jail like in the USA)?

I did a little research by asking local people and a few foreigners about having a hiding place in ones car. Without fail, every South African thought it's a really cool thing (mainly as they thought it would be hiding things from 'criminals' breaking into ones car) and every foreigner thought what a useless thing, only criminals would want such a thing (to hide things from cops). Cultural bias?

Anyhow I'm really disturbed by the fact that Alfred Anaya - a genius at installing secret compartments in cars - was sentenced to do MORE time than the drug smugglers that used him. Can anyone explain to me if this is the case, how can the Colt and S&W factories exist in the US since they manufacture weapons that kill dozens in US every year?

In my future I'll certainly chose to holiday in Bali before Hawaii...