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OUR  JEWISH  HERITAGE

 MY GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER AND GRANDMOTHER ORIGINALLY FLED KIEV, UKRAINE IN 1903 AND TRAVELED TO SCOTLAND.

 

 MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER ESTHER NOVAK WED BEN COHEN AND THEN THEY  TRAVELED ON A 6 WEEK BOAT JOURNEY TO NEW ZEALAND, WHERE MY  GRANDMOTHER ESTHER COHEN BECAME A FAMOUS DRESS DESIGNER, SPECIFICALLY WEDDING DRESSES. IN ORDER TO HIDE THEIR JEWISH IDENTITY THEY CHANGED THEIR LAST NAME FROM COHEN TO COWAN.

 

Although throughout history our family has suffered for being Jewish, we are grateful that YAHWEH designated for us to be part of this lineage and be his 'KEEPERS OF THE BOOK'.  

Teach me, O YAHWEH, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I will keep your Torah and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. (Psalms 119:33-35)

 

Novak Family

Solomon and Pearl Novak Esther and Eva and their husbands

Solomon Novak

Solomon Novak

PEARL NOVAK

Pearl Novak

Solomon  and Pearl Novak

Solomon and Pearl Novak

Esther on left Eva on right

Esther and Eva Novak

First dress making shop

Cohen's first dress making shop in scotland

Ben Cohen in military uniform

Ben Cohen in military uniform

Ben Cohen's Family

Ben Cohen's Parents

ben and esther 1910 wedding day

Ben and Esther wedding in 1910

Marriage Certificate of Ben and Esther
mr benjamin cohen
Esther at 29

Esther at 29

Ben and Esther's 2 daughters Eva and Ger

Ben and Esther's two daughters Gerta and Eva

gerta left and eva on right
Cowan's First Dress Shop

Esther Cohen's first dress boutique in Wellington New Zealand

Esther Cowan Department Store

Many people changed their name from Cohen to Cowan to avoid antisemitism

ESTHER WITH HER 2 DAUGHTERS IN NEW ZEALA
EVA AS A YOUNG WOMAN
Gerta wearing a cohen collection dresspg
gerta in a esther cohen design
Esther Novak in her 50's
JEWISH COMMUNITY
pearl and soloman novak
gerta on her wedding day
GERTA AND HOWARDS WEDDING
Gerta as a young woman
GERTA'S 4 CHILDREN AND SHELLI
COUSINS RACHELLE AND SHELLI
MY GRANDFATHER HOWARD WITH HIS PEERS IN
THE WHOLE COHEN AND NOVAK CLAN
007
howard ans family
Rachelle, Rochelle and Mums

Left to right Eva, Rachelle, Esther, Rochelle (daughter of Eva, Gerta

Grandmother Esther
Rachelle Cohen and Geoff Hill
4 GENERATIONS OF WOMEN, MICHELLE AS A CH
PEARL NOVAK GRAVE STONE
Gravestones of Solomon and Pearl Novak
BEN COHEN GRAVE STONE
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