Otto Warburg Lodge

Consecrated Sunday 21 June 1914

At an informal meeting held at the Market Street Synagogue on Sunday 17 May, 1914, the foundations were laid for the establishment of a Lodge of the Hebrew Order of Druids. The official opening of the Otto Warburg Lodge took place at the Masonic Temple in Pretoria on Sunday 21st June 1914. 

The first Management Committee consisted of the following brethren: J Sachs (President) C Podlashuc (Vice-President) S B Borwein, S Jaffe, J Edelman, J Steinfield, E Hack, J Isaacson, L Kurlansky, H Hack, J Shawsin, I Shindler, H Rom, A Gordon, L Edelman (Secretary) J L Goodman and S Fox.

The Otto Warburg Lodge, from inception was able to provide Sick Benefits and other facilities, began to make its influence felt in the Pretoria Jewish Community, by taking an active interest in maintaining and helping to run the various Jewish institutions. The brethren of the Otto Warburg Lodge participated Pretoria Synagogue Council, the Miriam Marks School, later the Carmel Jewish Day School and the Pretoria Zionist Council found their strongest pool of leadership in the Otto Warburg Lodge. 

The Lodge raised funds for various philanthropic causes including donations to the War Victims Fund, the Palestine National Reconstruction Fund and several local charities. The history of the Lodge was intrinsically tied to the community and almost every leader of the Pretoria Jewish community had been a member of our Lodge.

During the Second World War, members of our Lodge answered the call and served overseas in all branched of the forces.  Also, during the Israeli War of Independence two brethren joined in defending the freedom of Eretz Yisrael.

On the 31^st May 1964 the Otto Warburg Lodge celebrated its Golden Jubilee with a glittering banquet at the City Hall. A special brochure marking its 50^th year of achievement was issued.

The Lodge made it a fundamental task to undertake Bikkur Cholim to all the hospitals and particularly to visit the patients at the Mental Homes at Weskoppies.

It is to the credit of the Otto Warburg Lodge that three of its brethren served as Grand President of the Hebrew Order of David:  Wor Bro R N Edelstein, 1933/35 – Wor Bro Harry Schewitz 1958/60 and Wor Bro Jack Sesel 1960/62.

In 1979 the Lodge acquired its own premises, whereas previously it had always met in the Jewish Memorial Hall. 

In 1982, as the Jewish community in Pretoria diminished, it was decided to merge the Otto Warburg Lodge with Lodge Masada.

Naming of the Lodge

The Lodge was named in honour of Otto Heinrich Warburg (1883 – 1970), son of physicist Emil Warburg, who was a German physiologist, medical doctor, and Nobel laureate. Otto Warburg served as an officer in the elite Uhlan (cavalry regiment) during the First World War, and was awarded the Iron Cross (1st Class) for bravery. He was the sole recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1931. In total, he was nominated for the award 47 times over the course of his career. Read more ......