Benjamin Sealtiel, born 9 Februari 1859, son of Jozef Sealtiel and Abigael Jacob Benavente, married the first time on 19 May 1875 to Rachel Dreese. She was born 15 January 1856 as daughter of Isaac Dreese and Sara Aron van den Berg. From this first marriage, six children were born, namely Jozef, Sara, Esther, Schoontje, Debora and Anna. Schoontje and Debora died already in childhood: Schoontje at the age of 6 years and Debora died only 4 months old. Jozef and Esther survived the Holocaust but Sara and Anna were killed in Auschwitz.
However, Rachel Dreese passed away on 25 November 1892 in Amsterdam; she was interred in the Portuguese Jewisch Cemetery Beth Haim in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel two days later. Almost two years later the 39-year old widower Benjamin Sealtiel remarried the 40-year old Sophia Booleman on 6 September 1894 in Amsterdam. She was a daughter of Alexander Moses Booleman and Betje Joseph Stadlander. From this 2nd wedlock, Alexander Sealtiel was born on 12 June 1894 and on 17 August 1897 Alexander’s sister Rachel. As far as known, no more children were born in this marriage; Benjamin Sealtiel passed away on 25 April 1902 in Amsterdam and he too was interred two days later in the Portuguese Israelitic Cemetery Beth Haim in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel.
For unknown reasons, Alexander Sealtiel has been accommodated on 26 February 1902, already before his father died, in the Portuguese Israelitic Orphanage at Jodenbreestraat 89 in Amsterdam. He stayed there for about 10 years, till 10 September 1912, the date he returned to his mother Sophia Booleman, who was registered at the address of her husband Benjamin Sealtiel at Lepelstraat 15 since 30 August 1894, but since 3 February 1909 she lived alone at Valkeniersstraat 3, 2nd floor-back house.
Also Alexander’s sister Rachel could not stay at home. She was accommodated 3 November 1902 in the Portuguese Israelitic Girls Orphanage at Nieuwe Prinsengracht 17 in Amsterdam. She was 6 years old then, and stayed there till 5 May 1915. When she was 12 years old, she too returned to her mother, who then still lived at Valkeniersstraat 3, 2nd floor-bak house. But on 16 September 1915 they all moved to Jacob van Campenstraat 3 3rd stock.
On 4 August 1926 Sophia’s daughter Rachel Sealtiel married at the age of 28 in Amsterdam to the 26-year old bookbinder Alexander Appelboom. Sophia Booleman then left on 5 November 1926 to Varenlaan 22 at Wilrijk in Antwerp; her 30-year old son Alexander Sealtiel got married there on 18 November 1926 to the 28-year old Amsterdam born Margaretha Davids. Nearly two years later, on 8 September 1928 Alexander and Margaretha returned to Amsterdam.
Alexander’s mother, Sophia Booleman however was already returned on 12 May 1927 in Amsterdam, a few months after the wedding of her son. She then lived at different addresses in the city. In February 1935, she eventually ended up at Nieuwe Kerkstraat 16 at the Fernandes Nunes House, a home for poor Portuguese Jewish women. Sophia Sealtiel-Booleman passed away there at the age of 86 on 2 June 1940 and was interred in the Portuguese Israelitic Cemetery Beth Haim in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel on 4 June 1940.
Sources among others the City Archive of Amsterdam, family registration card of Benjamin Sealtiel; archive cards of Sophia Booleman, Alexander Sealtiel, Rachel Sealtiel, Margaretha Davids and others; certificates of death from Amsterdam for Benjamin Sealtiel and for Rachel Dreese; website Joodsamsterdam.nl/nieuw kerkstraat 16; website gevelstenen van Amsterdam/Nieuwe Kerkstraat 16; website Dutchjewry/Portuguese Israelitic Cemetery Beth Haim.