Two waves of Jewish immigrants arrived in the town. The first arrived as part of Sir George Grey’s immigration scheme from 1858 to 1861, during which large groups of people of German origin settled in the Cape together with skilled tradesmen from the British Isles. The second wave consisted of Jews from Latvia and Lithuania who came to escape the mobilisation of many young Jews to the Russian army between 1881 and 1910 and the anti-semitism that limited their ability to lead productive lives. Some started businesses dealing in ostrich feathers. (source: Oudtshoorn - The Jewish Community)