Susan (Sue) Elsie Mariner née Schiffer formerly Straus is the only child of Hans Claus (6.8.1903-22.4.1976) and Elli Elizabeth nee Weinstock (23.11.1915) Schiffer, both refugees from Berlin, Germany. She was born and raised in Hampstead, London, England. Whilst still at secondary school, she was awarded an Exhibitioner’s prize to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she studied piano and voice.
In her teens, she became very involved in her Synagogue community (originally the New Liberal Jewish Congregation but renamed the Belsize Square Synagogue) which was founded in 1938 by survivors of Nazi persecution. She married Peter Frederick Straus (22.4.1941) in 1965, also a child of emigrees from Frankfurt. Together, they had two children, Claire Joanna Sharon (9.5.1989) and Daniel Reuben (16.4.1972)
Sue remained active in the community specialising in its musical evolution and wrote several compositions which are used to this day. She taught liturgy, cantillation and nussach and as Director of Music was responsible for a Youth Choir and a Community Choir and for the production of 2 CDs of liturgical choral music. She also served on its Board of Management and Executive committee for over 25 years. She has been involved in several Jewish music research projects.
After a divorce, she married Rabbi Rodney John Mariner (29.5.1941) born in Melbourne, Australia. They continue to live in London.
Sue has always felt very close and connected to her family scattered across the globe – Israel, Argentina, Brazil and America – in most part as a result of the holocaust and which has prompted her to pursue this genealogy project.261