The South African Jewish Board of Deputies was honoured to attend the U.S. Embassy in South Africa’s celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America. The event brought together leaders from across South African society to commemorate a significant milestone in American history and to reflect on the longstanding ties between South Africa and the United States. Former President Thabo Mbeki spoke about the shared history of our two nation

The SAJBD is closely monitoring the situation surrounding 30 June and will continue to assess developments and keep the community informed. At present, we are particularly concerned about the spread of misinformation. We therefore encourage the community to rely only on information from verified and credible sources. The SAJBD will use its official platforms to provide updates on the evolving situation in the coming days. We are engaging on an ongoing basis with HIAS South Af

As xenophobic tensions rise across South Africa, vulnerable migrant families in KZN and Gauteng are facing fear, displacement, hunger, and uncertainty. The SAJBD has been approached to provide emergency relief for those affected. Please donate using the following options and help us in helping those affected EFT: SAJBD Standard Bank 051001 200305190 Ref: Name Xen Alternatively, please use this URL ***Donations qualify for a Section 18A tax certificate.

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) unequivocally condemns xenophobia, anti-migrant violence and the scapegoating of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. As a community shaped by a history of persecution, exclusion and displacement, South African Jewry is acutely aware of the dangers of blaming vulnerable minorities for society’s challenges. We know that when fear and frustration are directed at those perceived as “outsiders”, the results can be devastating.

Youth day 2026 message from SAJBD Gauteng Chairperson Danny Mofsowitz “In our book of Sages it is written that, we are not obligated to complete the work, but nor are we free to abandon it. As we remember and honor the youth of 1976, we speak directly to the youth of 2026, the work of that generation is not yet finished and we are not free to abandon it” 🇿🇦✊🖤

Fifty years ago, On June 16, 1976, thousands of young people in Soweto stood up against injustice. Armed with nothing but courage, they marched for their right to a better education and a better future. Many paid the ultimate price, including Jewish anti-apartheid academic Dr Melville Edelstein, who was killed during the Soweto Uprising. Today, the SAJBD led a delegation of communal leaders and youth representatives from Habonim and SAUJS to the national 50th anniversary comm

Cape Union Mart is a proudly South African business with a long-standing record of local manufacturing, job creation, and investment in South African communities. It has been subjected to sustained defamation, intimidation, and economic pressure because of the lawful views and public positions of its leadership. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) stands firmly in support of Philip Krawitz and Cape Union Mart as the Western Cape High Court hears this matter on

The SAJBD was proud to represent South African Jewry at the AJC - American Jewish Committee Global Forum 2026 in Washington, DC, alongside more than 2,000 Jewish leaders, diplomats, students and activists from around the world. A key highlight was engaging directly with senior representatives from TikTok, Meta, Google, YouTube and X on the challenge of online antisemitism and the need for greater accountability from digital platforms. The conference also underscored the resil

There has been much discussion around the current wave of Afrophobia. Alana Baranov, in her capacity as South Africa Country Director of HIAS, an international humanitarian organisation helping refugees, chats to Charisse Zeifert on Chai FM about the current situation. Listen to the interview here

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) together with the SAJBD Pretoria Council condemn in the strongest possible terms the vandalism and desecration of the Shree Pretoria Hindu Seva Samaj last weekend. We stand in full solidarity with Mr Sanjay Govind, the leadership of the Samaj, and the entire South African Hindu community in the face of this deeply troubling act, and have expressed our sympathies directly with Mr. Govind. This incident does not stand alone. It

🗳️ The SAJBD attended the IEC National Launch of the 2026 Local Government Elections. It was inspiring to witness the strong youth-focused vision driving this election campaign. One thing was made clear: democracy does not sustain itself — it depends on the active participation of every South African. Your voice matters. Your vote matters. 🇿🇦 We encourage all members of our community to register to vote on the link below as soon as possible and play an active role in shapi

Read his article here

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies condemns the attack on the Holy Trinity Church in Braamfontein, and expresses its solidarity and support with the congregation and leadership, following the vandalism of their place of worship last week. A house of worship is a sacred space, and any attack upon it is not merely an attack on a building, but on the dignity of the people who gather there and on the values of a free and compassionate society. The SAJBD reached out to Fa

SAJBD Gauteng Chairperson, Danny Mofsowitz and National Director, Wendy Kahn met earlier today with Head of School Deanne King and Senior School headmistress Seipati Shiakallis of St Mary's School in Johannesburg to discuss threats to the school by anti-Israel activists to cancel a discussion by Klaas Mokgomole hosted by the Diversity and Inclusivity committee of the senior school. We were heartened by the school's leadership, who assured us that the session has been postpon

Rabbi David Shaw, member of the SAJBD and Rabbi of Sandton Shul, Wendy Kahn and Gabi Farber Cohen hosted a meaningful interfaith engagement, welcoming a group of seminarians from the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference led by Bishop Graham Rose. The group, currently in their eighth year of formation for the priesthood within the Catholic Church, are spending a semester focusing on interreligious dialogue. As part of this programme, they chose to visit a synagogue to