Ivan Kapelus holds a BA, LLB from Stellenbosch University and an LLM (Tax) from Kings College, University of London. He has an extensive legal and international tax planning background. His books include Reflections on a Visit to Lithuania" (2009) and From the Baltic to the Cape - the journey of three families (2013). . Introduction I crave your indulgence! I would like to start this discussion in the middle, as it were, by quoting from a four thousand-word article by Dr H F

Over the past two weeks we have seen an orchestrated campaign to silence and intimidate fellow South Africans who are supportive of Israel. The campaign attempts to “cancel” anyone who holds a different view, suggesting there is only one side to the conflict. One of the concerns that the SAJBD has had since the outbreak of violence in the Middle East two weeks ago, is the fall-out between fellow South Africans. Many of us, to a greater or lesser extent, hold strong views abou

“The lady doth protest too much, methinks” a quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, sums up Jessie Duarte’s rant outside the Israeli Embassy yesterday. · “And I want to make it clear that we aren’t against people of the Jewish religion.” · “Our movement is not against and I want to repeat it because Israel has already said that I am antisemitic. I can just say that that is the most stupid thing to say.” · “Tomorrow they’ll have in the newspaper how antisemitic we are. We are not an

Dear Mr President In your letter earlier this week you reassured us that, “ as South Africa we are committed to being part of international efforts aimed at reviving a political process that will lead to the establishment of a viable Palestinian state existing side-by-side in peace with Israel, and within internationally recognised borders .” We would be delighted if this was truly the intention of our government. Our experience of South Africans and our transition to democra

For the past week rockets fired from Gaza have rained down on Israeli towns in the south of Israel. Yesterday, it was Jerusalem’s turn to be targeted. Rockets are indiscriminate. They imperil the lives of all who live in the Holy City, whether Jew, Christian or Muslim. We call on Govt to be even-handed & to condemn rocket fire targeted at Israeli citizens For the past week rockets fired from Gaza have rained down on Israeli towns in the south of Israel. Yesterday, it was Jeru

Two distinguished Jewish members of the British establishment find themselves at loggerheads in the early years of the Palestine Mandate. Glenda Woolf , a frequent contributor to Jewish Affairs , is a novelist and essayist whose articles and stories on Jewish themes have appeared in Jewish publications worldwide. Her novels, published under the name Gita Gordon, include: South African Journeys (2002), Flashback (2007), Mystery in the Amazon and Scattered Blossoms (both 20

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has approached the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for a meeting to discuss the discriminatory and unconstitutional manner in which two Jewish candidates for judicial positions were treated during the recent JSC interviews. During these interviews, it was patently obvious that even being associated with the representative body of South African Jewry could jeopardise the candidates’ chances of being appointed. We request tha

Idealism, disillusionment and survival - for Joseph Glazer, moving to Stalin's Soviet Union was an adventure that quickly became a nightmare. Boris Gorelik is a Russian writer and researcher and faculty member at the Institute for African Studies - Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. He has an MA in linguistics from Moscow State University (2001). . Two man, a Russian and a South African, video-chatted for hours. Although Ilya and Bradley had never met before, they had eight

True freedom requires being protected by the confines of just and prescribed laws', while retaining our ability to choose. Charlotte Cohen explores this fundamental Jewish concept in the concept of the Pesach festival. Charlotte Cohen is an award-winning short story writer, essayist and poet, whose work has appeared in a wide variety of South African publications since 1973. This story was first published in the Pesach 2010 issue of Jewish Affairs. Each Jewish festival seem

Harold Levy, with wife Cynette's crucial support, ran his optometry practice for 65 years until his Covid-enforced retirement. Steven Mark Katzew is a Johannesburg-based advocate. He grew up in Virginia and attended High School in Welkom, Orange Free State, going on to study Law at Rhodes University, Grahamstown. His articles on South African Jewish sporting personalities have appeared in Soul Sport and Jewish Affairs. But for the advent of the Covid 19 pandemic, my father-i

'The curious case of Dr Isaac Newton Levi', as related in this new short story by Clark Zlotchew Dr Clarke Zlotchew is Distinguished Teaching Professor at State University of New York. He is the author of seventeen books, including anthologies of short fiction, translations from the Spanish of short stories and poetry by Nobel Laureates and literary criticism of Spanish and Latin American authors. His short stories have appeared in both his Spanish and English versions in the

Questions of a discriminatory and anti-Constitutional nature were asked of two Jewish Judicial candidates at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interviews prior to Freedom Day. Advocate Lawrence Lever and Judge David Unterhalter were subjected to questions pertaining to their Jewish identity while no other candidates were subjected to offensive religious scrutiny. Advocate Lever was asked about his level of religious observance, specifically whether he observes the Jewish

This photo shows Adv Maisels and supporters after victory in the Treason Trial. Maisels was a chairman of the SAJBD & the SAZF. David Saks (Politicsweb, https://bit.ly/3gySfjs ) explores the irony of this, in light of anti-Israel factions opposing Judge David Unterhalter’s candidacy for the Constitutional Court because of his SAJBD links. This photo shows Adv Maisels and supporters after victory in the Treason Trial. Maisels was a chairman of the SAJBD & the SAZF. David Saks

Dr David Hirsh and Charisse Zeifert explain why the BDS call for Judge David Unterhalter to not be accepted as a Constitutional Court Judge are antisemitic. Read here

Over Sixties COVID Vaccine Registration helpline: The COVID Vaccine Registration process for over sixties is now open for registrations as of 16 April at 4pm. The registration link is https://bit.ly/3sn8YIV To register you will need:· Your ID/passport number· Phone number· Medical aid number (if you belong to one)· Address If you have trouble registering NO PROBLEM. Contact the SAJBD Helpline for assistance and we will talk you through it. SAJBD Over Sixties COVID Vaccine Reg

BDS shows its antisemitic colours by using classic antisemitic trope by asking for Jewish candidate to be excluded from public service. When calls are made for Jews who serve on the Jewish community’s democratically elected representative body to be excluded from public service it amounts to gross antisemitism. South African BDS Coalition, in yet another shocking display of bigotry and intolerance, called for a Jewish candidate for appointment to the Constitutional Court, Jud

We wish our Muslim friends “Ramadan Mubarak". May you have a spiritual and meaningful Holy month.

Please join us on FB on Friday 9 April at 12 noon as we commemorate the Six Million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. See Kevin Ritchie’s beautiful article on what you can expect here Join us as #WeRemember. Yom Hashoah ONLINE. Posted by South African Jewish Board of Deputies on Thursday, April 8, 2021

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) extends its sincerest condolences to the Royal Family and the Amazulu nation on the passing of King Goodwill Zwelithini. In a reign spanning half a century, King Zwelithini was the recognised representative leader whose royal stature embodied the greater history, heritage and culture of the Zulu people in South Africa. Appointed to that position at the height of the apartheid era, he helped to unite and encourage his follower

Warrant of arrest authorised for Nazi sympathiser Jan Lamprecht Yesterday (11 March 2021) the Randburg Magistrate’s Court authorised a warrant of arrest for the breach of the interim interdict against white supremacist and Nazi sympathiser Jan Lamprecht. This follows an application by Prof Karen Milner, Gauteng Chair of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) for an interim protection order which was granted against Lamprecht. Warrant of arrest authorised for Nazi sympathiser