The SAJBD warmly welcomes the newly brokered peace deal, led by the USA and Arab nations, to secure the release of Israeli hostages and bring an end to this prolonged war. We especially applaud the courageous world leaders who have chosen the path of dialogue, negotiation, and diplomacy over rhetoric and hate. Their principled leadership stands in stark contrast to those who have exploited this tragedy for political posturing rather than promoting genuine peace. Since the hor

Commemorating the Second Anniversary of the October 7 attack October 7 marks the second anniversary of the brutal attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians in Kibbutzim and at a music festival in the south of Israel. Victims were tortured, raped and burned alive, resulting in a protracted and horrific war. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) abhors the tragic loss of all innocent life and the immense human suffering that has resulted from this war. For Jews worldwid

The SAJBD has settled the matter with Adv. Shafia Mahomed regarding the case we lodged with the Equality Court concerning her Facebook posts earlier this year.

Above Board in this week's Jewish Reportby Prof Karen Milner Connection, recollection, condolence This week has seen the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) continue its vital international engagements, fostering connections that strengthen our community on the global stage. Our national director, Wendy Kahn, joined her counterparts from 60 communities around the world at the World Jewish Congress (WJC) National Community Directors Forum in Bratislava, Slovakia. Th

SAJBD National Director Represents South Africa at Global Jewish Leadership Forum This week, SAJBD National Director Wendy Kahn attended the World Jewish Congress’s 10th National Community Directors Forum, held in Bratislava, Slovakia. The gathering brought together over 75 Jewish community leaders from 50 countries to share experiences, strategies, and mutual support at a time when Jewish life faces significant global challenges. Wendy Kahn had the honour of participating in

Wendy Kahn's column in the latest edition of Jewish Life: Hidden Treasures - Our Living history There is a little-known treasure trove in the Beyachad building that few have experienced. I have worked at the SAJBD for nearly 20 years, and I have used the archive periodically in my day to day work life, getting information for articles, legal cases or correspondence. Over the past month we have been in the process of moving our archive into the heart of Beyachad, making it mor

Charisse Zeifert Joins ABSA, University of Johannesburg, and Qhubeka for Bicycle Distribution Ceremony at Hanyani School Charisse Zeifert recently attended a heartwarming event at Hanyani School, hosted in collaboration with ABSA, the University of Johannesburg, and Qhubeka. The occasion marked the distribution of bicycles to learners, aimed at improving access to education by easing their daily commute. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has been an ongoing s

Stifling Voices and Promoting Antisemitic Tropes We find ourselves amid a troubling controversy stemming from a contentious interview conducted by SABC journalist Juliet Newell with Dr Mamphela Ramphele of the Desmond Tutu Foundation. During the exchange, Newell challenged Dr Ramphele on her claim that Israel is perpetrating a “Holocaust” in Gaza. This regrettable incident casts a stark light on two deeply concerning trends: the rise of Holocaust inversion and the systematic

SAJBD Meet with the amaHlubi Royal Family On Friday, 29 August 2025, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) had the honour of meeting with the Royal Family of the amaHlubi nation, including HRM King Langalibalele II and Queen of Amahlubi, HRM Mzamose ka Sobhuza. The amaHlubi nation dates back to the 1300’s, residing in KZN, EC, WC, FS, GP, MP, and Lesotho and compromise of over 3 million South Africans. During the meeting, both the SAJBD and the amaHlubi Royal Fam

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Last weekend, I had the privilege of attending and presenting at Limmud, an event that over the years has truly become a cornerstone of our communal calendar. It stands as the most invigorating platform we have for exploring the rich diversity of Jewish views and topics that shape our community, dealing with issues that simply aren’t addressed with such depth and openness in any other forum. What makes Limmud so special is the space it creates: one that’s constructive, produc

Desperate Dangor’s antizionist rant In recent weeks, the SAJBD has observed a rise in increasingly hostile efforts to challenge the perspectives of our community organisations and silence “mainstream” Jewish voices. In this case, “mainstream” Jewish refers to community members who are traditionally Jewish in observance (be it orthodox or progressive), and Zionist in orientation. Yet, the discourse has shifted, increasingly framing Zionism itself as beyond acceptable bounds, t

The Daily Maverick has a Jew problem by David Saks and here's why

SAJBD participates in the G20 Interfaith Forum This past week, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) had the profound privilege of representing the South African Jewish community at the G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20) held in Cape Town. We joined religious leaders, community representatives, and policymakers from around the world to ensure that the voice of faith is included in some of the world’s most important decisions made at the G20 level. Our National Director,

SAJBD attends the National Dialogue Conference in Pretoria on 15 August

The SAJBD are grateful for the invite to join traditional leaders, religious leaders, majesties and experts from around the world at the G20 Interfaith Forum- IF20 in Cape Town. Watch our social media pages to follow our attendance over the next few days.

Above Board 31 July - 7 August It is profoundly difficult to keep our community strong, hopeful and united in the face of a war which elicits such strong emotions. We are also trying to establish truth in the midst of the fog of war. Like everyone I know, I feel a great depth of despair over the war in Gaza. My heart has not healed from the October 7 devastation, and the recent pictures of the hostages and the cruelty they have been subjected to, leaves me, as I have no doubt

On the 30 June, the SAJBD submitted a response to an article by Kevin Bloom that appeared in the Daily Maverick Zionism untethered — inside the legal battle for the soul of UCT In his article, Bloom claims that rising antisemitism at the University of Cape Town as well as other university campuses globally were being fabricated as a way of silencing criticism of Israel. A lengthy reply from the SAJBD was needed to unravel the inaccuracies and falsehoods contained in the Bloo

Mandela Day Magic with Vino Snaps & the Teddy Bear Clinic 🧸⚽ This #MandelaDay, the SAJBD had the joy of spending 67 minutes (and more!) making a real difference alongside the incredibly gifted sports photographer @VinoSnaps and the compassionate Dr. Efrat Barnes-Wald from the Teddy Bear Clinic. To honour Madiba’s legacy by pouring love, hope, and opportunity into the lives of our youth - the heartbeat of South Africa’s future we donated to two ongoing projects. We donated so

The SAJBD is extremely pleased to confirm that we have been able to arrange a repatriation flight from Tel Aviv for over 200 South Africans citizens of many religions touring in Israel who contacted us after being stranded in Israel due to the war. This has been a Herculean effort and we are so grateful for the assistance of so many phenomenal people at the Jewish Agency, the Israel Min of Foreign Affairs, Ethiopian Airlines and the wonderful travel agent Ingrid Zahavi. The S