In October 1934, my great-grandfather was the last Jew in Germany to be buried with full military honours. That same year his son, my grandfather, was at a university class when another student warned him that he shouldn’t go home - the Gestapo were at his house.  He cycled from Cologne to his cousin in Amsterdam.  Eventually he made his way to South Africa.  My grandmother, born in a small village in Lithuania, also in due course made her way to this country.  She never knew

On the 30th of April 2013, former resident of Brandfort Faisia Shaskolsky with assistance from the SAJBD’s Travelling Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft, published a booklet recording the history of the town’s Jewish community. At the launch event, Winnie Madikizela Mandela, who was banished to the town during the Apartheid era, wrote a moving piece about the Brandfort Jews which was read at the event.  Futher information about the event  click here . Letter from Winnie Madikizela Mandel

On Thursday, South African Jewry will gather in cities around the country to mark Yom Hashoah, the annual Day of Remembrance for the estimated six million Jews who died at the hands of Nazi Germany during World War II. This year, the focus will be on remembering those who, despite the impossible odds, physically resisted their persecutors, with a particular emphasis on the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. However, the prevailing mood will, as always, be one of sorrow and sombre reflec

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) deplores the divisive statement of ANC international relations subcommittee ‘Reiterating the call for cultural boycott of Israel’. Imposing a boycott against Israel over and above every other country in the world is itself immoral and inconsistent with how South Africa normally conducts its foreign policy. Prejudice rather than any genuine concern for human rights is what appears to be behind this decision. Why, when it comes

Shaun Zagnoev writes for The Star: Ms Thokozile Xasa would like to give her support to the Palestinian people (Star 27/03/18). The goal is a worthy one. However, one of the best ways of finding a solution to any given situation, is to first properly identify the problem. Notwithstanding her emotive ramble, and her evocation of a range of admirable people whom she quotes, the Israeli – Palestinian conflict cannot be resolved by sensationalising the issues. Nor can it be resolv

The SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) pays tribute to Winnie Nomzano Madikizela Mandela, a woman of courage whose name was synonymous with the determination of the South African people to resist racism and injustice. Determined to break her will to fight back, the apartheid regime subjected her to  continual harassment and intimidation, but her courage never faltered and her fiery spirit remained unquenched. For this, she became an iconic figure in the liberation struggle,

OPINION: Slandering Black Coffee for visiting Israel is hypocritical. Here's why:  https://www.news24.com/Columnists/GuestColumn/slandering-black-coffee-for-visiting-israel-is-hypocritical-heres-why-20180405

We are happy to announce that the Pesach 2018 issue of Jewish Affairs has just come off the presses and has been posted on the SAJBD’s Website. The printed version will be mailed to subscribers shortly. This issue is largely devoted to South African Jewry, and what its members have accomplished, or are accomplishing. It kicks off with an erudite, engaging and in fact long-overdue overview of the influential role that Jews have played in the South African newspaper industry,

Could it be that die-hard Israel bashers are realizing that the “Israel Apartheid” ploy is a kite that just won’t fly? This might explain why the Media Review Network’s Firoz Osman, one of the most vociferous local proponents of the analogy, has now chosen to go a step further. According to him (, 10 March), Israel is no longer ‘merely’ guilty of apartheid but of the ultimate crime against humanity – genocide. This means that in his view, Israel is carrying out a deliberate p

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) notes the 54th National Conference Report & Resolutions, under the theme, Remember Oliver Tambo: Towards Unity, Renewal and Radical socio-economic transformation.   The SAJBD is firmly supportive of the ruling party’s efforts and commitment to improve the lives of all South Africans and make meaningful its promises to improve economic growth and meaningfully address inequality and unemployment. We however, once again, strongl

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) notes the 54th National Conference Report & Resolutions, under the theme, Remember Oliver Tambo: Towards Unity, Renewal and Radical socio-economic transformation.   The SAJBD is firmly supportive of the ruling party’s efforts and commitment to improve the lives of all South Africans and make meaningful its promises to improve economic growth and meaningfully address inequality and unemployment. We however, once again, strongl

Rising concerns over the proliferation of antisemitic conspiracy theories within the ANC’s Western Cape branch was the main subject addressed during a first-ever meeting between the SAJBD and newly-appointed ANC Secretary-General Ace Mogashule on Tuesday afternoon. The meeting, which took place at the ANC’s Luthuli House headquarters, was attended by the Board’s National Chairman Shaun Zagnoev, Vice-President Zev Krengel and National Director Wendy Kahn. The Board referred sp

The SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) and SAJBD (Cape Council) condemn in the strongest terms the reprehensible statements made by ANC MPL Sharon Davids and the attempts since made by ANC Provincial Secretary Faiez Jacobs to justify them. The SAJBD (Cape Council) received the following statement from the Western Cape ANC spokesperson, Yonele Diko on behalf of the Provincial Secretary Faiez Jacobs, in response to MPP Sharon Davids’ antisemitic remarks in the Western Cape leg

A South African-born Israeli water expert, Dr Clive Lipchin, from the Arava Institute, shared experiences and lessons with water researchers, public water utility experts and ordinary community members. Lipchin spoke on Tuesday, 13 February at a Water Symposium held at The Great Park, in Johannesburg. Read more here

South Africans must re-examine fundamentally how we use every drop. This key message emerged on Tuesday at a symposium titled “The Water Crisis: Experts Focus on Solutions”. Co-hosted by the SA African Jewish Board of Deputies, the Wandile Zulu Foundation and the Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre, the event took place at the Great Park Synagogue in Johannesburg. It was chaired by environmental educator Benji Shulman.Dr Anthony Turton, professor in water management at Univer

Water Crisis Symposium; Experts Discuss Solutions  Read more here , here ,  here , and here. You can also read more here: Clive Lipchin in Political Analysis and Clive Lipchin in Sunday Independent More about this crisis can be found here.

When the issue of a possible downgrade of the South African Embassy in Tel Aviv was first mooted, there was an understanding that research into the implications would be conducted. With this in mind, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) held a number of symposia. The findings were revealing.  There is no indication that the international relations commission at the ANC policy conference considered any of them.The motives behind this discriminatory decision prevent South Af

Dear Ahed Firstly, let me tell you how sad I am that you are in prison. Prison is certainly not the place for children. If only you could be shopping with your friends, swimming in the pool or going to a movie.  But, more importantly, I am both heartbroken and angry, because it is not your fault that you are as you are. Sixteen years ago, you were born as innocent as any child anywhere in the world. Sixteen years ago, you knew no hatred. Sixteen years ago, you saw no differen

ABDULLAH al-Tal, commander of the Jordanian assault on Jerusalem's Old Cityduring the 1948 Israeli War of Independence was, of course, proven wrong. After 19years of Jordanian occupation, Israeli forces recaptured the Old City, and Jews were able to return to the historic Jewish Quarter, rebuilding their ruined homes and synagogues and once more making pilgrimages to the holysites from which they had been barred for so long. Read the full article here.

Wendy Kahn responds to Faiez Jacob's criticism of the exclusion of BDS activists from that country  statement  by the  ANC Western Cape, 11 January 2018  the ANC Western Cape’s assertion that “Israel’s BDS attack is an attack on South Africans’. We can agree or disagree whether a sovereign country has a right to determine their policies of admission, but to contend that Israel’s decision not to welcome BDS activists into their borders is `an attack on South Africans’ is an ir