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

Here is the link to the Morning Live interview

Zev Kregnel on Morning Live on How the Embassy Downgrade affects Jews and Christians. Watch here .

One must applaud Mzoxolo Mpolase for lifting the veil off the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement and its subversive actions (Israel boycott lobby has captured foreign policy of ANC and state, January 12). Those ANC cadres obsessed with the Israel-Palestine question ignore religious and gender apartheid in Islam and turn a blind eye to past atrocities and, lately, the Syrian atrocities.Only Israel is in the dock. These self-proclaimed moral guardians play down the intensi

The decision to downgrade relations overshadowed other international issues at the party’s national conference.  Much has been made this past year of "state capture", which is the comprehensive control of the policy-making powers of the executive branch of the government by wealthy private actors, in collusion with public servants and politicians, to engineer and benefit from preferential contracts with state-owned entities.In SA, it took the form of the notorious Gupta fami

The SAJBD notes the confusion as to which equality court the Andile Mngxitama hate speech case should be heard in. The SAJBD lodged the complaint with the Johannesburg High Court, and they in turn, referred it to the Magistrate’s Court. The Magistrate’s Court have indicated that this was an incorrect referral.  The issues are of a procedural nature and do not touch on the merits of the case. Our legal team is considering all legal options to take the case forward on its merit

We are pleased to inform you that the latest (Chanukah, 2017) of  is now online, and can be found here. The printed version will be posted shortly. This issue includes an Arts & Culture focus, comprising: An overview by the late Stefan Welz of the significant role played by Jewish philanthropists, collectors, gallery owners and dealers in the development of the visual arts culture and industry in South Africa. Welz was for many years a leading figure in art dealership, highl

One of the considerations that will need to be taken, when the ANC International Relations Committee meets again at the elective conference, is whether the decision to downgrade the SA Embassy in Tel Aviv, is in fact constitutional.  Speaking at a symposium last week, Ms Thoko Mkhwanazi Xaluva, Chairperson of the Cultural Religious and Linguistic Commission (CRL Commission), noted that were South Africa to downgrade its embassy in Israel it would unfairly impact on the abilit

By downgrading its embassy in Israel, South Africa would in all likelihood undermine the important trade, tourist and scientific-technological ties between the two countries while doing nothing to advance the cause of Palestinian statehood. This was the message that came through clearly at a panel discussion held yesterday at Investec, Sandton. The discussion was hosted by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) as part of an initiative to bring to wider attention the negativ

The Gala Dinner held at the Lookout on the Waterfront provided an opportunity for the global Jewish leaders to interact with South African Jewish community leaders, government, parliamentarians, political parties, business people, academics and media. The World Jewish Congress National Directors’ Forum for 2017 was held in Cape Town.  Sixty leaders from fifty countries visited beautiful Cape Town for their annual conference, taking in this beautiful city and getting to know t

The World Jewish Congress National Directors’ Forum for 2017 was held in Cape Town. Sixty leaders from fifty countries visited beautiful Cape Town for their annual conference, taking in this beautiful city and getting to know this remarkable community. Sessions focused on issues facing world Jewry but also included focus on South African cases studies and local learning.