On July 18 1994, a suicide bomber drove a car filled with hundreds of kilograms of explosives into the Jewish community’s AMIA building in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Eighty-five people were killed and hundreds were injured. The AMIA bombing (proceeded in 1991 with the attack on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires where 29 civilians died) became one of the precursors of the wave of global terror that has swept the world and escalated in decades since then. Last month, I particip

At the time of writing this, concerns about the threat of global terrorism are at an all time high in light of the many attacks that have been carried out over the past few months. Hardly a day goes by now without hearing of at least one attack somewhere in the world, whether in war-torn Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, or in France, Belgium, Germany, and other European countries, in the United States or in Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia or other parts of our own continent. Thankfully,

While 2016 was still in its infancy and we were surfacing from the holiday euphoria, we got the news that has shaken our precious democracy; that racism was well and thriving in our country. Penny Sparrow broke the bubble with her ‘monkey’ comments, followed closely by Steven Hart, Velaphi Khumalo, and Nicole de Klerk. Sadly, I suspect that by the time this is published there will be many more. The SAJBD issued a statement voicing that the hate-filled language that was emergi

June the 16th stands out in our psyche and hearts as an historical milestone. It was a day that changed our country and each one of its citizens forever. Just as Americans remember where they were when JFK was assassinated, or when the planes hit the World Trade Centre, so do South Africans remember vividly the day that the horrific brutality of the Apartheid force came down on protesting schoolchildren. The image of the dying Hector Pieterson, one of the most iconic photogra

To view the latest Jewish Affairs issue online  click here Jewish Affairs - Chanukah 2016 - PDF - 7.69MB) . Whereas the Rosh Hashanah issue concentrated on the South African Jewish community and its history, to mark the community’s 175th anniversary, this issue has a more general focus, with articles looking at aspects of, amongst other themes, Diaspora Jewish history, Israel and the Holocaust. Veteran contributor Bernard Katz adds a new instalment to his “A Brief Journey thr

It began with a now notorious Facebook comment by Penny Sparrow likening black beach-goers to monkeys, and most recently surfaced in the form of "kill a Jew" graffiti at Wits University during the #FeesMustFall protest. It would seem that for many, the best way to respond to any form of racism is by answering in kind. Such tit-for-tat abuse has merely seen the anger in our country being fuelled further, with the South African Hate Crimes Commission cautioning us not to "fight

t began with a now notorious Facebook comment by Penny Sparrow likening black beach-goers to monkeys, and most recently surfaced in the form of "kill a Jew" graffiti at Wits University during the #FeesMustFall protest. It would seem that for many, the best way to respond to any form of racism is by answering in kind.Such tit-for-tat abuse has merely seen the anger in our country being fuelled further, with the South African Hate Crimes Commission cautioning us not to "fight r

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies' phones have not stopped ringing, and glowing messages have been sent on email, social media and, of course, while queuing at the shops, over Shabbat tables and in our internal and external meetings. It is not often that we attend functions with three presidents: president of South Africa, Jacob Zuma; former president of SA, Kgalema Motlanthe; and president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder. Then there were the other dignit

The SAJBD requested space to air their views on the Women's boat to Gaza. Here we give David Sak's that opportunity.

Race has unfortunately emerged as a rallying issue in this campaign, again causing polarisation and division on our campuses and in our society. Dear Community member The SAJBD is aware of the tensions and the serious challenges on our campuses throughout our country.  Our team is monitoring and assessing the situation on an ongoing basis with the many stakeholders including the University authorities, lecturers, students and SAUJS. As in the past months, race has unfortunate

South Africans from different walks of life have applauded the decision by Minister Malusi Gigaba and the department of Home Affairs to prohibit Pastor Steven Anderson and 17 of his associates from visiting this country.

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD), the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) and the IUA / UCF, together with the Israeli people and the broader international community, joins in mourning the passing of Shimon Peres, visionary world statesman, peace activist and inspirational founding father of the State of Israel. In a political career spanning more than seven decades, Peres combined selfless service to his own country and people, with striving for peacefu

A capacity crowd at Beyachad last night was enthralled by Rabbi David Rosen’s account of the extraordinary revolution in Jewish-Catholic relations that has taken place over the past fifty years. Rabbi Rosen, one of the world’s foremost Jewish leaders in the field of inter-faith relations, was in the country last week to participate in the fiftieth anniversary commemorations of Nostra Aetate, a landmark declaration in which the Church decisively turned its back on more than fi

The SA Jewish Board of Deputies notes that the Hawks have arrested four terror suspects on charges of contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorism Act.  We further note that that included in the alleged targets were Jewish installations.  Terrorism is a global challenge that affects many countries, including our own.  We appreciate efforts by our authorities to monitor and prevent incidents of terrorism, and we will be monitoring the current situa

Following the horrendous terrorist attacks at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, the SAJBD today sent condolences to Turkish Ambassador Esener expressing our heartfelt sympathy and solidarity with all the people of Turkey at this difficult time. The SAJBD condemns the heinous murder of innocent civilians at the Ataturk Airport. Our thoughts are with the families who lost loved ones and our prayers with the injured for their full recovery. The SAJBD joins in the Turkish governme

The SAJBD congratulates Marlene Bethlehem, its Past President, on her election as President of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture held in Mexico on June 27th, South African Marlene Bethlehem communal stalwart, spanning over fifty years of service, was unanimously elected as President of this prestigious organisation. At a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Memorial Foundation for

Cape Council of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies held a colloquium to discuss whether women solo singers should sing at Yom Hashoah ceremony. Yesterday evening (20 June), the Cape Council of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies held a colloquium to discuss whether women solo singers should be included on the programme of Yom Hashoah, the annual Holocaust commemoration ceremony in remembrance of the Six Million Jews who died at the hands of the Nazi regime. Certain individuals withi

Two days before he died Melville Edelstein, chief welfare officer for the West Rand Administration Board, confided to his wife Rhona that anger among the black youth of Soweto over being compelled to study certain subjects in Afrikaans was reaching dangerous levels. He was strenuously opposed to the new regulation, which he regarded as being both unjust and likely to intensify deep-seated feelings of resentment in the black population. He had meticulously documented his senti

On the 40th Anniversary of the Soweto uprising a memorial plaque was unveiled commemorating the legacy of Dr Melville Edelstein who lost his life on the 16th of June 1976. The Edelstein family, dignitaries, friends, Rabbanim, representatives of the SAJBD and prefects from King David Linksfield and Yeshiva College attended this moving ceremony. Following the unveiling of the plaque Edelstein's grandson Levi celebrated his barmitzvah being called to the torah next to the memori

Students from King David Linksfield and Yeshiva College visit the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Soweto. The SAJBD with prefects from King David Linksfield and Yeshiva College laying a wreath at the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Soweto commemorating the 40th anniversary of June 16.