On Monday evening, 11 November, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies celebrated its 120th anniversary with a gala dinner attended by more than 300 guests, including ministers; deputy ministers; the heads of parliamentary portfolio committees; representatives from eight political parties; members of the diplomatic corps; a 16-person delegation from the American Jewish Council; two chief rabbis; more than 40 journalists; student leaders; interfaith community representativ

SAJBD KZN Council President Jeremy Droyman and Council member Mike Caminsky met with the editor of the Sunday Tribute, Mr Sandile...

SAJBD KZN Council President Jeremy Droyman and Council member Mike Caminsky met with the editor of the Sunday Tribute, Mr Sandile Mdadane, this morning to discuss the misleading street poster and newspaper headline that appeared in that paper earlier this week. The front-page read, “Rabbi lures youth to lair”. Mr Droyman shared that Mr Mdadane was extremely warm and receptive. He apologised for the error and will formally do so in print in the upcoming edition. He also offere

Last week the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) announced the results of a survey it had conducted on attitudes toward Jews in 18 countries,...

Last week the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) announced the results of a survey it had conducted on attitudes toward Jews in 18 countries, including South Africa. The SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has analysed the report, considering its finding against its own research data, as well as that of other organisations such as the Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies at the University of Cape Town. The SAJBD has an excellent working relationship with the ADL, one of the world's old

The SA Jewish Board of Deputies is saddened by the passing earlier today of Sir Donald Gordon. For his phenomenal achievements in both the business and philanthropic fields, Donald Gordon was truly a living legend. As a business leader who founded the global insurance giant Liberty International, he was far-sighted, bold and innovative; as a philanthropist, his unstintingly generosity led to the establishment of a range of outstanding institutions and foundations that have be

This Friday, the UCT Senate will once again meet to discuss the UCT Academic Freedom Committee (AFC) motion to impose an academic boycott...

This Friday, the UCT Senate will once again meet to discuss the UCT Academic Freedom Committee (AFC) motion to impose an academic boycott against Israel. This is an initiative of the Palestine Solidarity Forum at UCT and is linked with the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions against Israel (BDS) movement. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies, the democratically elected organisation that formally represents the overwhelming majority of Jews, categorically rejects this propo

The SAJBD calls on our government to condemn in the strongest possible terms the ongoing rocket attacks directed against Israeli citizens over the past twelve hours. Thus far more than 170 rockets have been indiscriminately and relentlessly shot into towns and cities in the centre of Israel, home to more than a million civilians. Thirty-nine residents have been injured, including an 8-year-old girl. There’s never any justification for the deliberate targeting of innocent wome

In a thoroughly duplicitous and misleading statement issued on Friday, a small Jewish fringe group sought to create the impression that support for an academic boycott against Israel is a view that enjoys significant support in the South African Jewish community. They were commenting ahead of a UCT Senate meeting where a boycott of Israeli Universities was to be discussed. In a thoroughly duplicitous and misleading statement issued on Friday, a small Jewish fringe group sough

22 November 2019 The SA Jewish Board of Deputies is saddened by the passing earlier today of Sir Donald Gordon. For his phenomenal...

In January, the independent TV station ANN7 organised a panel debate on security in Sandringham for a programme it was making on the subject. It was reported that one of the panellists, Zahir Omar (of the Muslim Lawyers Association of SA), made explicitly antisemitic comments during the discussion. The Board contacted ANN7 to ensure that these were not included in what was broadcast and further asked that it be allowed to view the unedited footage of the debate in order to as

It was both predictable and inevitable that this year’s Israel Apartheid Week (IAW) would result in incidences of antisemitism. The Piazza at the Wits University Campus was divided into two separate areas to allow space to both pro-Israel under the banner of SA Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS) and the BDS movement under the banner of the Palestinian Solidarity Committee (PSC) to present their views. Throughout the week, however, supporters of Israel were subjected to antisemi

Last Friday, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) led a delegation to Parliament, comprising mainly South African Jewish stakeholders to address the International Relations Portfolio Committee, at the invitation of its Chairperson The Honourable Masango.  The delegation challenged and refuted assertions that had been presented to the committee in previous weeks by certain anti–Israel lobby groups.  SAJBD National President, Mary Kluk, raised concerns that anti-Israel senti

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies is horrified by the shocking racial attack in Mpumalanga referred to as the 'coffin assault'.  We condemn this racist incident in which Victor Mlotshwa was kidnapped, forced inside a coffin and threatened with his life. Most South Africans strive each day to build a country in  which human rights, including the principles of dignity and freedom, are afforded to all who live in it. Acts of humiliation and hate have no place in a multi

Just one year after Penny Sparrow reached notoriety for her racist comments about beach-goers on the Durban coast, it is with a sense of déjà vu that the SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) condemns yet another South African, Ben Sasanof, for similar offensive comments he made concerning the Durban beachfront this weekend.  All forms of racism are unacceptable in a South Africa where we strive daily to build a culture based on human rights and principles of dignity and freedo

The antisemitic graffiti (‘Kill a Jew’ and ‘F*** the Jews’) that appeared in Solomon Mahlangu House yesterday is indicative of the ugly racism that has unfortunately surfaced during the student protest.  We note that this follows a Jewish student being called a `Mother-f***ing Jew’ on Wits campus a couple of weeks ago. The Dean of Students has confirmed that the graffiti has been removed and that an investigation to ascertain the perpetrators is underway. Hate-filled graffiti

On Sunday, the SAJBD Gauteng Council and the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre (JHGC) held a joint function in memory of legendary human rights activist and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. What lent additional significance to the occasion was that it was the first joint event to be held in the JHGC’s newly completed premises in Parktown. The Board was very much involved in the establishment of the JHGC, and since then has collaborated with it on a number of memorable.

Reports of violence, intimidation, and hate speech directed against lesbians, Jews and whites during the protests at Wits University yesterday are distressing. While the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) is sensitive to the myriad serious issues facing students in this country, it is never acceptable to target minority groups and inflame hatred. According to comments and photos on Twitter, a student claims: “They strangled me, choke-slammed me, threatened me. Aft