“The ten fateful years between 1939 and 1948 changed the Jewish people and the course of Jewish history (M E Katz)” It was during this disruptive, destructive and chaotic decade for European Jewry that, in a historical contradiction, there was a flowering of creative and brave leadership in the South African Jewish community. To quote Katz again, “The instrument that emerged to meet the educational needs of Jewish group life in the open society of the post war western world w

In the Auschwitz Infirmary A line of naked stick-men; he in front Eyes longingly a pair of chamber pots, When told to, on the one he’s told to, squats, In sixty seconds, though, can only grunt. By squirting out a dysenteric mess His aim (excuse the pun) had been to stayIn the infirmary a further day; Instead, he’s kicked aside and told to dress. Another, with his entrails in a knot That tightens every second, quells a howl, Loses the bid to cow his brimming bowel, Sullies a N

Any visit to the Constitutional Court is a stirring experience. Once used as a prison for political activists, amongst them M K Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, it today serves as a critical vehicle for safe-guarding the fundamental human rights and freedoms on which our post-apartheid society is founded. As such, it embodies the miracle of South Africa’s democratic transformation, and is an inspiring example of how through a common commitment to building a better future for all, e

David Saks is Associate Director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies and editor of Jewish Affairs. He is the author of a number of books on South African political, military and Jewish history, including Boerejode: Jews in the Boer Armed Forces, 1899-1902 (2010). Editor’s note : To mark the centenary of the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902, Jewish Affairs devoted its Spring 1999 issue to examining the Jewish role in the conflict. The issue quickly became one of the mos

Meeting with Dirco This week, a delegation comprising representatives of the SAJBD and SAZF met with Minister Naledi Pandor at the offices of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. The discussion revolved around advancing peacebuilding between Israelis and Palestinians, and was very cordial and constructive. We reiterated our view that our country has a potentially unique and important role in this process, but that in order to do so it needed to engage wi

To create lasting peace, women’s voices are critical. Men alone won’t bring about peace and it’s about time that we all realise that. This is not just opinion - it’s in the numbers. From conflict prevention and conflict resolution to post-conflict reconciliation, studies have borne out that women’s meaningful participation in peace processes significantly increases the likelihood of a negotiated settlement lasting longer than 15 years. ‘Meaningful participation’ does not simp

Welcome to our American visitors We had hardly had a chance to (metaphorically) catch our breath after the whirlwind visit of our Women Wage Peace guests from Israel when it was time for us to welcome another prestigious delegation to South Africa, this time from the American Jewish Committee (AJC). One of the world’s most effective Jewish advocacy organisations, the AJC has a long and proud history of building relationships with different religious and ethnic communities and

Attention students: Make sure to check your university timetables. If any of your exams clash with Shabbat or Chagim, email us at sajbd@sajbd.org

Turning back the tide of hate South Africa is hardly the only democratic country that is grappling with problems of racism, xenophobia and other forms of bigotry. That much clearly emerged during a roundtable discussion on combating hate held under the auspices of the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre this week. Participants included the Centre’s director Tali Nates, SAJBD National Vice-Chairman Prof Karen Milner and National Director Wendy Kahn, former German Minister

Four remarkable Israeli women show the way forward The main focus of the Board over the past several weeks has been preparing for the visit of a delegation from Women Wage Peace, an Israeli NGO that has brought tens of thousands of Israeli women from across the faith and political spectrum together in the common cause of working for peaceful co-existence between the different peoples in the region. Comprising two Jewish, one Muslim and one Christian women, the delegation has

Best wishes to SAZF for their conference The SAJBD and the SA Zionist Federation are often described as being ‘sister organizations’ (although, to take the sibling metaphor a bit further, the Federation is technically the Board’s elder brother, having been founded several years before). While the Board’s core mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of the local Jewish community while that of the Federation is to deal with issues relating to the community’s relationship

Preserving the heritage of SA Jewry Last week, our National Director Wendy Kahn and Parliamentary Liaison officer Chaya Singer attended several budget speeches in Parliament, including for the Treasury and the Departments of International Relations and Cooperation, Public Enterprises and Home Affairs. It was encouraging to note that the comments by International Minister Naledi Pandor on the Israel-Palestine issue were measured and balanced, and that overall, the debate on th

Keeping an Eye on Things Reflections and stories from my experience as an election observer. Elections are a special time. They bring with them optimism, excitement, and new horizons. In our country they symbolise hard fought for and cherished free talking to fellow South Africans whom we would normally never meet, while waiting in a queue to vote. We laugh together, moan and commiserate about the long wait, but also reminisce about the magical 1994 election. It is a great le

At the time of writing, together with our National Vice-President Zev Krengel, I am in Israel, where we have participated in a number of high-level meetings aimed at providing updates on recent political developments in South Africa, sharing information pertaining to our own community and getting perspectives on the current political situation in Israel. This will form the basis of my next column. This week, I would like to focus on our National Director Wendy Kahn’s recent p

ABOVE BOARD (5/7/2019) Nahum Goldmann Fellow Programme nurtures Jewish leadership The recently concluded Nahum Goldmann Fellowship Programme (NGFP), which this year was held in Israel, once again brought together a broad range of up-and-coming young Jewish leaders from around the world for an intensive period of Jewish learning, discussion and sharing of experiences and perspectives. As always, participants found it to be an extremely enriching and inspiring experience, parti

Nahum Goldmann Fellow Programme nurtures Jewish leadership The recently concluded Nahum Goldmann Fellowship Programme (NGFP), which this year was held in Israel, once again brought together a broad range of up-and-coming young Jewish leaders from around the world for an intensive period of Jewish learning, discussion and sharing of experiences and perspectives. As always, participants found it to be an extremely enriching and inspiring experience, particularly in the opportun

Watch Irene Fainman, a survivor of Ravensbruck Concentration Camp, when she testified to what she and other victims of Nazi tyranny experienced during the war - at Westpark Jewish Cemetery on Yom Hashoah.

Zev Krengel writes in the Sunday Independent. His piece is a response to Zane Dangor who questioned whether Jewish leadership were using criticism of Israel to silence debate. In this article Krengel applies the “Duck test” as an indication of antisemitism. It is pretty obvious why racism remains such a hot topic in this country. We acknowledge that it still exists and that it urgently needs to be dealt with. The nuance comes in with the definitions around racism. Things such

Standing on the piazza of the Wits University Great Hall during the annual Israel Apartheid Week, I often wondered whether equating anti-Zionism to anti-Semitism was, after all, no more than a clever tactic used by Israel advocates to defuse a difficult discussion. US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s recent series of comments and tweets have made me seriously reconsider my assumption. Her sentiments, which were once beyond the pale in our public discourse, are being heard with grea

Join in this year’s Great Debate and engage with leaders from five political parties as they discuss issues pertinent to the community. Make your voice heard by sending your questions to yanir@sajbd.org or tweet your questions using #MakeUsCount. 11 April7:30pm 11April7:30pmCyril Harris Community Centre, Great Park SynagogueQueries: 011 645 2504Limited spaces available Email yanir@sajbd.org with your name and ID number to book your seat.