Earlier today the SA Jewish Board of Deputies, through Ian Levitt Attorneys, laid criminal charges at the Sandton Police Station against three individuals who posted threatening and grossly antisemitic comments against the Jewish community last week.  The three against whom the charges were laid were Muhammad Hattia, Tameez Seedat  and Matome Letsoalo.  Letsoalo’s series of tweets included the statement, “@sajbd The #Holocaust Will be like A Picnic When we are done with all y

He was especially famed for capturing the brutalities of the Apartheid regime.  He leaves a powerful record of South Africa’s recent political and social history.  The SAJBD extends its condolences to the family and friends of the late David Goldblatt.

Dear Community Member The SAJBD has been notified of a number of appalling antisemitic comments posted on social media platforms by a number of different people over the past 24 hours.  We have been investigating the incidents and have now established the identities of two of the perpetrators. A third case, which occurred more recently, is currently being followed up.  The various posts are in clear violation of South Africa’s laws prohibiting hate speech. Please be assured t

Over the past 24 hours, a flurry of viciously antisemitic and threatening attacks have been made against South African Jews, both on social media and in direct face-to-face encounters. The incidents, which are being followed up by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD), have generated great anxiety and anger in the Jewish community and screenshots of the offending posts have gone viral (See below). SAJBD Chairman Shaun Zagnoev said that while it was unfortunately common to f

OPINION: No room for nuance in Israel-Palestine debate - just ask Shashi Naidoo. https://m.news24.com/Columnists/GuestColumn/no-room-for-nuance-in-israel-palestine-debate-just-ask-shashi-naidoo-20180619

It took less than 48 hours for the BDS to do a complete turn-around over Shashi Naidoo. On Sunday, Ms Naidoo was the devil incarnate, the target of multiple death threats for having dared to tweet comments supportive of Israel. Now, having apologised for her ‘heresy’, she is suddenly a celebrity. Indeed, the intention now is to set her up as a poster girl for the BDS movement. Shashi Naidoo, a local television personality, took to Social Media over the weekend to express the

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) condemns the latest utterances by EFF Leader Julius Malema against the Indian community. Alana Baranov, the SAJBD representative of the Hate Crimes Working Group (HCWG) notes that “racially divisive rhetoric such as this creates an atmosphere in which hate and discrimination directed towards a certain group of people may flourish and become socially acceptable. We should be working to build bridges between communities, not to

For hard-core haters of Israel, merely defaming and demonising the Jewish state is no longer enough.  Now, they are using blatant threats and intimidation to punish and silence anyone who dares to challenge their bigoted narrative. Shashi Naidoo has become the latest victim of this thuggish vendetta. For tweeting comments expressing support for Israel and condemning its enemies, she has become the recipient of multiple death threats, in addition to being subjected to a flood

Earlier this year, the ANC repeatedly denounced artist DJ Black Coffee simply for exercising his democratic right to perform in Israel. Then civil society went for journalist Gareth Cliff, depicting him as a moral pariah for daring to put forward an alternate opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Now Dr Mpho Phalatse, MMC for the DA in Gauteng, has become the target of hysterical condemnation for having expressed support for Israel at a South African Friends of Israel

Feelings continue to run high over the recent deaths and injuries along the Israel-Gaza border. In view of the completely one-sided nature of the confrontation, it is easy to buy into the “brutal massacre of innocents” narrative being assiduously propagated by anti-Israel agitators. Emotional, knee-jerk reactions are nevertheless unhelpful when trying to understand how such a tragedy could have taken place in the first place and, more importantly, how they might be prevented

Alana Baranov, SAJBD representative on the Hate Crimes Working Group, writes on fighting xenophobia in Sunday Tribune and Sunday Independent:  https://bit.ly/2sEsd3D

The SA Jewish Board of Deputies is appalled by the unambiguously antisemitic statements made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday. In a chilling revival of classic expressions of anti-Jewish hatred, Abbas sought to justify the historical persecution of Jews by claiming that Jews had brought this upon themselves by their alleged immoral and harmful actions. Even the Nazi Holocaust, in which one-third of World Jewry were systematically murdered, was portrayed as bei

As we celebrate Freedom Day tomorrow, our country continues to be devilled by racism. There is hardly a day that passes, in which there isn’t an incident. At the same time, we have a strong democracy that allows for different opinions on all matters. It is something that we can be proud of. Yet the recent “hanging” of an effigy of Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, is an offensive and inappropriate way to express differences. Our violent past, including the cruel and degra

Mary is pictured in Okopowa with the President of Poland Andrzej Duda, The Chief Rabbi of Poland Michael Schudrich, The President of the Polish Jewish Community Leslaw Piszewski and the President of the Warsaw Jewish Community Anna Chipczyńska

This is a powerful message shared from the Jewish Leadership Council and the Deputies of British Jews: #EnoughIsEnough Watch the video here:  https://twitter.com/JLC_uk/sta ...

The SAJBD are saddened to note the passing of politician #Zola Skweyiya, and extends its condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.  Mr Skweyiya will be remembered as a dignified and committed leader who always put his responsibilities to the betterment of the South African people first.   The SAJBD worked closely with him when he was one of the envoys appointed by former President Jacob Zuma to finding a lasting solution to the Middle East. To this end we appreciate

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