The theme of this year’s well-attended SAJBD Cape Council conference was ‘Thrive or Survive’, with keynote speaker Rabbi David Rosen focusing on global forces shaping the Jewish future while community members Lisa Klein, Alana Baranov and Yaron Wiesenbacher provided a local perspective on the future for Jewish life in South Africa. One of the distinguishing features of the Cape Council is the importance it has traditionally placed on fostering dialogue within the Jewish community, and providing platforms for its constituents to express their views and concerns. It was through this kind of process that it was possible to arrive at a mutually acceptable resolution to the question of women singing solo at Yom Hashoah ceremonies earlier this year. I congratulate Chairman Eric Marx and his team on all they have accomplished thus far and wish them continued success in the year ahead.
Recent Articles
Above Board 27 August
Desperate Dangor’s antizionist rant
In recent weeks, the SAJBD has observed a rise in increasingly hostile efforts to challenge the perspectives of our community organisations and silence “mainstream” Jewish voices. In this case, “mainstream” Jewish refers to community members who are traditionally Jewish in observance (be it orthodox or progressive), and Zionist in orientation. Yet, the discourse has shifted, increasingly framing Zionism itself as beyond acceptable bounds, thereby deeming aligned groups inherently problematic. What stands out, however, is that the campaign against mainstream Jewry is increasingly desperate, incoherent, and too often driven by a quest for attention rather than substantive dialogue.
Unpacking Holocaust Inversion: A Deep Dive into Jewish Plurality and Ideological Battles
Unpacking Holocaust Inversion: A Deep Dive into Jewish Plurality and Ideological Battles
Above Board 21 August 2025
Last weekend, I had the privilege of attending and presenting at Limmud, an event that over the years has truly become a cornerstone of our communal calendar. It stands as the most invigorating platform we have for exploring the rich diversity of Jewish views and topics that shape our community, dealing with issues that simply aren’t addressed with such depth and openness in any other forum.