Wits Palestinian Solidarity Committee mislead university management

In a letter to its colleagues and students, the Senior Executive Team from the University of the Witwatersrand has described as “devious” the action of the Wits Palestinian Solidarity Committee’s booking of the lawns under the pretence of other activities. It was stressed that the students had deliberately misled the university management, and that this had far-reaching consequences: “This kind of disruptive, deceitful action cannot be dealt with through security,” the letter stated.

The annual week of anti-Israel hatred and Jew-baiting fest, aka “Israel Apartheid Week” (IAW), has already exposed its anti-Semitic underbelly. This includes charges of Jewish financial manipulation doing the rounds and the envisaged protests being planned against Jewish-headed business establishments, as announced earlier this week by BDS. BDS stated it will be protesting outside businesses Investec and Discovery Health next Friday to “end their collaborations with Israel”.

There are many companies that do business with Israel, trade between South Africa and Israel is strong, with bilateral trade at more than R10.3 billion in 2014 (2013: R8.2 billion). However, only those known to be founded, owned or run by Jewish businessmen have been singled out. This explains why Woolworths, out of all other retailers, was the target of an aggressive two-year boycott campaign. Similar threats have been made against Dischem, Cape Union Mart and Capegate. This is consistent with BDS policy as expressed by its spokesperson, Muhammed Desai, on Channel Islam International (5/8/2015), when he singled out a number of Jewish businessmen as targets for a boycott and levelled various malicious smears against them and their businesses. BDS, he declared, was sending out a clear message that anyone who supported Israel would have to “face the consequences”.

Today, South Africa is confronted with critical challenges. Only by working together as a united nation can South Africans successfully overcome them. It is precisely at this time that BDS and its fellow travellers are once again importing a foreign conflict into the country and attempting to harness current high levels of frustration and anger to sow further conflict and division in order to promote their extremist Israel-hating agenda.

While it is the democratic right of the BDS, (and their affiliated organisations) to express their beliefs, past experience has shown that protests by the “Boycott Israel” lobby routinely involve preventing those who support Israel from doing so. This past weekend, the boycott lobby did all in their power (including attempting legal action) to prevent former Israeli president and PM Shimon Peres from speaking at an event in Sandton. In spite of this, Peres spoke to an enthralled audience.

The SA Jewish community, together with its many friends and supporters, will be hosting its own events in support of Israel, and SA Jewry, to counter anti-Israel hatred. We will not be intimidated and remain resolute in our commitment to finding a lasting and peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict. For the latter to happen, moderates in the region need to be empowered and supported, and to this end, the community has brought out as its guest for the week Professor Mohammed Dajani. Professor Dajani is the inaugural Weston Fellow at the Washington Institute. He is the founder of the Wasatia movement of moderate Islam and previously worked as a professor of political science at al Quds University. A peace activist, he believes that the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict lies in both sides listening to and understanding one another’s aspirations, fears and historical narratives.

During IAW, where we can expect the usual lies, deception and hatred to be propagated, it is hoped that space will be given to these voices of moderation to be heard.

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Jewish Report 11 - 18 September 2025

Above Board in this week's Jewish Report
by Prof Karen Milner

Connection, recollection, condolence

This week has seen the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) continue its vital international engagements, fostering connections that strengthen our community on the global stage. Our national director, Wendy Kahn, joined her counterparts from 60 communities around the world at the World Jewish Congress (WJC) National Community Directors Forum in Bratislava, Slovakia. This gathering provides an invaluable space for open dialogue, where they share experiences, exchange ideas, and learn from one another in a spirit of collaboration and mutual support.

SAJBD National Director Represents South Africa at Global Jewish Leadership Forum

SAJBD National Director Represents South Africa at Global Jewish Leadership Forum

This week, SAJBD National Director Wendy Kahn attended the World Jewish Congress’s 10th National Community Directors Forum, held in Bratislava, Slovakia. The gathering brought together over 75 Jewish community leaders from 50 countries to share experiences, strategies, and mutual support at a time when Jewish life faces significant global challenges.

​Wendy Kahn's column in the latest edition of Jewish Life: Hidden Treasures - Our Living history

Wendy Kahn's column in the latest edition of Jewish Life:

Hidden Treasures - Our Living history

There is a little-known treasure trove in the Beyachad building that few have experienced. I have worked at the SAJBD for nearly 20 years, and I have used the archive periodically in my day to day work life, getting information for articles, legal cases or correspondence.

Over the past month we have been in the process of moving our archive into the heart of Beyachad, making it more accessible and exciting for our community and the many people who use it.