Colloquium held regarding women solo singers at Yom Hashoah ceremony

Cape Council of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies held a colloquium to discuss whether women solo singers should sing at Yom Hashoah ceremony. Yesterday evening (20 June), the Cape Council of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies held a colloquium to discuss whether women solo singers should be included on the programme of Yom Hashoah, the annual Holocaust commemoration ceremony in remembrance of the Six Million Jews who died at the hands of the Nazi regime. Certain individuals within the Jewish community have taken the SAJBD to the Equality Court on this issue. The litigants were invited to the colloquium, but did not attend.  

Yesterday evening (20 June), the Cape Council of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies held a colloquium to discuss whether women solo singers should be included on the programme of Yom Hashoah, the annual Holocaust commemoration ceremony in remembrance of the Six Million Jews who died at the hands of the Nazi regime. Certain individuals within the Jewish community have taken the SAJBD to the Equality Court on this issue. The litigants were invited to the colloquium, but did not attend.   

 The colloquium was the culmination of efforts to allow Jewish community representatives to air their views and engage on an issue that has affected them deeply. Those in attendance represented a broad spectrum of the community, including women’s and youth groups, and Orthodox and Progressive representatives. The process was formalised and given further impetus when business leader and experienced negotiator, Bobby Godsell, agreed to chair it.  Godsell stressed that he had done his due diligence in regard to the meeting, ensuring that he had a full list of the Cape Council’s affiliates as well as an invitation list to ensure all sectors of the Jewish community had been invited to attend. All present, representing the vast majority of affiliate organisations of the community, were given the opportunity to either make formal presentations or add to the debate. The debate, while discussing a hot topic, was held in an atmosphere of respect and understanding.

 Indeed, the tone for tolerance and constructive engagement was set by Godsell, who urged the participants to take the South African way, and listen to each other to find solutions.  He noted in his opening comments that “understanding what we agree on is more important than what we disagree on, we search for shared beliefs”. 

 Godsell is currently drawing up a report on the meeting in which, based on the discussions that took place, he will make observations and suggestions regarding how the Yom Hashoah ceremony might be observed in the future.  

 The SAJBD recognises the diversity and heterogeneous nature of our community. It believes that the community has been strengthened through the process of open but always respectful debate and looks forward to receiving Godsell’s report. 

Issued by the Cape Council of the SAJBD