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Adriaan Boshof, Still Life With Yellow Daisies, oil on canvas mounted on board 9ct gold fob chain SOLD R38,000 SOLD R24,000 Art, antiques, objets d’art, furniture, and jewellery wanted Vintage early 20th century for forthcoming auctions “the Hatherley Patent Lattistep” 4-step wooden ladder, For more information 083 675 8468 • [email protected] with cast iron maker’s label www.rkauctioneers.co.za • 12 Allan Road, Bordeaux, Johannesburg SOLD R34,000 south african n Volume 24 – Number 14 n 8 May 2020 n 14 Iyar 5780 The source of quality content, news and insights t www.sajr.co.za Gesher Fund – a lifeline for Jewish businesses TALI FEINBERG “Our capacity to do so, by supporting Marco van Embden (founder and of this fund, it’s all hands on deck. of how these relief funds can have viable businesses and all those who chief executive of Timeless Africa We are a blessed community – we are a positive impact on wider South hen Chief Rabbi Dr depend on them while they are Safaris), and Mandy Yachad (previous always looking out for each other. It’s African society,” he says. Warren Goldstein saw the suffering unprecedented challenges, director of Peregrine Holdings and a unique, and it’s been a real eye-opener Te fund is an independent, devastation wrought by is deeply moving.” Rambam Trust representative). Most to see the talent that we have and the national entity that will draw on theW coronavirus lockdown on South Additional funding from like- have held long-term senior leadership people that have thrown their hats in the operational and administrative African Jewish businesses, he decided minded philanthropists and positions in the community. the ring to help.” infrastructure and expertise of the to do something to help. foundations is being sourced. Te Board member Jessica Spira says He estimates that there are at Chevrah Kadisha in order to quickly Working closely with community other donors prefer to remain she heeded the call to join the board least 200 to 300 Jewish-owned and effectively assist qualifying organisations and business leaders, anonymous, and are all philanthropic of the new fund because she has seen companies badly affected by the businesses across South Africa. he conceptualised a relief fund that South African Jewish families seeking through her work how severely small crisis. “How badly, we don’t yet It’s mandated to lend to majority- will offer interest-free loans to small to make a meaningful impact on the and medium-sized businesses have know. Being in business, I gather Jewish-owned small businesses that businesses in the community that are Jewish and wider community. been affected by the crisis. that it could be pretty serious, but were intrinsically healthy prior to battling to survive. Te chairperson of the fund is “Tere is major hardship out we’ll get through it.” the crisis, but which are now facing Te Gesher Small Business Relief Martin Sacks, the chief executive of there. Just because one isn’t below “By safeguarding businesses during financial hardship, and are likely to Fund is now being launched to assist Westbrooke Group, and a member the poverty line doesn’t mean one this period, we can preserve jobs for recover after the crisis once they get majority-Jewish-owned small-to- of the Chevrah Kadisha Board of isn’t struggling or desperate. Tis all South Africans and further our back on their feet. medium-sized businesses in South Governors. disease is non-discriminatory. It’s long-term mission of supporting the “Tis is about combating an Africa. It will endeavour to safeguard “We understand this is the affecting everyone, clearly the Jewish broader Jewish community,” says immediate cashflow crisis and helping businesses, protect stakeholders, and largest amount of capital ever made community as well. Tose that are Sacks. “We hope to keep as many to fund their operating and working preserve jobs while enhancing the available to the South African Jewish able to contribute must do so.” people as possible from needing capital requirements until their stability of the Jewish community community in a business-support Fellow Gesher board member welfare, and enable them to continue normal, pre-COVID-19 operating during this challenging period. loan scheme,” Sacks says. While the Lawrie Brozin says, “We’ve got a to be productive members of the levels begin to return,” says Sacks. “Gesher means ‘bridge’ in Hebrew. fund’s donors and board have chosen crisis, and if I can help in any way to community, operate their businesses, “We have co-opted a group of 30 Te aim is to help members of the not to disclose the amount, it’s alleviate it, it’s an honour. It’s a call and support their staff and other business people, bankers, and legal community get to the other side of believed to be in the tens of millions. to duty, and with the establishment stakeholders. Our donors are mindful advisors to work with us in assessing these ‘troubled waters’, and land on His fellow board members are the applications. All applications will their own two feet,” says the chief Anthony Brittan (partner at Family be treated in the strictest confidence.” rabbi. Partners LLP), Lawrie Brozin Taking to the streets Any South African Jewish Te fund was established with (director Nando’s Group Holdings majority-owned SMMEs will be generous commitments from the and Paycorp Investments), Mireille eligible to apply for a loan. “We Donald Gordon Foundation (DGF) Levenstein (chief financial officer know that not only SMMEs have and other founding donors. Long4Life), Sean Melnick (founder been impacted by COVID-19, “In keeping with our father’s life- and chairperson of Peregrine Group but bigger businesses may have long philanthropic tradition and and chairperson of Stenham), Adam elsewhere to turn. We are a last- his commitment to the Jewish and Orlin (head of Investec for Business), resort lender, and advise applicants business communities, my brothers Leonard Sank (chairperson Bradbury Ilan Ossendryver Photo: to consider their eligibility for the and I are humbled to be able to Finance), Jessica Spira (business government led loan-guarantee continue his legacy through his development director Rand Merchant scheme, which may be able to offer charitable foundation,” says Wendy Bank), Ronnie Stein (non-executive them loans on more appropriate Appelbaum, representing the DGF. director of Te Foschini Group), terms and size before applying to After five weeks of being holed up in their home, an early morning walk us,” Sacks says. As of this week, the SA Jewish Report may publish additional stories in its online newspaper. Check sajr.co.za for more to read. is a breath of fresh air for the Lyons family of Melrose North. Continued on page 12>> 2 SA JEWISH REPORT 8 – 15 May 2020 Shabbat times this week Elderly resident dies of COVID-19 in Cape Town aged home Starts Ends JORDAN MOSHE cases of the disease. As of 14:00, Highland House Sidney Lazarus, the president of the Beth Shalom 17:15 18:05 Johannesburg had recorded five confirmed cases of COVID-19. A Jewish Retirement Home in Durban, told the SA 17:41 18:33 Cape Town n elderly resident of Jewish old aged total of 363 tests have been conducted on staff and Jewish Report that the institution “had no cases 16:57 17:48 Durban home Highlands House in Cape Town residents. of COVID-19”. The home has conducted tests on died on Saturday after testing positive Burman said that the resident’s family were residents and staff, and they have all been negative. 17:17 18:08 Bloemfontein forA COVID-19, and five more residents have sitting shiva, and wouldn’t like to comment at this There have been two deaths at the home since 17:12 18:04 Port Elizabeth subsequently been found to have the virus. time about the circumstances of her death. the beginning of the lockdown, but these were 17:04 17:56 East London This marks the first reported coronavirus death Family members of other residents took to social unrelated to COVID-19. in a South African Jewish aged home. The first media to express their condolences, and share their The home has 76 residents, and the average age Appliance Repairs on Site reported case was a resident of Sandringham concerns, many of them saying that the home had is 85 years old. , hers Gardens in Johannesburg, who brought it into failed to protect its residents. Lazarus said that all staff including nurses, was ish es the home from a hospital. Highland House’s carers, cleaners, and chefs were housed on the , D s, Stov es chine management isn’t divulging how the coronavirus premises or at the nearby Durban Jewish Club, dg Ma got into the home. to which they were transported by the home’s ri ing F sh On Sunday, the home’s executive director, Harris transport. a yers & more “They (SA Jewish old age homes) do W le Dr Burman, told the Cape Town community that there Mark Isaacs, the executive director of Jaffa mb incredible, groundbreaking work. Tu Call Jason had been a COVID-19 death at the home. He said Jewish Aged Home in Pretoria, said that all staff and 082 401 8239 / 076 210 6532 the carers who had attended to this resident were The fact that we aren’t sitting with residents were abiding by the strict rules in place FREE QUOTATIONS in quarantine and awaiting testing. The home said elderly COVID-19 positive patients since the home closed its doors on 15 March. at the time that no “We’ve had no scares so far,” he said, “and from the homes in intensive care other cases had been tested only one staff member, who proved negative.

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