VOLUME 33 No 10 NOVEMBER 2016 www.cjc.org.za Women of Valour honoured in Paris LaunchPad takes off in South Africa Nina Kovensky and Patricia Fine have been involved in the Lion of Judah philanthropic community for many years and were awarded the Keren Hayesod International Women’s Division Award of Excellence in Paris this September. his Women’s Division Award of Excellence T Nina Kovensky and Patricia Fine with their awards is presented to women whose leadership has Jewish communities and the State been distinguished by exceptional of Israel. The Award of Excellence dedication, courage and initiative. recognises outstanding women Awardees are recognised for who serve as inspiring examples to their unique ability to deepen the others. It is granted annually on a commitment of Jewish women to rotating basis, to deserving women LaunchPad 2016 cohort from Europe, Latin America, and Jewish continuity and to strengthen For the first time ever, the United opportunity to engage deeply with the the relations between Diaspora English-speaking countries. Jewish Campaign and the Cape complex landscape in which we live SA Jewish Board of Deputies in as Jews at the bottom tip of Africa. association with Mensch hosted LaunchPad took participants out of Routes to our Roots tour LaunchPad South Africa from 4-6 their everyday lives and provided a creative space to think, dream and September at Old Mac Daddy in build an aligned network of people Elgin. who are passionate about their own community. “With the incredible ringing together a diverse support of LaunchPad Australia, Bgroup of 30 young innovators and specifically LaunchPad founder, and leaders, artists and activists, Tracie Olcha, we have developed parents and teachers, thinkers and a powerful programme which we doers from a wide spectrum of our believe will create new possibilities community, LaunchPad ignited new for our community” says Kristy ideas and a fresh vision for the future Turest-Swartz, fundraising co- of Jewish life in South Africa. ordinator for the UJC and co-creator A three day retreat designed around of LaunchPad South Africa. networking, learning and connecting provided participants with a unique Continues on page 9 Shimon Peres memorial service Professor Howard Phillips contextualises the original Gardens Synagogue s part of the commemoration participants on a tour of sites in Cape Aof 175 years of South African Town associated with the beginning Jewry, Emeritus Professor Howard of organised Jewry in the city. Phillips from UCT took a group of 60 Continues on page 28 Our September competition winners Three readers who have paid their voluntary subscriptions for 2016 were drawn as winners. hen in Broad Daylight I Open WMy Eyes was won by Beverley Abramowitz, Paradise was won by Cape Town's youth movements honoured Shimon Peres at the memorial service held at the Gardens Shul on 29 September. Andrea Ragless and Die Laughing was won by Dr Saville Furman. For more on Shimon Peres see page 36. A full report to follow in the next issue 2 Cape Jewish Chronicle November 2016 CONTENTS VOLUMEVOLUME 33 No33 10No NOVEMBER5 JUNE 2016 2016 In every issue In this issue Page 3 Lindy with a why Page 5 South African Friends of the Israel Museum Page 4 Community Noticeboard Page 6 and 16 The Shabbos Project Shabbat times Page 17 Sinai Academy Subscription notices Page 22 The Jewish news year in review: 5776 Page 6 The Kaplan Centre Page 26 Europe’s ‘Most Notorious Jew-Baiter’ Page 8-10 Cape Jewish Board of Deputies Page 28 Routes to our Roots — 175 years of Jewry in CT Page 12-14 South African Zionist Federation — (continues from page 1) Page 15 The Space Between Page 30 Journey to my roots Page 18 Union of Orthodox Synagogues Page 36 President Obama on Shimon Peres Page 20 Temple Israel Page 37 Journey to my roots (continues from page 30) Page 21 Bnoth Zion WIZO Page 39 Chabad on Campus Page 23-25 Cape Jewish Seniors Association Book Launch: Helen Zille Not Without a Fight Page 27 Jewish Community Services Jacob Gitlin Library Memorial Lecture: Dr Deborah Weissman ORTJET ‘Avenger’ Holocaust survivor dies at 91 Page 29 Nechama Page 43 How Israel is saving the honeybees Astra Bargains Galore Page 31 Afrika Tikkun ORT SA CAPE Page 32-34 United Herzlia Schools Page 35 The Herzlia Foundation Trust Page 36 SAJM The Goldene Medina Page 37 Mensch Page 38 Jacob Gitlin Library Page 40 Cape Town Holocaust Centre 5 9 Page 42 Simcha Snaps Page 44-45 Chronics Glendale Page 46 Using my Nudel Staffwise Page 47 Sport 21 PLEASE NOTE The Cape Jewish Chronicle’s CSO emergency number for security CJC EDITORIAL BOARD Chairman: Lester Hoffman. Ex-officio: Ben-Zion banking details: and medical emergencies Surdut. Committee: Julie Berman, Geoff Cohen, Standard Bank — Branch: Thibault Square; Branch Barbara Flax, Barry Levitt, Daniel Levitt, Eric code: 020 909; Account no: 070 703 493; Acc name: 24 hours Marx, Myra Osrin, Rowan Polovin, Jonathan Silke. Editor: Lindy Diamond, Secretary: Tessa Epstein, The Cape Jewish Chronicle Trust; Acc type: Current 086 18 911 18 Advertising: Anita Shenker, Layout: Desrae Saacks DISCLAIMERS ERRORS, OMISSIONS AND CORRECTIONS The Cape Jewish Chronicle regrets any errors or omissions that may occur in the paper and, where possible, will attempt to rectify these in a subsequent issue, should such a measure be deemed appropriate. No repeat advertisement or credits will be given for small typographical errors which do not appreciably lessen the value of the advertisement. The appearance of an advertisement or photograph does not necessarily indicate approval or endorsement by the Editorial Board for the product or service advertised or photograph reproduced, and it takes no responsibility for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of the reliance upon the information contained therein. LETTERS AND OPINIONS Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editorial Board or its sponsoring bodies. Letters submitted anonymously will not be printed. However, by agreement, the writer’s name may be withheld in the publication. Letters are published subject to space being available. The Editor and the Editorial Board have the right to decide on the inclusion of any item submitted for publication. Letters may be edited for clarity, space and/or language. KASHRUT Unless otherwise stated, food and catering services advertised in this publication are not under the supervision of the Cape Beth Din. FINANCIAL You should always obtain independent expert advice prior to making any financial investment, commercial or other decisions. Do not enter into any transactions of the above nature, based partly or wholly on the content of any advertisements or articles published in the Cape Jewish Chronicle. Cape Jewish Chronicle November 2016 3 Lindy with a why Why we should stop looking for role models I sat in a workshop about six years instant information ago where we addressed the idea also discloses the of Jews in leadership and how real life of heroes to learn from them and in time, to the world much become them. quicker than it used to and the artifice of perfection is more easily stripped away, leaving he facilitator of the workshop disillusion in its wake. urged us to think of our role T I have found that the best way models and list them along with their forward is to use yourself as your strengths and what we would want yardstick for success. Are you better to take from their leadership styles. than you were yesterday? Great! Have Most of the participants nodded and you grown since last year? Awesome! started writing down their role models The only person you should compare and I just sat feeling more and more your achievements to is the you of uncomfortable. I just couldn’t think yesterday. This way you can save of a single person I could consider a yourself the impossibility of matching role model. these role models that operate within The facilitator was not impressed a totally foreign paradigm. that I kept stressing that I really didn’t If role models are seen as a have one and I wasn’t trying to be blueprint for success, perhaps obtuse (this particular time) I just we should be designing our own really didn’t, and still don’t, like the blueprints rather than looking to idea of having role models. I even other people. Each person’s blueprint doubted myself after that night, and can be personalised to their set of wondered if I wasn’t reaching the circumstances, as you would do if pinnacle of success — whatever that you were redesigning your house. is — because I hadn’t chosen any You wouldn’t take the blueprint for a role models. block of flats if a two-bedroom suited But the thing with role models is you better. that if you are trying to live your best Some people say that role models life, how can someone else be your are vital for us psychologically — that model for how to do it? No one else striving for their same kind of success has the exact same challenges and and achieving it brings us happiness advantages that you do. In the end, when we’re older. But I would like to the only fair aspects of a role model turn that on its head. I think being a to try emulate are their innate ones. role model is vital. If we all behaved And you have those in you already. as if we were influencing the lives of Also, when it comes down to it, role ESCAPE those around us and had the power models are just people, and boy, to uplift and grow those we know, we the ordinary people can be disappointing.