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www.sajewishreport.co.za Friday, 18 February 2011 / 14 Adar 1, 5771 Volume 15 Number 6 Egyptian turmoil: Israel rethinks readiness for multi-front war SEE PAGE 9
ISRAELIISRAELI MILITARY:MILITARY: MIDEASTMIDEAST CRYSTALCRYSTAL BALLBALL LOOKSLOOKS RATHERRATHER FUZZYFUZZY Lt. Gen Gabi Ashkenazi, the outgoing chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces, speaking at the Herzliya Conference on February 7, about what the Israeli military is doing to meet emerging threats. The new developments in Egypt pose questions which have Israeli generals worried. (PHOTOGRAPH:(PHOTOGRAPH: YOTAMYOTAM FROM)FROM)
Davidow builds SA ‘Peace’ achieved between Bill of Responsibilities DAVIS: Egyptian democracy through Judo / 7 SAJBD and Embassy / 3 leaps forward / 4 could change Mideast / 8 YOUTH / 14 SPORTS / 20 LETTERS / 12-13 CROSSWORD & SUDOKU / 16 COMMUNITY BUZZ / 6 WHAT’S ON / 16 2 SA JEWISH REPORT 18 - 25 February 2011
PARSHA OF THE WEEK SHABBAT TIMES February 18/14 Adar 1 Published by February 19/15 Adar 1 S A Jewish Report (Pty) Ltd, the entire nation was saved… PO Box 84650, G-d keeps His promises! Despite the fact that they too saw Ki Tisa Greenside, 2034 Moses’ coffin - they said no! It’s not Tel: (011) 023-8160 OUR PARSHA this week describes over - G-d made a promise and He Starts Ends Fax: (086) 634-7935 how Moses ascends Mount Sinai to PARSHAT keeps His promises! Even if my receive the 10 Commandments. 18:15 19:20 Johannesburg Printed by Caxton Ltd eyes deceive me, I know that my The Israelites wait anxiously for 40 KI TISA soul will not! 18:14 20:10 Cape Town 18:15 19:13 Durban EDITOR - Geoff Sifrin days after they had prepared them- Rabbi Moshe Kazilsky The Rambam - Maimonides – selves physically and spiritually. writes: “Ani maamin be-emunah 18:20 19:32 Bloemfontein [email protected] Johannesburg Sephardi On the 40th day, they calculate and Hebrew Congregation shelema” - “I believe with perfect 17:45 19:41 Port Elizabeth Sub-Editor - Paul Maree confirm that it is indeed the 40th faith that G-d can bring redemp- 18:15 19:31 East London day and they wait… and wait… their motive for the golden calf. tion to the world even today Senior Reporter - Rita Lewis but no Moses. The whole day pass- The Torah’s description of them through our Messiah.” [email protected] es and he doesn’t come down. as a “Dor Deah” - a spiritually The Rambam says further that if When things around us in the If we backtrack for a moment enlightened nation - is in fact the world look bleak - Israel is contin- Sports Editor - Jack Milner you don’t believe in that principle, and examine the background of key to understanding how they you are a heretic - it’s a fundamen- ually getting bashed by the UN, [email protected] the Israelites, we read a lot about could have built and worshipped an tal principle. when moral perspectives are so Books Editor - Gwen Podbrey them being “stiff-necked”, stub- idol so passionately. If we look around, though, we skewed that Israel is branded an born and constantly complaining, They wanted so badly to connect see the world is in a terrible state - apartheid state - indeed we see the Arts Editor - Robyn Sassen but despite this, the Torah to G-d that when Moses didn’t suffering, killings, starvation, a coffin of Moses in front of us… we [email protected] describes this generation as a “Dor return on time according to their passionate resurgence of anti- must not be fooled by what we see. Deah” – an enlightened generation calculation, they went for “Plan B” Semitism. If we look, we see the G-d will make good on all his Youth Editor - Alison Goldberg – they weren’t fools. - they channelled their passion into coffin of Moses in front of us! For promises to us. We will live in [email protected] So they calculate, they don’t see building and worshipping a golden 2 000 years we’ve been waiting for peace; in our land we will live Cape Town correspondent Moses coming down from the calf which they believed would redemption, maybe Judaism is a spiritually rich and fulfilling mountain, and they immediately bring them the spirituality they lives. Moira Schneider: 021-794-4206 relic, let’s move on - go to “Plan B” engage in idol worship - fashioning yearned for. - immerse ourselves in worship- When we face our own individ- Pretoria correspondent and then dancing around a golden They were able to do it because ping the golden calf - the glitz and ual struggles, when the path in Diane Wolfson: 082-707-9471 calf - the worst possible sin. the evil inclination showed them a glamour of the physical world - but our personal lives looks bleak and In trying to understand how vision of Moses’ coffin, and they no, the righteous women say no! all we see is the vision of Moses’ MANAGER: DISTRIBUTION such an enlightened and spiritual- were convinced that Moses had Don’t be fooled by what you see. coffin… our own “righteous Britt Landsman ly connected nation which wit- died. Just as you were ready to give up at woman”, our soul, our essence [email protected] nessed open miracles, could sink It was the women, though, who Mount Sinai - Moses came down - connection tells us don’t be fooled so low, so quickly - virtually refused to participate, and in the even despite your loss of faith, and by what you see: G-d will make Sales Executives - (011) 023-8160 instantly - we need to examine merit of these righteous women, he brought the Torah with him. good on His promises. Britt Landsman: 082-292-9520 Manuela Bernstein: 082-951-3838 Freelance Sales Executive AROUND Marlene Bilewitz & Assoc: 083-475-0288 Memorial evening a THE WORLD Classified Sales NEWS IN BRIEF [email protected] celebration of survival ALLEGED PALESTINIAN Design and layout TERRORIST ARRESTED IN Frankie Matthysen LAUREN SHAPIRO pinnacle moment came at the end of the grandmothers, sisters and aunts, ATHENS Nicole Cook DURBAN production, when Israel Gurwicz him- who saw their lives irrevocably self stood up before the applauding changed, their families separated and ATHENS - Athens police Website THE HALL was packed to capacity audience. their traditions shattered. Yet, have arrested an alleged www.sajewishreport.co.za for the Durban Holocaust Centre’s The evening was a celebration of sur- despite appalling acts of discrimina- Palestinian terrorist accus- Ilan Ossendryver live staging of “The Boys from the vival, attended by several other tion, deprivation and cruelty, they ed of being in Greece to plan a major attack in IC-Creations Ashes” recently. The community Holocaust survivors and their families consistently found ways to fight back had thronged to the Durban Jewish and friends. against their persecutors.” Europe. [email protected] Centre to commemorate the United This year the theme for the UN Since opening less than three years Ghaleb Taleb, who was Subscription enquiries Nations Holocaust Remembrance memorial ceremony was “Women in the ago, the Durban Holocaust Centre arrested on February 12, is Avusa Publishing (Pty) Ltd Day (held at the end of January each Holocaust: Courage and Compassion”. has become an educational and cul- said to be a member of year to commemorate the anniver- Theme, the evening featured a special tural landmark in the city and it is the Fatah-Al-Islam terror Tel: 0860-13-2652 sary of the liberation of Auschwitz- audio-visual presentation on the heroic about to become a physical one, too. group based in Lebanon. He Birkenau). role of women in the Partisans, present- Its exhibitions, school programmes holds is a Lebanese. BOARD OF DIRECTORS The play is co-written and directed ed by Mitch Braff, executive director of and community events have become Taleb will be deported for Stan Kaplan (Chairman) by Courtneigh Cloud, and stars her the Jewish Partisan Educational flagships in the city’s cultural calen- illegal entry into the coun- Issie Kirsh (Deputy Chairman), Marlene sister Olivia Cloud, both the grand- Foundation (JPEF). Braff founded dar. In 2010, despite the longer holi- try after being questioned Bethlehem, Russell Gaddin, Norman daughter of a Holocaust survivor. JPEF in 2000 because current Holocaust days and teacher strikes, the centre by police, and may be sent Lowenthal, Bertie Lubner, The plot follows the life of young history and educational materials made hosted 75 school groups to a four- to Lebanon or the Pales- tinian Authority, according Benjy Porter, Herby Israel Gurwicz and his family’s expe- little mention of the subject. hour workshop and had more than 4 rience of the Nazi’s horrific regime. In his address, he paid tribute to the 000 visitors to the exhibition. to reports. Rosenberg, Howard Gurwicz and his brother were ulti- roles of those courageous individuals To keep up with the growing Ghaleb was under the Sackstein, Jason Valkin. mately hidden and saved by their who played a part in resisting the Nazis demand, the centre is in the process surveillance of the Greek non-Jewish governess Tonia Pietryk and fighting for freedom and justice. of relocating to a bigger venue on the Central Intelligence agency KASHRUT - to whom the play is dedicated - Deputy Director of the UN same campus at 44 Old Fort Road. after reportedly secretly while his mother, father and sister Information Centre in Pretoria Helene The new centre will have its own entering Greece several months ago. The following symbols will appear on tragically perished. Hoedl, brought a message of support separate entrance, a larger exhibi- Mauricio Marques and Aimee from UN Secretary General Ban Ki- tion area and a dedicated seminar The police were forced to advertisements and/or advertising fea- Goldsmith completed the talented moon: room. It will also house a new media arrest Ghaleb over the tures to indicate whether or not they are cast. “This year, we pay special tribute to centre containing computers for stu- weekend to avoid his fleeing kosher. Where no Kashrut mark appears The performance was authentic the women who suffered in the dents to use for research projects, the country following a on an advert, the Jewish Report and touching in its own right, but the Holocaust: mothers and daughters, and an extensive library of story in the Italian daily assumes no responsibility for the Holocaust-related books and DVDs. Corriere della Sera report- Kashrut status of that establishment or Durban Holocaust Centre Projects ing his presence in Greece advertiser: Holocaust sur- Manager Maureen Caminsky, who is and his alleged mission. vivors Jack responsible for the organisation of The paper said that Ghaleb NK Non-Kosher K Kosher Puterman; Issy the centre, says: “As a stand-alone had attempted to facilitate Gurwicz; and facility we will become well-known the entrance into Greece of Where no symbols appear, consult the Mitzi Hess; at a on the museum circuit – not only other terrorists, to whom Beth Din Kosher Guide or contact the he supplied money and performance with schools but with visitors and advertiser. locals.” false passports. of “The Boys The new centre will open at the end A Palestinian was last Advertisements and editorial copy from from the of March. For more information con- arrested in Greece on ter- outside sources do not neccessarily reflect Ashes” in tact (031) 335-4461 or e-mail Maureen rorism charges in 1991, the views of the editors and staff. Durban. at [email protected] according to reports. (JTA) 18 - 25 February 2011 SA JEWISH REPORT 3 Trevor Stamelman: 082-608-0168 Geoff Lees 082-551-9314 Tel: (011) 885-3742 [email protected] www.stamelmanproperties.co.za
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Hurry will be SOLD or LET soon! From R1 999 000 sador to South Africa and Zev Krengel, national chairman of the SAJBD, on Tuesday at a meeting in Pretoria, cleared the air in an effort to restore cordial relations between the embassy and the SAJBD, which had soured after the aborted Tzipi Livni visit to the country. A strike of the Israel Foreign Affairs Ministry union at the time had prevented the ambassador from giving the necessary assistance to enable Livni, leader of Kadima in the Knesset, from visiting the country. Minutes of an acrimonious January 16 Israel’s Ambassador to South Africa Dov meeting between Krengel and his brother Segev-Steinberg and Zev Krengel, nation- Avrom, chairman of the SAZF and Segev- al chairman of the SA Jewish Board of Steinberg and his deputy Yaacov Finkel- Deputies, shake hands at a meeting in stein, were leaked to the SA Jewish Report Pretoria to clear the air between them. and other parties. At Tuesday’s meeting, besides Zev Krengel and Segev-Steinberg, monious statements made at the meeting on were present Mary Kluk, vice chairman of January 16 and (for) any hurt that resulted the SAJBD, Michael Bagraim, president of from statements made. the SAJBD and Yaacov Finkelstein, Segev- “Ambassador Segev-Steinberg expressed Steinberg’s deputy. his regret for the need to cancel the Tzipi The media release issued after the meet- Livni visit to South Africa earlier this year ing, reads: due to the strike in the Israeli Ministry of “Ambassador Dov Segev-Steinberg and Foreign Affairs. Mr Zev Krengel met on February 15 in “Both parties look forward to re-establish- Pretoria in an attempt to address the recent ing the positive working relationship tension between the Embassy and the SA between the Embassy and Jewish commu- Jewish Board of Deputies. nal leadership that has always existed in “Mr Zev Krengel apologised for the acri- South Africa.” SAJBD (Cape Council) slams Zev Krengel MOIRA SCHNEIDER tion,” he told Jewish Report afterwards. CAPE TOWN “Already the ambassador has come for- ward with suggestions on a joint effort for a IN AN unprecedented move, the South seminar he wants to give, including a video- African Jewish Board of Deputies (Cape conference with a high-ranking official in Council) has broken ranks with the national Israel to give feedback on what’s happening body in connection with the breakdown in in Egypt. So they’ve reached out to the relations between National Chairman Zev Board to start working together on projects. Krengel and Israel’s Ambassador to South “Krengel’s behaviour should never have Africa Dov Segev-Steinberg over the cancel- happened and he agrees. He was emotional, lation of the visit of Israeli Opposition he was distraught and that emotion was Leader Tzipi Livni to this country. reflected in his language which unfortu- The Cape Board wrote to the ambassador nately was directed at the ambassador. late last week apologising for and dissociat- “His reasoning is that he was so emotion- ing itself from Krengel’s behaviour at a al about wanting to bring Livni to South meeting that took place on January 16. Africa - he had been working round the SAJBD National President Michael clock to ensure that the visit went ahead - he Bagraim, facilitated a mediation between met this last stumbling block that he could the parties at a meeting in Pretoria on not overcome and his temper got the better Tuesday night to try and ensure Shalom of him. Bayit. “We’ve arrived at a workable solu- “He understood that and has apologised.” 4 SA JEWISH REPORT 18 - 25 February 2011 With every right comes a set of responsibilities LIONEL SLIER Bill seeks to inculcate the values as: “The responsibility in ensur- of rights and responsibilities ing the right to life, responsibility LEAD SA and the Department of among school children. In partic- in ensuring the right to equality, Basic Education with the support ular, the Bill focuses on the the responsibility in ensuring the of the country’s interfaith reli- respect for human dignity and right to freedom of religion, belief gious leaders, have announced the work ethic. It is particularly and opinion; the responsibility in that they will soon launch a important for building the char- ensuring the right to freedom of nationwide programme to teach acter of children, deterring expression; responsibility in learners the Bill of Res- teenage pregnancies, use and/or ensuring the right to live in a safe ponsibilities. abuse of drugs and alcohol.” environment and responsibility The Bill of Rights in the Dr Motshekga said the partner- in ensuring the right to family Constitution has been trans- ship between Lead SA, the and parental care.” formed into a practical document Department and the National Chief Rabbi Goldstein, who - the Bill of Responsibilities. Interfaith Movement, would be drafted the Bill of Responsibilities “With every right comes a launched in March. on behalf of the National responsibility. The Bill of Rights Volkwyn said the preamble of Religious Leaders Forum, said: is a legal document while the Bill the Bill of Responsibilities reads: “The future of South Africa will Benny Stalson z”l, a of Responsibilities provides a “I accept the call to responsibility be determined by the impression- framework of values which we all that comes with the many rights able young children who sit in our need to embrace. It is especially and freedoms that I have been classrooms day after day. It is the teacher, mentor and aimed at the youth, but will in privileged to inherit from the sac- values in the Bill of Res- time filter into families and the rifice and the suffering of those ponsibilities that will influence community at large,” said Lead who came before me. the way our children view the SA’s Terry Volkwyn, of Primedia “I appreciate that the rights world and their own position leader of Progressive in a media release. enshrined in the Constitution within it. Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein are inseparable from the duties “The Bill of Responsibilities is behind the whole concept and and responsibilities to others. offers our children the gift of new Judaism he took it to Lead SA. Volkwyn Therefore I accept that with words and a new spirit - the and Moegsien Williams, editor of every right comes a set of respon- words and spirit of giving and DARRYL EGNAL those he taught and inspired The Star, have bought into this sibilities.” contributing, of duty, accounta- PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED through his leadership and will be running with the cam- Among the aspects covered in bility and responsibility, of became leading members of paign. the Bill of Responsibilities are respect and decency, of tolerance BENNY STALSON (pictured), the community. The Chief Rabbi has been issues such as “the right to edu- and understanding, of integrity who died on Sunday February “If it had not been for him working closely with Lead SA cation places on me the responsi- and loyalty, of kindness and com- 6 at age 93, dedicated his work- and for Reeva Forman (chair- and will be involved in it through- bility to attend school regularly, passion.” ing life to the South African man of Temple Israel), the out. He has previously met in to learn and to work hard; co- The National Interfaith Move- Union of Progressive Judaism mother synagogue would public discussions with different operate respectfully with teach- ment has been tasked with taking (SAUPJ), and to Temple Israel, have been closed down and faith leaders and also President ers and fellow-learners and; the messages from the Bill of the mother synagogue of the sold off. Instead it has been Jacob Zuma to promote his Bill of adhere to rules and the code of Responsibilities to places of wor- movement. The impact Benny recognised as a heritage site Responsibilities which basically conduct of the school”. ship and to the various congrega- made on generations of Pro- by the South African Heritage signposts a clear vision to a bet- Other issues covered include tions. All religious groups are gressive Reform families over Foundation.” ter future for all South Africans. how to be a “good and loyal South represented. the past 65 years was immeas- Says Forman: “In 1994, when Opening the debate on the African citizen - obeying the laws Lead SA was launched in urable. there was a threat to close President’s State of Nation of our country, and contributing August last year as a partnership Benny’s name, as one of the Temple Israel, which was address in the National Assembly in every possible way to make between Primedia Broadcasting stalwarts of the community, founded in 1936, I was asked to last week, ANC Chief Whip Dr South Africa a greater country”. and the Independent Group of was legendary. My father, prevent this. Without Benny’s Mathole Motshekga, said: “The Also covered are aspects such Newspapers. Trevor, had often mentioned support and encouragement, him with affection, as he had my dream of Temple Israel been at Temple Israel’s remaining in Hillbrow, today a Cheder when Benny was a disadvantaged area in down- teacher there, and he had reg- town Johannesburg, as a mitz- AROUND THE WORLD ularly attended the Alan vah synagogue and outreach Isaacs Camp in Margate when to both Jew and non-Jew alike, NEWS IN BRIEF Benny was in charge. He also would not have become a real- had many dealings with ity. Benny during his many years “As our spiritual leader, ISRAEL RATES WITH AMERICANS, GALLUP POLL SHOWS as chairman of Bet David and ‘Rabbi’ Benny inspired in me WASHINGTON - A substantial poll was released on February of its foreign policy are generally he always spoke of Benny with and the congregation an amaz- majority of Americans continue 11, Gallup noted that Egypt had rated positively, while countries great respect. ing love of our Jewish reli- to rate Israel favourably accord- plunged in approval since the that are unfriendly to the United I met Benny in 2006 when I gion, traditions and pride ing to the latest Gallup Poll. 2010 polling. The most recent States and oppose its policies are interviewed him for the in our Progressive religious Sixty-eight per cent of Ameri- poll was conducted before mili- rated negatively." Tribute to Temple Israel egalitarian and universal cans rated Israel favourably in tary authorities acceded to pro- Gallup reached 1 015 respon- brochure that I was putting approach. the poll conducted on February testers' demands and removed dents by telephone. The poll has a together for the shul’s 70th “Benny held this position 2 - 5, statistically the same as the Hosni Mubarak from the presi- margin of error of 4 per cent. anniversary. This was the first for 15 years until he became 67 per cent Israel scored in 2010. dency. Separately, a poll released on of many discussions. The too ill to continue. His dedica- Israel ranked seventh among France, meantime, had climb- Monday by The Israel Project entire movement celebrated tion and commitment to 21 countries in this year's poll ed steadily from a low of 34 per showed that a majority of his 90th birthday at Temple Temple Israel and the Jewish behind, in order, Canada, Britain, cent in 2003, when it opposed the Americans believed that the Israel in 2007 and I saw him religion, laid the strong foun- Germany, Japan, India and US invasion of Iraq, to 71 per cent United States should support and his family a number of dation on which the very exis- France. this year. Israel in "the ongoing conflict times over the years. tence of Temple Israel is Iran scored last, with 11 per "Americans' ratings of foreign between Israel and the I quote the following from based,” she says. cent approval, and the Pales- countries suggest Americans are Palestinians in the Middle East". an article I wrote about him in “Benny was a kind and car- tinian Authority scored fifth aware of what is occurring inter- Support for Israel was 55 per the Tribute to Temple Israel: ing man who was always a from last, with 19 per cent nationally," Gallup said. cent to 6 per cent for the “Benny Stalson is a living pleasure to talk to,” says approval. "Countries that are friendly to Palestinians. Sixteen per cent legend in Progressive Jud- Lurie. “His knowledge, and In its commentary when the the United States and supportive responded "neither". (JTA) aism. Not only has he dedicat- passion for teaching Judaism ed most of his active life to the was truly amazing. His pres- South African Progressive ence and involvement in our GERMANS OPPOSE A UNILATERAL PALESTINIAN STATE, POLL FINDS Jewish movement, but he has community will be sorely BERLIN - A new poll suggests the Greenberg Quinlan Rosner approved strong enforcement of also committed his retirement missed.” that most Germans would institution for The Israel Project, economic sanctions against Iran, years to Temple Israel. In the “Through almost the entire oppose an early declaration of a a think tank based in Washing- even if the sanctions had an absence of rabbinic leader- history of Progressive Reform Palestinian state. ton and Jerusalem. impact on German business. ship, he has acted as teacher, Judaism in South Africa, The poll also found that Asked if Germany should The survey was conducted just lay reader and spiritual advis- Benny had the leadership nec- Germans would view a nuclear recognise a unilaterally declared as a former German politician er. Involved in Temple Israel essary to put into practice the Iran as a serious threat both to Palestinian state, 57 per cent raised eyebrows by calling on the almost from the beginning, highest goals and ideals of our Israel and Germany, and that overall were opposed, with 27 per European Union to recognise an Benny Stalson joined the syn- tradition,” says Rabbi Robert respondents also backed enforc- cent strongly opposed. Only 14 independent Palestinian state. agogue in the early ‘40s and Jacobs, chairman of the SA ing sanctions against Iran even if per cent strongly favoured such Former German development played an active part in its Association of Progressive it would hurt German compa- recognition; 36 per cent overall minister, Heidemarie Wieczorek- growth and development.” Rabbis (SAAPR). nies. approved of the idea. Zeul of the Social Democratic “Benny was a wonderful “He was a stalwart at The survey of 800 people was Asked to imagine a nuclear- Party, drew a sharp reaction man and we are so sorry to Temple Israel despite his conducted between January 12 armed Iran, 69 per cent felt this from Reinhold Robbe, head of hear of his loss,” says Steve advanced age. Benny touched and 19. In addition, focus groups would be threatening to Ger- the German-Israeli Friendship Lurie, chairman of the SA many lives over the years and of opinion leaders were held on many, and 88 per cent saw it as a Society, who called her com- Union for Progressive he will be remembered with January 6. threat to Israel. Backing up their ments “irresponsible” and Judaism (SAUPJ). “He taught fondness and affection by all Both polls were conducted by fears, 76 per cent said they “naive". (JTA) me at cheder, and many of who knew him.” 18 - 25 February 2011 SA JEWISH REPORT 5 AROUND THE WORLD Beware the ‘bounce of a dead cat’ NEWS IN BRIEF ALISON GOLDBERG that capital growth prospects are terms, albeit in single digit figures. prices increased by a nominal 6 per not that bright,” says Rode. “As a In the meantime, Rode points to cent in 2010 - Absa in fact recorded ANTI-SEMITIC FLYERS AGAINST A slowdown in house result, they account for less than entrepreneurial investors follow- a 7 per cent growth in house prices ATTACK EMANUEL prices, there are some bright spots 10 per cent of sales.” ing auctions of residential proper- below R3,1 million - the real story is in the market - discounts of up to 30 Rode expects house prices in real ty where there is a 30 per cent dis- the continued slow-down in house CHICAGO - Flyers with anti- per cent to market value at auc- terms (nominal prices less infla- count to market value, but these price growth, as Absa’s graph Semitic messages directed tions of residential property and 6 tion - currently 3,5 per cent) to keep investors are very selective at auc- shows, in the second half of last against Chicago mayoral per cent growth in flat rentals. on declining for the next “up to” tions. It is a very specialised mar- year and continuing into January. front-runner Rahm Emanuel, According to leading property four years, which implies very little ket and not one for amateurs, he As for residential rentals, Rode were distributed on a city economist Erwin Rode of Rode & nominal growth in this period, warns. says these are showing little train line. Associates, a valuer and statisti- assuming low inflation. Lew Geffen of Sotheby’s Inter- growth. The one bright spot is flat The flyer, distributed at a cian, despite a slight recovery in Absa’s sectoral analyst Jacques national Realty Lew Geffen, “dif- rentals, which are growing at about Chicago Transit Authority the residential market during the du Toit corroborates Rode’s finding fers completely” with Rode’s out- 6 per cent. But growth in house and Red Line station, shows a sil- first six months of 2010, house of a low start for 2011. He forecasts look. townhouse rentals is below the houette of Emanuel and prices are back to zero per cent nominal house price growth of “We are on the coal face and usu- inflation rate. reads: "I will run Chicago as I growth. The uptick “was nothing around 3 per cent for 2011, while ally ahead of the curve. Three “If you were to invest in flats ran Freddie Mac, PROF- but the bounce of a dead cat”. prices are expected to decline in years ago when I said house prices rather than townhouses, the imme- ITABLE (for me, me, me) thir- This view is supported by ana- real terms on the back of a project- would drop 40 per cent, property diate advantage is that your ty millions$$$$$$. I was enti- lysts at Absa, FNB and Standard ed price inflation rate of more than economists John Loos at FNB and income return would be higher. tled to it, being a Holocaust Bank. 4 per cent this year. Standard Bank’s Johan Botha were The problem with townhouses is survivor (I mean my family)." “The message is sinking in with Over the next few years he still bullish. Now that I’m bullish, that there is an oversupply due to Emanuel is "unfazed" by prospective buy-to-rent investors expects price growth in nominal economists are all pessimistic. the fact that in the boom years - the fliers, according to the “We are seeing a lot of buying 2000-2007 - most residential devel- NBC television affiliate in around the R2,5 million mark coun- opment took place in this sector. Chicago, which quoted him as trywide - mostly by professionals The other negative is that town- saying: "I have confidence in who are upgrading. It is a very houses are generally built further the people." attractive market. away from work opportunities.” The nonpartisan election is “Our finding is that house prices Prominent Johannesburg agent scheduled for February 22; increased by 6 per cent last year Jawitz Properties CEO Hershel and a runoff, if necessary, and we expect the same growth this Jawitz, believes the yields on flat would be six weeks later. year. Our February financial year- rentals in the R1m and under mar- Last Sunday, fellow candi- end, year-on-year, showed an ket are pretty good. date Carol Moseley Braun increase in the number of sales by “The buy-to-let market is attrac- compared Emanuel to a char- 30 per cent. tive from this point of view, though acter in the Mel Brooks film “Nor do I think the auction mar- there are not many investors out "The Producers" who des- ket is very good at the moment, there because of banks’ strict lend- cribes Hitler as "kind" and from our experience with Saville ing criteria. So it is down to season- "gentle". Row Auctioneers. That is the al investors.” "I was not comparing him report too of Rael Levitt (CEO of He is seeing both flat and town- to Adolf Hitler; print that," Auction Alliance) who says all the house rentals in urban areas Moseley Braun told reporters activity is below the R1m mark and increasing at between 8 - 10 per later. "I was trying to say... the very slow above. Our finding is that cent a year, while house rentals are kind, gentle concern for the ABSA HOUSE PRICE INDICES, Nominal y/y % change . The post May not many houses are sold on auc- growing at 6 - 7 per cent. The good public that is being portrayed 2010 slowdown in house prices below R3,1 million in nominal terms in tion. The real estate market is far rental demand Jawitz attributes to in these ads does not square all three categories: small houses (80m2-140m2); medium-sized houses superior.” a lack of affordability and access to with the record." While no one doubts house bonds. Emanuel in a debate on (141m2-220m2); and large houses (221m2-400 m2). Monday said he thought Braun's words were taken out of context. Emanuel served for two ORT SA celebrates 75 years with a musical years as President Barack CAROL ROD Dean Murinik of the Great Park of song, Yiddish reaches out with Originally conceived as a Obama's White House chief of BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT choir has handpicked his 10 con- an evocative embrace that has fundraiser for the CJSA (Cape staff and also was a congress- EXECUTIVE ORT SA temporaries and all are very excit- been surprisingly effective. The Jewish Seniors Association), the man. (JTA) ed to perform in the show. They poignant lyrics and infectious festival developed a life of its own. PA SETTLES LAWSUIT IN THERE IS much excitement about will inter alia perform a song that melodies have been warmly The Yiddish Song Festival is “The 10 Tap Dancing Rabbis from was composed by internationally received across generations and to endorsed by JMI South Africa and AMERICANS' MURDERS Minsk”, featuring 10 local talents acclaimed songwriter, Hal Shaper a wider audience that was ever the JMI SOAS - the Jewish Music from various shul choirs including (scored by Matthew Reid, assisted anticipated. Institute, London. JERUSALEM - The Pales- Great Park and Sydenham Shuls, by Fay Singer). tinian Authority reportedly for the upcoming Yiddish musical The main cast will fly in from has settled a lawsuit over the in celebration of ORT SA’s spec- Cape Town and the production murder of two American citi- tacular, titled “ORT Azey!”. includes local talent as well. zens living in Israel. The show will be performed in “We are very excited to incorpo- Court papers indicating Johannesburg for one night only rate new talent into the show and that a settlement agreement on Wednesday night, March 16, at these boys have such wonderful was reached were filed on the Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef voices,” says director Irma Kesler. Monday in a Rhode Island City. The show which is being pro- District Court, but no details ORT is inviting the community duced by Phillip Todres boasts a were provided, The Asso- to join them for a le’chaim to cele- spectacular line-up of songs that is ciated Press reported. brate ORT SA’s 75th birthday. sure to wow the Johannesburg A $116 million default judg- Contact ORT SA on (011) 728-7154 audience, with a little something ment awarded by the Rhode for tickets and information, or for everyone. Island court in 2004 was book online at Computicket. Through the universal language vacated by the agreement, according to the papers, the AP reported. The agreement also lifts a freeze on PA assets in the United States. ORT SA, MaAfrika Tikkun The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston last year had sent the case back to the join up in HP GET-IT training district court for more argu- LISA MORALEE Word, Outlook and PowerPoint. enjoyed the atmosphere. The ments on whether the unpaid PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED ORT is an NGO that believes in range of training and technical default judgment should be “educating for life”. computer skills made for an set aside after new PA attor- ORT SA has been asked to train Last year, from December 7 - interesting mix of contribu- neys said they would fight the MaAfrika Tikkun’s computer 9, HP GET-IT training took tions. judgment. trainers in the latest HP GET-IT place at the MaAfrika Tikkun MaAfrika Tikkun is an organ- The Rhode Island court had Training (Graduate Entrepre- training centre in the Diepsloot isation that fosters empower- awarded the judgment to neurship Training through IT) township. The training was ment by providing holistic serv- the family of terror victims Guidance Course. aimed primarily at MaAfrika ices focused on caring for chil- Yaron and Efrat Ungar, Ame- This course was established Tikkun community computer dren ranging from one to 19 rican citizens killed in 1996 in Zurich, Switzerland, ORT SA centre trainers from townships years of age, as well as their when they were attacked in says in a media release. The in both Gauteng and Cape guardians. In its community their car by Palestinian ter- training is based on business Town. centres, it provides a computer rorists as they drove home principles, including market- All participants were trained centre for young adults. from a wedding near Beit ing, time management and on the HP GET IT methodology Now, following the training of Shemesh, west of Jerusalem. presentation. and given training materials. their trainers, they will be able Their infant son survived the The subjects are explored by They were certainly eager and to transfer this knowledge to attack. applying them practically to receptive, says ORT SA the community. Lawyers for the Ungar fam- relevant computer skills need- Chairman Irwin Lipworth. • For more information about ily and the Palestinian Autho- ed while learning different Although at first apparently the HP GET IT training, call rity would not comment to Sabelo Ndlovu, one of MaAfrica Tikkun’s aspects of basic computer pro- somewhat be unsure, they ORT SA on (011) 728-7154 or visit AP. (JTA) computer trainers. grammes such as Microsoft relaxed quickly and soon www.ortsa.org.za 6 SA JEWISH REPORT 18 - 25 February 2011
Grey High School, tells of when Cecil SOCIAL SCENE Rita Lewis [email protected] COMMUNITY BUZZ Morris and Zick Kraitzick were at the LIONEL SLIER crease in a nail-biting cricket final for a prestigious trophy. 082-444-9832, fax: 011-440-0448, “Between overs they met in the mid- [email protected] dle of the pitch for a powwow. The spec- tators were in no doubt that the two ROBERTSON were discussing strategy on how to win the match. After the game was over, From Marc Kopman continues: Morris was asked what the meeting was about. He answered that it was to ask “As per my usual experiences in the plat- Zick whether he had booked the teland, I couldn’t help being overcome by Saturday evening bioscope tickets. feelings of wanting to be transported “Morris Glick, ‘Dopey’, got colours for back in time when the shul was operating rugby and played for the First Fifteen. at its zenith, who the people were, their During a big match on the main field, Above: Five chefs simchas, their cheder, their community his father, Ruby (who spoke with a have cooked up vibe. burr), saw Morris get the ball on the 22 “The cemetery, just recently renovated metre line. a storm for the to an excellent state of affairs, “In his excitement he belted out: function. Yasherkoach to Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft ‘Moggie gibba drop!’ That outburst is (who I believe had been there barely a remembered to this day by Grey boys Gary Friedman, the caterer for Left: Veliswa Miti week before my visit) for his depart- who attended the school at the time. the function at the HOD, with balances two ment’s fine efforts right around the coun- “Until 1956 up to 20 per cent of the Isaac Reznik, organiser of the plates of newly try communities in all aspects. Grey pupils were Jewish; that was until Bobba’s Kitchen affair. prepared fish balls. “My good friend (then Cantor) Stuart the Theodore Herzl Jewish Day School Serwator actually taught cheder to the opened.” children of Robertson from the mid to late 1990s, so it was not so long ago that MUIZENBERG the community was still an active one. “That being that and watching the From Hyman Jocum: It was, Eat and be timepiece announcing time for lunch, I found a delightful little restaurant/coffee “Also interesting in the exhibition at shop at the exit to the town called ‘De the Labia is a photograph of Muizen- Oude Kombuis’ — friendly and excellent berg High School girls who voluntarily service without a doubt! On exiting, the gave up their Sundays to help with the merry à la Bobba words inscribed at the top of the archway nursing at the Seahurst Hospital for proclaim ‘shalom’. Yes, indeed, a fine end convalescing servicemen. This hospital STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY RITA LEWIS ent kinds of herrings, gefilte fish and pickled to a short but eventful experience. was situated on the mountainside of the fish together with a large salad bar where “From there, we headed for Cape Town Main Road between St James and Kalk THE RECENT “Bobba’s Kitchen” function assorted rye and continental breads were to be with family in Sea Point/Milnerton Bay. held at the HOD hall in Johannesburg, with a available as well as an assortment of drinks. areas and enjoyed the Chanukah celebra- “People who choose to vacation in the magnificent selection of “Bobba’s foods” on These were followed by three different tions at Cape Town Sephardi Con- Cape Peninsular during the remaining offer, was the brainchild of Isaac Reznik, who soups, chicken, bean and barley and meat gregation - that’s another story. summer months, will be well rewarded believes that modern day Jews know very lit- borscht and accompaniments. “My next stop will be Massinga in by a visit to the former home of tle about how “traditional” Jewish food was Then followed a hot buffet with cholent and Mozambique - and anything Jewish. Well, Princess Labia just to view the Old made in “Bobba’s days” or how it tasted. potato kugel; slow-roast chicken; Kraut I’m not that sure at all, but if there is, you Muizenberg Exhibition.” He believed many older people had forgot- blintzes, roast brisket with flaumen tzimmes, will hear about it soon.” ten about Jewish delicacies such as kishke, potato knish with meaty gravy and assorted THE ATKINS SCHMALTZ DIET flaumen tzimmes, gehacked herring, as well mustards. KRUGERSDORP as how our parents hung up If you had any room left to Sent in by Frank Friedman: sour milk wrapped up in cater for your sweet tooth, an From Alan Porter: muslin and waited for it to turn assortment of magical pud- “This actually goes back two genera- into cheese. dings was awaiting you. “With great interest I read Marc tions or three, if you are under 50. I miss Many of the younger genera- Choices could be made from Kopman’s recollections last week of the it all and can’t help but wonder how my tions had never even heard of the warm sweet lokshen and so-called legend, Morris Fainsinger. He grandparents did not have a cholesterol such things! And Reznik was apple compote, pear and apple was my late grandfather’s brother. My problem. going to enlighten them all. compote; ice cream and choco- grandfather was Joe Fainsinger. “Before we start, there are some vari- Who better to discuss this late sauce, malva pudding and “The Fainsingers came to Krugersdorp ations in ingredients because of the var- with than the doyen of wet teiglach with almonds. from Pokroy at the end of the 1800s. They ious types of Jewish tastes - Polack “Jewish-style” food, Dulcie All this could be washed were pretty unique as they came as a fam- (Polish); Litvak (Lithuanian) and Braude and caterer Gary down with coffee and Russian ily. My grandfather spoke about coming Gallicianer (Galicia). Friedman – who jumped at the tea served with sugar cubes and to Krugersdorp. I think that he finished “Just as we Jews have six seasons of idea of a function offering a homemade plum jam. his schooling there. the year - winter, spring, summer, variety of “homemade” soups, Everyone at the function cer- “They were father Gerald, mother Tilla autumn, the busy season and the slack kugels, compotes and wet tei- tainly let their hair down proba- and brothers Lazarus, Zundel, Morris season - we all focus on the main ingre- glach, among others. bly thinking, “tonight let’s eat and Joe. The sisters were Ethel, Sarah, dient which unfortunately and unde- They decided that there A proud Judy Mindel and be merry”, for tomorrow Lena and Freda. Freda died very young. servedly has disappeared from our diet. would be - and there was - a shows off her bowls of the scale will hopefully not be All were very musical. I am talking, of course, about schmaltz cold buffet offering three differ- salad and garnishes. working. “Being two generations down, I do not (chicken fat or goose fat). know much about any of them. As I “Schmaltz has, for centuries, been the understand the next generation - my late prime ingredient in almost every mother’s - there are two left: Tsippy Yutar Jewish dish and I feel that it is time to in Cape Town with her son David and revive its rightful place in our homes. I George Cohen at Randjieslaagte Retire- have plans to distribute it in a green ment Village in Johannesburg. glass Gucci bottle with a label clearly “The Fainsingers and family of my saying: ‘Low fat, no cholesterol, generation are well dispersed over the Newman’s Choice, Extra Virgin world. I think there are some grandchil- Schmaltz’. It cannot miss! dren left in Johannesburg, Hillcrest in “Let’s start, of course, with the ‘forsh- KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town. peiz’ (appetiser) - gehackteh leiber “My grandfather, Joe, often spoke of (chopped liver) with schmaltz is always his brother’s death. It shook him badly good, but how about something more and he maintained his distrust of the exotic for your dear ones, like boiled British. He preferred Afrikaans as a lan- carp in yoyech (soup) which sets in a guage, but spoke impeccable English. As I jelly form, or ‘gefilteh miltz’ (stuffed Gary Friedman with his host of chefs standing Yvonne and Ronnie Kaplan with Solly understand it, Morris loved music and spleen), from which all the veins are between him and food connoisseur and caterer, Krok showing off a “Bobba’s apron” playing his violin around the Boer camps. removed (thank G-d) and it is fried (you Dulcie Braude. specially made for the occasion. “When he was challenged by a British guessed it) in schmaltz, bread crumbs, sentry, either he did not understand the eggs, onions, salt and pepper. challenge or the possibility that he was “Love it! How about stewed ‘lunge’ hard of hearing and never heard the chal- (lungs), very chewy or ‘geheren’? Am I lenge and was shot. making your mouth water yet?” “If Mr Kopman cares to go to the More next week. Krugersdorp Cemetery, right at the back is a family plot. Buried there are my JOHANNESBURG great-grandparents, Gerald and Tilla, together with Freda and Morris. A long-time woman resident of Doorn- “I also sent some photographs to the fontein goes into Crystals (this is in the Krugersdorp Shul, including Gerald old days) to buy a chicken. She rejects Fainsinger. Any Fainsingers wishing to half a dozen, then finally selects one. contact me can do so on my e-mail: She lifts a wing and smells underneath. [email protected].” Then she smells under the other wing. Then she spreads the chicken’s legs and PORT ELIZABETH smells again. She says to the assistant: “This chick- Lorraine Reznick makes a family threesome Entertainers of the evening were singer From Rollo Berman: en is no good. I want another one.” The between two brothers, her husband Maish Russel Lurie and musician Evelyn Green on assistant rather put out, answers: “Tell and his brother Isaac. keyboard. “Under the Elms’, the official history of me, could you pass a test like that?” 18 - 25 February 2011 SA JEWISH REPORT 7 BUILDING SOUTH AFRICA People doing remarkable things Davidow builds lasting bridges LIONEL SLIER PHOTOGRAPH: ILAN OSSENDRYVER
MICKEY DAVIDOW is the only holder of a 10th Dan Black Belt in South Africa, the highest that one can go in the martial arts field of judo. And on top of that, he is one of the most modest persons that one can ever meet. Mickey Davidow trains youngsters in martial Davidow arts and is completely colour blind about teaches whomever he trains - blacks, coloureds, Indians, whites... they all come to him and Orel Rubin he gives of his time and knowledge and and Samuel experience freely. Goldberg a He trains them at Irving Ginsburg’s grip in judo. club which is at the Torah Academy Hall in Highlands North, Johannesburg and at the back of the Berea Shul.” Davidow “lived” his credo of non- moreover, he is always available whenever One had to prise out of him that racialism even in the days when it he is called for something extra, which, he he was the South African judo bucked the trend. says, happens a couple of times a month. If champion in the light and then “It caused quite a ruckus at the there is a tournament, he is usually help- heavyweight divisions. He was time, as you can imagine,” he said ing out as a referee. He gives as much time also in a Springbok team of six “So I went to see Dr Piet Koornhof, as is humanly possible to his passion and that competed against Italy and who was Minister of Sports and to the kids he tries to uplift. Israel. he said to me: ‘Go for it. It’s okay.’” Davidow was born in Johannesburg, in Some other achievements: In Today the national body is very the “south” as people sometimes call it, the 1970s a grandmaster of Kung big with Peter Zinge the national somewhat with embarrassment as if there Fu was Edward Liang who trained president. Davidow brought the is some sort of stigma attached to it. He in China. Davidow was a student first black person - Dandile Dla- went to primary school in Regents Park of his and later became an buntu - onto the executive He was and then on to Hillel College, which was a instructor of Liang’s methods and a student of Davidow for 12 years. Jewish boarding school in Oxford Road, started teaching Kung Fu in his Dlabuntu is now a 3rd Dan. Parktown, run by a Colonel Levinson and garage in Johannesburg – always Martial arts is the umbrella his wife. Hillel College has long since gone having a passion to involve the name for a variety of sports such and, in fact, Temple Emanuel has since young and to “empower” them. as judo, ju jitsu, Akido, kung fu... been built on the site. Davidow started his own mar- All these different forms – mem- “There was no martial arts in those tial arts style, known as bers of the same family - are days,” he explains, “only boxing, so as a “Franchento” in this country. He bridge builders par excellence kid I learnt boxing.” (Growing up in the said that the word is Chinese for over cultural boundaries. “south” it was a useful skill to have!) “way of the snake”. Then for 10 Marc Kahn, who was a student He later learnt ju jitsu, taught by a years he was vice-president of the of Davidow for 45 years says: Brigadier Morris who had trained British South African National Judo “Without doubt, it is one of the troops during the war. He used to go to a Association. most popular activities among the centre at the Johannesburg Technical He speaks fondly of Dennis black community. Many have College, near Park Station. Hanover who is the world presi- reached Black Belt standard. Davidow afterwards changed to judo dent of the Judo Association. There are also many black and was trained by the well-known master, “Dennis was born here and was a instructors today.” Norman Robinson, who is still around, pupil of mine. He now lives in Kahn added: “Mickey Davidow training in Randburg. “He is the greatest Israel. There are 27 members in has reached the highest grade martial arts personality in South Africa,” the world body and when Dennis among South Africans. He is says Davidow. was elected, two countries object- known all over the world and has “In actual fact, the first Jewish guy to ed to his election - Germany and even been recognised in the teach martial arts in South Africa was Egypt.” Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He is Leon Ossendryver, who learnt it in a Davidow and Hanover got judo one of the most honoured people Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. I learnt recognised as a Maccabi sport and in martial arts in South Africa.” from him.” His son, Ilan, is a well-known since the Sixth Maccabiah it is Asked to espouse the philoso- photographer in Johannesburg. part of the tournament. phy behind martial arts, Davidow When he is not involved with martial Davidow mentioned that when says: “It offers one the ability to arts, Davidow teaches refrigeration and he was vice-president of the South defend oneself. electronics technology and “all sorts of African National Amateur Judo “It is ironically a philosophy of things” at Torah Academy. “In fact, many Association, they affiliated with non-violence, and it teaches of my former black students have gone on the parallel Black Judo Asso- respect for G-d, parents, also for to do extremely well in the refrigeration ciation during the apartheid era. each other.” field and a number of them run their own businesses, very successfully. “In the sixties I went to America to study martial arts - judo, karate, Akido, the whole lot,” said Davidow. When he was in the US, he earned a doctorate in Chinese therapy. “Then, when I came back, I taught at the Berea Social Club which was 8 SA JEWISH REPORT 18 - 25 February 2011 OPINION AND ANALYSIS
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Could the Arab ME democracy only guarantee street stop hating for sustainable peace Israel? ONE OF the advantages of a teaching dictable. But if the largest country in the LOOKED AT from here, at the bottom of stint at a prestigious institution like region becomes a democracy, the entire Africa, the protests in Egypt, Tunisia and Georgetown located in Washington DC, is THE JURY face of the Middle East changes. other Arab and Muslim countries - which the opportunity to gain a different per- Other countries, including Iran, will have already achieved the removal of two spective of important developments, such IS OUT feel the democratic pressure and the long-time rulers - seem far away. But the as the implications of the political Dennis Davis dominance of Islamic fundamentalism very fluid situation which has emerged, changes which have been wrought from will, at least, in significant part, be dilut- with no-one knowing where it will lead, the dictatorial regime in Egypt. ed. Besides, the long-term relationships has the potential to affect us all. For starters, I have learnt that the between Israel and its neighbours can Within a mere few weeks, Arab “people Jewish community is hardly the monolith If one listens only to the Lie- never be guaranteed by dictators, even if, power” ended the 30-year rule of Egyptian presented to us by our own Jewish estab- berman/Netanyahu/Dershowitz camp, at times, they may be “our dictators”. President Hosni Mubarak and before it, lishment. J Street, for example, is an disaster awaits as the Muslim Brother- In the long run, Israel’s future can only ousted the long-time dictator of Tunisia. important new institution; a rich diversi- hood replaces that “nice Mr Mubarak” or be secured by way of a sustainable peace This is a new phenomenon in the Arab ty of opinion is evident among Jewish stu- the “sensible Mr Suleiman” and converts with Palestinians and neighbours who world, where the Arab street has not often dents and academics and Prof Alan Egypt into the Islamic dictatorship along share a similar idea about governance. stood up to hard-line regimes which had Dershowitz, whose hackneyed perspective the lines of Iran. For years the cry has been heard about kept them under a brutal thumb through (see Jewish Report February 10) is much Obviously if that is correct, then the the lack of democracy in the region. intimidation, torture and other means. loved by many in our community, appears vacuum which exists in the West Bank will Suddenly when a people rises against a As we know in South Africa, people to have been relegated to irrelevance here be filled by Hamas or worse, aided and vicious dictator, we want to side with the power, with all the accompanying eupho- save for the hard US right wing. He would abetted by a powerful southern neighbour. latter and by implication his murderous ria, is a means, not an end in itself. The say that, wouldn’t he, is a refrain I have But if one reads the reports from Egypt means. expectation that all problems will be fixed heard often about Dershowitz! carefully, talks to people who have just I cannot help feeling that those who and all grievances removed by the mere By contrast serious commentators returned from Cairo, particularly from said that blacks were not ready for fact of revolution, is unrealistic and naive. warn that Israel drags its heels in seeking international agencies, then it may well democracy in our country, remain In most cases, the poverty, the lack of serv- peace at its own peril. As an illustration, be that the Muslim Brotherhood is the untransformed, save that this time they ice delivery and other reasons for the peo- Thomas Friedman, surely from the main- bogeyman being employed both by the substitute Arabs for blacks! ple’s revolt in the first place, remain stream, has warned over the past two Mubarak/Suleiman regime and Mr Dictatorship is unsustainable in the intact, and old dictators are often merely weeks that Israel needs to act responsive- Lieberman et al to deflect attention away long run. Only democracy can sustain a replaced by new ones in different guises. ly to the new developments in Egypt, by from a democratic possibility. long-term prospect of stability, certainty People’s power means nothing unless which he means expediting a sustainable The most recent available survey evi- and peace in the region. channelled into a positive structure and two-state solution. dence suggests that the Brotherhood For those like me who are committed to ethos. It has to be “for” something, not Since the time of (Ehud) Barak in his enjoys less than 15 per cent support in a secure Israel, Egypt holds significant merely “against”. To demonstrate against initial incarnation, that appears unlikely, Egypt. Further, the broad coalition which transformative possibility. Israel should Mubarak is not enough. He must be as is evident from the WikiLeaks revela- has forced Mubarak out of power after seek to promote democracy in the region replaced with a system that will bring tions. Even the abandonment by the 30 years, is dominated by young people, as opposed to supping with ruthless dic- progress and betterment to Egyptians as a Palestinians of the right to return and many if not most who are secular. tators, while at the same time developing whole. It would be tragic if Mubarak’s East Jerusalem as their capital, did not With imaginative assistance from the meaningful initiatives for peace with regime were replaced by the tyranny of an ensure agreement. This disclosure puts US and the EU, this is the time to nudge Palestinians. Islamic fundamentalist regime. paid to the idea that the mistakes of Egypt into the kind of secular democratic The alternative is increasingly to draw For Israel, it is sadly true that the Arab Arafat at Taba will inevitably be repeated society, arguably best exemplified by into a military laager, thereby playing street still largely reviles it. Its peace by Palestinian negotiators. Turkey. only the short-term game while the legit- agreements with various Arab countries Given the manifest impossibility that an South Africans should remember the imacy of the state ebbs away both within have been built primarily through the Avigdor Lieberman de facto-led govern- response to the prospect of majority rule those countries who traditionally sup- leaders, rather than the people. In other ment (with Bibi Netanyahu in toe) will that many whites, including some within ported Israel and an increasing segment cases, the United States has helped create ever agree to a sustainable peace agree- our own community employed, namely of Jewry within the Diaspora. That is no a sense of common interests between gov- ment, the key question is what implica- that it will be one person, one vote, once! viable alternative for those who hold to ernments, if not exactly peace - such as tions now flow from the titanic struggles Of course transition is a dangerous the ideal of Israel as the moral beacon of that between Israel and Saudi Arabia on enveloping Egypt. business precisely because it is so unpre- the Jewish world. the Iranian nuclear weapons issue. The reality remains, however, that in Egypt and Jordan, the two Arab countries with full diplomatic ties with Israel, pro- With Egypt in turmoil, Israel rethinks fessional bodies and unions are still fixed in a mode of not condoning interaction with Israelis working in the same fields. Surveys among their Arab populations readiness for multi-front war still show that huge majorities perceive Jews - and Israel - unfavourably. Would the establishment of democracy in Egypt or Tunisia make their people less belligerent toward Israel? Turkey might be a possible precedent - a Muslim country which is democratic and where business and personal relationships between Turks and Israelis have continued even during times of mutual acrimony and harsh rhet- oric, such as the “flotilla” saga during the last two years. There is no telling. Winds of change may be welcome, but it is never certain that that they will not turn into a tornado. Repairing relationships
The mending of fences between the SA Jewish Board of Deputies and the Israeli Embassy after the extremely distasteful public spat between them recently, pro- voked by the cancellation of Tzipi Livni’s visit to South Africa, is to be welcomed. We publish on page 3 the joint statement issued by them on Tuesday after their peace-making meeting in Pretoria. Public feuds like that do no good for the Jewish community or for Israel, which have far more serious issues to tackle, requiring co-operation between all parties. The Jewish community must demand that its leaders and representatives rise above petty sniping, and maintain a level of dignity and diplomacy that brings credit to the community, rather than Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, right, the Egyptian defence minister, greets Adm Mike Mullen, chairman demeaning it. of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Cairo, on February 14, 2010. (PHOTOGRAPH: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE - CHAD J MCNEELEY) SEE STORY ON FACING PAGE 18 - 25 February 2011 SA JEWISH REPORT 9 OPINION AND ANALYSIS
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approximately 3 400 tanks and 500 fighter planes - is considered by far With Egypt in turmoil, Israel rethinks the strongest in the Arab world. Some of the equipment is state of the art: Egypt has about 1 000 Abrams M1 tanks and just over 200 its readiness for a multi-front war F-16 fighters. But the Egyptians have not even LESLIE SUSSER orbit of radical Islam. overnight to make the switch to ground forces to attack the enemy begun to incorporate RMA. JERUSALEM Things could get even worse, he full-scale warfare.” in its embedded positions and con- “RMA requires a great deal of said, when the Americans finally During Ashkenazi’s watch, which siderably shortening the duration training of a very special kind,” ALTHOUGH IT’S still far from clear pull out of Iraq, leaving that Shiite- began in 2007 in the wake of the of the conflict. Yiftah Shapir, director of the how the uprising in Egypt is going dominated country free to lurch army’s much-criticised perform- Perhaps the most dramatic stride Military Balance Project at the Tel to play out, the volatility there is toward the radicals. ance in the 2006 Second Lebanon forward made by the IDF over the Aviv-based Institute for National already raising questions in Israel In Ashkenazi’s view, all this War, the IDF focused on enhancing past few years is in field intelli- Security Studies, told JTA. “In my about the Jewish state’s readiness means that the IDF needs to pre- its already impressive accurate gence. If in 2006, its “bank” of tar- view there are just two armies who for a war on several fronts. pare for a significant broadening of long-range firepower, rebuilding its gets in Lebanon numbered approx- have these capabilities at the highest The optimistic view in Israel is the spectrum of threats against neglected capacity for sweeping imately 200, today the figure is in level: the US Army and the IDF. And that a wave of democracy will Israel. Not only does the IDF have armoured manoeuvres, and honing the thousands. Ashkenazi insists simply buying the platforms does sweep the Middle East from Cairo to to be ready to fight a simultaneous co-ordination for joint ground, sea that firepower is meaningless not give this kind of capability.” Tehran, making war in any form war on several fronts, it must be and air strikes. Training on all rele- unless there are targets of high Not that anyone thinks the less likely. able to wage very different kinds of vant parameters was increased by military value. Egyptians will be quick to wage war The pessimists - there are many warfare - from “low intensity” an estimated 200 per cent. “Show me your targets and I will on Israel or abrogate the peace here - see an ascendant Islamic rad- irregular conflict with terrorists, to According to Ashkenazi, Israel’s tell you what your military treaty between the two countries. If icalism taking hold in Egypt and classical conventional warfare “smart” guided missile firepower is achievement will be,” he declared Egypt did, at the very least it would elsewhere, thus compounding the against regular armies, to missile at the cutting edge, and in some at the Herzliya Conference. forfeit the $1,3 billion it receives in military threats facing Israel. warfare against states or powerful aspects the IDF may even be a All this adds up to a military doc- annual American military aid. In the Israel Defence Forces, gen- non-state actors like Hezbollah. world leader - for example, in its trine that is likely to give the IDF Moreover, to launch a ground war erals are planning for worst-case Even though the threat of terror- ability to pinpoint targets in the the capacity to wage different against Israel, Egypt would have to scenarios. ist or missile attack might seem heat of battle and bring lethal fire kinds of warfare simultaneously order the American-led multina- In a series of farewell addresses more imminent, IDF doctrine to bear within seconds. on several fronts: the so-called tional peacekeeping force out of this month, outgoing IDF Chief of under Ashkenazi has put the Despite the focus on conventional Revolution in Military Affairs, or Sinai, the huge buffer zone between Staff Gabi Ashkenazi offered a rare emphasis on war between regular warfare, the IDF also developed RMA. Israel sees an edge here over the two countries. That’s something insight into how the Israeli military armies. specific capabilities for terrorist potential foes: While Israel has a new regime would be unlikely to sees the emerging threats and what “We must train for classic con- and missile warfare. This includes a inculcated this sophisticated, real- undertake lightly. it is doing to meet them. ventional warfare. It poses the four-layered anti-missile defence time interoperation of accurate Nevertheless, Israeli generals Ashkenazi spoke of “tectonic biggest challenge, and from it we system starting with the Arrow long-range firepower, high-grade already are insisting that in an changes” in the region, leading to can make adaptations to other missile, capable of intercepting intelligence, command and control, increasingly unstable region, they gains for the Iranian-led radical forms of warfare, but not vice long-range missiles at altitudes of and joint forces operations, its will need more platforms and more axis at the expense of the region’s versa,” Ashkenazi argued earlier above 50 miles (80 km), to the Iron potential adversaries have not. troops. Otherwise the IDF, fighting moderates. He pointed to the grow- this month at the 11th annual Dome system for shooting down For comparison, the largely on several fronts, could find itself ing dominance of Hezbollah in Herzliya Conference on national, low-flying, short-range rockets. American-equipped and -trained overextended. Lebanon, the Islamist shift in regional and global strategic issues. In any future missile war against Egyptian army - with some 700 000 The change of events in Egypt Turkey and now the danger that “It would be a mistake to train for Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ashkenazi troops (450 000 in the standing portends a major argument in Israel Egypt, once the lynchpin of the low-intensity conflict and to think says the IDF will apply convention- army and about 250 000 reserves), over increasing the defence budget moderate camp, will fall into the that the army will be ready al warfare skills, committing 12 ground force divisions, and here. (JTA) 10 SA JEWISH REPORT 18 - 25 February 2011 ARTS MATTERS TAPESTRY COMPILED BY ROBYN SASSEN ART, BOOKS, DANCE, FILM, THEATRE Call 084-319-7844 or [email protected] at least one week prior to publication to play them, but nothing came of it until about 10 years later. Dance Factory (and other Somebody phoned me and asked venues, Newtown, Johan- me to play at a barmitzvah. nesburg): Dance Umbrella “I remembered I had these 2011 begins February 24. pieces, I arranged them for string call 082-632-9561 or see quartet and clarinet and we went www.artslink.co.za/arts. off to the barmitzvah. We played each of them three times and they Emperor’s, Kempton Park: went down really well.” Nataniël’s “Combat” until Then klezmer researcher at the March 17, (011) 928-1000. College of Music, Fay Singer, invited the group to play at her Everard Read Gallery, Summer School lecture, he Rosebank, Johannesburg: remembers, acknowledging her “Earth and Ink”, new work “affection and support” that made by Thea Soggot, until March things a lot more possible for the 9, (011) 788-4805. group. Performances at the opening of Gold of Africa Barbier Playing with Fire (Balkan - Klezmer band) comprises Keith Tabisher (guitar); Joe Bolton (tuba); Mike Blake the Board of Deputies’ conferences Mueller Museum, Cape (trumpet); Matthew Reid (saxophone/clarinet); Dave Ridgway (darambuka); and Andre van Vuuren (accor- in Cape Town and Johannesburg Town: “Earth is Watching dion). (PHOTOGRAPH: ADELE GOLDBERG) followed “and it just kept going”, Us”, an exhibition by he recalls. Threads of Africa, until Over the years, Reid has March 31, (021) 405-1540. changed the band from string ‘Infecting the city’ in klezmer quartet to include accordion and Heritage Theatre, Durban: double bass and had a go with Grant Bell and Barry MOIRA SCHNEIDER the shtetls of Eastern Europe. “It’s only the older people - of tuba and trombone. While the Thomson in “Neil Diamond: CAPE TOWN It has a following, he says, and whom there are not many left - music has its roots among the The Jazz Singer” until has definitely come into its own in who really know about it and iden- strolling shtetl musicians of February 27, (031) 765-4197. YOU DON’T have to be Jewish. the last decade, particularly in the tify with it. There’s this whole Eastern Europe, he aims to give it That certainly applies to the musi- European countries that have younger generation that doesn’t more contemporary appeal. iArt Gallery, Wembley, cians of Playing with Fire (Balkan - opened up over this time. know anything about it and thinks Playing with Fire has per- Cape Town: “To Skip the Klezmer band), none of whose “I think people are sick of com- it’s “oude doos”, meaning in a formed at the annual Yiddish Last Step”, sculptures by members are of the faith. mercial music and are longing to sense it is antiquated. Song Festival in Cape Town since Beth Armstrong, in honour While some may find this para- hear some of the rough, original Reid was first attracted to its inception 10 years ago. On of the late Mark Hipper, doxical, leader Matthew Reid is not sounds that come from different klezmer as a student at UCT in the March 16, ORT SA mounts the until February 23, (021) 424- one of them. “The genre is open to countries,” the clarinetist ventures. 1980s. He was sharing digs with a production at the Lyric Theatre in 5150. anybody these days – if you look at “Fabulous film scores have done girl who had a record of Giora Ormonde, Johannesburg, (011) any of the big bands like The a lot to create something of a cult Feidman, an “awesome” 728-7145. Linder Auditorium, Klezmatics (US), they’re made up of following, certainly of Balkan Argentinian clarinetist now living February 21-26, they take part in Parktown: On February 19, musicians of all kinds. music,” which he describes as in Israel, who he regards as “singu- Infecting the City, part of the Spier ‘cellist Georgi Anichenko “The most important thing is to being fairly similar to klezmer. larly responsible” for reviving the Public Arts Festival, the hub of performs works by Faure, identify with the music.” Yet, Reid says, there is a strange genre. which will be the newly-refur- Poulenc, Hanmer and As far as Reid is aware, the band feeling among Jewish people in this “I remember listening to this bished forecourt of Cape Town Shostakovich for the JMS, is the only one in this country play- country towards the genre. “I think record and hearing the same Station. The musical component (011) 728-5492. February 23, ing the characteristic dance music there’s a wish to leave Eastern instrument make all these sounds - aims to showcase the sounds of 24, the JPO performs works and instrumental display pieces Europe behind - certainly the I couldn’t believe it was the same diverse cultural communities of by Tchaikovsky, Ravel, Saint- enjoyed at weddings and other cele- younger generation has taken on instrument. At the time, I wrote this city. See www.infectingth- Saëns and Rimsky-Korsakov. brations, which has its origins in Hebrew and Israeli music. some of the pieces down and tried ecity.com. Soloist: Svetlin Roussev (vio- lin), conductor: Emil Tabakov, (011) 789-2733. Bieber scoops World Press Market, Newtown: In the Barney Simon, James ROBYN SASSEN happens to women every single day all over the Ngcobo’s “Sunjata”, ends on world.” March 6. In the Laager, SOUTH AFRICAN photographer Jodi Bieber joined Aisha’s image has become a global symbol of the Fugard’s “Sizwe Banzi is a prestige group of world photographers when she Taliban’s violence towards women; David Burnett, Dead”, directed by Monageng scooped the overall 2010 World Press award for her the jury chairman, commented on the World Press Motshabi, ends on February photograph of the disfigured face of an 18-year-old website that this could be “one of those pictures - and 20, (011) 832-1641. Afghan girl which appeared on the cover of Time we have maybe just 10 in our lifetime - where some- magazine year August. (pictured left) body says: ‘You know, that picture of a girl…’ and you Montecasino, Fourways: In Bibi Aisha had her nose and ears cut off by the know exactly what they’re talking about.” the Pieter Toerien, Taliban as punishment for fleeing her abusive hus- Other prize-winning photographs showed every- “Sentimientos”, a work by band’s house. thing from flooding in Pakistan to protesters rioting in Cape Town-based Spanish Bieber has, since 1993, won eight category prizes Thailand and covered many of last year’s major dance company La Rosa, in the World Press Photo awards, but never the top events, including the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico ends on Feburary 20; in the prize. She is now one of only two South Africans to and Iceland’s volcanic ash cloud. Studio, “Mass Appeal” have attained this singular honour—Leslie Bieber will receive her award, which carries a cash directed by Alan Swerdlow, Hammond took the photograph of the year in 1977. prize of €10 000 and a Canon EOS Digital SLR Camera until March 27, (011) 511- Bieber was “amazed” by the accolade: “It’s not a big and lens kit, in Amsterdam in May. She will be pro- 1818. In Teatro, “Riverdance” breaking news story. Violence against women… filed in these pages in the next few weeks. until February 20, (011) 510- 7472. nominee Jeff Bridges, is unable to achieve. (Barry Pepper). Old Mutual Theatre on FELDMAN That said, True Grit gains a great deal from The indifference of the local law has prompt- the Square, Sandton: On the Coen brothers’ fresh interpretation and is ed the bright-as-a-button Mattie to seek out February 24, the acclaimed ON FILM superior in many departments. Cogburn, a one-eyed, tough-as-nails drunkard “London Road” opens. The Peter Feldman While no actor could arguably hope to eclipse to act as a bounty hunter. Friday concerts feature Wayne’s iconic performance of Marshall Although initially not interested, Cogburn Malané Hofmeyr-Burger, Cogburn - the role for which he won his only changes his mind when Mattie offers an attrac- Miro Chakaryan (violin), PICK OF THE WEEK Oscar - Bridges applies his own slant to the tive reward. Also accompanying Mattie and Susan Mouton (‘cello) and character - and it works. Cogburn is LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), a Texas Lady Hester Martin (piano) True Grit This new production boasts stronger overall Ranger hunting Chaney for the assassination on February 18; and “In acting, a tighter script, a better production of a senator. Cinq” - Dorota Swart (vio- Cast: Jeff Bridges; Hailee Steinfeld; Matt design, more graphic violence – and a marvel- There is no sentimental bonding between lin), Ginger Neff (violin), Damon; Josh Brolin; Barry Pepper lous performance from the young Oscar nomi- Mattie and Cogburn, but the marshall does Andrea Erasmus (viola), Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen nated Hailee Steinfeld who forcefully drives the admire Mattie’s straightforward approach and Sonja Bass (‘cello) and narrative. her ability to keep on track even when things Morné van Heerden (clar- The Oscar-nominated “True Grit” gives this This was a role originally played by Kim got tough. inet) on February 25, (011) Western classic something of a dust-up in the Darby but the Coens have now made this feisty She sees beneath the whiskey fumes and 883-8606. hands of the famed Coen brothers. character the film’s focal point. recognises that he can be a hero when circum- It’s a stirring reworking of the Charles Portis True Grit is a tale of vengeance in the Old stances dictate. Radium Beer Hall, Orange novel imbued with a darker, sardonic tone. West (Oklahoma, around the end of the 19th cen- Matt Damon’s LaBoeuf is a dull individual Grove: On February 19, However, John Wayne the original Rooster tury) – where 14-year old Mattie Ross (Steinfeld) and fades into the background of the story. Laurie Levine and Christine Cogburn remains the definitive entity in my is seeking justice for her murdered father. The Coen brothers have stated that their ver- and the Hollowbodies per- book. While The Duke may not have succeeded The culprit is a drifter named Tom Chaney, sion of True Grit is closer to the source materi- form their first gig for 2011, with the Coens’ many sly in-jokes, he was able played by a comically simian Josh Brolin, al than Henry Hathaway’s 1969 version, but (011) 728-3866. to reach out and move his audience to heights of who has fled into Indian territory to join up there remain changes, including a reworking emotion that the present incumbent, Oscar with a gang fronted by Lucky Ned Pepper of the ending. 18 - 25 February 2011 SA JEWISH REPORT 11
TAPESTRY - ART, BOOKS, DANCE, FILM, THEATRE
Good reads with an African flavour REVIEWED BY GWEN PODBREY story of love and political intrigue. blood and, like a virus, remains like sensing when someone else is SA and Alzheimer’s Disease Gripping reading. there forever. A book of wonderful passing the buck, managing inter- International, Livni - a neurologist Parley With the Devil insights, great poignancy and personal relations and conflict, as by profession - began himself expe- by Kevin Butler, price on request, The Trouble With Africa by superbly realised cameos of the well as problem-solving. Not, per- riencing symptoms of the disease, ISBN 978-0-620458-86-3 Vic Guhrs (Penguin, R184) African experience. haps, the most commendable and has documented these in order response to the “am I my brother’s to track its progression and impact A dark, but captivating novel set Short stories illustrating precise- The Utian Strategy: Is This My keeper?” question, but a useful on his daily life. in the colonial age in Cape Town, ly why German-born artist Problem or is This Your Problem? guide to navigating the messy He includes the long, hard battle with abolitionists battling to pre- Guhrs, who immigrated to this by Dr Wolf Utian (Utian boundaries of so many 21st centu- towards acceptance, beginning vent the importation of slave continent at the age of 22 and Press, R158,91, available at: ry relationships. with denial and moving on to anger labour - a conflict which eventual- lived for 25 years in an isolated www.kalahari.net) and the desperate search for ly results in the abduction of a bush camp in the Luangwa Valley The Japanese Therapists by answers to stem the slow loss of city councillor to the West African in Zambia, passionately loves A careful analysis of how easily Michael Livni (Michael Livni, R90, memory, relationships and self- coast. Africa, in spite of (or, perhaps, we allow the dilemmas created by tel (011) 646-4488 or 083-468-5975) hood. Butler’s writing is both educa- because of) its many contradic- (and belonging to) others to The book is centred on his inter- tional and entertaining, bringing to tions, complexities and anom- become our own, thus complicat- After a lifetime spent in dementia actions with his two Japanese ther- vivid life much of this sorely neg- alies. ing our lives and our relation- care, which included serving on the apists. A startling and highly valu- lected aspect of our national histo- The trouble with Africa, he ships. boards of the Alzheimer’s and able, work for anyone affected by ry and skilfully winding it into a declares, is that it gets into one’s Utian’s books advises on things Related Disorders Association in Alzheimer’s. A reflection of growing old and loneliness ROBYN SASSEN Bank Ovation Award, this small- Nigerian woman - it tells a tale of scale production which featured on South African stereotypes with gen- A PLAY that melted hearts when it the festival’s fringe, became a festi- tleness and perspicacity. took the National Arts Festival in val must-see, over and above more “London Road is a simple and Grahamstown last year by storm, than 300 productions. intimate reflection on growing old, “London Road” written by Nicholas Featuring 30-something Robyn loneliness, fragmented families and Spagnoletti and directed by Lara Scott in the role of Rosa Kaplowitz, the healing power of a friendship,” Bye, premiers in Gauteng from this a 70-something widow living alone said Bye. week. in Sea Point, opposite Ntombi A long-time resident of Sea Point, The first winner of the Standard Makutshi - as Stella, a young Spagnoletti has constructed London Road from observations and overhead conversations within this suburb. “Sea Point has long been a new Rosa (Robyn home for many immigrants,” he Scott) and said. “The play echoes the realities Stella of families in a state of migration and emigration - looking at what (Ntombi happens to those who stay behind.” Makhutsi) in London Road is at Old Mutual London Theatre on the Square, Sandton, Road. from February 22 until March 19, (PHOTOGRAPH: (011) 883-8606. It will be reviewed in SUZY BERN- these pages within the next few STEIN) weeks. 12 SA JEWISH REPORT 18 - 25 February 2011 LETTERS The Editor, Suite 175, Postnet X10039, Randburg, 2125 email: [email protected]
Guidelines for letters: Letters up to 400 words will get preference. Please provide your full first name Disclaimer: The letters page is intended to provide opportunity for a range of views on any and surname, place of residence, and a daytime contact telephone or cell number. We do not publish let- given topic to be expressed. Opinions articulated in the letters are those of the writers and do not ters under noms de plume. Letters should preferably be e-mailed. Letters may be edited or shortened. necessarily reflect the views of the editor, staff or directors of the Jewish Report
EVIAN’S GENERALISATION STICKS IN THE CRAW CALLS FOR SAJBD’S RESIGNATION ARE JUSTIFIED I WAS incensed by the patronising, self-right- various counters, he had every right, even a ONE HAS to sympathise with (associ- monious, damaging and divisive con- eous, judgemental letter from David Evian of responsibility, to speak up then and there, to ate director) David Saks and (national troversy”. But the SAJBD is responsi- Australia (Jewish Report February 11). How correct their behaviour, rather than to return director) Wendy Kahn. They’re paid ble for much of the acrimony. Kahn’s dare he judge and make sweeping statements to his pedestal, in the “utopia” where he has employees of the SAJBD, forced to scurrilous attack on Rabbi Michal on such as “…what astounded me was how dis- been living for 25 years and then pass judge- obey the elected officials. Those elect- the MyShtetl website is a case in gustingly the white people talk to the black ment. ed officials seem happy to ask their point. people in all walks of life, especially noticed at That is what needs to be done here and employees to lie. Now the SAJBD is also at logger- kosher counters in hypermarkets... abusing wherever we find ourselves: speak up, try and It’s an impossible choice: stay true heads with the Israeli ambassador, attendants as if they were animals”. change what we believe is unjust, but not run to your principles and lose your job, the Israeli Embassy, and the Israeli The people he saw behaving badly (which away from our responsibility and then criti- or do your masters’ bidding. Kahn Foreign Ministry. should never be acceptable) at the kosher cise others from afar. He ran away because he and Saks can be forgiven for choosing Two key questions need answers: counters or elsewhere, are individuals and do predicted “...blood baths and anarchy...” (in the latter in today’s economic climate. First, can the rift between the SAJBD not represent all the Jews or for that matter themselves racist sentiments). In last week’s Jewish Report, Saks and the community be healed? whites in South Africa. After 25 years out of South Africa, Mr says allegations that Kahn lied when Second, are calls for the Board to In every society there are bad mannered Evian, I feel confident to say you have con- asked about the SAJBD’s meeting resign justified and, if so, how best to people. How does he know that they were not tributed little to change in this country, so you with (ANC Councillor and member of appoint a new Board. dealing with poor service, dished out by a rude are merely a visitor and as such should not Johannesburg’s mayoral committee, I do believe the rift can be healed. and insolent shop attendant, where the colour insult your hosts, which too is very bad man- Christine) Walters are “unjust and But the SAJBD would have to apolo- of their skin made no difference? We have ners; rather don’t visit again. uncalled for”. gise to the community for the lies it moved on. He says Kahn thought they were told and for its perceived arrogance. It If he felt so strongly about how these people, Shirley Bricker asking if she herself had met Walters. would also have to show that it takes “his fellow Jews”, treated the assistants at the Johannesburg This is playing semantics. When the threat to the Baal Shem Tov Shul Kahn was asked “Did the SAJBD meet and other communal institutions seri- BE AT ALL TIMES AWARE OF THE POLITICAL DECOY with Walters?” she said, “No”. ously. I believe that Kahn thought she was And yes, the calls to resign are jus- I AM referring to the letters in the Jewish a very thankless job and more importantly being truthful, and that she did not tified. The fact that the SAJBD is at Report regarding the Baal Shem Tov Shul due to the very nature of our community, to know about the meeting. I think loggerheads with so many parties nightmare. please half of the community means to irri- (SAJBD national chairman) Zev within the community proves that its Jewish people are very apologetic by nature. tate or disappoint the other half. We therefore Krengel acted unilaterally and met elected officials are not able to dis- As arrogant as we may be labelled, we always all agree there is no winning for the board. Walters without keeping his col- charge their duties adequately. seem to be the ones conceding and apologising However, when we go back to the moral leagues informed. The electoral process at the SAJBD in the end. ground, I would strongly suggest that the That points to serious internal needs a radical overhaul. Those mem- This issue of “public” figures is about custo- SAJBD endeavours to reclaim this position problems at the SAJBD that are bers of the community not affiliated dians of support bases within specific commu- and either remain neutral and helpful, or take beyond the scope of this letter. to formal structures must have a nities. Christine Walters is a councillor in the themselves out of the picture completely until There is no doubt in my mind that voice, and the pool of people available City of Johannesburg. She has a further the matter is resolved. the SAJBD did try to hide its meeting to serve on the SAJBD must be broad- responsibility by virtue of the fact that she is There is too much at stake for them and I with Walters. ened. also a member of the Mayoral Committee. personally believe that internally they are When Rabbi Gavin Michal (of the One method could be to establish a This responsibility is not just to people that divided on this issue and therefore the per- Baal Shem Tov Shul) asked Krengel if website where all members of the may have voted her party (the ANC) into the ceived contradictions that some of the com- the SAJBD had met Walters, Krengel community could register. Registered majority position, but it is to any and all resi- munity are seeing and writing about. refused to answer and stormed out of members could then participate in the dents of Johannesburg. This is a mandate that This does not help those who know the the meeting. It subsequently emerged election process, and nominate people I hope she provides fairly, without bias or prej- necessity of having a strong umbrella body that Krengel, representing the to stand for election. udice to any community. that protects the interests of the community, SAJBD, had met with Walters. In the 10 years I have been in Council, I have because we are seeing early signs of weakness Saks is correct that the matter has Leslie Harris always found Walters approachable and one of in terms of these contradictions reported escalated into “an exceptionally acri- Johannesburg the more transparent councillors. I would be above. utterly disappointed and shocked if I find the From the reported weighted mediation that allegations against her to be true, because I has taken place so far, it would seem that the DEFILING OF A PERSONALITY IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE am fond of her and her fairness. SAJBD has fallen for one of the greatest MAY I be permitted to pass some country. However, if I am to support Walters and deceptive political tricks in the book - decoy. remarks regarding the SA Jewish Criticism of a message is a freedom believe that this was all just about a process While the SAJBD and the Baal Shem Tov con- Report’s editorial of February 11? The of expression which permits and and that she religiously watches all the rezon- gregation are at loggerheads, the real enemies relevant editorial comments were as encourages, debate and disagreement ing applications and acts with the same are allowed to win moral ground by virtue of follows: by any individual. This difference of amount of certainty and rigour in all cases, their silence and our own usual “implosion”. “Many letters received are pub- opinion is the foundation of a healthy then I would be saying that the rabbi and his This whole scenario should be focused on lished, others aren’t because of the debate and should be encouraged to congregants are liars, opportunists and not two pertinent questions and all other emo- ugly tone. It is a search for the golden “extract” the truth, and justify the worldly enough to recognise cars accelerating tions should be taken out so that concentra- mean - allowing robust, even heated comments being made. near them or mutterings from neighbours. tion and focus be left for the real tasks at debate and giving people a medium Where the problem may lie, is that So, now I find myself at a cross roads hand: for their own voice, yet giving a sense some editors, especially those whose because we all know there are three sides to 1. Were the land rezoning objections han- of decorum and dignity. Stifling newspapers are “affiliated” to a given every story: the one the other and the truth. dled correctly and legally? Was due process healthy argumentation or virulent political ideology, will deliberately Enters the third “public” figure in the story followed? Is the synagogue a threat to any views would be to insult the energetic avoid publication of articles which and that is the SAJBD. What are their terms of infringement due to its existence? minds of readers. Yet an unbridled may successfully repudiate the con- reference? Legal process must be allowed to take its free for all is unacceptable.” cepts of a given political edict in the I think the community entrusts such a course without political interference and all The critical point is that to attack fear that this will weaken, if not board to protect their interests as a minority parties then need to abide by the decisions the messenger in his personal capaci- destroy, the credibility of that politi- in this country and to be the voice of reason when they are fairly decreed. ty is defamatory and as such is sub- cal programme. when it comes to mediation in public forums. 2. Was there an abuse of power by a high- ject to litigation and punishment. This hidden editorial agenda is More importantly, when a high profile issue profile public representative and was it fuelled This defiling of personality is totally what makes individuals suspicious of such as this one arises, it is crucial that our by anti-Semitism? Either way, if any of these unacceptable and only serves to dis- the so-called “freedom of the press” “public” figures ensure that not they not only two channels are proven then punishment tract from the topic at hand by cloud- and may thus regard this as a plati- maintain the higher moral ground, but that should be dished out against the perpetrator. ing, and overriding the issues being tude of mouth, and which is certainly they communicate with the rest of their con- debated. A personal vendetta must be not implemented. stituents to follow suit. Darren Bergman totally forbidden. Vigorous debate, differences of Unfortunately not in the Jewish community. DA Spokesperson on Safety Attacking the thought processes, opinion, and perhaps more impor- Here we find a different animal. The board is (Johannesburg) ideologies, and political pronounce- tantly, the opportunity to give expres- packed with many colourful characters. Raedene ments is not an attack on the individ- sion to these multiplicities of Now I say this upfront, I really do not have a ual as such, but rather it questions thought, is a vital component of free- problem with the SAJBD as I believe they have The letter has been shortened. - Editor the validity, and in many cases the dom of speech, which is in turn, a fun- morality, of the opinions being damental backbone of a democratic expressed. society. BOARD’S BAAL SHEM TOV RESPONSE IS DISINGENUOUS Denigrating the individual in his Authoritarianism, and autocratic IT WAS with pleasure that I noted the SABJD’s answering the question: “Did you meet with personal capacity is often a ploy behaviour coupled with regulated response (“SABJD responds to Stanley Luntz’s (Councillor Christine) Walters?” in the nega- resorted to by those who do not control of differing opinions, can only letter in SAJR”, February 11) to my previous tive. Oh, come off it! “Did YOU meet with understand, respect, or have the abil- lead to intellectual dishonesty and challenge. My compliments to the Board for Walters?” CLEARLY means: “Did the BOARD” ity to question with dignity and deco- destruction of the principles of free- upholding Jewry’s penchant for robust, fat- meet with Walters?” rum the subject matter at hand. This dom of thought and freedom of wah-free debate. So I could bounce your question straight is not an uncommon method of expression. This must never be SABJD respondent David Saks essentially back: “Why deny meeting Walters?” destroying the validity of a message allowed to happen. says the Board does not respond to allegations But let us rise above tit-for-tat exchanges being delivered, and is one frequently of anti-Semitism unless it can be incontrovert- and wave-of-the-hand dismissals and grasp the evident among many political Dr A M Levin ibly proved that such allegations were indeed nettle. What we, BST congregants, crave is a appointees who hold office in this Bryanston, Sandton made. Sound point. Mr Saks, however, then lucid explanation for what we see as incompre- goes on to say... “the Board… investigates the hensible conduct by the Board. allegations very thoroughly indeed”. The Board has made an encouraging start by INSTRUCTIONS FOR RCHCC MEMBERSHIP Indeed? Mr Saks is respectfully reminded showing its preparedness to engage in debate. THE RABBI Cyril Harris Com- “that all cheques must now be made that the Board’s conclusion was made without All we now ask is the explanation that will munity Centre in Johannesburg, out to ‘Rabbi Cyril Harris any Board member actually visiting the Baal turn heat into light. advises members or those still wish- Community Centre’ as they will no Shem Tov Shul. ing to take out membership, that longer accept cheques made out to Mr Saks’ next point is that Wendy Kahn Stanley Luntz the bank has advised the centre RCHCC”. answers only for herself personally when Johannesburg 18 - 25 February 2011 SA JEWISH REPORT 13 COMMUNITY COLUMNS ABOVE Voter registration BOARD Africa and urging people to join him in boycotting it. Zev Krengel, It was encouraging that the band as a whole, in National Chairman response to the well-co-ordinated public outrage, dis- tanced itself from the advert. SABC also issued a state- A column of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies ment in which it declared that it did not associate itself with the view expressed in the advertisement, but that THE YEAR 2011 is “Local Elections” year and voter it would continue with it unless the Advertising registration is now underway. We hope very much that Standards Authority of SA (ASA) ruled that it was in our community will ensure that they are part of this conflict with the ASA Code. process. How people choose to cast their votes on the The Board’s response was to seek expert opinion as day is entirely their affair, of course. to the acceptability of the advert in terms of the ASA What the Board urges is that as many people as Code. The advocate we briefed was of the opinion that possible do ensure that they are properly registered there were indeed good grounds to lodge a complaint and that they turn out on polling day to cast their bal- with the ASA. On our instructions, he drafted the letter lots. The strength or otherwise of a democracy is of complaint, which we lodged with the ASA. We will very much tied up with how much ordinary citizens update you in due course as to the outcome. participate in it. South African Jews have traditionally identified Bursaries 2011 themselves with the political culture of the day, and we The Board’s bursary subcommittees in Johannesburg, hope that this will continue. Cape Town and Durban recently met to make appropri- Some polling stations have moved, so you may not be ate grants for the 2011 academic year, with well over 100 registered in a particular area. To call to see if you are applicants receiving bursaries to continue their studies. registered, you need to SMS you ID number to 32810, or The funds administered by the Board comprise various visit www.elections.org.za. You can also phone the IEC legacies from community members entrusted to it over toll free on 0800 118 000. the years for purposes of helping needy and/or academ- ically deserving students, both Jewish and non-Jewish. ‘Faithless’ anti-Israel advert Those wishing to apply for future bursaries from the Much anger was generated in the community by a SAJBD and require the necessary information, should scurrilous advertisement calling for a cultural boycott contact our national offices on (011) 645-2521/ of Israel that was aired on the radio station 5fm. The [email protected] or write to PO Box 87557, advertisement featured Dave Randall, guitarist of the Houghton, 2041. Faithless Rock Band then about to tour South Africa, making a statement likening Israel to apartheid South This column is paid for by the SAJBD
FOR THE RECORD SAZF CONFERENCE OPENING IS ON MARCH 26 In the SA Zionist Federation column in last week’s paper, through an editing mistake we pro- vided a wrong date for its “Footsteps to the Future” conference opening night. The correct date is March 26 and not March 2 as stated. We regret the error.
LETTERS ‘JEW-ON-JEW FEUDS’ AND THE BRITISH REALITY ON A recent visit to Oxford, England, I was delighted to kindness and compassion upon US and upon ALL OF find that the Oxford Jewish Centre is an Orthodox shul, YOUR PEOPLE ISRAEL. but also has liberal and Masorti minyanim and collabo- Bless us, our Father, ALL OF US AS ONE, rates their leadership equally, sharing the role of presi- with the light of Your countenance, for with the light dent among the three denominations by unofficially of Your countenance, changing this role about every two years. You gave us, Hashem, our G-d, the Torah of life and They are in adjacent premises and harmoniously LOVE OF KINDNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, BLESS- share the same hall for Shabbos Kiddush and other ING, compassion, life and PEACE. functions. May peace, love, dignity and mutual respect soon What a rare and wonderful example of civilised reign among all our Jewish people throughout South Jewish behaviour! Perhaps if our South African Jewish Africa, Israel and the world. community followed this pattern we could make a reali- ty of our beautiful Prayer for Peace: Edna Freinkel Establish peace, goodness, blessing, graciousness, Johannesburg EVIAN HAS A LOT OF BAGGAGE HE SHOULD LEAVE BEHIND I RECOMMEND David Evian leave his fellow Jews and any abusive behaviour from any person. No racial, Israelis that he brought with him from Australia, who cultural, national or any other profiling of abusive “abused attendants as if they were animals”, at home people is required, as it is common knowledge that next time he comes to South Africa. abusive people are found in all forms of life. He should also leave the old apartheid baggage he carries around there, also. In the post-1994 South Louis Mielke Africa all people have rights and no one need tolerate Johannesburg.
NK 14 SA JEWISH REPORT 18 - 25 February 2011
YOUTH TALK Alison Goldberg [email protected] Johannesburg Art Gallery comes to King David Sandton STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY VIVIENNE Grade 7s created a surreal poem and col- Members of the Habonim Dror Veida Artzit WEINER (KDS ART TEACHER) lage, using techniques and games that pro- vide inspiration. It was an interactive and (national assembly) vote on a proposal. GRADE 7 art learners at King David Sand- informative hour which was thoroughly ton were treated to a visit from Lorraine enjoyed by all participants. Deift, a lecturer at the Johannesburg Art Habonim Dror’s Veida Artzit Gallery, who spoke to the learners about the Pictured are Erin Smith; Shayna Harris; and gallery and further complemented their cur- Kerry Izerel, King David Sandton grade 7 rent study of surrealism with a discussion of learners, enjoying a surrealist art activity. provides food for thought the work of particular artists. GABI ALTAMIRANO (JOHANNESBURG bogrim body to put forward proposals to YOUTH WORKER OF 2011). make changes to the ideology of HDSA or to PHOTOGRAPH: GEMMA COWAN introduce new ways of implementing this ideology. HA’DERECH: Peulah – “The Path: Action”, One example of a proposal that was was certainly an apt name to be given to this passed, reads: “To encourage the use of rel- year’s Veida Artzit (national assembly). evant biblical, classic and modern Jewish Veida is a biennial conference, where the texts as well as material that deals with the leadership of Habonim Dror Southern culture, heritage and history of the Jewish Africa (HDSA) gathers as the highest deci- people in all spheres of our education.” sion-making body of the movement to As a movement which takes our ideologi- engage with, revise and, if necessary, change cal stance very seriously, proposals such as the movement’s ideals, platforms and direc- these are essential in ensuring that our ide- tion. ology and chukka are properly engaged Veida was held at the Happy Haven Rotary with and practised. campsite in Glencairn from January 26 – 30. Ideology is the core of why we do what we During the five days, over 50 bogrim do; it is the motivation and reason behind (Habonim leadership), shlichim and over- our actions and as such, requires time and seas guests grappled with, debated and energy in deciding how we go about actual- defined what HDSA is, what we stand for and ising all that we stand for. how we can make our actions reflect this. During the Veida, we were privileged to SA Jewish youth embark on an The name Ha’derech: Peulah, was chosen host two members from Habonim Dror in order to encourage action and the imple- Olami (World Habonim Dror), who spent enriching Israel Encounter tour mentation of our chukka (constitution). the time getting to know and understand Through focusing on the concept of imple- HDSA. The event was a great success, which OWN CORRESPONDENT with a drum café, rode donkeys and camels mentation, Veida provided a chance for the proved to be extremely inspiring, passion- PHOTOGRAPH SHIRA ROI and slept in a Bedouin tent. leadership to come up with practical ways of ate and at times, rather challenging. They visited museums, climbed Masada ensuring that our ideology is not only inspir- The last Veida to revise the chukka was ISRAEL ENCOUNTER, the annual Torah at sunrise and in Jerusalem visited the Old ing, but can come to fruition through struc- held in January 2009. We will soon have the Academy grade 11 tour for the Girls’ and City, the Kotel, Kotel tunnels and held a tish tured policies. newly revised chukka, as well as an imple- Boys’ High Schools and which also includes in Mea Shearim They spent time at the Veida is a chance for members of the mentation book, on our website for review. learners from other Jewish schools, were Dead Sea and visited seminaries with a led during the school holidays by Torah view to study in the future. Academy’s two high school principals, The girls also volunteered at Aleh, a Rebecca Sarchi and Rabbi Motti Hadar. home for mentally and physically disabled Four Jewish kids receive Before embarking on their 2011 matric children. year, the learners visited various places of They were joined by girls from Beis interest, touring the country from north to Yaakov, Maharsha, Yeshiva College and Crawford Pretoria awards south, including the Golan Heights, Tiber- schools in Melbourne and Sydney. ius, Kesem HaGolan, Kfar Kedem, Ein Gedi, They are pictured in Safed with TA Girls’ STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH: DIANE WOLFSON Masada and Jerusalem. High principal Rebecca Sarchi (seated, PRETORIA The girls went on a cruise of the Kinneret third from right).
AT THE special assembly held at Crawford College Pretoria this past week, four Jewish learners received colours and awards for academics, culture and service. Demi Brenner (grade 9) - academic full colours: average 85 per cent, 10 distinctions and junior half cultural colours for dramatic arts in 2010. Leora Fine (grade 10), academic full colours; average 87 per cent, 9 distinctions, certificate of merit for dramatic arts in 2010 and junior half cul- tural colours for dance Sahar Funis (grade 10) - academic full colours; Demi Brenner, Leora Fine; and average 89 per cent, 10 distinctions. Jonathan Wolfson receiving their Jonathan Wolfson (grade 11) - senior full colours awards. Sahar Funis is absent. for service to the college and the community in 2010. Matric Dux Assembly – fitting tribute to the group of 2010 KEREN ZWICK PHOTOGRAPH: GARY BLOCK Potent play by 4th year Wits student FRIDAY JANUARY 21 was King David Linskfield ROBYN SASSEN High School’s annual Matric Dux Assembly. The assembly serves to celebrate the exceptional THIS YEAR’S “O” week celebrations at Wits achievements of the matric group and the 2010 University features a potent play written, matric’s certainly gave our school reason to celebrate. directed and developed by drama graduate Dux of the school, Ricky Bonner, who achieved Courtneigh Cloud as a part of her fourth eight distinctions, came in the top five per cent of the year direction project last year. The play IEB nationally and several other learners achieved draws from the true life story of Cloud’s incredible results. Johannesburg-based grandfather, Israel King David Linksfield achieved monumental suc- Gurwicz, who as a 12-year-old escaped from cess with the matrics of 2010 and this is testament to the Vilna ghetto, losing his parents and the parental involvement, learner commitment and young sister and eventually being raised by exceptional staff of our school. Ricky Bonner, Dux of the school the young Polish woman who had been the family’s governess before the war. It’s an astonishing theatrical achieve- Olivia (left) and Courtneigh Cloud, with Daron Golden’s another bright Jewish kid ment of one so young made the more so by their beloved grampa, Israel Gurwicz. a brilliant performance of Courtneigh’s (PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED) IN AN article in Jewish Report of January Although not attending a Jewish day school, sister, Olivia (13), in the role of her grand- 21, we mentioned under the headline “What Daron Golden - who attended Rondebosch father as a child. The three-hander, per- both young Cloud women. the two brightest Jewish kids intend to do” High School in Cape Town - came 9th in the formed with a minimal set and a haunting “Boys from the Ashes” is in the Main the two top scorers in Jewish day schools in Western Cape in the matric results. Therefore music backing reflects an important Theatre at Wits University, until February the 2010 matric examination. another “bright Jewish kid.” understanding of theatre possibilities for 18, (011) 717-1380. 18 - 25 February 2011 SA JEWISH REPORT 15
“This is criminal!” he exclaims. “Here John Bransby, we’ve got the facilities to make a huge differ- head of sci- Bransby a fresh breeze in ence - what we need is people to come to the ence at Herzlia party in terms of funding.” High School, Bransby estimates it would cost R10 000 demonstrates science and maths teaching per school to roll out, in addition to the cost of a computer and data projector. At the the interactive STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY embedded for grades 10, 11 and 12 science. “I moment, he is sponsoring the Siyafunda method of MOIRA SCHNEIDER have decided to make our PowerPoint slides Project out of his own pocket. teaching he CAPE TOWN much more interactive, so I’ve hyperlinked And what has been the reaction of his wants to hundreds of simulations into it; this is what learners? “The kids are so excited about this extend to dis- A LACK of textbooks and qualified teachers we are now testing at this school and the that they almost run to science so they don’t advantaged face education in this country. But this could other 10 on the project,” he says, referring to miss out on anything,” he says. schools. be history as far as mathematics and science the Siyafunda Science Project, whose goal it teaching are concerned if a methodology of is to extend the system to 10 underprivileged presenting these subjects devised by John Western Cape schools. Bransby is further adopted. “We’ve got a huge textbook problem in Bransby, who has been head of science at South Africa. My programme solves that: Herzlia High for the past 20 years and prin- the school has the facilities to make the cipal of Theodore Herzl in Port Elizabeth guides - all you need is access to a photocopi- prior to that, has since his early career been er.” an innovator with many of his ideas having As for teachers who don’t have “quite the been introduced in schools across the coun- necessary training to stand on their own two try. feet”, he says that because the system fits In 2004, he decided “digital was the way to together so logically, it will assist them to go”, introducing a set of 10 CDs each for become “pretty competent”. teachers and learners covering the science According to Bransby, learners relying on curriculum for grades 10 - 12, that are in use the study guides alone could easily score 70 by some 350 schools. per cent for the subject. He maintains that Bransby says there are very few master his method produced an average matric sci- mathematics and science teachers, namely ence mark of 81 per cent at Herzlia last year. “people who are really on top of their game”, The usual average mark for the subject in South Africa. In the majority of schools, would be around 50 per cent, if that. teachers are ill-trained, lack equipment and “I’m passionate about teaching maths and in many instances, textbooks. science and the fact that it needs to be Bransby’s interactive method of teaching improved,” he adds. “Last year in matric, 52 science has been available for five years, but per cent failed maths and 53 per cent failed he has decided that it needs some changes. science - that means they couldn’t even get The new format has 150 hyperlinks 30 per cent. This maths teaching all adds up
ALISON GOLDBERG for the highest maths results in the Johan- nesburg East District in 2004. Its maths SINCE THE Department of Education did teacher then, Bernice Hattingh, now the away with higher grade mathematics in school’s general studies co-ordinator, runs 2008, mathematics standards had dropped. an organisation called Radical Mathe- Some matriculants achieving distinctions in matics & Science, based in Benoni, which mathematics now, would probably have trains maths and science teachers. Hund- scored only 60 or 70 per cent on the higher reds of teachers have been trained by its grade. field staff. That’s according to Ruth Heilbronn, head In 2009, Toras Emes won the award for of the maths department at King David High Best School in the Johannesburg East School Linksfield in Johannesburg. District as well as the Top Performer in the Gila Scheidegger, science teacher at Torah Johannesburg East District. Two specific Academy, Toras Emes and Beis Yaacov, con- learning areas of excellent performance in curs. Universities today were looking at 2009 were in mathematics and accounting. matric physical science as opposed to math- While bound by the national curriculum, ematics results to assess university appli- her maths content is, as is the case with cants. Heilbronn and Scheidegger, an accumula- While mathematics standards had indeed tion of years of teaching, which she has dropped, science standards had, conversely, transformed into book form for training risen. purposes. She says there is a high correlation Scheidegger says the Department of between pass rates in first year university Education releases its examination guide- relative to science marks. The drawback for lines late every year. This makes reliance on science teachers is that the syllabus has one’s own syllabus as a teacher all the more become so long that there is insufficient necessary. She adds that a lot of Jewish day time to study past papers. schools write the NSC exams. A recent study based on comparative sta- tistical analyses of Senior Certificate (replaced by the National Senior Certificate syllabus in 2008) and National Senior Certificate results over the past decade, by the Centre for Development and Enterprise, found that half of university entrance level passes in mathematics are produced by only 6,6 per cent of schools, and half of science passes by only 5,5 per cent of schools. “This suggests, if additional resources were devoted to schools below this top layer of schools, the national performance in mathematics and science could be signifi- cantly improved,” said Dr Jeff McCarthy, a senior consultant at the CDE. The way Jewish schools operate – many of which follow the IEB curriculum, consid- ered to be of a higher standard than the NSC — could be instructive. From the junior grades (grades 8 to 9) to matric at King David Linksfield, learners are thoroughly taught and given homework every day. The maths staff of grade 11, includes former matric examiners and IEB moderators who are very experienced. Heilbronn emphasises that the nature of maths learning is that it builds upon itself each year. “We have to ensure that our jun- ior teaching is solid. Obviously, senior teachers also have to be on their toes. There can be no weak links in the chain.” Toras Emes, a small religious school in Observatory, Johannesburg received the Certificate of Acknowledgement in Mathe- matics from the Department of Education 16 SA JEWISH REPORT 18 - 25 February 2011
WHAT’S ON Barry Bilewitz [email protected]
ORGANISATIONS, VENUES, CONTACT DETAILS, COST • HOD - Hebrew Order of David International, HOD Centre Oaklands Road, [email protected], tel (011) 883-4210. Shul. Contact Sylvia Shull, (011) 783-5600. Meetings on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd Orchards. Office, (011) 640 3017 or [email protected] • Second Innings, Jhb - Jewish Community Services - Donald Gordon Wednesday each month at Sandton Shul at 10:00 unless stated otherwise. • Beit Emanuel Progressive Synagogue, 38 Oxford Road, Parktown. • JAFFA - Jewish Accommodation for Fellow Aged, tel (012) 346-2007/8, 42 Centre, 85 George Ave Sandringham. At the Gerald Horwitz Lounge, • United Sisterhood, 38 Oxford Rd Parktown. Contact Marian (011) 646- • JJRC - Johannesburg Jewish Resource Centre (Formerly Beyachad Mackie St, Bailey’s Muckleneuck. Golden Acres, every Sunday morning for tea at 10:00, followed by the 2409. Website: www.unitedsisterhood.co.za. Resource Centre/Library), 2 Elray St, Raedene. Norma Shulman, (011) • Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre (JHGC), tel (011) 640-3100, meeting at 10:30. Contact Grecia Gabriel (011) 532-9718. Cost: R20 • Tiyulim (Jewish Outdoor Club). Contact Martin 082-965-7419 or Greg 645-2567, e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected] members, R40 non-members. 082-959-9026. • Bikkur Cholim - Jewish Society for Visiting the Sick, 7A Chester Road, • KDSF - King David Schools’ Foundation. King David Alumni • SA Friends of Beit Halochem: Beyachad, 2 Elray St,Raedene. Contact • Union of Jewish Women (UJW), Jhb, 1 Oak Street Houghton. Contact Greenside East, Jhb. Joy Gafin (011) 447-6689. [email protected], (011) 480-4723. Leanne tel (011) 645 2553, e-mail: [email protected] (011) 648-1053, fax 086 273-3044. Cost R15 for the Friendship Luncheon • CAJE - College of Adult Jewish Education, Sydenham Highlands North • Nechama Bereavement Counselling Centre - Room A304, 3rd Floor, • South African Jewish Board of Deputies (Johannesburg) - Beyachad, 2 Club and a R20 donation for lectures unless otherwise stated. Shul, (011) 640-5021. Hospital Wing, Sandringham Gardens, 85 George Ave, Sandringham. Elray St, Raedene. Contact (011) 645-2500 or (011) 645-2523. • Union of Jewish Women (UJW), CT, (021) 434-9555, or e-mail info@ujw • CARE (Chabad Addiction Rehabilitation Centre) Cell: 079-882-6776.Fax: Contact (011) 640-1322. • SA Zionist Federation (SAZF), Johannesburg - Beyachad, 2 Elray St, cape.co.za 086 551 4485, e-mail: [email protected], hotline: 0861 111 770. • New Friendship Ladies’ Group - a group for single women. Contact Lucille Raedene. Contact Froma, (011) 645-2505. • UJW CT AED Programme at Stonehaven, Albany Road, Sea Point, 10:00 • CSO - Emergency phone number 086 18 000 18. (011) 791-5226 or 082-927-5786. • Israel Centre. Contact Debbie (011) 645-2560. for 10:30. Entrance: R20 (incl refreshments). • ELBM - Emunah Ladies Beit Midrash, 60 Mejon St Glenhazel, (011) 887- • ORT and ORT JET South Africa - 44 Central Street, Cnr 10th Ave, • Jewish National Fund (JNF), Beyachad, 2 Elray St, Raedene. Contact • United Zionist Luncheon Club (UZLC), Jhb - Our Parents Home. Contact 2910. “Lessons of our Lives” course on Wednesdays at 10:00. R350 for Houghton, contact (011) 728-7154. Crystal Kaplan, 083-376-5999. Gloria, (011) 485-4851 or 072-127-9421. the course or R50 per shiur. • Preview Theatre - 9 Valerie Crescent, Bagleyston, (011) 640-1061. • Jewish Outlook. Contact Ryan Cane, e-mail [email protected]. • UOS - Union of Orthodox Synagogues, (011) 485-4865, e-mail: • FFHS - Friendship Forum for Holocaust Survivors, Second Generation • Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre (RCHCC) and Great Park Shul, Jhb. Support line: 27 76 215 8600, website www.jewishoutlook.org.za. [email protected], fax 086-610-3442. and Members of the Community Affected by the Holocaust. Contact Hazel, (011) 728-8088 or Rene Sidley (011) 728-8378. Cost usu- • Jewish Women’s Benevolent Society (JWBS) - Sandringham Gardens, 85 • WIZO Jhb - Beyachad, 2 Elray St Raedene,e-mail: wizopublicrelations@bey Presentations held at the Gerald Horwitz Lounge, Golden Acres, 85 ally R50, including refreshments. George Ave Sandringham. Contact Carolyn Sabbagh, (011) 485-5232. achad.co.za. Contact Joyce Chodos (011) 645-2548 or Sandy Kramer George Ave, Sandringham. • SAIJE - Sandton Adult Institute of Jewish Education, Sandton Shul, e-mail: • Simcha Friendship and Cultural Circle (SFCC), Johannesburg - Sandton (011) 645-2515.
NOTE: Deadline for all entries is 12:00 on the Friday fast and “One Thousand Club” draw at 09:30. Cost Wednesday (March 2) academic Prof Alan Dershowitz; John Howard - prior to publication. R80. Phone Crystal on 083-376-5999 to book. former prime minister of Australia; and Col • SFCC presents Lance Metz on “Reaching the Richard Kemp - former commander of British Today Friday (February 18) • UJW Cape Town presents David Bloomberg, former Summit of Everest”. mayor of Cape Town on “Cape Town Jewish Mayors”. forces in Afghanistan. Bookings: (011) 645-2541 • UZLC presents Naomi Musiker, on “Jewish Saturday evening (March 5) or [email protected]. Newspapers and Their Role in South Africa”. • Balfour Park Parkinson’s Disease Support Group meets in the Lighthouse Hall, St Luke’s Anglican • Bikkur Cholim is hosting a special showing of Sunday (March 27) Sunday (February 20) Church, High Road, Orchards, at 10:00. Norman “London Road” at Liberty Theatre on the Square • Second Innings presents Jacqueline Teague on • Second Innings presents Bronwyn Feldwick-Davis Doidge, MD, will speak about the discovery that the at 20:30. Cost R150. Call Joy on (011) 44-6689 “Spring Clean Your Life”. and Angie Pape on “Reach for a Dream”. brain is neuroplastic, and that it can change its to book. structure and function. People with Parkinson’s • Society of Israel Philately meeting at 10:00 in the • Limmud SA is holding its first programme Disease, their families, friends and caregivers are Sunday (March 6) boardroom of the Waverley Synagogue. All wel- meeting of the year at Beyachad from 16:00 come. Refreshments. Free entry. Contact M welcome. Contact Rosemary Burke on (011) 640- • Second Innings presents Andre Hattingh on to 18:00. Please RSVP to Mike Golding Daniels 082-385-9736. 3919 or [email protected] “Change Your World”. at [email protected] or Brenda Stern at Monday (March 28) [email protected]. Friday (February 25) Monday (March 7) • UZLC presents David Batzofin on “Welcoming 2011”. • UJW Johannesburg presents Tom Wheeler on “A • RCHCC presents “The Jews of Japan” by Hugh • UJW Johannesburg presents Yael Horowitz on South African Diplomat Remembers: from Raichlin at 19:30. Cost R70. • FNC presents Setlogane Manchidi of Investec Bank “The Hillbrow Health Precinct: an Urban Verwoerd to Mandela”. Monday (February 21) on “How I mixed Mealie Pap and Perogen at the Regeneration Unit”. Sussmans”. Bookings essential on (011) 640-5021. Wednesday (March 30) • UJW Johannesburg presents Ray Hartley, editor of Monday (March 14) • Second Innings outing to Doonholm Herb Farm the Sunday Times on “Topics of the Day”. Sunday (February 27) • UJW Johannesburg presents Meshack and Nursery. Meet at 09:00 at Oxford Street Shul Tuesday (February 22) • Second Innings presents Tali Nates on “Portraits Mabogoane on “SA and Israel: Call for Greater parking. R130 includes the bus, the guided tour, of Moral Choices: Perpetrators, Bystanders and Collaboration”. and lunch. Book with Annette Bergman by no later • WIZO Fortnightly Forum hosts a special tea to Upstanders during the Holocaust”. than March 27. honour four Jewish women who have made a dif- Wednesday (March 16) ference to the community – Marlene Bethlehem; • Society of Israel Philately meeting at 10:00 in the Wednesday (April 6) Edna Freinkel; Sylvia Glasser; and Natalie Knight at boardroom of the Waverley Synagogue. All wel- • Torah Academy is hosting a business breakfast 09:30 at Beyachad. All welcome. To book phone come. Refreshments. Free entry. Contact M with Dr Ali Bacher at the HOD Hall at 07:30 for • SFCC outing to Alexandra to see the refurbished (011) 645-2515. Daniels 082-385-9736. 08:00. RSVP Adrienne on 082 600-8059 or Nokathuli Centre and then to Skala Jazz Club for [email protected]. tea. Transport cost to be advised. Meet at Sandton Wednesday (February 23) Monday (February 28) Shul at 10:00. • SFCC presents Prof Celine Bernstein on • UJW Johannesburg presents Marcia Leveson on • UJW Johannesburg presents Ronnie Mink on “Hormone Replacement - is it Necessary?” Wednesday (May 4) “A Passage to India”. “Modern Research on the Holocaust in the Ukraine”. Wednesday (March 23) • SFCC presents Clem Sunter on “The Latest • Second Innings’ outing to Lifestyle Garden Centre, Tuesday (March 1) Possibilities for the Global Economy and South for a conducted tour of the show gardens and a • Second Innings presents Bobby Godsell on • Aish Hatorah invites you to a special dinner with Africa”. film and talk on the “Gardens of Soweto”, with tea. “Renewing the South African Dream”. Lori Palatnik of Aish.com at the Capri in Savoy at Lunch for your own account. Book with Helen Wednesday (May 18) 19:30 for 20:00. Cost R220. Advance bookings Saturday evening (March 26) Wolfson by no later than February 20. only with Fruma on 082-689-2961 or e-mail • SAZF is holding their 47th conference this • SFCC presents Nadine Lemmer on ”Whats And • WIZO Cyrildene branch is hosting an Israeli break- [email protected]. evening and tomorrow. Guest speakers: Harvard Hows of Arthritis”. Sudoku Puzzle 26 CROSSWORD NO 198 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.45) BY LEAH SIMON ACROSS: 19. Throw the dice, being chilled (4) 1 543 1. Stag hurt by labels (4) 3. Go less quickly for southern information (4, 4) SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD NO 197 8. Muse upset by birds (4) 92469. Rifle Tchernikovsky had conceals arrow-maker (8) ACROSS: 1. Gods; 3. Fancourt; 8. Also; 9. Jealousy; 11. A galling conclusion! (3, 6, 3) 11. Pearl Harbour; 13. Strays; 14. Hatter; 17. United 13. Eastern grange loses the right to be betrothed (6) States; 20. Purports; 21. Anon; 22. Greenery; 23. Aces. 1214. The two of them hesitate – what a fuss! (6) DOWN: 1. Goal post; 2. Despair; 4. Arena; 5. 17. Here she comes, ready for a whale of a time! Celebrants; 6. Uhuru; 7. Toys; 10. Play it down; 12. (4, 3, 5) Presents; 15. Titanic; 16. Editor; 18. Norse; 19. SPUG. 38 4 1 20. Upset, as is Carl, by girl (8) 21. Hit hard in Islamic centre (4) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 22. Ted returning to bad steed – hated it (8) 786 23. No males? That’s a fateful sign! (4) 8 9 1378 DOWN: 10 1. Somehow he treats concert halls (8) 83 2. Put gate around gun in the 11 province (7) 4. Novel by Vladimir Nabokov (6) 12 973 45. With which to make quite a splash among one’s enemies? (5, 13 14 15 5) 216 8 6. ——- Pamuk, Turkish Nobel 16 Laureate for literature (5) 7. Morn destroyed – that’s stan- 627483591 * Answer to follow dard (4) 17 18 with next puzzle 493651827 10. Handy to have the world at 815972436 these extremes! (6, 4) 19 12. Cheeky American student? (5, 978314265 3) 20 21 341526978 15. Oh, mould it again for the gang- 562897314 ster! (7) 16. Cheerleader in a hurry to be Note to readers: Our bridge 154269783 pure (6) column and our Sudoku Answer - Puzzle 25 Answer 286735149 18. Earth upset by ticker (5) 22 23 puzzle alternate week by week. 739148652 18 - 25 February 2011 SA JEWISH REPORT 17 Welcome new addition WUPJ’s new Mishkan to kosher cooking T’Filah siddur launched RITA LEWIS them truly mouth-watering that adds the STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY tive beauty. These appear in coup de grace that’s Sharon Lurie’s style. RITA LEWIS both both prose and poetic style, THERE ARE four aspects which a cook In fact, this book is so beautiful that it full of spiritual richness which needs to take into account for food to be could have been meant to be kept for show LAST WEEK saw the launch of is embedded in the words. appetising and enjoyed, namely; appear- on a coffee table rather than for use on a a new edition of the World These have been written by ance, smell, taste and nutritional value. kitchen shelf. Union for Progressive Ju- various contributors and bring Sharon Lurie’s new cookbook, Cele- This is Lurie’s second book (the first one daism’s siddur, entitled Mish- another dimension of under- brating with the Kosher Butcher’s being Cooking with the Kosher Butcher’s kan T’Filah, which took place at standing to the writings. Wife shows not only how to create food Wife) and again the layout, choice of recipes Bet David in Sandton. The siddur not only includes which incorporates all these facets, but and entire format entice the reader to try Some 180 people attended the weekday prayers, and ones for also how to create versatile and stunning out her recipes and choices. celebration at which Avi Kanar Shabbat and Festivals, but also table layouts on which these can be Written by a South African who is mar- conducted a choir of Bet Eman- prayers for “other occasions of served for any occasion. ried into a fourth generation family of uel and Bet David members. worship”. It is not just the magnificent colourful butchers, it is a boon to find out that all the This latest edition of Mish- These include prayers and ingredients in the different recipes are not readings for Yom Hashoah, photos throughout the book, showing kan T’Filah was produced by Bet David’s Rabbi Robert glimpses of a glamorous Jewish lifestyle only available locally, but the weights and the Central Conference of commemorating the Holocaust: and cuisine for Shabbat and the six main fes- measurements are given in understandable American Rabbis (CCAR) and Jacobs holding the new Yom Hazikaron, the Israeli tivals that overwhelm, it is also the depiction terms – without the reader having to rum- the North American Reform Progressive siddur enti- Memorial Day; Yom Ha’atz- of all the food items in such a way as to make mage at the last minute in the kitchen draw- Rabbinate. tled, Mishkan T’Filah. maut, Israel’s Independence ers to find a calculator or metric converter. It was adapted from the origi- Day; Hodaa inserts giving Another plus is that there is nothing in nal Mishkan T’Filah (produced in 2007) by thanks to the A-mighty for the miracles the book not permissible in terms of keep- the Union for Progressive Judaism, Aus- bestowed on the Jews at Chanukah and ing kosher - from a dietary point of view as tralia, New Zealand and Asia and the South Purim; the Yizkor prayers in the House of well as being halachically correct. African Union for Progressive Judaism. Mourning, as well as many “general” Lurie says that each chag, “possesses its The beauty of this siddur is that it is not prayers said in the home and synagogue own vibrancy and colour. Each one brings just the run of the mill prayer book; there including psalms, hymns and songs sung at its own unique customs and traditions - are not one, but many interesting facets to it. various auspicious times. especially with regard to food.” One of these is the layout, with on the The comprehensive index at the back, “With the ever-increasing variety of right of each page the particular prayers, gives the names of the authors, sources and kosher food, twists on traditional foods have psalms or writings printed in Hebrew. notations, as well as songs and quotations enabled us to follow food trends while keep- For the convenience of those who cannot from Pirkei Avot. ing within the traditions,” she said. read the Hebrew text, the transliteration of Bet David’s Rabbi Jacobs who is chairman Her comprehensive writing and instruc- the work is printed next to it on the same of the South African Association of tions are clear, simple to follow and written page. Rules to be followed to acquire the skill Progressive Rabbis, said the new edition in a humorous, easy way, with her own of reading the transliteration are given at added to the ideas in the old one, with a anecdotes interspersed between recipes. the beginning of the siddur. strong enforcement of the equality of Lurie has been experimenting and creat- On each of the pages opposite the prayer women and many contemporary issues. ing new food ideas and décor for some 25 and the transliteration, are a literal transla- The ecology and the environment have years, proving that an enthusiastic house- tion of the text of the prayer and different also been taken into account and with this in wife cum professional chef, can really do examples of writings and penmanship in mind – it is interesting to note the book was anything if she puts her mind to it. English, pertaining to the prayers, explain- printed on 100 per cent sustainable low- This book, published by Random House ing, expounding and interpreting the text of impact acid-free paper. Struik, costs R220 and will inspire begin- the prayers and writings, not only in an A stand of trees was also planted “to offset ners as well as the experienced to cook, to intellectual, academic, theological form, but some of the emissions associated with the create, to cook and to enjoy. using the English to its ultimate in descrip- publication of this book”.
‘EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD KEEP PEACE WITH ISRAEL’ AROUND WASHINGTON - The next Egyptian govern- sitioning Egypt to democracy "if asked" and over the prospects of an Islamist Egypt were ment should recognise its peace with Israel, that "nothing less than genuine democracy overstated. the White House has aid. will carry the day". "I don't think we have to fear democracy," THE "It's important that the next government of The American leader also said that all par- he said. Egypt recognise the accords that have been ties should have a say in the transition to The democracy wave in the Middle East signed with Israel," spokesman Robert Gibbs democracy, suggesting that the United States might sweep Iran, Gibbs said, noting recent WORLD said in a news conference after President would not object to participation by the reports of intensified Iranian government Barack Obama congratulated Egyptians fol- Muslim Brotherhood in the process. repression. NEWS IN lowing the exit of President Hosni Mubarak. "This transition must bring all of Egypt's "What you've seen in the region is the gov- Obama in his statement said the United voices to the table," he said. ernment of Iran quite frankly scared of the BRIEF States would provide assistance toward tran- Gibbs suggested that the recent fretting will of its people," he said. (JTA) 18 SA JEWISH REPORT 18 - 25 February 2011 LIFTS LIFTS GENERAL ACCOMMODATION TO LET/SHARE
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IN GOOD FAITH, HOWEVER WE WOULD LIKE OUR READERS TO KNOW WE CANNOT BE Any Simcha - Bar/Batmitzvahs short walk to Yeshiva RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUALITY OF SERVICES OFFERED AND CLAIMS MADE. Contact Pip Friedman Call 072-144-7088 R5 750 p/m. Avail end Feb. 083-267-3281 HOUSE PLANS Phone 082-929-6074 HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED ADVERT: 1. Only adverts sent via email to [email protected] will be accepted. email: PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS DRAWN & 2. You will be advised on cost & payment details. 3. Payment is prior to the advert appearing. HOUSE TO SHARE [email protected] ACCOUNTING OFFICER DESIGNED 4. DEADLINE for BOOKING and PAYMENT is Tuesday 12pm. If deadline is missed the advert BOOKKEEPING SEA POINT will appear (when payment is received) in the next edition. 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IMMIGRATING Contact Rasheel OVERSEAS AND 073 2161212 WANT TO SELL GLENHAZEL - YOUR VEHICLE? FLAT TO LET Spacious, airy north facing flat, recently renovated, three bed- room flat, large balcony, main bedroom en suite with separate dressing room. Now available, asking R7 000 p/m with 2 cov- Please Contact ered parking bays Solly Kramer PLEASE CALL 082-922-3597 (011) 455-3389 or anytime 082-584-0162 18 - 25 February 2011 SA JEWISH REPORT 19 New site available for ‘Jewishly focused’ films ROBYN SASSEN and again.” This fascination fed site, so there are no security his love of Jewish film. concerns”. “HOW DO I know who is my A few years ago, he noticed a The project is protected real mother?” South African- small ad in his local paper, against theft: “Movies on the David born Natalia Haziza asks advertising the screening of site are streamed directly to the Silberman, Rebecca, the woman who for 10 independent Jewish movies. A browser without saving them on the man years worked as her childhood self-described amateur film the computer’s hard disk.” The behind the nanny. She’s met with a enthusiast, he attended the disadvantage of this is that you website. poignant silence. screening “and saw four short only get to watch the film from (PHOTO- This question, poised on an movies, not all excellent but for your computer. GRAPH emotional confrontation with sure a better way to get enter- “The site has now around 20 SUPPLIED) her own mother, is the corner- tained than TV. movies,” he says. He doesn’t stone of Lullaby, an independ- “I started searching for more boast of the ”critical strengths” with satellite TV, YouTube and ently-made Israeli short film, movies like this and I was sur- of the movies he’s chosen to so on. But it’s not about competi- one of many Jewishly focused prised to discover that hundreds stream. tion: hopefully my audience will films, now available for rent such movies are produced every “I just know that the movies enjoy once in a while the possi- online. year.” that I personally like are what bility of watching a good Jewish Itinerant traveller, Denmark- This set him on a project other people like too. I believe movie.” born Israel-based David Silber- which has borne fruit as a web- that the commercial movie pro- On www.thejewishcinema.com man, the man whose door you site: www.thejewishcinema.com. ducers - and film festival organ- you can rent fiction (organised knock on if Jewish film is your It’s set up like a video rental isers - dictate what ordinary into children, humour, Israeli desire, is fascinated by how sim- store. A film costs $5 for hire. people like me get to watch. movies, Jewish identity and ilarly Jews anywhere live. Payment in rands is made “My dream is to make a marriage), documentaries (poli- “You see this in Jewish through PayPal, “a reliable Jewish movie boutique on the tics, culture, Israel, Holocaust movies from around the world,” Internet service in which no Internet. There is so much elec- and religion) and short movies. he explained. “The same topics credit information nor personal tronic entertainment available Silberman may be contacted at and concerns are repeated again information is transferred to my today, I can’t hope to compete [email protected] Jack Puterman bears testimony to Holocaust horrors STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY and close on 180 people attended Centre in March 2008, Puterman LYNN MATISONN the function. Supporting Jack had been motivated to write his were his wife, Marcia, and four story – at that stage primarily so IN A FIRST for Durban, Jack of his five sons (the only one that his family would know Puterman, one of the few absent was his son in America). his history – and enlisted remaining Holocaust survivors All proceeds from the sale of Matisonn’s help in doing so. still living in the city, launched the book are being donated to the For nearly two years she and his book “Testimony”, an Durban Holocaust Centre. Jack worked on the project, account of his experiences dur- Mary Kluk, director of the painstakingly putting together ing and after the Holocaust. Durban Holocaust Centre, wel- the pieces of the puzzle that Born in 1929, Jack was only 10 comed the audience. She stressed made up the events of Puter- when the Nazis invaded Poland the importance of the role of man’s extraordinary life. and the horror began for him such survivor testimonies in After two years it was clear that and his family. His memoirs, order to ensure that the world the story should be printed, not beautifully illustrated with should never forget and that just for Puterman’s family, but numerous old photographs, pro- such horrors should never be also for general consumption. vide a vivid and moving story of repeated. Puterman’s son Allan, expres- a young boy with an amazing Lynn Matisonn who was sed his pride in his father’s memory of those events, whose acknowledged by Puterman in achievements, saying that al- Mary Kluk, Jack Puterman and John Moshal. courage and resilience enabled his memoirs “for taking my though the family had known of him to survive. words and putting them on to some of the events of his experiences and a greater under- An overwhelmed Puterman Great excitement was generat- paper”. explained how, after father’s life, the book enabled standing of the horrors as well as explained how difficult and emo- ed in the community at the making a short speech at the them to gain a much fuller and of his father’s strengths in over- tionally disturbing it had been to announcement of the launch opening of the Durban Holocaust more detailed account of his coming them. put his story on to paper. Expanded role for cancer-causing gene discovered JERUSALEM - Researchers at tory of Dr Mariano Barbacid in tion of the signal transducers the Hebrew University of Jeru- the US. that are involved in malignant salem have discovered that Vav1 - Since this newly identified transformation is a prerequisite an oncogene (cancer-causing gene represented the sixth onco- for understanding cancer and gene) found in recent years to be gene detected in Dr Barbacid’s improving its diagnosis and one of the factors in tumorous laboratory, it was designated by treatment. tissue growth - plays a wider role Katzav-Shapira as Vav (six in Since Vav1 was shown to be in several types of cancer than Hebrew) 1. involved in events leading to had previously been thought. Vav1 is involved in the process alterations in gene expression in The discovery has implications whereby cells are “triggered” the immune system, it is a “key for further concentration on tar- into action. When receptors on player” in this process. geting this gene in cancer the surface of a cell, known as Now, mutated Vav1 has been research. growth factor receptors, receive shown by Dr Katzav-Shapira and The work of the researchers, signals for growth, they relay others to be highly expressed led by Dr Shulamit Katzav- this information into the cell. also in neuroblasoma (a cancer Shapira of the Institute for This chain of command is that forms in nerve tissue), pan- Medical Research Israel-Canada often called a “signal transduc- creatic and lung cancer. Indeed, at the Hebrew University of tion cascade” or a “pathway”. it was surprisingly found to be Jerusalem Faculty of Medicine, Signal transduction cascades expressed in 44 per cent of malig- was published recently in the play a fundamental role in con- nant human lung cancer tissue Journal of Biological Chemistry. trolling normal cell prolifera- samples that were studied. Vav1 has been known to be tion, differentiation, cell adhe- Since, say the researchers, involved in alterations in gene sion, spontaneous movement, Vav1 has now been shown to play expression in the immune sys- and programmed cell death. a role in the process of abnormal tem, where it is physiologically Mutations in the proteins driv- tissue growth in several human expressed. Vav1 was discovered a ing this signal transduction cancers, it has become an even few years ago by Katzav-Shapira process are among the main more highly important potential Dr Shulamit Katzav-Shapira (left) with Galit Lazer. when she was working in the causes for driving cells to devel- therapeutic target for cancer (PHOTOGRAPH: DOUGLAS GUTHRIE) National Cancer Institute labora- op into cancer. Thus, identifica- therapy.
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Qualified nursery school teacher with 8 years childcare experience seeks Programmer/Analyst seeking contract or full-time work. Databases, Visual Mature, efficient PA/Office Administrator/Travel-Events Coordinator, seeks Seeking a reception position or nursery school assistant. Please con- employment as an au-pair, facilitator or similar. Basic, Excel Automation, and training. Please contact Murray Skikna interesting/varied position in N. suburbs. MS Office/Email/Internet. tact Ingrid Milner 072 226 1276 Contact Clare 071-556-6690. on 076-447-7327 or e-mail: [email protected]. Please call 082- 876-8168. Mature lady seeks full time secretarial position. Computer literate & has driver's licence. Tel: 083-273-4442 (Sandra). Secretary/Personal Assistant seeking employment in the Northern suburbs. Office/Admin person well experienced in switchboard reception, debtors con- Young male, urgently requires work in the South. Anyone interested 30 years experience in many fields. Fast, accurate typing. People’s person. trol and general office functions seeking a position in the same field. in employing him, please call 073-345-4077 or (011) 435- Young Jewish gent willing to distribute pamphlets in all areas at a nominal Call Lyn 083-229-4562. Contact Hillary 076-738-1936 8997 (room 1009) fee. Anyone interested please contact David 073-345-4077.
People seeking employment may place a free advert of 20 words maximum. Send wording to britt@sajewishreport or fax: 086-634-7935 20 SA JEWISH REPORT 18 - 25 February 2011
Left: The Dis-Chem team: Mark and Saul Saltzman, Brian Epstein and Saul Lever. Below: Jeff Rubenstein came all the way from Sydney to present To stretch, or not the Sandra Bransky Memorial Trophy to the winners: Bradleigh Benatar; to stretch, that is Brett Neilson; S Nair; and J Dinis. the question JACK MILNER helps to lower the risk of musculotendinous IT HAS become common conjecture that injuries. before one participates in any sporting activ- Conversely, there Yonatan Kaplan – are several studies ity one needs to first warm up; an important stretching a point... part of that warm-up is to stretch. reporting that stretch- However, is stretching actually good for ing does not help pre- you? vent injuries. One study found that general In a recent series of articles, Yonatan fitness was more important in injury preven- Kaplan (PT PhD), director of the Jerusalem tion than stretching. Sports Medicine Institute at the Lerner When it comes to stretching itself, some Sports Centre, Hebrew University, discusses studies have found that stretching can actu- the validity of all these theories. ally hurt muscle strength and reduce power. He points out that there are several studies Other scientists discovered that when that reported that stretching does not help stretching was added after warming up, it did prevent injuries. On the other hand, there is not lower the incidence of injuries that some research that supports the claim that resulted from overuse. Dis-Chem Golf Day raises stretching is effective at reducing injuries. The extra flexibility in range of motion Such an opinion maintains that stretching was reported to not as beneficial as initially prevents injuries because it increases the thought, and was found to lead to injury as funds for Sydenham Shul flexibility of muscles, which makes muscle well as to impede performance. contractions smoother, thereby reducing Stretching has been found to bring about RABBI YOSSY GOLDMAN single complaint!” Now in Jewish organisa- injuries. damage at the cytoskeleton level. SYDENHAM HIGHLANDS NORTH SHUL tional life this is truly an exceptional achieve- Others have found that stretching was also Kaplan found that one of the biggest prob- ment! effective when it was combined with a warm- lems with the literature on stretching was SYDENHAM SHUL’S Annual Golf Day has The field stretches well beyond members of up. that many studies contained fatal design become a highlight of Johannesburg’s Sydenham and the efficient organisation of Some scientists recommend that stretch- flaws. Many of them did not distinguish Jewish sporting calendar. Thanks to a gener- the dedicated committee ensured a smooth ing is most effective when done within 15 between the types of physical activity per- ous headline sponsorship from Dis-Chem, and slick day to revel in and to remember. minutes of engaging in physical activity. formed when they examined the effect of the event - the 14th - held at Killarney Rabbi Yossy Goldman prayed extra hard Another study has found that stretching stretching on injury reduction. Country Club in Johannesburg towards the beseeching the A-mighty’s assistance in keep- end of last year, was the biggest and best of ing the rain away! Indeed, the heavens opened all time. just as the 18th hole was coming to a close. The course, the food, the fun and top qual- Grateful thanks are due to Michael Stein ity prizes, all contributed to a truly stunning (chairman); Ingrid Seeff; Norman Stein; success. In the words of golf committee Milton Maloon; Des Rosen; and Julian chairman, Michael Stein: “I never heard a Nathan. Manchester United to sign Israel’s Kayal? JACK MILNER appearances that season. In the 2006-07 season, he ACCORDING TO website made six appearances in all Caughtoffside.com, Sir Alex competitions, but took on the Ferguson is keen on role of captain of the under-19 strengthening his midfield team that won another League this summer and as a result, and Cup double. He scored a Manchester United is report- hat-trick in a league win against edly interested in Celtic mid- Beitar Jerusalem. fielder, Israel’s Beram Kayal. In the 2007-08 season Kayal The 22-year-old has been became a first team regular fea- in good form for the Hoops turing 36 times; since then he this season since joining the has become an integral part of SPL club on a four-year deal the team and enjoyed success in from Maccabi Haifa last recent seasons, winning the August and is believed to Premier League and Toto Cup. have caught the eye of the During the 2007 Torneo di Premier League leaders. Viareggio youth tournament in United is now considering Israeli midfielder Beram Italy, Kayal was praised by the making a move for the Israel Kayal appears to be in Italian press for a man-of-the- international at the end of Sir Alex Ferguson’s line match performance against the season. of sight. their counterparts from Fioren- Kayal is reportedly valued tina. Both Corriere della Sera at £8-million (about R96-million), although and Gazzetta dello Sport seemed to be aston- Celtic would be extremely reluctant to sell. ished to learn that he was an Arab in a Kayal started his career as a striker in Jewish team and took a great amount of time the various youth teams of Maccabi Haifa to learn more about him. and scored many goals before taking on On July 29 2010, Kayal signed a four-year the role of a midfielder. Despite being only deal with Celtic and was given the number 33 16 years old at the time, he moved up to the shirt. He made his debut for The Hoops Maccabi Haifa under-19 team for the 2004- against FC Utrecht on August 19 and showed 05 campaign and excelled as part of the his full potential by getting off to the best pos- team that won a League and Cup double. sible start, setting up the opening goal of the Kayal was named the League’s Outstand- game for Efraín Juarez and winning the Man ing Player. of the Match award. He made his first-team debut for Kayal has recently consolidated his place Maccabi Haifa at the end of the 2005-06 sea- in the heart of the Celtic midfield and put in son in a 2-1 win over Maccabi Petah Tikva some impressive performances, most notably which sealed Maccabi’s third League title in Celtic’s 2-2 Scottish Cup last-16 draw with in a row at the age of 17 making two Old Firm rivals Rangers.