Two Fine Torah Minds Meet UK Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and South Africa’S Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein in Conversation at Last Weekend’S Sinai Indaba III
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Friday 21 June 2013 / 13 Tammuz 5773 Volume 17 – Number 21 TO JEWISH south african ACHIEVER AWARDS! (page 16) S ewish eport DAY J R 56 www.sajewishreport.co.za Photo: Ilan Ossendryver Photo: Two fine Torah minds meet UK Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and South Africa’s Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein in conversation at last weekend’s Sinai Indaba III. This conference, focused only on Torah learning, is unprecedented in the rest of the world, and was established by Rabbi Warren Goldstein three years ago. This year, it was attended by some 6 000 members of the community, in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban. See stories on pages 11-14. Wolmarans Synagogue: Marius Fransman trying to SA’s ambassador to Israel ACDP President Rev All-star celebration honours Celebrating a journey of a wiggle out of hole he dug Ismail Coovadia looks a Meshoe, agrees to Peres on his 90th birthday century himself ‘gift’ horse in the mouth become a patron of Magen David Adom SA “I have learned that a dream is only Rabbi Dovid Hazdan: “Its Chairman of the ANC in the Coovadia calls a JNF certificate, the beginning of a better tomorrow. illustrious rabbis and lay Western Cape and Deputy Minister that 18 trees would be planted in Says Mark Hyman of And this is the spirit of the gathering leaders addressed two world of International Affairs and Co- his honour as “nothing less than MDA-SA, “Rev Meshoe’s which we open tonight; making the wars, the Holocaust, Israel’s operation, Marius Fransman has an offence to my dignity and commitment to the people of dream of tomorrow, today’s agenda. birth and wars and the political demanded a public apology from the integrity.” and the Land of Israel, has highs and lows of a century of SAJBD “for misleading the people”. been unprecedented...” history.” 2 3 4 4 8 WALKING? 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It’s got tent and their privacy was pro- stresses are self-imposed. 17:07 18:00 Bloemfontein Rabbi Yossy Goldman 16:58 17:53 Port Elizabeth every gadget in the book!” Com- tected. In fact, this is one of the Their clients confessed that Sydenham Highlands 16:51 17:46 East London mon conversation. Rather routine, explanations of Balaam’s famous they didn’t really need the new North Shul everyday talk. praise of the Jews, Ma Tovu Ohol- kitchen or the new car, but once World News in Brief They tell of a rep on the road echa Yaakov - How goodly are your their friends were moving up in the Shul or a Jewish charity and that had broken all records for tents, O Jacob. the status stakes, they felt under how do we respond? “Well if so Netanyahu on Iran: sales in his company. When The heathen prophet was extol- pressure to maintain their social and so who is a multi-millionaire asked the secret of his success, he ling the Jews’ virtues in their standing. only gave R10,000 then all I ‘We won’t allow explained that the first thing he town planning whereby they took Whether it is the kitchen, car, should give is R10!” What differ- said when someone opened the precautions in safeguarding their or an overseas holiday, if we allow ence does it make what someone another Holocaust’ door was: “Did you see what your modesty and protecting their ourselves to be judged by other else gave or didn’t give. You BONN - Speaking last week Thursday at neighbour Mrs Jones just got?” personal family lives from would- people’s criteria, we lay ourselves should give what you can, irre- the opening of a Holocaust exhibit at the That trick never failed him. be busybodies and peeping toms, open to a lot of unnecessary spective of what others gave. site of Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, This was never the Jewish ethic, otherwise known as yentas and stress. Even a simcha - wedding How much resentment, bitter- where more than one million Jews were however. We were taught differ- nudniks. or barmitzvah - can get us into ness, disappointment and fardrus murdered during the Holocaust, Israeli PM ently and our ancient value system But here is another interpreta- “keeping up with the Cohens” we would avoid if we didn’t try Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran had a is as relevant as ever in contem- tion of “not looking into your mode, from the 7-layered hand- to measure ourselves by other “regime that is building nuclear weapons with the expressed purpose to annihilate porary life. Privacy, modesty and neighbour’s tent”. Do not look into delivered designer invitation people’s standards. We would be Israel’s six million Jews”. The Holocaust discretion are all characteristics your neighbour’s tent to help you down to the posh dinner-dance much happier people if we looked exhibit, designed by experts from Yad our people have cherished since we decide what you should be doing. replete with chopped liver sculp- into ourselves and achieved what Vashem in Jerusalem, centres on a book became a nation. Your decisions in life should not tures. we could and should without displaying the names of 4,2 million Jews Balaam raised his eyes and saw be based on what other people are, Why? All because we are busy drawing comparisons with others. murdered. It will be housed in Block 27 of Israel dwelling according to its or are not, doing; certainly not on looking over our shoulders or If you want to enjoy the bless- the former death camp, Haaretz reported. tribes. Rashi offers one interpreta- what your neighbours have or do peering into the next-door neigh- ing of “goodly tents” or even just Netanyahu also warned against Iran’s tion of the verse to mean that the not have. bour’s place. good housekeeping, keep your regime while visiting Warsaw a day before. doorways of the Israelites in the Social workers today will painful- The principle even applies to eyes and your nose in your own “We will never allow another Holocaust,” wilderness were designed so that ly testify that family breakdowns Tzedakah. There is an appeal for tent. Then you will be content too. he said. (JNS.org) Celebrating a journey of triumph stretching over a century SHIRA DRUION galvanised the community, said Rabbi Hazdan: “Its illustrious rabbis The Great Park Shul, (which started and lay leaders addressed two world off as the Wolmarans Street Shul), wars, the devastation of the Holo- celebrated its centennial anniversa- caust, modern Israel’s birth and its ry on Tuesday night, in an occasion wars and the economic, social and attended by 560 guests in the Sand- political highs and lows of a century ton Sun Maroela Room. The audi- of world and local Jewish history. ence was inspired by Chief Rabbi “The journey of our shul is the Lord Jonathan Sacks, the guest journey of our people,” he said in of honour, Chief Rabbi Warren his address. “It is an ongoing jour- Goldstein and Rabbi Dovid Hazdan ney that began in the desert thou- of Great Park, as well as an array of sands of years ago; it is the journey talented artists and chazzanim, as of each and every one of us. It’s the well as movies of bygone days, lent journey of the triumph of hope over lustre to a joyous evening. despair. It’s the journey of light over The Wolmarans Street Shul was darkness and determination over the original epicentre of Jewish life apathy.” in Johannesburg and the even- Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, was the milestones of life in the original The evening offered the guests home-away-from-home. ing brought to life that nostalgic at his erudite best: “In the 22 years building that flew its banner high, a chance to reminisce and go back “Shul is place where we let G-d Johannesburg that had only just I have served as chief rabbi (in the confirming for the world the into history, to a time when the old in, where we unite as Jews and we upgraded its public transport from UK), never have I been witness authenticity of the vibrant Jewish wooden seats which can now be endeavour to create a home for the the horse-drawn carriage when to an anniversary celebrated so Johannesburg of old.