friday 15 march 2013 / 4 nissan 5773 volume 17 – number 9

Delicious recipes for your Pesach south african meals. (page 20) jewish report www.sajewishreport.co.za

The disruption at the piano recital, as two security guards (centre) confront a demonstrator approaching pianist Yossi Reshef (right back in suit and tie). Prof Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph to the left of the demonstrator is photographing the pandemonium. A frightened couple (bottom left) hold each other as the tension rises. Photo: Ilan Ossendryver Photo:

Israeli pianist: victim of thuggery

ROBYN SASSEN The concert was attended by dignitaries of happening, I attempted to contact Wits’ two las; some sat on the piano. It shows how many the Jewish community, diplomatic corps and vice-chancellors. Both Professors Adam Habib more notches the BDS’s antagonism towards Pandemonium broke out on Tuesday evening the art world. As befits an audience of this sta- and Loyiso Nongxa, who is also Wits’ principal, us has been ratcheted.” at the Atrium in the South West Engineering tus, private security personnel were present. are currently in New York, attempting to raise Professor Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph, a music Building on Wits’ West Campus, when Wits Victor Gordon, director of Tararam, the funds for the university from Jewish benefac- lecturer at Wits, deemed the disruption “out of University Palestinian Solidarity Committee cultural fund promoting Israeli culture in tors and alumni. hand. The protesters made the situation very members disrupted a recital by Berlin-based South Africa, which was responsible for “About 60 protesters came in through the tense from before the recital; some audience Israeli-born, internationally celebrated pianist, paying Reshef’s flights for his national tour, door of the Atrium, which had been locked, members did in fact turn away before the Yossi Reshef. commented: “Immediately I heard this was and which they had broken; they blew vuvuze- concert. To page 3

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Shabbat Times March 15/ 4 Nissan Once again, Israel Apartheid Week March 16 / 5 Nissan Parshat Vayikra 18:06 18:54 Johannesburg 18:15 19:37 Cape Town hits our shores... 17:56 18:44 Durban 18:15 19:03 Bloemfontein STEVEN GRUZD 18:05 19:08 Port Elizabeth 18:09 18:58 East London South African Jewry braced itself for the ninth Israeli Apartheid Week KASHRUT ALERT (IAW), which started on March 11 and runs until the 17th. This annual Matzah not certified for event - which includes speakers, Pesach films, rallies and performances all The kashrut department of the Union claiming that Israel is an apartheid of Orthodox Synagogues says it has state - plays out mainly on univer- been found that there are a number sity campuses in over 250 cities of products that are being sold as around the world every February “matzah” which are not suitable for and March. Pesach. IAW claims that it seeks to high- It urges members of the community light the plight of the Palestinians to check that the matzah they buy has and thereby gain support for the a reliable hechsher and is kosher for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Pesach. The Beth Din certifies both (BDS) movement against Israel. In reality, claim its critics, it is used Mozmark’s and Rakusen’s matzah as Israeli Apartheid Week graffiti outside the Apartheid Museum, Ormonde. Photograph by Ilan Ossendryver kosher for Pesach. as an opportunity to demonise and The kashrut department explains delegitimise Israel at every turn, as racist and colonial Zionist projects Vanderbijlpark. (including unions) in South Africa, that chametz is only created by the well as stifle pro-Israel views about tied to the criminal state of Israel, in Several senior ruling alliance fig- with over 50 groups having their fermentation of flour from one of the the Middle East conflict. the interests of freedom, justice and ures feature in IAW events. emblem appearing on this year’s of- five major grains in the presence of This year’s IAW in South Af- equality”. For example, ANC National ficial IAW poster. water. rica was launched on March 10 at The SACP called for the “com- Chairman Baleka Mbete, spoke at Apart from the organisations Fermentation in the presence a rather poorly-attended press con- plete ‘de-Zionisation’ of our econo- an event at the University of Johan- mentioned at the press conference, of all other liquids - such as fruit ference at the Apartheid Museum. my”, and SAMWU has impressed on nesburg on “The bond between Pal- supporters include the Centre for juices, wine or eggs - cannot become Messages of support were delivered its shop stewards in every munici- estine and South Africa” on March Civil Society, the Muslim Judicial chametz. The mixture commonly known as by the Congress of South African pality to question the use of Israeli 13, and on the same day ANC Dep- Council, National Union of Metal- “egg matzah” (although it is usually Trade Unions (Cosatu), the SA Com- goods and services. uty Secretary General Jessie Duarte workers SA, Open Shuhada Street, made today with apple or grape juice) munist Party (SACP), the SA Mu- Its representative said: “In just spoke at the University of Pretoria SA Artists Against Apartheid, the SA may therefore be eaten during Pesach nicipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU), about every corner you can look in, on “South African and ANC support Council of Churches, SA Democratic without any concerns of chametz, as the National Education Health and you’ll find that there’s Israeli busi- for Palestine”. Teachers Union, the Student Repre- long as no water is added. Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU), ness, Israeli advisers, Israeli consult- Dr Blade Nzimande, Secretary sentative Councils of the University If even a drop of water is added the ANC Youth League, Christian ants, Israel products for sale… we General of the SACP and Minister of Pretoria and the Witwatersrand, to the mixture or to any of its group Kairos Southern Africa and have pledged ourselves to make eve- for Higher Education and Training, and the Young Communists League. ingredients, the mixture becomes the mostly Jewish-led StopTheJNF. ry municipality in this country an is set to speak at a rally in Orange Jewish communal organisa- chametz almost immediately. There were almost more people apartheid Israel-free zone.” Nehawu Farm on March 17. Struggle vet- tions are closely monitoring and “It is for this reason that the custom on the panel than in the audience, mentioned that it planned monthly erans Denis Goldberg and Ahmed documenting IAW events. On among Ashkenazim is to refrain from using egg matzah during Pesach, suggesting that many in the main- protests outside the US and Israeli Kathrada spoke in Cape Town and March 12, a performance at Wits unless it is absolutely necessary for stream media dismiss IAW for the embassies. Port Elizabeth respectively. Several University by Israeli concert pianist children or the elderly who would propaganda circus that it is. It is of- IAW is widespread in South Afri- events featured Palestinian Susan Yossi Reshef was disrupted by IAW have difficulty eating regular matzah; ten the Jewish media that gives IAW ca, with events this year scheduled in Abulhawa, who wrote the novel protesters. Complaints have been and even then they may not fulfil the undue attention. Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, “Mornings in Jenin”. laid with the university administra- mitzvah of eating matzah at the seder At the launch, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi Lenasia, Manzini (in Swaziland), Or- IAW is also receiving increased tion, which has assured the SAJBD with egg matzah,” the Beth Din says of BDS SA, called on Jewish commu- ange Farm, Pietermaritzburg, Preto- numbers of endorsements and sup- that it will deal seriously with the in a statement. nal organisations to “renounce their ria, Port Elizabeth, Stellenbosch and port from civil society structures incident. SAJBD reports Deputy Minister Fransman to SAHRC The SA Jewish Board of Deputies has requested “The substance and context of these remarks made a point of drawing attention to them, and the SA Human Rights Commission to intervene clearly intimated that in the view of Mr Frans- did so, moreover, in terms suggesting that Mus- in a matter concerning inflammatory remarks man and his party, the Jewish community in lims were being unfairly disadvantaged in order made by Deputy Minister Marius Fransman, Cape Town was unfairly benefiting economically to benefit the Jewish community.” (pictured) which the Board in a media release at the expense of the Muslim community. Mary Kluk, National Chairman of the SA- calls “divisive rhetoric”. “Specifically, Mr Fransman stated the follow- JBD, said that pitting one religious community “The SAJBD decided to approach the SAHRC ing: ‘We saw that the DA had given over building against another for vote-catching purposes, was after several requests to Mr Fransman’s offices contracts… as well as lots of contracts in Wood- deplorable under any circumstances, particular- for a meeting to discuss and clarify his state- stock and Observatory that historically were in ly coming from a high-ranking member of gov- ments, received no response. the hands of Muslim participants and now they ernment. “In a radio interview broadcast by Voice of the have given it to people from the Jewish commu- “The SAJBD unequivocally condemns at- Cape on February 27, Mr Fransman, speaking in nity; so that we’ve picked up and so that is not tempts to pursue political goals through resort- his other capacity as ANC leader in the Western right. We must not divide our people.’ ing to such inflammatory practices. Doing so Cape, condemned the Democratic Alliance for al- “The religious affiliations of the individuals diametrically contradict the ethos of tolerance legedly giving building contracts previously been allegedly concerned should have been regarded and inter-group harmony on which our society held by Muslims, to Jewish businessmen. as entirely irrelevant. Instead, Mr Fransman is proud to base itself,” she said.

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Continued from page 1 Photo: Ilan Ossendryver

“Then about 30 minutes into the Beethoven Sonata, the first work in the programme, the protesters burst into the auditorium, having broken the locked doors. Everyone was very traumatised. My colleague, Jonathan Cross- ley, was chased by the protesters. “I had played a role in organising Reshef’s debut tour of South Africa, on his initiative; it was a dreadful coincidence that it happened to be at the same time as Israel Apartheid Week.” On Monday, Reshef performed at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, and, Gordon explained, people were concerned, given Rhodes’ status as a “hotbed of anti-Israel activity” that there would be trouble, but “it was benign. The auditorium was half full, but there was a standing ovation and an encore.” David Macgregor in The Port Elizabeth Herald, wrote that at Rhodes, audience mem- bers were “forced to walk through a tunnel of peace activists handing out pamphlets for a nearby Israel Apartheid Week exhibition.” Dr Jeff Brukman, head of Rhodes’ music department, was unsuccessfully pressurised by 45 Rhodes academics “to pull the plug on the event. Attempts by one academic to get concert opponents to vocally express their dissatisfaction, fell on deaf ears when the Demonstrators chanting and toyi-toying while disrupting the pianist Yossi Reshef’s concert at WITS. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, National Spokesman for the protesters agreed to stick to a pre-arranged Israeli Apartheid Week SA Team, is on the left foreground, with a bandana around his head. agreement not to harass patrons.” many people to take part in these protests.” policies.” university that they would uphold Reshef’s Macgregor cited Rhodes media liaison In a statement, issued on Wednesday, Prof This is in fact, not the case. The tour was -ac right to perform… the recital was disrupted officer Zamuxolo Matiwana, who confirmed Nongxa, in his capacity as vice-chancellor and tually Reshef’s own initiative, and as Gordon by Wits students headed by their SRC, several that “the Israel Embassy and state organs principal of Wits, apologised for the incident explained, only the flights were supported of whom were wearing SRC blazers. Campus played no direct part in any of the tour ar- with deep regret. “The disruption of this by Tararam. “It has nothing to do with the security was thoroughly inadequate.” rangements.” event points to intolerance of members of the embassy.” The SAJBD is currently collating video and In Stellenbosch on Wednesday evening, for university community and goes against core Said SA Jewish Board of Deputies Na- photographic footage of the protest to send a further concert in his tour, shortly before values espoused by the university. tional Director Wendy Kahn, in the audience to the Dean of Students who requested their performing, Reshef commented on how ap- “The university is investigating this matter on Tuesday: “Despite assurances from the assistance. palled he was at the Wits protest, but added: and will take the necessary action based on “Despite all these attempts to stop the per- its policies, processes and procedures,” he formance, I have loved performing here and I added, confirming that views and opinions definitely want to come back. that might be expressed by the university’s “I appreciate all the hard work that every- Students’ Representative Council or any other CLEANING FOR PESACH one has done to make my stay here more com- student groups on campus, do not represent fortable. I got so many letters apologising on the official views of the university, “nor are behalf of the university for what happened.” they necessarily an accurate reflection of the Zaidel-Rudolph continued: “When I realised views of the majority of students, staff and Call Immaculate Cleaning Services NOW there was to be a protest that coincided with alumni.” the concert, I was initially not nervous. I’ve A victorious statement issued by Tasneen and we will help you eliminate all the chametz been associated with Wits for 36 years and I Essop of the Wits University Palestinian that has accumulated throughout the year. know how the students can behave. But this Solidarity Committee, relayed the event, was unprecedented. The police were called, adding: “The cancellation (of Reshef’s concert) From your �tted and loose carpets to the spaces but shortly after they came onto campus, was celebrated by the protesting students as a between your lounge suite cushions and on they were instructed to leave.” ‘cultural boycott of Israel success’.” Shirona Patel of the Registrar’s office con- The statement quotes politics student your curtains - we are here to help you celebrate firmed that this was indeed the case; in terms Kenneth Mgaga, present at the protest, who Pesach. of university protocol, police may only be states that the concert was funded by the called on campus to intervene in a situation if Israeli Embassy, “…a clear violation of the cul- they are instructed to do so by the head of the tural boycott of Israel… The hosting of Reshef Call us NOW and we will give you a 20% discount university’s security. in South Africa is a direct attempt to under- on all your cleaning done . . . just in time for “I believe that there are only a handful of mine the Israel Apartheid Week campaign... real Muslim agitators on campus,” Zaidel- We stand firm in our solidarity with the Pesach! Rudolph added, “but that they are lobbying Palestinians against Israel and its apartheid We Clean...  Wall-to-wall �tted carpets  Upholstery, on site or at our factory  Rugs and exotic carpets, at our factory  Curtains, at our factory

Immaculate Cleaning Services Photo: Ilan Ossendryver 011 887 1100 Email: [email protected] www.immaculatecleaning.co.za Cleaning since 1939 Pianist Yossi Reshef being escorted from the concert venue by a security guard. 24 SA JEWISH RREPORTEPORT News 0115 - –08 22 June March 2012 2013 She knows to lead from the front in this microcosm of South Africa SUZANNE BELLING

Brilliance in its diversity from grassroots up- ward, was commissioner Marlene Bethlehem’s Photo supplied summation of the third national consultative conference of the Commission for the Promo- tion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL), held in Centurion, from March 7 to 10. Bethlehem, the only Jewish member serving on the CRL, was appointed deputy chairman by former President Thabo Mbeki when the body was founded in 2004 - “a fulfilment of one of late Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris’ greatest wishes”. “Rabbi Harris was on the committee which wrote the Act leading to the formation of the CRL,” said Bethlehem who was encouraged by him to take up the position. She has another 10 months left before her tenure expires, as commissioners are permit- Marlene Bethlehem with Mathole Motshekga, ANC chief whip; Deputy Chairman Julia Mabale; and Marlene le Roux, the NCC Conference Organiser. ted to serve only two five-year terms. She is appealed for a place for their culture and speech years both in the Jewish and general spheres. association with him.” She also forged a strong currently chairman of the public education and During the panel discussion on religion on Currently president of the Jewish Women’s bond with Mbeki. advocacy committee. the Friday (March 8), Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, of Benevolent Society, she started her voluntary She is a trustee of the Christa Maria Will For the Centurion conference, with 350 del- the Great Park Synagogue and dean of Torah work with the society, working her way up to Trust, which fights anti-Semitism and pro- egates from all over South Africa, Bethlehem Academy, explained the Noahide laws, religious chairman. It was through this office that her motes relationships between Jews and other was programme director for the opening ses- values and responsibility. “Religion can give us climb up the leadership ladder began - first as denominations. She chaired the com mittee for sion which featured Minister of Co-operative a common voice before G-d. It can muster the chairman of the then Transvaal Council of the the disbursement of the Swiss Banks’ Humani- Governance and Traditional Affairs Richard Ba- strength of individual communities and the SA Jewish Board of Deputies, later as the first tarian Fund for Needy Holocaust Survivors in loyi as keynote speaker. community of humankind,” he said. woman to become national chairman of the 1998 and in 2006 was the first and only South According to Bethlehem, speakers were of the The finale of the singing of the national an- Board, followed by the national presidency. African elected vice-president of the Memorial highest level and even included Carel Boshoff them “with everyone holding hands and joining With her history in supporting human rights Foundation for Jewish Culture in New York. IV, of the all-white Afrikaner town of Orania in in”, Bethlehem describes as “a microcosm of and equality, Bethlehem’s term at the Board Bethlehem has very definite views regarding the Northern Cape. “Can you imagine the kind what we could achieve in South Africa”. fortuitously coincided with Nelson Mandela’s leadership. “A good leader must have a moral of clout the CRL has to have a group of this na- Having started in communal service a year af- tenure as president of the country. and ethical approach and be passionate about ture? There was input from the Khoisan, who ter her marriage, Bethlehem has notched up 49 “I was privileged beyond belief to have had an the cause,” she says. Cape Board’s Black-Jewish entrepreneurs forum TALI FEINBERG and learn from them. CAPE TOWN Eric Marx, who is part of the Cape Board committee that organised the event, explained “This is the face of the future,” said Matsi that the Board hoped to “bring together com- Modise, national director of the SA Black En- munities. The more we talk to each other, the trepreneurs Forum (SABEF), addressing a more preconceived stereotypes disperse.” gathering of black and Jewish entrepreneurs Keynote speakers at the event were Jodi on March 7. Aufrichtig and Khaya Gobodo. Aufrichtig is Modise was speaking at the launch of the an entrepreneur and property developer, who new Black-Jewish Entrepreneurs Network, an founded the Grand Daddy Hotel, the Old Bis- initiative created in partnership between the cuit Mill, the Old Mac Daddy Trailer Park and Cape SA Jewish Board of Deputies and SABEF. the group “Daddy’s Deals” – among others. Go- “There is so much we can learn from each bodo is an entrepreneur and founding partner other,” said Modise, with Cape Board Chair- of Afena Capital. man Li Boiskin concurring. Boiskin said that Aufrichtig presented his “world of busi- her organisation aimed to facilitate collabora- nesses” to the audience and explained some of tions with other communities. his ethos, which includes being environmen- She explained that this event was very tally aware, creating spaces for creativity, and much in response to a challenge given by his opposition to “greediness”. Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe in 2011, “There is enough for everyone. Let some- when he asked the Jewish community to help one else do well too,” he said. “South Africa is the country reduce the high unemployment in an amazing position as the ‘gateway to Af- rate through the incubating of entrepreneur- rica’,” and advised that entrepreneurs “get out ship. there, have fun and take a chance - if you don’t, Entrepreneurs at the event ranged from you’ll never know!” Sascha Berolsky, who has developed famed Gobodo was equally inspiring, telling the Cape Town institutions like Royale Eatery, group about his business journey and how Neighbourhood, El Burro and The Assembly he overcame enormous challenges, especially who creates craft beer; to Naushad Khan, who during the credit crisis. He feels that “race still publishes the entertainment newspaper “The matters in business in South Africa today, but Next 48 Hours”. Sandile Sibeko develops cor- not always in the ways we might think”. porate wellness programmes; and David Chait “People relish investing in great ideas,” he began Mr Delivery, Vida e Caffe and Rikki’s said. “This country needs more of that, and Taxis. true entrepreneurs offer something extraordi- While the areas of expertise ranged be- nary.” tween the entrepreneurs, it was clear that all aimed for excellence. • For more information on the Black-Jewish Discussing why he had chosen to attend Entrepreneurs Network, contact Cape Board the gathering, Sibeko said that starting a busi- Executive Director David Jacobson at Da- ness was challenging and that he hoped to in- [email protected] or Media & Diplomatic Liai- teract with like-minded people to share ideas son Dan Brotman at [email protected]. supermarket

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Call - 011 440 9517 | [email protected] | www.KosherWorld.co.za cnr Ridge and Summerway Glenhazel 6 SA JEWISH REPORT Opinion & Analysis 15 – 22 March 2013 jewishsouth african report Chavez and the Jews: A sorry tale Does Israeli Apartheid Week matter?

Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW), which kicked off on Sunday at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg as part of the annual programme held in cities around the world, riles a lot of people. Particularly in this country where, having lived through the apartheid reality, we think we know what it is and isn’t. Do Israel supporters - Jewish or otherwise - have to worry about IAW? Or can its rallies and workshops be dismissed as a transitory hate-fest against Israel, lacking practical substance, which will pass and be forgotten in a week or two? Studies show that IAW held on American university campuses generally achieve little traction. Most students are not interested; nor are the mainstream media. Ironically, most publicity comes from the Jewish press. What about the Israelis? Given the violent eruptions in an increasingly unstable Middle East, should Israel worry about the IAW in other countries? With its neighbour Syria disintegrating amid wholesale killing, Jordan groaning under the influx of a multitude of Syrian refugees, Egypt shaking on its political and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Guatemala, in 2008. religious foundations, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, US President Barack Obama’s upcoming visit and a new Israeli government BEN COHEN/JNS.ORG A depressing summary by Tel Aviv University’s Kantor Cen- kicking off, other things occupy Israeli minds. The Israeli press NEW YORK tre for the Study of Anti-Semitism noted last September: “Re- carries almost nothing about IAW. cent years have witnessed a rise in anti-Semitic manifestations, The option of ignoring IAW is not so simple for Diaspora Jewish Like one of those “telenovelas” that are so popular on Latin including vandalism, media attacks, caricatures, and physical communities, however. In South Africa, the BDS movement is American television, the slow yet inexorable deterioration of attacks on Venezuelan Jewish institutions.” very active; the political climate is growing more hostile towards Venezuela’s President, Hugo Chavez, was soaked in drama and In 2012, Israel was temporarily displaced by the emergence Israel and political heavyweights are being drawn into its fold. cloying sentimentality. of a domestic Jewish target, in the form of the rival presiden- The participants in IAW events include bodies such as Cosatu Chavez died on March 5 following a two-year fight with can- tial candidate to Chavez, the youthful and energetic Henrique and individuals such as Dr Blade Nzimande (Secretary-General of cer. And for most of that time, he claimed – falsely – to have Capriles. While Capriles is a practising Catholic, his mother’s the SA Communist Party), Baleka Mbete (National Chairman of been cured. But less than two months after winning a fourth family, the Radonskis, arrived in Venezuela after surviving the the ANC), Ronald Lamola (President of the ANC Youth League) term in last October’s election, Chavez was spirited back to Holocaust in Poland. Other members of the family perished in and Ahmed Kathrada (former Rivonia Trialist). SA Jewry is Cuba, where Fidel Castro’s doctors treated him. the Nazi concentration camps. feeling the heat. Now, Chavez’s death affords the opportunity for a critical In their attacks on Capriles, Chavez and his press lackeys BDS claims of support are often exaggerated, but it is reassessment of his tenure. In his 14 years in power, Chavez referred to him with an array of derogatory terms - “gringo”, succeeding in creating the perception among a wide swath of turned Venezuela into the Latin American hub of a global net- “bourgeois”, “imperialist”, and, above all, “Zionist”. Moreover, society of a solid anti-Israel wave growing by leaps and bounds. work of anti-American, authoritarian rogue states. there was no doubt that by using the word “Zionist”, the regime This is self-reinforcing - the greater the perception of widespread There is scarcely a fellow dictator he didn’t befriend. Some, meant “Jew”. condemnation of Israel, the more such sentiments grow. like the Iraqi tyrant Saddam Hussein, are no longer with us. Oth- Perhaps the ugliest headline during the election campaign A major IAW focus is university campuses. Jewish students face ers - among them Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, appeared in a muckraking magazine, Kikiriki, which read: “We pervasive anti-Israel feeling and enormous pressure to condemn Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko, Syrian President are f--ked if the Jews Come to Power”. Israel. Many feel intimidated and scared to express views Bashar al-Assad, and Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe - Why, then, did anti-Semitism become such a potent force in supporting Israel - or even be neutral. remain, sadly, alive and in power. a country that eschewed it for so long? Some analysts, like Dan- There is a difference between students and faculty. Whereas The closest relationship of all is that forged with the Cas- iel Duquenal, the author of a vibrant dissident blog, regard it students spend a limited time at university, then go off into the tro brothers in Cuba, Fidel and Raul, whose ailing economy is as the inevitable outcome of Chavez’s alliance with Iran, Hamas world, the faculty remains. And among much of the faculty on kept afloat by heavily subsidised oil from and Hezbollah. campuses such as UJ and Wits, the Apartheid Israel label has Venezuela, which is Latin America’s biggest Yet there is another factor. The main become virtually unchallenged. producer. ideological influence on Chavez was a “Chavez will probably be Professors display anti-Israel posters on their office walls. These With allies like these, it should come as relatively obscure Argentinian sociologist, remembered as the one who made views influence successive waves of students - even in our cynical no surprise that Chavez became an arch- Venezuelan Jews feel that for the Norberto Ceresole. An ardent admirer of age, students still take the views of faculty members with some foe of the State of Israel. In one of the last first time they were not welcome Peronism in Argentina, Ceresole was liv- seriousness. foreign policy statements he made before in their own country, a chilling ing proof of what happens when the ob- Does Israel contain elements of apartheid? Detractors cite the returning to hospital in Cuba in December, reminder of past tragedies” sessions of the far left overlap with those “occupation”, checkpoints, separate roads and buses for settlers, Chavez denounced what he called the “sav- of the far right. etc, and say this is apartheid. Defenders say these are necessitated age” Israeli attack on Gaza. A Holocaust denier and all-round by security concerns, not racism and that Israel is fighting an In 2009, on the previous occasion that Israel responded conspiracy theorist, Ceresole’s theories became the basis for existential battle. There is no simple “yes” or “no” - it depends on militarily to Hamas rocket attacks from Gaza, Chavez told the what Venezuelans know as Chavismo, the matrix of social in- the prism through which one is looking. French newspaper Le Figaro that Israel had launched a “geno- stitutions and values created by the Chavez regime. The first University of Toronto President David Naylor said of the week cide” against the Palestinians. “The question is not whether the chapter of a book in which Ceresole extolled the virtues of featuring the IAW events in his city: “We do, in fact, recognise Israelis want to exterminate the Palestinians. They’re doing it such a system, in which the relationship between the “leader” that the term ‘Israeli Apartheid’ is upsetting to many people, openly,” he said. and the “people” is privileged, was entitled “The Jewish Prob- [but] we also recognise that, in every society, universities have a Such incendiary statements won Chavez the admiration of lem”. unique role to provide a safe venue for highly charged discourse.” the Arab street. In 2006, during the conflict between Israel and There are few reasons to believe that antagonism towards So too, South African universities should be places where highly Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Arab satellite network Al Jazeera Jews will disappear in Venezuela post-Chavez. Nicolas Ma- charged discourse about the issue should occur. A necessary praised Chavez for beating Arab leaders to the punch when he duro is an orthodox Chavista who, as foreign minister, has corollary is that Jewish students must be factually equipped and became the first head of state to condemn Israel’s actions. Simi- enthusiastically pushed for even closer relations with Israel’s emboldened to engage in this, to hold their own often against lar gasps of admiration greeted his decision to expel the Israeli enemies. seasoned opponents. ambassador to Caracas in 2009. Chavez’s figure will loom large in the political life of Ven- Jewish schools and institutions must increasingly educate In attacking Israel, though, Chavez inadvertently under- ezuela. Should Henrique Capriles challenge Chavez’s succes- young people with accurate ammunition to think honestly and mined the arguments of those who say that anti-Zionism is one sor, it is probable, according to Sammy Eppel, director of the critically about the topic and express their views in a reasoned thing, anti-Semitism something else entirely. Human Rights Commission of B’nai B’rith Venezuela, that manner. In many ways, Chavez’s attitude to Israel mirrored that of the “shocking anti-Semitic” caricatures used against him last Too frequently they simply react emotionally to attacks on the Soviet Union. Just as the USSR marked its own Jews out year will emerge again. Israel, try to bluster their way through or silence their opponents. as a fifth column during its decades-long propaganda campaign As for Chavez himself, Eppel does not hold back. “Chavez This, alas, does more harm than good. against Zionism, so did Chavez. will probably be remembered as the one who made Venezue- There are, of course times when reasoned argument is Before Chavez came to power in 1999, there were 30 000 lan Jews feel that for the first time they were not welcome in impossible, such as the events on Tuesday night when a Jews in Venezuela. Now, the community has dwindled to just their own country, a chilling reminder of past tragedies,” he performance by Berlin-based Israeli pianist Yossi Reshef was less than 9 000. Having experienced virtually no anti-Semitism told me in an e-mail. (JNS. org) stormed by anti-Israel protestors and he had to be hustled out of in their history, the Chavez years ushered in a set of new and the hall by security personnel. frightening experiences for Venezuela’s Jews, from cartoons in • Ben Cohen is the Shillman Analyst for JNS.org. His writ- Even in such situations, however, one must not respond by the press that could have been lifted from the notorious Nazi ings on Jewish affairs and Middle Eastern politics have been stooping to those levels. newspaper, Der Sturmer, to the vandalism of the main syna- published in Commentary, the New York Post, Ha’aretz, Jewish gogue in Caracas in 2009. Ideas Daily and many other publications. 15 – 22 March 2013 Opinion & Analysis SA JEWISH REPORT 7 Israel condemns Dutch labelling of Promoting dialogue as products from Jewish communities opposed to demonisation beyond Green Line ARIELA CARNO is explicitly shunned, particular department is JERUSALEM - Israel last week Thursday sharply condemned a new PRESIDENT, SAUJS with students instead going to apply negative initiative in the Netherlands directing businesses to label products being provided with marking to an exam. originating in Judea and Samaria, eastern Jerusalem and the Golan For the past nine years, South Af- just one face of a very One could argue that Heights, separating them from those which are produced within Israel rican campuses have witnessed the multifaceted conflict. perhaps it would be itself. phenomenon of “Israel Apartheid What SAUJS aims better not to engage at Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor, said that according to Israel Week”. This event focuses exclusive- to do is to provide all and just to “let the Hayom: “If the Europeans claim that labelling products made in the ly on demonising the State of Israel, dialogue on campus - storm pass”, which is a settlements is intended only to inform the consumer that the product which its sponsors portray as being but we often find our legitimate argument to exclusively to blame for the plight of efforts stringently an extent... However, comes from a disputed area, they should also be consistent and they the Palestinian people. opposed and I will one has to acknowledge should mark any product from disputed territories in Europe and around What the BDS campaign is do- provide the following that at this current the world. ing, is taking what is in reality a example: point we are not the “But if the move denigrates Israel, and only Israel, it is clearly a complex and multifaceted situation Prior to “Israel ones winning the media manifestation of blatant discrimination and thus inherently wrong.” and reducing it to a simple “right Apartheid Week”, SAUJS ran an war and we don’t want to get to the Interior Minister Eli Yishai also responded to the Dutch government side - wrong side”, “good people - “Israel Awareness Week” at Wits point where “Israel’s crimes” are no initiative, saying: “Products from the settlements beyond the Green Line, bad people” equation that grossly University. It was a week of proac- longer a matter of debate between just like those made within the Green Line, are proud blue and white misrepresents the reality of the tive, non-derogatory educational two opposing sides but a generally products. The State of Israel will stand as one entity against any attempt situation. activities. As part of the display, we accepted fact by the mark-obsessed to boycott its products.” As a propaganda ploy, its propo- painted a map of the Middle East on university student. The Israel response was to the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs’ nents engage in the kind of emotive a wall at Wits (that is designated for In my personal capacity I would directive to all retail chains in the country to assist consumers in making rhetoric and sloganising that that murals) and within a few days Israel love to subject a member of the fully knowledgeable decisions in stores by labelling products from Jewish they feel South Africans can identify had been blacked off the map. Palestinian Solidarity Committee communities beyond the 1967 Green Line differently than products from with. In my personal capacity as a Now, the target audience for such to a polygraph test and see whether the rest of Israel. South African, I feel insulted when a display is not the demographic or not they actually believe all the The directive calls for the labelling of fresh produce not as made in I hear the term “Israel Apartheid”; who would black Israel off the map. factual inaccuracies that they are Israel, but as made in “Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights, east this not only misrepresents the real- The target audience are the “pareve” spouting. Jerusalem, the West Bank or in Palestinian territories.” Though retailers ity of what Israel is, but undermines masses who have no opinion either But then I take a step back and rather than importers are responsible for the labelling, they will not be the very real and legitimate strug- way - but the fundamental question remember that I don’t only repre- gle that we went through in this really is: “Does this target audience sent myself; I represent SAUJS and punished for not complying, nor is it illegal to import products from the country. really care?” the interests of all Jewish students Jewish communities in question. If the aim of “Israel Apartheid In the current South African real- on campus. It is not our role to fight The move follows a February 27 report written by European Union Week” was indeed to promote peace, ity the majority of university stu- all of Israel’s battles - nor to create a mission heads in Jerusalem and Ramallah recommending that EU then the primary component of it dents don’t know - and in fact don’t battleground. countries “prevent” all financial transactions that support Israel’s would be to support honest, con- want to know - about the “situation It is our role as SAUJS to provide activities in those communities. structive dialogue. However, such in the Middle East”. They are wor- the forgotten voice and promote Holland joins other EU countries, such as Britain and Denmark, as dialogue, and indeed any notion of ried about the constant increase in dialogue as opposed to demonisa- well as South Africa, which has also recommended that such labelling be featuring alternative viewpoints, university fees and whether or not a tion. implemented for retailers. (JNS.org) 8 SA JEWISH REPORT Opinion & Analysis 15 – 22 March 2013 Go find the feathers! far and wide through communal grapevines. With characteristic humility he explained to the story than the face value. And I felt Sydenham Shul recently hosted a lecture that he apologised because of the hurt some it would have been immoral and against my tour by American author and teacher, Rabbi unfortunate victims may have experienced conscience to be part of what has, tragi- Manis Friedman. It was very successful with because of him. cally, become something of an international hundreds of people of all ages coming to be The sages in Pirkei Avot teach rabbis to “lynch mob”. intellectually and spiritually stimulated. choose their words carefully lest they lead It pained me that rabbis in Melbourne, An original thinker, he challenged con- to dangerous misimpressions. For that he where the Jewish community is going vention, compelling us to rethink our pre- apologised. He also went further than most through a difficult time with this issue, conceived notions of life, love, marriage, rabbis in calling for perpetrators to be pros- rushed to condemn our guest without call- parenting and suffering through a perspec- ecuted. ing him first. It pains me that young people tive of what Torah teaches. In fact, Rabbi Friedman has helped thou- in our own community rushed to condemn Yet, this wise teacher, who has been coun- sands of people in his counselling career, him and criticise us. But such is the sad real- selling and guiding thousands of students among them hundreds of abuse victims, in- ity of loshon hora. It is, all too often, sim- over 40 years, was suddenly made out by many cluding while he was here now. Unlike many ply accepted as truth without any proper to be a villain! Why? Because of a YouTube psychologists, he believes passionately that research. clip where he was seen to be allegedly trivi- they can be healed. He insists they can move Thank G-d, our community has come a alising the plight of victims of sexual abuse. forward in life and build healthy families long way and we have learned much about This was e-mailed and distributed widely via and they must not perceive themselves as Judaism in the last decades. We know so social media and my shul and I were criticised “damaged goods”. much about the evils of loshon hora that Rabbi YOSSY GOLDMAN of Sydenham for bringing him to South Africa. But, sadly, many saw fit to judge the man we even almost affectionately refer to it as Highlands North Shul, responds to I believe when someone has a solid repu- without giving him a hearing, pronouncing “losh”. But, I am afraid that this time we re- critics of Rabbi Manis Friedman. From tation acquired over many years and you him guilty and sharing it with their Face- ally blew it, badly. his Friday night sermon last week (See hear something awful about him or her, the book friends, too. And although many of So, I learned some very important les- background story on page 21). reaction should be that this is so out of char- those same people were invited to hear Rab- sons these past two weeks, namely that be- acter that there must be more to the story bi Friedman in person on the subject, they fore we judge anyone, we should give them There is an old story of a man who came to than meets the eye. And there was. elected not to come. the benefit of the doubt. his rabbi seeking atonement for speaking Indeed, after his first weeknight talk, Some 50 people did stay until midnight And that before we condemn people, badly about his neighbour. The rabbi ad- Rabbi Friedman shared his views on the mo- for questions and answers with the rabbi, we should give them the opportunity to ex- vised him to go into the town square with a lestation issue and took questions, including but not one of his vocal critics showed up. plain themselves. And, finally, that “losh” by feather pillow and slash it, allowing the wind some direct challenges to his remarks. One of them even told my colleague, Rabbi mouth is nothing compared to “losh” by e- to blow the feathers throughout the town. If He explained the background and the Yehuda Stern, that she wasn’t coming “be- mail, Facebook or YouTube. he could then find all the scattered feathers, context of that discussion which was with cause she didn’t want to be convinced!” So, please go out and try to gather up he would be atoned. other counsellors in Israel. Yes, it would have been easier for us to the feathers. I’m not sure how you can do it, The message was clear. It is difficult, In fact, he answered all the questions so cancel the tour and not have to face any but I hope that in the interests of honesty, if not impossible, to undo the damage of satisfactorily that at the end of the meeting criticism at all. But knowing the man and morality, truth and justice you will do your words that leave our mouths and are spread he was asked why, then, did he apologise? his reputation, I knew there had to be more best.

World News in Brief What you should know about NY Jewish attorney seeks to ban Jews BDS and IAW from jury MAURICE OSTROFF In an interview with Electronic In- NEW YORK - A New York Jewish attorney has asked a federal judge to tifada on May 31, 2009, during which exclude all Jews from a jury involving a client facing charges for lying If you support Boycotts, Divestment and he used the now widespread apartheid about joining the Taliban. Sanctions (BDS) and Israel Apartheid allegation to justify BDS, Barghouti ad- Frederick Cohn is representing Abdel Hameed Shehadeh, who is facing Week (IAW) because of a genuine inter- mitted that he is unconcerned that the charges in US District Court in Brooklyn for lying to the FBI about his est in relieving the plight of fellow hu- apartheid description of Israel is inac- involvement with the Taliban. Shehadeh was indicted in 2010 man beings you will surely be interested curate. He said: “We don’t have to prove Cohn believes Jews on the jury would be biased automatically against to know more about the organisation you that Israel is identical to apartheid his client, according to the New York Post. support and the cause you are promot- South Africa in order to justify the label “Given that there’s going to be inflammatory testimony about Jews ing. apartheid.” and Zionism, I think it would be hard for Jews to cast aside any innate BDS leaders do not support a two- Many BDS supporters will also be antipathy,” said Cohn, who himself is Jewish. “The American Jewish state solution of the Arab-Israel conflict. shocked to learn the attitude of BDS community is heavily aligned with Israel and Zionism. Here is a guy who They oppose it organisers to the Palestinian Author- is a Muslim, who is opposed to those things.” Omar Barghouti, one of the founders ity. Barghouti stated in the aforemen- The subject of Jews on Shehadeh trial’s jury first arose in February, of the BDS movement declared in an article in the Elec- tioned interview: “In the West Bank you have a largely when Cohn told Judge Eric Vitaliano that he wasn’t “wild about having tronic Intifada: “The two-state solution for the Palestini- quisling [traitor] government that is completely sup- Jews on the jury in this case” while acknowledging his request was a “long an-Israeli conflict is really dead. Good riddance.” porting Israel in anything it wants to do. They get im- shot.” (JTA) Many mistakenly believe BDS is intended as a means mediate support from the Palestinian Authority in Ra- of achieving Israel and Palestine side by side within mallah, which is an unelected authority imposed by an agreed borders. They will be surprised and even shocked American general.” Suspect arrested in death of Brooklyn to learn that BDS organisers oppose the two state solu- He added that the return of the refugees would mean tion to which the US, the EU and Russia as well as Is- an end to Israel’s existence as a Jewish state. Hassidic couple and baby rael subscribe. Barghouti openly proposes “euthanasia” If we are to be consistent in our compassion we would for Israel. He declares that BDS advocates one state to boycott any country that legislates apartheid and more NEW YORK - The suspect in the hit-and-run killing of Nachman and Raizy which all the Palestinian refugees as well as their genera- specifically against Palestinians. I refer to Lebanon for Glauber, both 21, has surrendered to police. Julio Acevedo was arrested tions of descendants will return. He is not referring to example. In an article in the Guardian of June 24, 2010, on charges of leaving the scene of an accident and is being held without the original approximately 700 000. He refers to the 4.7 one of the most vocal advocates of BDS against Israel, bail. million, including descendants. the American Palestinian writer Ahmed Moor wrote that Acevedo is accused of driving in Brooklyn last Sunday at 100 km per As NY Times columnist Roger Cohen put it in a Feb- Arab leaders pay lip service to Palestinian rights except hour and hitting a taxi in which the Hassidic couple was on its way to the ruary 28 article entitled ‘Zero dark zero’, “… Palestinians when it comes to the rights of domiciled refugees in their hospital because the pregnant Raizy was feeling ill. will seek their rights — including that of return — with- countries. As an American in Beirut he said he was privi- Both Nachman and Raizy were killed. The baby was delivered via in one state, rather than pursuing the establishment of leged but “...Today, Lebanon is the most hostile country c-section in the hospital, but died hours later. Acevedo said he was their own national state. The only trouble is that, as the to Palestinian refugees after Israel. They are second-class speeding because he was running away from gunshots. Israeli novelist Amos Oz told me recently, ‘The right of citizens here. Racism is so widespread that African and A friend of Acevedo arranged his surrender by meeting police at New return is a euphemism for the liquidation of Israel. Even Asian guest workers are openly barred from attending the York’s Grand Central Terminal and taking them to Acevedo who was for a dove like myself this is out of the question.’” beaches where Lebanese people frolic. And that’s saying located about 120 km away. Authorities discovered that Acevedo already While the quartet and other interlocutors call for nothing of the often inhumane working conditions they has a record. an adjustment of the 1967 lines in terms of Resolution are subjected to on a daily basis.” He was previously arrested on a charge of driving while under the 242, Barghouti totally rejects a separate Israeli state A little introspection reveals that the professionally influence, and was imprisoned for 10 years in the 1990s for manslaughter. and is derisive of what he calls committed leftists “who organised, well planned and widely publicised calls for He had been convicted of shooting a Brooklyn criminal who called himself grieve over the loss of Israel’s moral superiority after BDS action focused only on Israel leads to criminal ne- 50 Cent. That name inspired rapper Curtis Jackson’s stage name. occupying the West Bank and Gaza in 1967, as if prior glect of much more extreme cases of need that cry out “We in the community hope that today is Acevedo’s last day that he to that Israel was as civil, legitimate and law-abiding desperately for a small share of the attention given to sees daylight for the rest of his life,” said Isaac Abraham, a spokesman for as Finland.” the Palestinians. the Satmar Hassidic community, according to Haaretz. (JNS.org)

The golden years SA JEWISH REPORT - 15 March 2013 11

A Jewish Report supplement.The Contact (011) 274-1400. golden years Honour your father and mother: challenges and rewards of elderly care DR ROBERT ODES MB CHB MBA CEO, ODYSSEY ASSIST

The 5th Commandment is “Honour your father and your mother so that your days may be lengthened upon the land that Hashem, your G-d, is giving you” (Shemot, 20:12). There are ethical challenges to elderly care. The most important relate to parents’ autonomy to make decisions regarding end of life issues such as resuscitation or do not resuscitate, ventilate or do not ventilate. To page 12

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Over the past 50 years we have developed a truly excellent reputation for providing Patient Centred Frail Care, with Our team provides multidisciplinary healthcare, after-hospital care, great love and devotion. rehabilitation care, frail care, and support services for people in the comfort and dignity of their own homes or in retirement homes. Our Services: • Skilled Nursing Care We specialise in frail elderly patients, those patients with dementias • Excellent staff - patient ratio such as Alzheimer’s Disease, and adult patients of all age groups with • Multi-disciplinary team: Resident Doctor, Physiotherapist, severe illnesses, such as cancer and neurological disease. Occupational Therapist, Social Worker, Speech Therapist, Neuro-psychologist and Podiatrist. Our Home Based Care services include: • Group activities • Personal services including hairdressing and manicure. • Coordination of Health Services • Independent Needs Assessments and Dementia Assessments Our Patients: • Advice on Care Homes, Frail Care Centres and Retirement Villages • Long term FRAIL CARE: Traumatic brain injuries. Comatose and • Home Companionship services; group outings and activities semi-comatose. Stroke. Motor vehicle injuries. Psychiatric disease. • 24/7 Care Givers and 24/7 Nurses Neurological diseases. Parkinson’s disease. • Doctor and Nursing Sister home visits • Dedicated DEMENTIA Unit: Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. • Home Physiotherapy, Counselling, Occupational & Speech Therapy • PALLIATIVE care: Cancers and other life-limiting conditions. • Medical equipment and supplies; Food supplies & prepared meals • DAY CARE • Ongoing liaison with specialists, and local and overseas families “Home but not Alone” “Home away from Home” Contact Rolene on 082-337-5230 or [email protected] 8-10 Princess Avenue, Windsor West, Northcliff Please visit us on: www.odysseyassist.co.za Call: (011) 678-3111 • Fax: (011) 678 3782 • Email: [email protected] or call us all hours on 083 66 66 211 The golden years 12 SA JEWISH REPORT - 15 March 2013 The unique story of EasyRoller Honour your father and

EasyRoller is the first non-metal wheelchair on It is made of environmentally friendly recyclable From page 11 the market. It is especially the choice for situations materials with no detachable parts. your mother where the use of metal wheelchairs is prohibited or presents disruption and delay. A testimonial from a user in the UK EasyRoller is unique in its ergonomic design and The name EasyRoller understates so very much just provides both the user and assistants with a more how innovative this wheelchair really is, having been comfortable easier ride. designed by a Norwegian racing car and speedboat It represents a new era in wheelchair transporta- designer. tion. I travelled with a metal chair via an airport; the se- curity insisted I would be hauled out of my chair and For pool and spa searched most intimately, because they saw my jeans An EasyRoller wheelchair is especially designed for were padded. use in pools and spas It’s made from 100 per cent I wear a pad as they soon discovered, total degra- thermoplastic which is environment-friendly. The dation, but the real blame was the metal chair, as the frame and wheel-bearings will not rust and the pool security staff were too nervous about it - something It all relates to perceptions of maintaining quality of life while ceramic tiles will not be damaged; it will not be af- to do with the long lasting aftermath of 9/11. preserving dignity and privacy. These are vexing issues, about which fected by chlorine or other chemicals in the water. But it must be said that the EasyRoller changed many have written. Specific questions should be dealt with by a com- The frame of the wheelchair is designed to rapidly all that completely; no more hassle, no more alarm petent rabbinic authority. fill with water, making pool access easy and giving sounding, no more embarrassment, now I turn heads The overriding fact is that life is created by G-d and has infinite increased stability when in the water. On leaving the because the chair I am in is remarkable, not because value, and cannot be subjected to the opinions of moralistic reason- pool, the frame will empty rapidly. the metal detectors blasts out an affirmation to eve- ing precipitated by fluctuating societal norms. ryone that a wheelchair user is in the way. Healthcare challenges: The goal is to provide best, patient-centred, Airport and port security screening As soon as I started using one, I found it to be in- individualised care, starting with proper multidisciplinary as- For security screening, EasyRoller does not generate credibly light and manoeuvrable. Being only 17kg in sessments. The elderly often have multiple medical problems and any signal in metal detectors and is therefore most weight, it really is so much easier on the arms, neck disabilities, including reduced mental functioning, affecting many suitable for screening disabled persons and persons and shoulders, supported by a high back. activities of daily living. with reduced mobility. It is maintenance free - there aren’t any welding Therefore, they require comprehensive medical, nursing, physi- Wheelchair passengers can pass airport security joints and metal stresses to be maintained. otherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy assessments. control without interfering with the scanning equip- The EasyRoller can be self-propelled into a pool ment. that has a slope access, or even used with a hoist The elderly further have many psycho-social issues, relating to the The user can be seated throughout the security sling to enable access directly into the shallow end, many losses they endure, from dwindling finances to inability to cope scanning process, thus avoiding unnecessary lifting, where one can then just float above the chair, gently. with activities of daily living, to the loneliness resulting from families increasing throughput and operational effectiveness, It really is quite remarkable. No more rust! relocating overseas. avoiding congestion and delays As most wheelchair users know, cleaning a wheel- Therefore, a psycho-social assessment by a social worker is at least chair is usually a nightmare, especially if you have as important as the other assessments mentioned. Hospitals and institutions certain problems associated with spinal injuries. Once these assessments are completed, a patient-centred “Care Patients can be comfortably transported throughout With this unit there is no rusting and paint strip- Plan” is developed to the older person’s specific needs. the entire hospital or institution, without risk or dis- ping - it is perfect to maintain high levels of hygiene. The biggest healthcare challenge that most children face at some ruption, including the MRI-room, without interfer- Transferring is easy due to the shape of the seat point relates to where best to care for parents. It’s the famous “home ing with the MRI equipment. and the stability; you can use a slide-board with ease. care” versus “care home” decision. There are advantages and disad- There is minimal physical work and lifting, thus Even the tyres are puncture proof. vantages to both options. Parents should be involved in the decision- reducing transfer times and delays. EasyRoller design Contact: (011) 805-3447, fax 0865167872, cell making process. ensures it is easily cleaned and has fewer bacterial Thantaswa Siala at Tipp Focus, 082-881-2289. Remaining at home, the advantages include: a warm, caring envi- traps. Address: 17 Thornhill Office Park, Midrand. ronment, surrounded by children and grandchildren; the family is very involved in care, choose the carers, and do not have guilt for abandoning the parent; financially there are cost savings. Disadvantages are that the family may be overseas or, if living lo- cally, may develop “carer burnout”. Furthermore, the parent may feel isolated away from peers, and there is no easily available advanced care. Multi-disciplinary patient-centred home-based care organisa- tions, such as Odyssey Assist, provide home-based healthcare servic- es, including 24-hour nursing services, medical and therapy services, plus food deliveries and socialisation and lifestyle programmes. These organisations remove the burden of responsibility from the children, while retaining the advantages and minimising the disad- vantages of home-based care. Statistically, multi-disciplinary home-based care organisations re- duce hospital readmissions by a third over a five year period, further reducing costs and increasing longevity and life quality. Living in a care home has advantages: the management is profes- sional, the care is multi-disciplinary, frail-care services in addition to standard hotel services are often available, and socialisation and lifestyle programmes are critical success factors. Disadvantages are that of living in a costly institution. Rules and regulations within the institution may make the parent feel limited. Furthermore, being out of one’s familiar home sometimes leads to depression. The children should investigate several homes, and obtain professional advice, before deciding on the best home for their par- ents. The emotional challenges in caring for elderly parents cannot be underestimated. Chief among these is “role reversal”. Children who were cared for by parents now find themselves caring for their own parents. This presents greater difficulties where parents are unco- operative and, especially in dementia, abusive and aggressive. Ways of dealing with unacceptable behaviour are available from many dementia books and websites, including the information section of the Odyssey Assist website, etc. The legal challenges involved in elderly care include assessing testament capacity: whether the parent has reasonable understand- ing of his (or her) assets, relationship to beneficiaries, and ability to communicate these. Protection of vulnerable adults is essential. These legal challenges are best met by competent attorneys and advocates, in liaison with doctors who have special interest in geriatrics and psycho-geriatrics. In South Africa, the Jewish community is blessed with organisa- tions, both private and not for profit community, ready to help in so many ways. The golden years SA JEWISH REPORT - 15 March 2013 13

From page 11 The golden years 14 SA JEWISH REPORT - 15 March 2013 Boost your retirement savings Sanlam Employee Benefits have some practi- ment policies or unit trusts. cal suggestions for supplementing retirement Make sure that you preserve your benefits savings. when you change jobs by transferring your People are living longer and longer. On benefits to your new employer’s retirement average, men who retire at 60, live for an- fund or transferring them to a preservation other 18 years. The average life expectancy of vehicle. women aged 60 is another 21 years. Not preserving retirement fund benefits While it’s wonderful that it could mean is one of the biggest reasons for inadequate your children will be able to spend many retirement provision. Think twice before re- more years with their grandparents and tiring early. Early retirement not only reduces great-grandparents, how do you think your the amount you will have contributed to your parents and grandparents are going to fund retirement fund but increases the time you these additional years? Will their pensions be spend in retirement. enough? Consider the following if you retire Sadly, many people have not saved enough early: -Loss of future income.-Loss of fringe to see them through their extended retire- benefits.-Your last 10 years before you retire ment period and often have to go back to is usually a time when you have no depend- work to survive. ant, so you can make more savings.-You stand Retire to exclusive No-one likes the idea of putting money to receive a reduced spouse’s pension. away for a rainy day sometime in the future, -Your retirement gap is likely to be bigger independent luxury but when it comes to retirement planning the earlier you retire.-Loss of group life and 4-STAR GUEST HOUSES living in beautiful that’s exactly what you have to do. If you disability benefits.-Medical inflation is high Est. 1994 Orchards don’t start saving for retirement while you and will have a larger and larger impact on are still young, working and earning a salary, your budget. -Getting rid of debt. 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Easy walk to shuls One way of boosting your retirement advisers and can “waste” precious savings by savings is to make additional voluntary being incorrectly invested. Choice of 3 types of accommodation contributions(AVCs) to your retirement fund. Optional meal packages / Special laundry & Internet rates AVCs are fixed contributions that you make Steps to action every month over and above your normal Refer to your Annual Member Benefit state- Only 10 units available contribution. You don’t have to make a long- ment or discuss it with your financial adviser term decision regarding making AVCs to the to establish how big your retirement gap is. For appointment or further information, call: Mike, Cherise or Hilary Tel: (011) 485-3800, e-mail: [email protected] fund, nor will you be locked in for a period of Your retirement gap is the shortfall between Address: 53 Garden Road, Orchards. more than one year. what you need at retirement and what you website: www.gardenplace.co.za Most other forms of savings lock you in and currently stand to receive when you retire have punitive termination clauses. based on your current savings. The contributions you make to your retire- Identify practical ways of reducing your ment fund cannot be withdrawn by you or debt so you’ll have some disposable (avail- anyone else until you withdraw from the able) money to allocate to savings at some fund. In this way, any temptation to spend point. Reassess your retirement goals. You the money other than at retirement, is largely may need to adjust your retirement goals or counteracted. adjust your spending habits now to realise You can also speak to your financial adviser your dreams. about other savings vehicles that would be Always obtain good financial advice to en- the most appropriate for your circumstances, sure that your hard-earned money is correctly including retirement annuities (RAs), endow- invested, in line with your retirement goals. Personalised care at Ron Smith Care Centre in Lyndhurst Rand Aid Association recently opened a spe- with outdoor and indoor seating that offers a cialised dementia unit at its Ron Smith Care relaxed environment for people with demen- Centre in Lyndhurst, Johannesburg, with the tia and their carers. Elphino’s and its adjacent emphasis on creating a homely, happy atmos- tuckshop are open from Tuesdays to Sundays. phere for the patients. Care centre rates include full board and The well-appointed centre, situated in the lodging, laundry, OT services, 24-hour grounds of Elphin Lodge retirement village, nursing care and a doctor on call. There is a offers comfortable accommodation, with the physiotherapist on site and a podiatrist visits option of private bathrooms. on a regular basis. A hairdresser and a beauti- The dementia unit boasts 32 single rooms, cian provide valuable personal care on site. most of which lead onto a covered veranda. Accommodation is offered on a long- or The lounge and inter-leading dining room short-term/temporary basis. are pleasantly decorated and provide a social For more information, contact Helen space as well as room for activities. at (011) 882-6296 or e-mail hpetrie Stimulating activities, according to resi- @randaid.co.za. dents’ abilities, are provided daily under the guidance of a fulltime occupational therapist. Activities include arts and crafts, sensory stimulation and music therapy. Nursing staff participate in training courses presented by Alzheimer’s SA (the Gauteng office is on the premises) and are well quali- fied to take care of this vulnerable group of residents. Residents who do not need the degree of specialised care offered in the dementia unit, might prefer one of Ron Smith’s other ac- For more information, visit our website commodation choices. Apart from dementia- www.randaid.co.za specific care, mid care, assisted living, full frail care, respite care when the regular carer needs a break and recuperative care after hospitalisation or illness, are offered. Newly opened is Elphino’s, a coffee shop 15 – 22 March 2013 Letters SA JEWISH REPORT 15 Disclaimer The letters page is intended to provide opportunity for a range of views on any given topic to be expressed. Opinions articulated in the letters are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, staff or directors of the Jewish Report.

Guidelines for letters Letters up to 400 words get preference. Provide your full name, place of residence, and daytime contact phone number. We do not publish letters under noms de plume. Letters should preferably be e-mailed. Letters may be edited or shortened. The Editor, PO Box 84650, Greenside, 2034 email: [email protected]

Cut out luxuries, but Pesach seders still cost an arm and a leg

I notice with great interest, the eternal Pesach tune of a few thousand rand. There are, after gripe about the prices of kosher food, pub- all, two seders, four yontaivim and a Shabbat lished under “Community Voices” in Jewish in between the yontaivim. That’s a load of Report of March 15. entertaining to do. I love cooking, am a very traditional Ortho- Remember the Union of Orthodox Syna- dox Jew and am keenly aware of the prices of gogues’ commission into the price of kosher kosher food and products, particularly over chickens, never mind red meat, which they the Jewish festivals. never got to? The three ladies very enthusiastically gave What exacerbates the issue is the enticing their views on the spiritual “cost” of not keep- array of “kosher for Pesach” products available ing kosher over Pesach, versus the actual cost in a modern city like Johannesburg. When I of kosher food and came to the conclusion was growing up in Aliwal North, there were no that doing without or with less, is best. choccies, sweeties, cold drinks, biscuits, chips, This is laudable and I agree with them. fried veggies and cakes to be had on Pesach. However here in the rub: even the downscal- My late bobba made mead to drink (disgust- ing of the Pesach feasts, not keeping up with ing stuff) and cried over the horse radish that the Cohens and correctly putting one’s mind she made from scratch. over one’s stomach regarding the meaning of Besides the normal traditional Pesach the chag, will still cost a fortune. dishes, that was the only extra “luxury” one I don’t know where these ladies shop and had for the chag. like all good Jewish mamas I’m sure they shop I do not expect the UOS to set up a com- with enthusiasm for Pesach; one has still got mission into the price of “kosher for Pesach” to virtually take out a second bond on one’s foods, but this really breaks the piggy (oops) house to pay for the seders. bank. One only has to buy some kosher meat for a few people - “kein ain hara” us Jews know how Stanley Klompas to eat - and one is already out of pocket to the Sandringham, Johannesburg

Mizrachi’s actions of late are confusing in the extreme

For many years, I have had an association with didate Naftali Bennett, who was endorsed by Bnei Akiva and the Mizrachi organisation. They both the rabbinic and lay leadership of Mizrachi represent the religious-Zionist camp. in Israel, joined up with Yair Lapid immediately I understood that the learning of Torah was after the elections. It is astonishing that the an important element of their ideology. But in Mizrachi movement which is right-wing, would recent months, I have become confused about join up with a far-leftwing party just in order to this. A few months ago, they brought out a ensure that religious Jews stop learning Torah. rabbi from Israel who spoke to the community, The two of them seemingly only have one com- emphasising that the modern Israel needed to mon goal: to eliminate Torah learning in Israel, Holocaust-Era Assets in Former East Germany decrease the number of yeshiva students. He with the exception of 400 elite students. was extremely vocal in his disparagement of The Claims Conference has established a Late Applicants Fund (“LAF”) of €50 million in order to other religious sects. Jack Shapiro accept applications from the following heirs of a former Jewish owner (“persecutee”) of property/ Then, recently, the Bayit Yehudi electoral can Glenhazel, Johannesburg assets in the former East Germany for which the Claims Conference received proceeds as What ‘extras’ can we leave out from Pesach shopping? Successor Organization under the German Property Law of 1990:

I have to take issue with your three ladies in Pesach be Pesach without kneidlach? That is (a) The immediate testamentary heir of the persecutee; (b) Children, grandchildren, or great “Community Voices” in last week’s paper, on without meat, chicken (the cost of which makes grandchildren of the persecutee; (c) Siblings of the persecutee; (d) Children of siblings listed the cost of Pesach. Their advice is: Go without me want to have a nervous breakdown) and fish. under (c); (e) Spouses of persons listed under (b), (c) and (d). certain items. We won’t even think about dairy products. I fully agree. However, a box of machine made Tell me how I do without the above? Pesach, Applications can be filed directly with the Claims Conference for no fee. There is no need for mass produced Shmura Matzah costs R50. (I without any “extras” will cost the average family applicants to pay a fee to any party. The LAF will accept applications through December 31, 2014. hate to think what hand-made matzah costs!) over R5 000 for eight days. Can we justify this? Ordinary matzah is between R26 and R28 - can After the application deadline, the Claims Conference shall determine the payment that each I do without matzah? A small bottle of jam is Sandy Resnick eligible heir will receive. This determination will be based on a number of factors detailed on the over R30 (a luxury?) Matzah meal: R35 - can Highlands North, Johannesburg Claims Conference website.

The Claims Conference has published on its website, www.claimscon.org, a list of the properties/ assets received by the Claims Conference as of the date of publication, and such assets for which claims by the Claims Conference are still pending under the German Property Restitution Law, including the name of the former owners and/or businesses, as well as the addresses of the properties/assets.

The detailed rules of the LAF, applications, and other information are also on the Claims Conference website, www.claimscon.org.

All communications regarding the Late Applicants Fund should be submitted to: Claims Conference Successor Organization, Sophienstrasse 26, D-60487 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Fax: ++49-69-97-07-08-11. Email: [email protected]

To aid applicants who do not have complete information, the Claims Conference has a Department for Property Identification. If you believe that you or your relatives may have owned Jewish property in the former East Germany, please include as much information as possible in your application and the Department will endeavor to identify such property. Please write to the above address. There is no charge for this service as well.

The Claims Conference has appointed an Ombudsman. To contact the Office of the Ombudsman, please email [email protected] or write to The Ombudsman, PO Box 585, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113, USA 16 SA JEWISH REPORT Tapestry 15 – 22 March 2013

Curl Up and Dye Ruphin Coudyzer Photo: - 25 years on, it’s weightier

ROBYN SASSEN an array of teacups. “What you choose to use speaks about who In 1989 it rocked Orange Grove’s you are. Black Sun Theatre, emblazoned “‘When are you bringing it itself on audience hearts and be- back?’ has been a constant nag came a standard of South African from various people.” She refers drama, thus exceeding all expecta- to the play’s status in school and tions. university curricula. “In the last It was published in an anthol- two years I started thinking about ogy with plays which were ther- staging it again. “As I finished writing the play, mometers in the hotbed of South The ladies of Curl Up and Dye: Robert Coleman; Hlengiwe Lushaba-Madlala; Cindy Swanepoel; Quanita Adams; and African currents, like Anthony 25 years ago, the season opened. Lesedi Job-Smith. Akerman’s “Somewhere on the It was harrowing; there was no Border”. Now, “Curl Up and Dye” time for failure. So, how do you choral quality of the piece, in how “The play is about greyness,” is back. Its writer, director and de- revisit an old work? Only if you performers ‘sing’ together,” she she says, deliciously using hair signer Sue Pam-Grant (pictured), move on, if you look at it with a adds. “It’s not a musical piece, but images that pun focus on society, spoke to Jewish Report. completely dissociated gaze and it’s an ensemble.” “But it’s also about archetypes. Using the bravely still-standing really question it,” she remarked. Staged in a down-at-heel This is no sitcom. But it’s also no frontage of Lorna Court, a Joubert “I was 27 and exploding with women’s hairdressing salon and kitchen sink drama any more. Park block of flats as its poster energy and age-appropriate ut- drawing on how women unbur- “It now has a darker palette image, the production, Pam-Grant ter lack of hindsight or insight,” den themselves while their hair and is weightier,” Pam-Grant explains “reflects a new vision. she comments on how the work is being done, the play features waltzes between “fragility and Since the play debuted, the world’s launched her career. “It was ter- a hairdresser, Roelene (initially resilience”. Holding local foibles a different place. I’m a different rifying to come back to the work played by Pam-Grant herself) and up to salon mirrors, she’ll make person.” and stick my hand in with creative four clients, played originally by you laugh and cry, with greater Breast cancer in 2003 caused and intellectual tools 25 years Val Donald-Bell, Nandi Nyembe, abandon and more insight, this this UCT-trained actress to older than the piece. Lillian Dube and Debra Watson. time around. rethink her energies; she’s been “I have dug into the script. It Her cast, echoing the cream of making visual art since. At her has been vigorous and rigorous; talent it assembled in the 1980s, • Curl Up and Dye is at Old Mutual Melville studio, it’s clear many it’s been about the luxury of ask- is Robert Colman, Quanita Adams, Theatre on the Square, Sandton, passions ignite her. “I love cups ing myself scary questions. Hlengiwe Lushaba-Madlala, Lesedi March 20 - April 20, (011) 883- and chairs,” she says, indicating “I wanted to hone in on the Job-Smith and Cindy Swanepoel. 8606.

Arts Briefs Give-and-take between visual tradition Nhlengethwa’s ‘Of Jazz Interiors, and contemporary wit ever-present Tributes and Townships’, in CT

Exhibition: Drawings by Mark Nathan drawings. Through March, veteran Cape Town gallerist Rose Korber, shows Where: Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre, Nathan is not quite in the same confrontational work by Sam Nhlengethwa. Entitled, “Of Jazz Interiors, Trib- Oaklands (011) 728-8088 league as Podwal, and his work remains within a frame- utes and Townships,” the exhibition is a compilation of recurring Until: March 24 work of “pretty” and “demure”, but the give-and-take themes in the work of this well-known artist, who veers between between visual tradition and contemporary wit, is very lithography, etching, drawing and collage to make work quintes- REVIEWED BY ROBYN SASSEN present in these drawings. sentially South African. Here we see a butterfly smashing through an hour- Born into a family of jazz lovers, Nhlengethwa acknowledges: “I There’s a curiously prosaic tone to the body of draw- glass, there a spiderweb embalming musty references. am at heart, a non-practising jazz musician.” It’s a passion which ings in pen and ink on paper by Mark Nathan on show. Dreamcatchers hang from the fingers of hamsas in reverberates through his art. Blending religious images relating to exegesis and tradi- an engaging dance with tradition. The work will be shown until March 31, in Camps Bay. Call (021) tion, from the hourglass to the hamsa, and peppered Prosaic objects waltz with ones that have religious 438-9152 or visit www.rosekorberart.com, where you can see pho- with ketubah references, the exhibition, when first you value: Nathan’s line work is accurate and the objects he tographs of works on show. look, might seem a basic but competent engagement renders quickly legible. with tradition. The secular, abstract works in the first section of the The more you look, however, the more you realise gallery space play elegantly with the notion of a scrib- the depth and reach of these mostly elegant drawings. ble pattern. Divided cleanly into pieces speaking of religious tradi- Like the later work of Spanish surrealist Joan Miró, Nineteen SA writers feature at tion and others based in more abstract paradigms, the Nathan’s line work is given full calligraphic reign in Writers Festival in Durban exhibition on the whole is one of serenity, but again, these pieces which here seem to describe a dancer spin- this is at a glance from a relative distance. ning, her skirt twisting and flaring with the movement The 16th Time of the Writer International Writers Festival in Nathan courts cliché in some works, like ancient of her body, and there, they turn into eddies of water or Durban, is between March 18 and 23. It features 19 writers from illuminators who brought life to manuscripts reach- the delicate gymnopedies that happen when a confident South Africa, Africa and beyond. ing back into the annals of literary history, he offers line of ink meets a sheet of paper. Hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of subtexts. The more successful of Nathan’s drawings rely on his KwaZulu-Natal, the programme includes contributions by Damon In the 1990s art historian Michael Camille wrote of linear talents: some of the works which use colour are Galgut, whose novel In A Strange Room, following the journey the intricate subtexts subtly present in mediaeval illu- overworked and easy to pass over. of an isolated South African traveller, was shortlisted for several mination, pointing at how the earnestness of traditions Nathan’s real skill lies with his use of line, which can be gazed at with a curious and sometimes skew eye. point to a flaw in the exhibition. awards, including the 2010 Man Booker Prize. Leaping centuries forward in time, think of the Close to 50 works are exhibited here: had the show Galgut is a co-panellist with Elana Bregin, well known for her Pesach haggadah illustrations of American Mark been more ruthlessly curated, showcasing only gems by award-winning young adult titles. Podwal, in which contemporary art, ancient tradition this artist, it would have been more convincing, albeit The festival’s programme and the full biographies of the and everyday politics is niftily and wittily shuttled into smaller. participants can be accessed on www.cca.ukzn.ac.za or call (031) 260-2506. 15 – 22 March 2013 World News in Brief SA JEWISH REPORT 17 One of the best-selling musicians of all time, Streisand claims 140 million in record US defense official calls Libyan Islamists sales. She performed at last month’s Oscars for the first time in 26 years. for Pollard’s release torture 48 Christians Some 4 500 people are expected to attend the Israeli Presidential Conference. (JTA) WASHINGTON - Former US Assistant BENGHAZI - Libyan Islamists affiliated with Secretary of Defence Lawrence Korb, said the fundamentalist Salafi groups, last week on Tuesday that the US should release arrested and reportedly tortured 48 Egyptian convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard from Coptic Christians in Benghazi. Israel releases Obama prison, saying Pollard’s punishment was According to AFP, the Coptic Christians “disproportionate”. were arrested and detained by armed Salafists travel schedule “As an American, I can’t accept the injustice on charges of proselytising. A video later of it,” Korb said, according to Israel Hayom. released by the Salafists showed dozens of WASHINGTON - Israel has released a Korb was assistant secretary of defence men with shaved heads squatted on the tentative itinerary for President Barack when Pollard was arrested by US authorities floor in a tiny room with a bearded Libyan Obama’s visit to Israel and the West Bank. in 1985. Pollard was later convicted of spying recounting their charges. The March 20 - 22 visit, according to the for Israel and sentenced to life in prison. According to Fox News, the Christians were schedule released on Monday by Prime Now a senior fellow at the Centre for later released by the Salafists and are awaiting Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, American Progress think tank in Washington, deportation back to Egypt. But during their will include visits to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Korb made his comment while visiting Israel, detainment, family members back in Egypt Holocaust memorial, as well as visits to the where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin claimed that the Coptic Christians were graves in Jerusalem of Theodor Herzl, founder Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. tortured by their captors, including having Streisand to perform at of modern Zionism, and Yitzhak Rabin, the “Pollard is the only person in US history their heads shaved and having acid used to Israeli prime minister assassinated in 1995 by to be served a life sentence for spying for burn off crosses that were tattooed on their Peres’ birthday bash a Jewish extremist. a friendly country,” Korb said. “Israel is wrists, Ahram Online reported. Also on the itinerary are a review of Israeli undoubtedly a friend, not an enemy. The “When the residents of the village told me JERUSALEM - Barbra Streisand will make her innovations in technology as well as a tour average sentence for spying for a friendly that he was imprisoned, I embraced his sons official performing debut in Israel at the 90th of the Dead Sea Scrolls, both at the Israel country is only a few years. He needs to be and told them they would not see their father birthday celebration for President Shimon Museum; meetings with Israeli leaders, released not because of interests, but because again,” Fardoos Salib, the mother of Coptic Peres. including a state dinner at the residence of it is the right thing to do. farmer Atif Kamel, told Egyptian newspaper Streisand is slated to perform at the Israeli President Shimon Peres; and a review “It is time for the Israeli public to make its al-Watan. “I prayed in the church, until G-d opening ceremony of the Israeli Presidential of a battery of the Iron Dome anti-missile voice heard,” he said. “Precisely because we responded and he was released, as G-d knows Conference on June 18. system funded by the United States that Israel are such close friends, it is important that our conditions.” According to the Times of Israel, it would said repelled most of the rockets launched President [Barack] Obama hears your voice.” This is the latest incident in an increasing be the iconic Jewish entertainer’s first official from the Gaza Strip during last November’s More than 100 000 Israelis have signed number of attacks on Christians in post- performance in Israel, although she had been war with Hamas. a petition calling for Pollard’s release. Ghaddafi Libya. In late December, two to Israel on several occasions for personal Obama also will spend time in Ramallah The petition will be presented to Obama Egyptians died in a blast at a Coptic Church visits. with the Palestinian Authority leadership. during his visit to Israel later this month. in the town of Dafniya. In February, four Streisand is being brought to Israel through Not listed but reported in the Israeli media Prominent signers of the petition include foreign missionaries were arrested on charges the music company Live Nation, which is are a speech that Obama plans to deliver to former President Yitzhak Navon, writers of proselytising. Last week, a Catholic priest organising a rare European tour. Several students at Israeli universities and a visit AB Yehoshua and David Grossman and was attacked by armed militiamen in Tripoli, Israeli promoters have attempted to bring her to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Nobel Prize-winners Dan Shechtman, Aaron according to Independent Catholic News. to Israel to perform. (JTA) Ciechanover and Robert Aumann. (JNS.org) (JNS.org) Parazar

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Nile River nearby and was then not only creating untrue accusa- peace, compared to the fruitless cause.” David Fleminger Photo: Thoroughly enjoyable art tour of Marais Road Shul choir CD Wits’ West Campus WIZO’s Fortnightly Forum provided a wonder- Many of the women on the tour, who had ful morning for a large group of women when not been to Wits for years, were amazed at the takes airwaves by storm they participated in an art tour on the West calibre of art, the buildings and the great vibe on Campus of Wits. campus. MOIRA SCHNEIDER WIZO said in a media release, well-known art In the picture below, Joyce Kruger (WIZO CAPE TOWN personality and curator, Natalie Knight, led the Forum); Lorna Sonnenberg (WIZO Forum); group on a walkabout at Wits. Natalie Knight (Wits art curator); Prof From the jaunty Ein Kelokeinu to the She spoke to them about art and the reason Kathy Munro (Wits University); and Barbara haunting Mikolot Mayim, the Marais for the selection of works displayed. Afterwards Isserow enjoy tea in the gardens of the Wits Road Synagogue Choir CD has been they enjoyed tea and refreshments. West Campus. making waves since its release here four weeks ago. It has topped the South Af- rican “Reverbnation” (most listened to) Internet charts and sales have followed suit. Financed by Londoner Michael Cohen, the CD’s musical arrangement is by Matthew Reid and features Can- tor Ivor Joffe, the shul’s chazzan and choirmaster David Gordon, along with the choir. It has been produced by world-class music producer Murray Anderson. The cover of the Marais Road Synagogue Cohen, who spends three months a year Choir CD. in Cape Town over the summer, recalls be- ing “mesmerised” when he first heard Joffe’s and “Those Were the Days” - with its pre- rendition of the traditional tunes in “a very dominantly synagogue music. modern, innovative, upbeat way. Profits will be shared between the shul “I’ve listened to choirs all over the world and Jewish charities in England and Israel, and I haven’t heard one anywhere like it,” he including Zaka, an organisation best known says. “I think that the traditional liturgical for collecting mortal remains following ter- music doesn’t work for young people today ror attacks, or natural disasters, to ensure a Photo supplied and I feel that this music could very well bring proper Jewish burial. them back into the synagogue. As chief executive of MPC Entertainment, “It’s not gospel music, but it’s similar in Cohen manages entertainment and sports World News in Brief that it is very, very uplifting. I’m not that re- stars worldwide, including Shane Warne and ligious, but I would go religiously to Marais Jonah Lomu and locally he co-represents Israel escapes the locust plague in advance of Road (Green and Sea Point Hebrew Congre- Dale Steyn, Jacques Kallis and Shaun Pollock. gation) to listen to the choir because it was While this latest venture would seem to the Passover holiday like watching a theatre show - it was tremen- be “completely different” from his current dously entertaining and that’s what I hoped work, he has actually come full circle. JERUSALEM - In advance of Passover, Israel has successfully escaped the plague of locusts to capture on the CD,” he says. “I started off in the music business and that threatened to damage the country’s agricultural industry - for now. Cohen adds that the reaction from Lon- used to handle some of the biggest musical “Officials sprayed the flying insects with pesticide early this morning (March 6), greatly doners has been “extraordinary - they’ve nev- stars in the world,” he remarks. reducing the number of living, flying insects,” according to a statement from Israel’s Ministry er heard anything like it!” He plans separate “I really wanted to make a difference,” of Agriculture and Rural Development. launches in Johannesburg, Durban and then he says of his motivation. “I think the South One of the few ways to deal with swarms of locust is to spray them with pesticides, ac- London (June), New York (August) and Syd- African community needs to realise that cording to experts. ney (October), to which he hopes to attract although I made it for them, I also made it “The FAO [UN Food and Agriculture Organisation] warned Israel a couple days ahead of the huge South African expatriate communi- for the rest of the world, because a lot of the time that swarms were likely, and the country immediately mobilised teams [and] resources, ties. tunes are in South African synagogues, but and informed farmers and other parties so they were prepared for the locusts,” Keith Cress- “There’s a huge revival in Jewish music in they are not heard outside (the country) and man, a senior locust-forecasting officer in Rome for the FAO, told Live Science. England,” he adds, referring to the Cantors’ that’s what particularly fascinated me. The desert locusts, which originated in Egypt and Sudan, thrive in warm and wet environ- Convention scheduled to take place there in “What I hope will happen is that the ments. They arrived in Israel just weeks before Passover, which recounts the Jewish exodus June. “To my knowledge, it’s the largest in tunes will be adopted by synagogues all over the world.” from Egypt. According to story in the Bible, one of the 10 plagues that G-d used in order to the world. Even if they copy them, I think A year in the making, the CD incorpo- that that would be very exciting because they torment the Egyptians over their enslavement of the Jewish people was a plague of locusts. rates two English songs - “You Raise Me Up” are enthralling to listen to.” (JNS.org) 15 – 22 March 2013 Community SA JEWISH REPORT 19 ‘New anti-Semitism’ - the old merely Chev’s Helping clothed in more sophisticated guise Hands hand Kia Rio they had seldom been proved wrong in this. to Darren Gorelick The Israel army was the fourth largest in the world, ensuring the country’s continued existence. But its enemies said it had a huge army, therefore they hated it - merely for being Israel; Israel was a tiny country. “Yet if we read the world press accounts or daily condemnations from the United Nations, we might conclude that Israel is a world power intent on destabilising Middle East affairs.” The world focused disproportionately on Israel with regard to the major issues of contention - occupied land and settlements, refu- gees, a divided Jerusalem, cross-border incursions and the security WIZO Johannesburg Chairman Nava Gonen and speaker Bev Goldman. fence, while similar disputes were commonplace across the globe. “The world community singles out Israel for its supposed STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL BELLING transgressions in a fashion that it does not do for nearly identical disagreements elsewhere. Much of the world hates and loves to hate Israel, Bev Goldman told “I think this points to a new sort of fashionable and socially ac- the general meeting of WIZO Johannesburg, now celebrating its ceptable anti-Semitism which is rearing its ugly head. The new anti- centenary. Semites were polished and sophisticated intellectuals who took on “What is it about Israel that inflames the passions of millions and endorsed much of the anti-Israel sentiment, including Hamas across the world?” she asked. They make a point, push forward an cartoons of Jews as apes and pigs. idea, orate passionately with truth or lies, defend or attack vocifer- “There was a second facet of the new anti-Semitism. The estab- ously or venomously.” lishment of the State of Israel also served as a respectable cloak for Israel’s detractors ignored the realities of the past in favour of the anti-Semitism. One now spoke not of disliking Jews, but only of fallacies of the present, ignored the Bible and centuries of history despising the Jewish state. “ and incontrovertible facts in favour of enemy propaganda, distorted There was also resentment against Israeli successes, while other agendas and often irrational antagonism, visceral hatred, blatant countries in the region failed. In addition, the Palestinians posi- malevolence, spewing words such as genocide, ethnic cleansing, tioned themselves as underdogs against a mighty Israel. apartheid and Nazism. “Despite all that, Israel stands proud and steadfast today, Photo: Celeste Everitt It was possibly anti-Semitism, with Israel being singled out and sharing with this same world its groundbreaking achievements Celeste Everitt ignoring many countries with their own human rights abuses. in technology, medicine, agriculture, eco-environmental policies Israelis in general hated the idea of public relations, she said. They and education.” Darren Gorelick was the winner of a brand new Kia Rio lived in a country that had been under effective world quarantine Israel was there when there were natural disasters around the at the Chevrah Kadisha’s annual Helping Hands Charity for almost all its history, in a society of “unbridled openness”. world, as the bastion of free speech, free religion, the protector of Poker Tournament late last year. She added: “They are bathed in a culture which insulates itself and women and children, as home and sanctuary not only for Jews, but Gorelick received the handover of his car last week at armours itself and has little reason to believe the world will give it a in many cases for oppressed and abused Christians from neighbour- the Chev’s revenue offices. The magnificent Kia Rio was fair shake.” ing countries. sponsored by Ray Levin, CEO of Kia and Clive Blechman, Whatever they did, the world was likely to condemn them and “Israel is vibrant and exciting. Israel is there for us all,” she said. CEO of Eastvaal Auto. 20 SA JEWISH REPORT Pesach Recipe Youth 15 – 22 March 2013 KDHSVP wins plenty Something sweet national theatre awards GAVIN BUDD, HEADMASTER, KDHSVP Choreography, Best Ensemble, Best Techni- cal, Best Costumes, Best Actor (Dean Salant), for Pesach The cast of last year’s acclaimed school mu- Best Actress (Kerri-Lee Gluck), Runner-up sical production “A night at the Theatre”, to Best Actor (Marc Goldblatt), Best Sup- SHARON LURIE, known in cookery circles as “The Butcher’s Wife”, was honoured by the South African National porting Actor (Renos Spanoudes), Runner- has come up with a stunning mouth-watering kosher “sweetener” to Community Theatre Association when they up to Best Actress (Julia Chaskalson and At- enhance your Pesach seder. were nominated as one of the six finalists ira Pollack), Best Supporting Actress(Bianca in the country, to receive awards in the 8th Sevel), poster and programme. SANCTA Full-Length Play Festival. Congratulations to KDVP High for winning Pear, lime and ginger sorbet The other finalists were: Biloxi Blues the following awards at the SANCTA Awards • 6 pears (peeled, pips removed and diced) or two cans (KFP) pears with juice (Bishops College, Cape Town); Hairspray (De Ceremony last Sunday: • 3 - 4 cups water la Salle College); Maybe This Time & Dance • 1/2 cup sugar Spectrum (National School of the Arts); • Best Ensemble: Les Miserables • 1 cup water Robin Hood (Protea Stage Productions). • Best Actor: Dean Salant as Danny Zuko in • 3 cm piece of ginger, peeled and sliced Against such formidable competition, Grease • 1 tbls lime juice King David Victory Park’s production re- • Best Supporting Actor: Renos Spanoudes • 1 tsp finely grated rind of lime ceived the most nominations in the Festi- as Thenardier in Les Miserables • 2 egg whites val for: Best Production, Best Director, Best • Best Director: Gavin Budd Photos: Trevorsachs Method: 1 Boil pears in 2 - 3 cups water in a deep saucepan until soft. 2 While pears are boiling, dissolve sugar in water in a medium sized saucepan. Once dissolved, add ginger. 3 Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to slow boil for about 10 minutes. 4 Add lime juice, rind and boiled pears (with water) or tinned pears with juice and bring to the boil again. 5 Remove from heat and either blend with a hand blender or food processor until silky, smooth. 6 Place mixture into plastic bowl or container the shape and size of a 2 litre square ice cream container. 7 Freeze for 3 hours so that it’s not completely frozen but has started freezing around the edges. 8 Just before removing sorbet from freezer, whisk egg whites until firm. 9 Remove sorbet from freezer and add whisked eggs. Mix well with electric beater or hand blender and refreeze immediately.

Canned pears option • If you are using canned pears, remove the juice from the cans and add enough water to make 3 cups of liquid. Add ginger, juice of lime, rind and only 1/3 cup of sugar (as the syrup in the pears has enough sugar). • Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add pears to liquid, bring to the boil, remove from heat and blend until smooth. • Continue with step 4 above. Photos supplied

Julia Chaskalson, on stage Getting rid of chometz for a good cause LIOR FEIGIN help the broader community at the same time. Links-Youth will be donating the chometz to Linksfield Shul’s new “Links-Youth” team - “a Our Childrens’ Home, who will benefit greatly dedicated bunch” - has put together some un- from this mitzvah.” believable programmes, with one of their initia- There will be designated bins at the Linksfield tives leading up to Pesach is a “Chometz Drive”. Shul office where any chometz can be donated. The drive will be happening from this Sunday It’s an amazing opportunity to not only clean (March 17) until next Sunday morning (March for Pesach, but to assist those in need at the 24). same time. The purpose is “for you to get rid of your • For more details, contact Sean Korb, 076-889- chometz in an easy, stress-free way, and to 7847. Photo: Hudi Goldfein Photo:

Deena Kabatznik; Josh Sewitz; Sean Korb; Asher Marcus; Daniel Frichol; Lior Feigin; Craig Frichol; and Tali Bloom. 15 – 22 March 2013 Community SA JEWISH REPORT 21 Rabbi Friedman American nous for our regrets YouTube young entrepreneurs SHIRA DRUION fallout on abuse Tuesday night saw well over 500 young Jews gather to show their support for the Chevrah Kadisha’s Helping Hands, which is specifi- cally focused on bringing the organisation to the younger commu- statement nity. It is geared for the 18 - 35 year olds , hoping that they will be- SHIRA DRUION come Chev donors and help alleviate the massive financial burden of having to raise the hundreds of millions required to keep up with the For the last four decades, Rabbi Manis Friedman (pictured) growing communal demands placed on the Chev each year. has been a maven worldwide in his quest to help victims of The evening was held at Investec and guests were treated to sup- molestation and sexual abuse, with his own individual style per and an outstanding presentation and question/answer session of therapy, which aims to help victims make sense of their by the two “inventors” who had come from the US as guests of traumatic experiences. honour. But comments made by him in a private discussion and As Global entrepreneurs Jason Lucash and Mike Szymczak who aired on YouTube, has caused a worldwide storm in Jewish have been on Times’ list of the 50 greatest inventions of the year circles. He was met with a barrage of criticism for the “totally entertained the audience with humour and sharp wit, they shared inappropriate” manner in which he had addressed the group their story of how they started their OrigAudio business with the of religious therapists about abuse. creation of foldable speakers that they invented when experiment- In the clip he said, inter alia: “It can be very helpful to ing with a Chinese take-out box and how they have grown a tiny explain to victims that they are not that damaged and that it business into a global brand. is something that is possible to move beyond.” Helping Hands Chairman Hugh Bauer, said: “It is a night that He was severely criticised for being “insensitive, callous, shows the real power that the young people in our community have and undermining of the severity of the issues involved with to really make things happen, both entrepreneurially in business, abuse” and was also criticised for saying that “victims are not and also in terms of our community. that damaged”. damaged they are, you empower them to feel like they can “I thought Mike and Jason were some of the most engaging, In the clip he was asked questions such as: “Do you think move forward, In my experience, I have seen that it has in down-to-earth speakers we’ve had, and particularly inspiring for it is advisable to inform a potential spouse that you had been fact been very comforting for victims of abuse to hear this, our audience, because they are of a similar age. A lot of the people abused?” He answered: “if you have just been physically ill because it helps to alleviate their feelings of intense shame in the audience are looking for practical guidance and inspiration with diarrhoea, do you have to tell the person?” and embarrassment. in their entrepreneurial careers and they have much to share with Which is an analogy that he admits was totally insensitive “In my mind, if somebody has worked through the abuse, people (like these), based on their experiences of building their own and out of line, but was used to drive the point home. then it is just as much in the past as when one has just been business.” In an interview with the Jewish Report, Rabbi Friedman physically ill. One doesn’t need to carry it around and feel explained that he helped victims of abuse after they had been unnecessarily burdened by baggage which has been resolved, through the necessary psychotherapy and certainly did not and more than that, why should one feel like that all the assume the role of psychologist. painful childhood wounds should be exposed, when a person Torah Academy’s Pesach market “People come to me when they are at the end of their moved beyond them?” healing process and want to make sense of what they have If one has been through the therapy and the healing, and gets more popular every year been through from a religious point of view. They often still has moved forward, one should feel like he/she is doing SUZANNE BELLING feel contaminated and ashamed and want to know how they something wrong when they don’t “disclose” the information are viewed from a Torah perspective, to which I immediately about their history of abuse. For over 20 years now, reassure them, that the Torah does not view them as ‘dirty or He is filled with contrition for his lack of sensitivity, but is Torah Academy has contaminated’ and that they should not feel guilty for crimes emphatic that it is no reflection of his true feelings on the held an annual Pesach they did not commit. subject. market and wine sale “When you tell people that they will never get over this Rabbi Friedman admits that he was devastated by the before the festival, and that they are damaged goods, they feel totally overpow- damage he caused with his candid approach to the subject. with Adam’s Interna- ered by their experience and it prevents them from being He has issued an official apology and sincerely hopes people tional wines at bargain able to get well, because they feel that it is incumbent on will be able to forgive his actions: “I want to apologise for my prices. them to be damaged for the rest of their lives. completely inappropriate use of language when discussing This year (March 10) “However when you minimise their own perception of how sexual abuse.” See story on page 8 there was an added dimension: a wine tasting with cheeses (chalav Yisrael and Ivana Goldfein, who manned a wine stall, ORT SA with Bidvest, gives kosher for Passover) drinking a toast with Alex Fine, Sam Michel. never before available in this country for Pesach - among them gouda, mozzarella and cheddar. laptops to Alex teachers On sale was a variety of paper goods, disposable products and other goods to facilitate easy kashering of homes for Pesach. The market and wine tasting at KosherWorld in Glenhazel, was preceded by a special breakfast. Some 1 200 members of the community flocked to Glenhazel for this pre-Passover experience with a difference. The event was co-ordinated by Rabbi Shabsy Chaiton, administrator of Torah Academy, who says the fundraising from the market is ongoing and the total of funds raised is not available at this stage.

To advertise your products and services in the SA Jewish Report’s MARCELLE BLOOM-RAVID divide that exists between schools in South Africa. This special project will be extended to all the schools where ORT SA The ORT SA/Bidvest ICT, Maths and Science Laptop runs programmes. niche Project, was launched last week to great fanfare at ORT In the picture, teachers from Alexandra township House in Houghton, Johannesburg, as Alexandra teach- northeast of Johannesburg, gather together with market ers signed for their laptops. Raymond Martins, district director, Gauteng East, call They were welcomed by Gauteng Department of Educa- Gauteng Department of Education, (second left); tion District Director of Johannesburg East, Raymond Ariellah Rosenberg, head of Department, Educator (011) Martins. Empowerment, ORT SA (centre); and Jane Horner, 274-1400 The idea behind the project is to supply teachers with Educator Empowerment Co-ordinator, ORT SA (last laptops and training in order to help close the digital right). 15 – 22 March 2013 Community Columns SA JEWISH REPORT 22

A column of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies Marlene Bethlehem and the CRL Commission Commencing last Friday, the has served, among various other Marlene on having discharged so successfully debate, they have stood up for their beliefs Cultural, Religious and Linguistic important positions held, as her challenging, sensitive duties, and warmly with courage and dignity. Commission held its three-day chairman and president of the thank her for her selfless efforts, not just on The previous week, it ran an Israel national consultative conference in SAJBD. behalf of South African Jewry, but for our Awareness Week, providing a positive, Pretoria. Board members attended When the Commission was country as a whole. proactive depiction of the realities of modern- on the first day and, with our constituted in 2003, she was one Truly, she has epitomised the ideal of day Israel as opposed to the distorted National Director Wendy Kahn, of the original 17 candidates Jewish leadership, one that combines a caricature that would inevitably follow it. I attended the gala banquet on selected out of several hundred passionate concern for the well-being of As the Jewish community’s representatives Saturday night. names put forward to sit on it. one’s own community with a commitment to on campus, SAUJS is at the coalface when it It was most inspiring to be part She was subsequently chosen by leading that community in contributing to the comes to defending Israel. However, this is of so diverse a gathering, one then President Thabo Mbeki to be wider society. just one aspect of its activities, and it is to representing the full spectrum the CRL’s first deputy chairman, the leadership’s credit that it has not allowed of cultural, religious, ethnic and and continued to serve as a A tribute to SAUJS IAW-type provocations to divert them from linguistic groups that make up the commissioner after completing her At the time of writing, the annual anti-Israel its many other activities. rich tapestry of the population. term. jamboree known as “Israel Apartheid Week” As in the case of Marlene Bethlehem Our community has from the In addition to representing our (IAW) is in full swing and as in previous years noted above, this includes both working to outset had a special link with the Above Board Jewish community on the CRL, is concentrated mainly on the university foster a vibrant Jewish culture on campus CRL Commission, mainly due to the Mary Kluk Marlene has been intricately campuses. while engaging in partnership with other pivotal role played on it by one of National Chairman involved in many other aspects of Once again, we can be proud of our Jewish sectors of society in outreach and upliftment its most distinguished communal its activities. It was gratifying to students for the way they have responded. initiatives, including a current project aimed leaders, Marlene Bethlehem. witness at first hand the enormous respect Confronted with an extremely well-resourced at establishing a new library in Alexandra. Marlene’s extraordinary record of and affection with which “Commissioner campaign whose distinguishing feature is communal service stretches back more Mama Bethlehem” is regarded by all who to engage in scurrilous, accusatory rhetoric • Listen to Steven Gruzd on Jewish Board Talk than five decades, during which time she have worked with her. I can only commend rather than in promoting honest, constructive on 101.9 ChaiFM every Friday 12:00 - 13:00. This column is paid for by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies

It’s our duty to pursue justice Opening the third of the Five Books more clearly established in the text, criminal offence. each of us has to PARSHAT VAYIKRA of Moses, the weekly portion Vay- however, is the result of sin - that is Nevertheless, social mores and reflect upon our Rabbi Robert A Jacobs ikra (Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26) describes our personal responsibility. legal codes are often not perfectly own deeds and Bet David, Sandton an array of sacrifices to be prepared This becomes particularly clear at aligned, so personal values might to seek our own by individuals who violate any of the start of chapter 5: “If a person be at odds with the law. Modern de- forgiveness. ki hashochad iver chachamim - the commandments. incurs guilt - when he has heard a mocracies, including South Africa, A consistent thread in Jewish life bribery blinds the wise. The prepared sacrifice would public imprecation and - although incorporate rights and responsibili- remains responsibility for sin, even Failure to reveal misdeeds, then be handed to the consecrated able to testify as one who has either ties into law; among the responsi- as misdeeds are the result of life de- concealing evidence, turning a blind Kohen and offered as a sacrifice, seen or learned of the matter - he bilities placed upon each adult is cisions we are called upon to make. eye and a deaf ear to wrongs in soci- relieving the burden of sin. Those does not give information, so that moral decision. At any instant, no matter how de- ety, are links between Leviticus and sacrifices were the essence of Jew- he is subject to punishment…” We are expected to choose “right” voted and focused we might be, no Deuteronomy, between personal re- ish worship in the wilderness, in silence in the face of deed or false- even should it conflict with self- matter how skilled in living inside sponsibility and required responses the Tabernacle and, later, in the hood becomes our own sin. interest or the perceived interests the boundaries of halachah, any in our society. Temple in Jerusalem. Torah teaches here that such of our community. (and in fact, all) humans are likely Such honesty, however, does The text repeatedly refers to “sin” silence is not only to accept the The sacrifices outlined in this to act in ways that transgress. not come without sacrifices of a - chet - although it is but one of the wrongdoing, but even more, to be sedra, refined in Sefer Vayikra While Torah is loath to establish a modern sort: Seeing the needs of varieties of violations which the To- an active part of it. (Leviticus) remain impossible to hierarchy of the seriousness of such strangers, responding to the suf- rah presents as challenges in Jewish Contemporary legal systems gen- carry out since the destruction of actions, even as it calls mitzvoth fering of the powerless or rising in living. The nature of the sin is left erally have made this part of stat- the Temple. kallot as important as mitzvoth defence of the innocent disturbs general, the violation of any of the ute, calling accomplices to crimes to Prayer and study of sacred texts chamurot, the verses attributing our safe spaces, complacent lives mitzvoth, which were only later account, punishing accessories and allows us to verbalise and consider responsibility to the passive, silent and comfortable naiveté. defined at 613 in number. What is marking collaborators, as guilty of the effects of our actions on the participant in Leviticus 5:1 point to Like the prophets of old who world that we know. The transition the grave importance that defence never hesitated to speak to truth from sacrifice to prayer started of the rights of others holds. to power, our duty as a nation of during the Babylonian Exile; the Parashat Shofetim discusses jus- priests and a holy people remains words incorporated in our siddurim tice: Tsedek, tsedek tirdof - Justice, to seek the sacred, to offer the continue to be elaborated upon justice shall you pursue; and contin- world our strength and above all, to in each generation. With them, ues its instruction with the words: pursue justice.

World News in Brief ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES Requirements: • Professional qualification Jewish Harvard students receive mock eviction notices in • Previous experience as an EMS teacher - ability to teach Accounting and Business aspects of the curriculum anti-Israel campaign • Must be prepared to work outside school hours, where necessary • Prepared to work according to the school’s ethos, specifications and NEW YORK - Jewish students at Harvard University, as part of “Israel Apartheid Week”, last week received mock policies eviction notices on their dormitory doors as part of the anti-Israel campaign organised by the Harvard College • Must be computer literate Palestine Solidarity Committee. • Excellent administrative skills The flyers, which informed the students that their rooms “were scheduled for demolition in the next three • Excellent communication skills days”, were meant to invoke the “unlawful displacement of Palestinians from their homeland at the hands of the Israeli government”, the Harvard Crimson reported. The applicant would ideally begin teaching in 4 April 2013 at the start “Israeli Apartheid Week” is an annual series of anti-Israel lectures, events and protests that is aligned with the of our second term. A Curriculum Vitae, with letter of motivation and Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. references should be delivered, faxed or e-mailed to: “I feel like [Israeli Apartheid Week] goes against what Harvard stands for as a place for open academic The Headmaster King David High School Linksfield dialogue, open thoughts, and open intellectual activity,” Harvard senior Steven J Tricanowicz, who was one of Closing Date for applications: 25 March 2013 the students effected by the notices, told the Harvard Crimson. Many of the ‘eviction notices’ which had been placed on the doors, were later found to be ripped up and E-mail address: [email protected] thrown on the ground. Fax: 011 640-1649 • Tel: 011 480-4553 The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) expressed outrage over the incident. “This tactic is designed to silence and intimidate pro-Israel advocates at Harvard and campuses around the The school reserves the right not to make an appointment. Only short-listed country,” said Robert Trestan, ADL acting New England regional director. candidates will be contacted. Should you not hear from the school by 28 “Free expression has a place on campus; however targeting the dorms of Harvard students lends itself to March 2013 please accept that your application has not been successful. creating tension, isolating students and fomenting hostility,” he said. (JNS.org)

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What’s On

Today, Friday (March 15) Lounge, Golden Acres. Contact: Sunday (March 24) • Chabad Chai Seniors Club meets Monday to • Stellenbosch Hebrew Congregation has a Grecia, (011) 532-9718. All talks Friday every week, 09:00 to 13:00. Venue: Friday evening service every week in shul, • UZLC hosts Nicholas Wolpe, CEO are R20 entrance for Second • Second Innings is hosting Hilary Chabad House. Refreshments as well as lunch starting at 18:45. Contact (021) 886-5257. of Liliesleaf Trust, who will talk Innings members and R40 for Semple who will talk on “Shake- are provided. Mondays: Brain exercises with on “Liliesleaf - Past, Current and non-members. speare’s Fathers and Daughters”. occupational therapist and computers and • The Yiddish Academy offers weekly basic, Internet (16:15). Tuesdays: Exploring the myths intermediate and advanced classes on Future”. Venue: Our Parents Venue: The Gerald Horwitz and mysteries of Judaism. Ladies learning with Monday evenings at 19:30, Tuesday mornings Home. Time: 12:45 – 14:00. Monday (March 18) Lounge, Golden Acres. Contact: Aviva Goldman. Wednesdays: Torah studies and at 10:30 and Thursday evenings at 19:30 Contact: Gloria, 072-127-9421 or Grecia, (011) 532-9718. All talks computer and Internet training (16:30). Thurs- at the RCHCC, Glenhove Road, Houghton. (011) 485-4851. • UJW hosts the screening of “Con- are R20 entrance for Second days: Living with the times with Rabbi Shlomo Conversational groups. Details: e-mail yid- stantine’s Sword”, a film dealing Innings members and R40 for Raitport and ladies shiur with Rebbetzen Chaya [email protected] or call Hazel Cohen Haller. Fridays: Living Torah with Rabbi Shlomo on (011) 728-8088. Sunday (March 17) with the sign of the cross and its non-members. Raitport. Distribution of take-home food. Info: significance to Christians and Chabad House (011) 440-6600, e-mail rak@ • Supervised bridge with Jeff Sapire Tuesday • The Chevrah Kadisha will be Jews. The film will be preceded by Monday (March 25) chabad.org.za www.ChabadJoburg.org/ morning 10:00 - 12:00 (intermediary) packing food boxes for Pesach a short introduction by Ronnie seniors. and Wednesday morning 10:00 - 12:00 today, at the Chev’s premises, Mink, head of Jewish Studies at • Greenside Shul hosts its Pesach (advanced), at the Clive M Beck Audito- Long Avenue entrance, from King David Linksfield. Venue: seder on 1st night Pesach. All • WIZO Gift Shop: Order now for all your Pesach rium. Booking: Hazel or René‚ (011) 728- gifts. Situated at the bottom level of the Genesis 8088/8378. E-mail: [email protected] 09:00 - 12:00. Everyone - all ages 1 Oak Street, Houghton. Time: welcome. Please call the office Shopping Centre, Sandler Road, Fairmount or [email protected] - welcome. Information: Tanya 09:30. Donation: R30. Contact: soonest on (011) 788-5036, if (entrance from Bradfield Drive opposite Shula’s (011) 532-9628. (011) 648-1053. you want to join the seder, Adults Bakery). Hours: Mon - Thurs 09:00 - 17:00, Fri- • Beis Midrash Chofetz Chaim is offering a R250, children 13 years and day 09:00 - 13:30. Open on Sundays February second ma’ariv minyan every weekday even- • RCHCC shows a documen- Tuesday (March 19) younger, R125. 17, March 17 and 24. Contact (011) 640-2760. ing (Monday - Friday) at 21:00, cnr Elray and Michel Streets, Raedene. Open to broader tary, “The Klezmatics: On Holy • Orchid WIZO Florist, for chuppahs in shuls or community. Don’t fret if you need a later Ground” Venue: Clive M Beck • UJW hosts Arlene Bernstein, Tuesday (March 26) gardens; canopy, drapes and floral arrange- minyan. Secure parking provided. Auditorium. Time: 19:30. Dona- former head of LifeLine, who will ments our specialty. Daily deliveries of floral and tion: R70 (incl refreshments). head a group discussion. Come • UJW hosts Estelle Sher who fruit arrangements as well. Contact: • Sunday Scrabble Club meets every Sunday at Booking: Hazel or René (011) along and bring a friend. Venue: will present the second of two (011) 728-4513, after hours: (011) 728-2769. 10:00 at Zahava’s, Grant Avenue, Nor- wood, off 9th Street. Cost R5. Players of all 728-8088/8378, after hours 1 Oak Street, Houghton. Time: sessions on “Debussy - His Life • Bnoth Zion Association WIZO is collecting strengths welcome. Larry 082-888-5355. (011) 728-8378, e-mail: rchcc@ 09:30. Donation: R30. Contact: and Works”. Venue: 1 Oak Street, anything of value for its store. Contact (021) telkomsa.net or rene.s@telkomsa. (011) 648-1053. Houghton. Time: 09:30. Dona- 464-6729 or Linda Saban 072-245-3225 or • JWBS Johannesburg, urgently requires net or www.greatpark.co.za tion: R30. Contact: (011) 648- Cherna Kredo 084-589-8588. secondhand clothing, kitchenware, household Wednesday (March 20) 1053. goods, books and bric-a-brac for its second- • WIZO Etgar celebrates WIZO • Johannesburg Children’s Home is appealing for hand shop. Contact (011) 485-5232. shoes and takkies for children and teenagers. Johannesburg’s 100 year birthday • Second Innings is hosting an • WIZO hosts a “Lunch & Learn” Contact Edna or Hylton Segal (011) 970-4266. • Celebrating a bar-/batmitzvah? Why not give bash. Children’s fashion show (6- “Outing to Satya Graha House shiur with Rabbi Michael Katz, a donation to WIZO’s bar-/batmitzvah project 16 years). Two shows only: 10:30 - The Museum and Home of every Thursday at Beyachad. • Intimate Antiques Fair held on last Sunday of in Israel? You get a beautiful certificate and 15:00. Garments will be on Gandhi”. Self-drive to 15 Pine Time: 13:00. Contact: Joyce 082- every month at Cedar Square corner Witkoppen/ to give to the bar-/batmitzvah child here. sale. Venue: World of Yamaha, 19 Street Orchards; meet promptly 446-0480. Cedar Avenue in Fourways, from 09:00 - 16:00. Certificates are available from WIZO tel (011) Contact Robyn 083-311-4768. 645-2548. Eastern Service Road, Eastgate, at 10:30. Entrance fee R40. Con- Ext 6. Cost: R180 (incl refresh- tact: Grecia, (011) 532-9718. Wednesday (April 3) • The Selwyn Segal Shop has a huge selection of • Second Innings runs a series of courses and ments). Contact: Lee 082-441- gifts ranging in price from R30 upwards. Visit activities including scrabble, bridge, discus- 2953 or Zee 083-377-5644. • UJW CT’s adult education division • UJW CT’s adult education divi- them from Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 14:00. sion groups, play reading groups, women’s hosts Miri Eisen who will talk on sion hosts Petra Muller who talk Phone (011) 640-6413 or (011) 640-5171. All and men’s reading groups, symphony concert proceeds to The Selwyn Segal Foundation for rehearsals, bowls, pilates, Yogic Pranayama, • Second Innings hosts Ar- “The Israeli Intelligence Commu- on her poetry. Venue: Stone- the Mentally Handicapped. walking and aerobics, Golden Oldies Cine lene Bernstein who will talk nity”. Venue: Stonehaven. Time: haven. Time: 10:00 for 10:30. Club, weekly workshops (by arrangement) on“Managing Stress - Making 10:00 for 10:30. Entrance: R20 Entrance: R20 (inc refreshments). • Join WIZO every Thursday for a “Lunch & Learn” on “falls education for the elder adult”, and Everyday Life Meaningful”. (inc refreshments). Enquiries: Enquiries: (021) 434-9555 (morn- shiur with Rabbi Michael Katz, 13:00 - 14:00 at organises regular activities. Contact Grecia Venue: The Gerald Horwitz (021) 434-9555 (mornings only). ings only). Beyachad. Information: Joyce, (011) 640-2416. Gabriel (011) 532-9718. 20 SA JEWISH REPORT Sport 30 November – 7 December 2012 24 SA JEWISH REPORT Sport 15 – 22 March 2013 TherePerfecting is no feelingthe art like of howowning not a towinner lose game one needs to defend a lead. Howev- er, defence is seemingly quickly becoming what South African sport is all about. While the Boks held England at bay in the north, managing to cling to a one ROCKINGROCKING THETHE BOAT BOAT point win, the Proteas looked to be head- JackJack MilnerMilner ing for certain Test defeat Down Under as they ended the fourth day under the IFor do most not peopleprofess not to involved be an authorityin horseracing, on cosh at 77 for four wickets, chasing 430 rugby.the sport During is all about my bookies,time at bettingschool and I actually to win. developedduplicity. Of acourse hatred that for does the play game a part, because but The match looked all over, with a win itthere’s was acontinually lot more to it jammed than that; down it’s about our the for Australia certainty, but AB de Vil- throats.beauty and grace of one of the noblest creatures liers, Jacques Kallis and especially Faf du on EarthHowever, and there as I is got hardly older more and emotional became Plessis, had other ideas. De Villiers kept moreactivity involved around. in the world of sport and Du Plessis company for 68 overs and a beganFor the to punter, understand the thrill the of nutsbacking and a winner bolts nobbled Kallis for another 40 overs in ofis countered the game, by Ithe actually annoyance began and to disappoint enjoy - the searing Adelaide heat, as Du Plessis itment very of much.defeat. PuntersWhatever theorise I might why theythink back I tenaciously defied the Australian bowling know,a horse Iand will when always it loses bow they in theorise admiration why to attack for nearly eight hours. thethey likesshould of not commentator have backed the Dan one Retief they did, who Cricketer Faf du Plessis is supported by his team as he pulls off a stunning save of the second Many people would have found the and should, in fact, have backed the winner! has a marvellous understanding of the Test match against Australia in Adelaide. pushing and prodding mind-numbing to For owners watching their horse win, it is sport. he took advantage of a lucky bounce of in the final minute was one of the most watch, but it takes a special kind of pro- exhilarating and has very little to do with the However, what I have learned during the ball to score the only try - and fur- inane I have ever seen. That was total ficiency and mental aptitude to stay out prize money. I remember as a youngster work- my tears as a sports journalist is how to thermore superb defence by the Boks. capitulation, as if to say they were happy there for seven hours and 46 minutes, in ing for the late Mick Maris, a highly prolific analyse a game. As I said last week, I have I have said for the past few years that to lose by one point. mainly 34 degrees heat and high humid- bookmaker, who told the story a horse called alwaysNorth Road, tried owned to maintain by Harry myOppenheimer objectiv- in the Boks are unable to play 80 minutes of On that subject, I was the one person ity, with five different partners, one of itythe 1970s.and not The become horse wasa “fan running with at a the pen”. now Bidvest’sattacking Brian rugby. Joffe (centre),In the finaltrainer 20 Mike minutes de Kock (right)absolutely and jockey delighted Christophe bySoumillon, that decision receive their trophieswhom after could Shea Shea’sbarely record-breaking run, to defy a victory vora- Lastdefunct Saturday Germiston I only Racecourse managed and towas see the the inof the the Meydan game Sprint they in were Dubai probably last Saturday lucky night. to as I had backed England on a minus 2,5 cious and tenacious Australian attack and secondeven-money half favourite. of the Springboks According to versus Maris, Eng- ermaritzburghave spent and two the of Computaform those minutes Sprint in theover Myspread sincere and thanks that go whackyto Geoff decisionand his team sealed for African-bredsave a crucial JJ The match Jet Plane for in his 2011. country. landOppenheimer Test but pulled on Sunday R10 out morning of his pocket I sat and 1000mEngland at Turffontein. half. The remaining 18 minutes teachingme my Shea win. Shea the ropes as a young horse, ThereThis is no was doubt a monumentalthat Joffe will effort,be back throughasked for athe bet replay.of an even Knowing R10. the result, wasThe played connections somewhere then decided on the to try Boks’ their 22m bringingThere him throughis no doubt the ranks we have so successfully some at Meydanperformed on World on debut Cup night and and already I will be written I could“Your horseput the is going excitement to win,” Maris of a close told Op - luckline. overseas and Shea Shea, who was trained andwonderful passing him players on to us in for our his team,international but one shockedinto ifthe Berzack folklore is not of alongside South African him, to cricket encounterpenheimer. “You behind really and can dispassionately have a bigger bet by GeoffThere Woodruff is little indoubt South that Africa, England, was sent to exploits,”is never said certain De Kock down which garden path watchhistory. what could be Shea Shea’s finest hour. interpretthan that!” whatOppenheimer I had watched. said he would think Mikewhen de itKock’s comes yard to in attacking, Dubai. His firstare equally race at Sheacoach Shea Heyneke will now Meyer be aimed is leadingat the Grade them. 1 HopefullySo, while many weSouth might Africans lack - andthe notattacking aboutAfter it, took a little his ticket thought and walked I came away. to the North Meydaninept and Racecourse they certainly was disappointing had enough but he Al QuozBut Sprint, coming which back carries to defence:prize money All of sports onlyprowess racing enthusiasts of a Genghis - will tuneKhan, in toSouth channel Afri- followingRoad shortened conclusion: in to 7 - 10 In and simple just before terms, the all waschances. then entered We kept in the conceding Listed Meydan penalties Sprint in $1are million, made and up will of be offence run over and the defence. same course It is 239can on DStv sport to hasshare elevated the thrill the which art will of last defence thatstart Oppenheimerwon us the game again approachedwas an inspiration- Maris, overthe 1000m dying lastmoments Saturday. but one has to say andvital distance to have on Dubai a balanced World Cup share night, of onboth. It a lotto longer another than level.the around I suppose 57 seconds there of isthe an altook moment another fromR10 out Willem of his pocket,Alberts and in asked which thatShea England’s Shea not only decision won, but to set go a fortrack posts Saturdayis also March an art 30. to This know race at waswhich won pointby South of a race.advantage in playing not to lose... for a bet of R7 to R10. record in the process. Despite all the winners he “No problem,” retorted Maris, “but I’ll tell you has trained, De Kock still thrives on the thrill of what Mr Oppenheimer, I will give you anotherWhat’s another On victory. But, he admitted, his best mo- even R10.” ment last Saturday was watching the reaction of Sunday (December 2) professor of English at Wits, on “Please The horse duly won and Oppenheimer was Joffe, who had flown over to watch the race. Sir, I Want Some More”, Charles Dick- paid out his R20 profit, less a little tax of course. “To witness Brian’s pure joy was heart-warm- • RCHCC is rescreening the award-win- ens and children in this his bicentenary Maris was bemused by the small bet. The ing. To see a man who conducts billion dollar ning film, “The Debt”, directed by John year. Time: 09:30. Contact: (011) 648- truth is that the money was irrelevant. After all, deals almost every day of the week overcome Madden and starring Helen Mirren, 1053, fax 086 273-3044. Donation: what was another R1 000, R10 000, or even R1 with emotion and pride, was hugely gratifying,” millionSam to Worthington, Harry Oppenheimer? Jessica What Castain actually and saidR20. De Kock. Join UJW for an informal tea after gaveTom him the Wilkinson. biggest thrill Venue: was watching Clive Mhis Beck Itthe is also lecture. worth mentioning the part Shea horseAuditorium. win and leading Time: him into19:30. the No Donation: 1 box. Shea played in bringing two rivals together. It is It’sR60. about Booking: that picture Hazel on your or wall,René not (011) the 728- wellThursday known in racing(December circles that 6) there has been money.8088/8378, after hours (011) 728-8378, no love lost between De Kock and Woodruff. Ite-mail: was an [email protected] encountered byor Bidvest rene.s@ They• UJW have CT fought adult out education many Trainers’ division Champi hosts- chieftelkomsa.net executive, Brian or Joffewww.greatpark.co.za in Dubai last week- onshipsIsaac and Habib the competition who will talk has on occasionally “Jewish Life end. gonein over the the Island top. However, of Rhodes the relocation– From Begin- of • JoffeJJMC, owns with a wonderful musical sprinter director named Evelyn Sheaning Shea to has End”. done Venue: what humans Stonehaven. could not Time: do SheaGreen Shea inpresents partnership a musical with Myron tribute Berzack. to the and10:00 brought for them 10:30. together. Entrance: R20 (incl TheDoornfontein five-year-old son Hebrew of National Congregation Emblem “Geoff,refreshments). too, was as proudEnquiries: as punch. (021) He came 434- had(Lions stamped Shul), his authority “Memories on local of racingYesteryear”, by along9555. to support what was formerly his yard’s winningas a fundraisertwo Grade 1 races,for the the shul. Golden The Horse reper- best horse and while it couldn’t have been easy, Casinotoire Sprint will over encompass 1200m at Scottsvilletraditional in Piet Jew-- heFriday participated (December with a touching 7) enthusiasm. ish songs. Secure parking. Time: 15:00. Tickets available from Darla at R200. • The United Sisterhood has its year- 083-794-6358 [email protected] end book sale at the Benmore Gardens Hospice Raceday:Shopping Centre. Unwanted books and Monday (December 3) magazine donations are gladly accepted. Contact: Tel (011) 646-2409; fax (011) all• UJW is thehosting Marcia prize-winners Leveson, former 646-4654.

JACK MILNER buying the tickets, was outstanding.” World News in Brief The full list of prize-winners are: ThePOPE Hospice CALLS Raceday FOR END did TO not PERSECUTION take place last OF CHRISTIANS,Main prize 1 NEW- Linda ME Nathan; PEACE Main EFFORTS prize year for logistical reasons, but the draw for 2 - Brenderly Hyman; Main prize 3 - Bev theROME 15 - prizes At a gathering was made in Rome last weekwith Lebanon’s and the new cardinal,Bouwer; Pope Main Benedict prize 4 XVI - Peter launched White a new Mining appeal winnersfor peace have in Syria been and announced. the Middle East, the Associated(Pty) Press Ltd; reported. Bon Ami gift voucher - Nigel There“The werechurch some encourages super prizesall efforts to befor won,peace in theUnwin; world Jeppeand in theTyre Middle Prize East, hamper a peace - Ellerine that will withonly bethe effective top four if it being is based a trip on authenticto Wimble respect- forBros other (Pty) people,” Ltd; Pope Leeways Benedict Garden told the Centre gathering, gift don,which a includedvisit to severalthe US LebaneseOpen in pilgrims.New York, a voucher - Ashley Farber; Randburg Race trip Heto alsothe Atlantisspoke out Hotel concerning in Dubai the plight which, of Christiansgift fromvouchers their traditional- D Yutar; homelands Protea Hotel throughout - the ifMiddle you want, East, calling will coincide for them with to be Dubaiable to World“live their faithStephen freely”. Anderson; Sabi Sabi Lodge - Team CupChristian night, and communities the option have to comeattend under any assault Leighby Muslims Care; amid Cascades the upheaval Hotel -related Diesel to Electric; the Arsenal“Arab Spring”. home Tens match of thousands in London. of Syrian ChristiansEuphoria have fl ed fromHotel the - Petercivil war White there, Mining while Egypt’s (Pty) Coptic“I would Christian like communityto commend fears the the local rise Jewof the- MuslimLtd; Brotherhood De Hoek Country and the ultra-extremist Club - Diesel SalafiElectric; ishgroups community to power. for all their support of this Comair tickets - Abraham Machele; Desch event,”Recently, said organiserseveral Coptic Ivan Christian Zartz. teenage“Their womenvoucher were been - Diesel assaulted Electric. by other women on Cairo contribution,subways because both their in hair supplying was uncovered. prizes and Many Coptic women are now afraid to ride the transit system in fear of being assaulted or sexually harassed, according to Morning Star News. (JNS.org)

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