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south african n Volume 25 – Number 12 n 9 April 2021 n 27 Nisan 5781

The source of quality content, news and insights t www.sajr.co.za Couple caught in crossfire of attempted mall robbery NICOLA MILTZ shot and I’m going to die.” to get my keys,” she said. honestly believe they tried to kill him,” he said. Traumatised and still in shock, Blechman Blechman called her father, who was “It has been a stressful, worrying time. He young couple attempted to flee the told the SA Jewish Report that she jumped out already in Harrismith en route to Umhlanga will recover, but it will take time. I’m angry scene of a botched armed robbery at of her car and ran to him. Rocks where they were supposed to meet at this senseless shooting of innocent people. Melrose Arch on Easter Monday, only Speaking from hospital, she said, “Tere was later. My son could have died. Tese robbers have toA get caught in a hail of bullets. blood and glass everywhere, and he was in a lot Regenbaum’s father, Clifford, was in no respect for human life. I don’t know what Today, Brandon Regenbaum, 27, lies in there is to learn from this.” hospital in a serious but stable condition Gauteng police spokesperson Kay under heavy sedation following a five-hour Makhubele told the SA Jewish Report, “Police long operation to reconstruct his jaw and are investigating a case of attempted business repair his mouth. He was shot in the face after robbery and attempted murder which robbers hastily fled the upmarket lifestyle occurred at Melrose Arch. mall where they had tried unsuccessfully to “It is alleged that an unknown number of rob Elegance Jewellers. suspects driving in two cars, an Audi Q7 and a His girlfriend of three years, Lorian Ford Ranger, were in a shootout Blechman, 25, witnessed the whole scene and with security guards after they luckily escaped unharmed. were intercepted before the Te couple, who were due to leave for a business robbery,” Makhubele holiday in Umhlanga Rocks that day, met said. “A man who was driving for breakfast at Tashas. Tey left the mall his car [Regenbaum] was shot in separate vehicles and found themselves and injured during the incident. unwittingly in the middle of a gun battle Nothing was taken from the between fleeing suspects and the mall’s shop.” security guards. While doctors have told “Te robbers were running towards the family the operation was the Virgin Active Gym. We quickly took a successful, Regenbaum will have different exit to avoid them, it was scary,” said his jaw wired for seven weeks, Blechman. and won’t be able to talk or eat Tey beckoned to each other to take an of pain. He told me he was dying. I remember Plettenberg Bay solid food. alternative exit near the Daytona shop in a pulling up his hand brake,” she said. on holiday when “It will be a long road to bid to dodge the fleeing suspects. To their A young Jewish couple walking their baby he received the call Brandon Regenbaum recovery,” said Blechman. horror, they were then confronted by the immediately called Hatzolah, which arrived telling him his son “It’s a miracle Brandon robbers – who had made it to their escape a few minutes later. While waiting for the had been shot. survived. It’s also freaky that we were in vehicles – further down the road on Athol/ ambulance to arrive, another witness helped “I was shocked,” he told the SA Jewish separate cars. If I had been with him on the Oaklands Drive in the direction of the N1 Blechman to make several calls to family. She Report. passenger side of the car, I might not be here highway. told Blechman to keep talking to Regenbaum. He believes his son was shot by the robbers today. I was running late. Brandon needed to Te couple could see the suspects’ vehicles “I told Brandon that help was on the way. I who may have mistaken him for a security fetch his siddur and tefillin to assist my father in their review mirrors, so they instinctively told him his mother and brother were coming. guard in hot pursuit. with a minyan on holiday, as he is saying swerved out of the way to allow them to I asked him where I could find his Discovery “He drives a bakkie with our company name kaddish for my zaida who passed away last speed past. Tere were loud gunshots, after medical card. I told him general things like he on the side which looks like a security vehicle year. I believe my zaida was watching over us,” which Blechman noticed Regenbaum wasn’t was going to be okay, to stay with me, to stay and even has hazard lights. Te robbers had she said. driving. She frantically called him to ask why. awake. I told him to count how long it would already seen him leaving Melrose Arch, and Police ask that anyone with information He told her, “Babe I love you, but I’ve been take me in seconds to run to my car 10m away I think believed him to be a security guard. I contact 0860 010 111.

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The Sandringham Gardens Lottery (Share the Load 2021) is registered with the National Lotteries Commission. Scheme no: 00069/16 Shabbat times this week 2 SA JEWISH REPORT 9 – 16 April 2021 Starts Ends 17:39 18:28 Johannesburg 18:13 19:03 Cape Town 17:25 18:15 Durban Mogoeng comes out swinging against apology ruling 17:45 18:34 Bloemfontein TALI FEINBERG and President Mbeki with Israel don’t contradict anything I have 17:44 18:34 Port Elizabeth said. I was therefore found guilty of five complaints or counts of 17:35 18:26 East London hief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng came out swinging in his misconduct that turn on a non-existent official policy of the South Appliance Repairs on Site appeal against Judge Phineas Mojapelo’s judgment ordering African government towards Israel.” him to apologise for comments made about Israel. He emphasised that “the supremacy of the constitution and the hers, was CMogoeng criticised Mojapelo at every turn, describing his entitlement of all citizens, including judges and magistrates, to enjoy ish es , D s, Stov reasoning as “flawed and disturbingly superficial”. He said fundamental rights cannot be wished away. Where these rights are es chine idg Ma “the learned judge failed to deal with the constitutional right limited by legislation or the code, a proper explanation is called Fr ing ash more to freedom of expression and freedom of belief, thought, and for. Judges have the constitutional right to freedom of expression, W Dryers & ble opinion”. Tum Call Jason In his 38-page appeal submitted to the Judicial Service 082 401 8239 / 076 210 6532 FREE QUOTATIONS Commission on 2 April 2021, Mogoeng reiterated why he had the right to express his support for both Israel DECEASED ESTATE and the Palestinians during a webinar hosted by the Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng HOUSE CLEARANCES Jerusalem Post last year. His appeal was in response to the Judicial Conduct Entire households cleared Committee’s ruling on 4 March 2021 that he had 10 days professionally & confdentially. to apologise for comments he made about Israel in the webinar. At the time, he said South Africa had a role to We will take the burden off your play in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, that he shoulders and pay you for it. supported both peoples, and as a Christian, he had an obligation to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. For a trusted service call Africa4Palestine, the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions Ladislav Miklas on 082 920 5907 South Africa (BDS SA) coalition, and the Women’s [email protected] Cultural Group laid complaints against Mogoeng, saying he had flouted rules regarding judicial ethics. The matter was adjudicated by Mojapelo. association, and religion, belief, One of Mogoeng’s most “… the learned judge thought, and opinion. As is the case pertinent points was that failed to deal with the with other citizens, these rights may “several precautions need to be constitutional right to be limited. But the limitations must, sounded to avoid the trap that broadly speaking, be reasonable and His Lordship Mr Justice Mojapelo freedom of expression justifiable. Tey cannot be arbitrary unreflectingly allowed himself to and freedom of belief, or whimsical.” fall into”. According to the chief thought, and He went on to describe how other justice, this includes the fact that judges had waded into political “it’s necessary to distinguish opinion” waters, including Mojapelo himself. between official government He also described how “my brother policy and the policies of lobby groups Dennis Davis hosted speakers, including politicians, on his then and non-government organisations. And Judge for Yourself eNCA television programme about the Israeli- it’s necessary for decision-maker[s] to tell Palestinian political situation and a range of political controversies the difference between politics and policy, to which leaders of political parties were invited and participated. He which his lordship failed to do.” was exercising his constitutional right to free expression although He also insisted that the judge’s different views might be expressed about being a regular anchor or “insinuation that I was possibly involved in host of a TV programme.” some conspiracy with the Israeli government Mogoeng described how other judges had involved themselves in and ‘timed’ the webinar in such a way to political controversies in Fiji, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho, “And my dear undermine international law or United brother Cameron J [Justice Edwin Cameron] essentially said what I said Nations conventions/resolutions ... is a on the Israeli-Palestinian situation, the real difference being, unlike me, material misdirection”. he didn’t rely on the Bible.” Yet, none of these men were hauled over the Mogoeng said there was no difference coals for their comments or actions. between what he said and the South A senior member of the legal profession, speaking on condition of African government’s approach to the anonymity, said, “Te grounds of appeal make some sharp points against Israel-Palestinian conflict. “After a a senior retired and respected judge. It’s most unfortunate for judges thorough search, I vouch for the fact that to have such a public and divisive difference – both judges firing heavy there is no official policy of the South ammunition at each other as to how the other has misconstrued the law. African government that contradicts any It doesn’t do much for confidence in the law and judiciary by the public part of what I actually said. Even the two generally.” He pointed out, however, that the chief justice “makes some agreements signed by President Mandela powerful points, which need to be taken seriously”.

Torah Thought Rabbi Ryan Goldstein, West Street Shul Finding faith in the hippo his week’s parsha details the laws the planet that didn’t have at least one of that isn’t listed in of kashrus. The Torah makes a brave these characteristics? This was almost 3 000 the Torah as another statement by enumerating the years before anyone even knew there was exception! Tone and only animal that has split hooves an Australia. If he was inventing the whole I thought about but doesn’t chew the cud. It’s a “brave” religion, he would have taken the more this problem for a statement, because if a human being wrote prudent course of being rather vague. He while, and then the solution came to me. the Torah, how would they know that the pig wouldn’t have blatantly listed the only four Why should we allow zoology to dictate is the only one on the “face of the planet” exceptions “from all the animals on the the classifcation of animals? The more I with this characteristic? earth”. thought about it, the more I realised that Moses was born in Egypt, spent some With this great piece of Torah veracity in hippos don’t have hooves like a pig or cow, time as a fugitive in Ethiopia, and died my mind, my faith was shaken when, on a they have toes (like camels). I know it’s somewhere near modern-day Jordan. If trip to London’s Natural History Museum, more fancy to talk about ungulates, phylum, we presume that he was the author of the (I know, it’s a pretty nerdy thing to do), I and genus. It even makes us look clever, Five Books without any divine inspiration, discovered that there was a hoofed animal, but if we are really honest with ourselves, and he sucked the whole thing out of classifed by zoology, that seemed to be an we won’t let zoological classifcations stand his left thumb, then how could he be so exception “overlooked” by the Torah – the in the way of our emunah in Hashem and confdent that there wasn’t a marsupial hippo. It’s classifed as an “ungulate”, a split- His Torah. or wallaby in the furthermost corners of hoofed animal without a ruminant stomach Shabbat shalom

Editor Peta Krost Maunder – [email protected] • Sub-editor Julie Leibowitz Journalists Nicola Miltz • Tali Feinberg • Mirah Langer • Photographer Ilan Ossendryver • Editorial co-ordinator The source of quality content, news and insights Martine Bass – [email protected] • Proofreader Kim Hatchuel CEO Dani Kedar – [email protected] • Advertising Britt Landsman: 082 292 9520 – [email protected] • New business development manager • Laura Kaufman [email protected] • Design and layout Bryan Maron/Design Bandits – [email protected] • Distribution Sandy Furman • Subscriptions Avusa Publishing (Pty) Ltd. Tel: 0860 525 200 • Board of Directors Howard Sackstein (Chairperson), Dina Diamond, Herschel Jawitz, Shaun Matisonn, Benjy Porter. • Advertisements and editorial copy do not neccessarily reflect the views of the editor, staff and board of directors. Tel: 011 430 1980. 9 – 16 April 2021 SA JEWISH REPORT 3

ISIS attack hits close I want to buy your

to home bobba! old or new, TALI FEINBERG 1 April. He leaves behind a wife and three young we’ll pay you children. “His wife is distraught. How can she tell a wow price or most of the world, the late March attack on them their father is dead? He died trying to save for your car. the coastal town of Palma may have been just people. We want others to know his story, and another terror attack in the faraway province to pressurise the international community to do Fof Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. But for one family, it something. No one seems to care because it’s in was very personal. Africa. We don’t want him to have died in vain.” “The entire international community is to blame. The Southern African Development Community Call Alan: 082 850 0004 The cousin of my very close family member was said it would hold a two-day summit in www.alfinauto.co.za killed yesterday by ISIS [Islamic State]. Why? Because Maputo on 8 and 9 April to deliberate how to he went to build houses there as he lost his job address terrorism in Mozambique. President due to COVID-19. No one came to help. Why am I Cyril Ramaphosa will attend, accompanied by posting here? Because no one even knows,” wrote international relations and cooperation minister who have travelled to Mozambique over the past few viable option to establish an Islamic state. I believe Michal Gaziel on the “South Africans Living in Israel” Naledi Pandor, defence and military veterans years to join the insurgents, at least one of whom was it to be true that the new international status of this Facebook group. minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and state involved in the 2016 Thulsie plot to attack Jewish insurgency will embolden it to expand into other Gaziel was writing on 27 March 2021, as possibly security minister Ayanda Dlodlo. Meanwhile, DAG’s targets. ISIS encourages adherents and supporters to regions, with Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado being just the deadliest attack in the region unfolded. The contract with the Mozambican police expired on attack Jews around the world, and as such, if they do the beginning.” assault started on 24 March 2021, with local militants Tuesday, 6 April. decide to open a ‘fghting front’ in South Africa, it’s not Says Gruzd, “This is right on South Africa’s doorstep, linked to ISIS storming the area. “The attack is one of inconceivable that the Jewish community could be and it has to be taken seriously. We may start to see the most brutal since the insurgency began in 2017. selected as one of those targets.” people feeing to South Africa, and such instability is At least a hundred fghters attacked Palma, showing Should we be concerned for our safety? “Menachem bad for the region. The violence is getting closer to the jihadis getting stronger and more brazen,” Begin [former prime minister of Israel] said, ‘If an offshore gas felds in Cabo Delgado, and is already says Steven Gruzd, political analyst at the South enemy of our people says he seeks to destroy us, affecting the operations of major players such as Total, African Institute of International Affairs. which has suspended work again.” Gaziel’s sister-in-law, Rachel Gaziel, is the Adrian Nel He says extreme violence, such as cousin of the South African who was killed, beheadings, continues to occur in Adrian Nel. Speaking to the SA Jewish Report the area. from Tel Aviv, she (Rachel) described a “traumatic” Asked if the attack is a major few days as her family waited to hear about the safety event, Gruzd says, “It’s hard to tell if of Nel, his stepfather, and his brother. “They were this is a turning point in real time. abandoned by the military. Two hundred people were It certainly was a daring attack, and left to die,” she says. “Any country that shows the rebels getting stronger Nel took a job in Palma, Mozambique, to build directly or indirectly and better armed. It also coincides workers’ accommodation for the Total LNG Project. fghts against ISIS is with military training initiatives by Local militants who have pledge allegiance to ISIS immediately seen Portugal and the United States. Only have staged a number of attacks including capturing as the enemy, and hindsight will tell if this is a turning the town of Mocimboa da Praia, which still remains thus a legitimate point. What’s for sure is that the out of government hands. The violence has killed target,” says Jevon problem won’t just quietly go away.” more than 2 600 people, half of them civilians. It has Greenblatt of Terror expert Jasmine Opperman also forced almost 700 000 people from their homes. the Community of ACLED (the Armed Confict From what Gaziel has heard, her cousin and others Security Location & Event Data Project) told decided they had to escape. They had been hiding in Organisation. the SA Jewish Report that this attack the Amarula Hotel, but decided to make a break for It makes no The Mozambican army taking control of Palma was expected by those watching it at nightfall, as “there was no one there to protect difference whether the rising insurgency, but “what them”. They went in a convoy of 17 cars, and Adrian it’s the South African military or a private military group believe him. Don’t doubt him for a moment. Don’t surprised most analysts was the sophistication and was in the frst car, leading the convoy. They aimed such as DAG. They see it as South Africa fghting against make light of it. Do all in your power to deny him refnement of the guerrilla warfare, and how they to get to the beach. But as soon as they left the hotel, Islam and a justifcation for ‘self-defence’. the means of carrying out his satanic intent’,” says executed the attack. And yet, no action was taken to they were attacked. He was shot by terrorists. “This was made clear by ISIS’ warning in 2020 that Greenblatt. prevent it. “My cousin didn’t die quickly. He bled out. His South Africa shouldn’t get involved or it would open “There is no doubt that we should be aware of “Why is it relevant to South Africa? The region is stepfather and brother hid in the bush with his body. up a “fghting front” in our country. When it talks about what’s happening in Mozambique, monitor it closely, becoming destabilised with a human catastrophe that The place was overrun with terrorists – a lot of people a “fghting front”, at this stage, it doesn’t necessarily and continue to put measures in place to ensure the we haven’t seen before. It’s a calamity of which we were killed or captured. Many are unaccounted for,” mean an insurgency like that taking place in Cabo effective safety and security of the South African Jewish will never know the actual extent,” Opperman says. Gaziel says. Delgado, but will more likely be acts of terrorism community. We cannot assume that because this is Meanwhile, “for ISIS to propagate a leadership position She says military company Dyck Advisory Group similar to what we have seen in the United States and happening far away, it won’t affect us.” is quite easy, and that message will transcend borders. (DAG) was in contact with her aunt, and informed her Europe. Greenblatt believes that “the original grievances It will reach ISIS-sympathisers, and we don’t know how that her son had been killed, but that her husband “There are a number of cells and individuals, that drove the insurgency are being hijacked by they will respond. and son had escaped. “I think they got to the beach whether they be active adherents or loosely connected ISIS’ aspiration for global expansion, and due to its “The insurgency is still in control, the government and then were rescued by helicopter or boat. My aunt supporters, already present in South Africa, and we loss of a caliphate in Iraq and Syria, it’s now looking remains defensive,” she says. “It’s an insurgency that is distraught, but she thought they would all be dead. have already seen some of them commit acts of terror to establish this elsewhere. Africa has been touted is evolving and growing, and yet, the counter-punch She’s grateful, but devastated.” or crime in the name of ISIS,” says Greenblatt. as the new battlefeld for terror organisations, with seems not to be forthcoming. That leaves the region Gaziel says her cousin would have been 41 on “In addition, there are a number of South Africans central and southern Africa emerging as their most vulnerable.”

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Ibut one he takes in his stride. Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng for His Highness the Dalai SA Jewish Report, “My view on the Leon is executive chair of Leon has faced a barrage for his pro-Israel comments in a Lama; no censure for Russia’s selectivity and myopia of current Resolve Communications, of criticism from numerous webinar held in June last year. illegal annexation of Crimea; South African foreign policy is an advocacy company for quarters for his recent pro-Israel Leon said the speed it took for and heralding stolen elections well founded and impeccably reputational management and comments, and for saying in a the Judicial Conduct Committee across the continent from Congo documented, as is the success of strategic communication. He is News24 interview that former DA (of the JSC) to find Mogoeng to Uganda,” and added that “at Israel vaccine rollout, whatever married to an Israeli woman, leader Mmusi Maimane was “an guilty of contravening articles of least Israel and its violations Netanyahu’s Michal. experiment that went wrong”. the code of judicial conduct and of the rights of Palestinians motives for it The attacks on Leon come as no The two aren’t related but ordering him to apologise was provides a handy alibi and a lonely might have surprise to political commentator coincide with the release of “breathtaking”, pointing out how exception to our generous support been. I Daniel Silke, who said the African his fifth book, Future Tense: other judges’ cases have taken everywhere else in the world for hardly National Congress (ANC) and Reflections on My Troubled Land. years. He accused the JSC of being ‘tyrannical leaders hated by their expected members of the anti-Israel lobby The outspoken and bold “hypocritical, lax, and dilatory in own populations’”. my weren’t ready to take a giant leap politician-turned-diplomat- its core tasks”. Leon’s comments have elicited view to go into a more balanced environment turned-communications specialist Leon lauded Israeli Prime a seething-mad reaction from regarding Israel. caused waves among the anti- Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s the anti-Israel chamber, which “Israel is a useful rallying cry for Israel lobby with his recent vaccination programme, which responded a week later in a the ruling party, which continues controversial views on South has resulted in 70% of the country burst of opinion pieces and to beat Israel instead of having Tony Leon Africa’s foreign policy – or lack being vaccinated, leading the letters in the Sunday paper. to confront tough foreign thereof – and its anti-Israel world in this regard. One opined that Leon’s policy and global issues. This fixation. In his piece he said, “To the criticism of the country’s is a comfortable foreign policy In an opinion piece in the extent that South Africa has a foreign policy and judiciary angle for the ANC to employ, Sunday Times on 28 March titled: foreign policy at all, beyond a was “an attempt to defend and plays into the old anger of “Israel a handy alibi for SA’s poor series of outdated impulses and Israel and its supporters Israel co-operating with the foreign policy”, Leon berates the struggle-retro gestures, Israel is in South Africa”. The apartheid regime.” government’s numerous dubious the one place where President writer said Leon used the Silke said it showed foreign policy decisions, notably Cyril Ramaphosa, International “well-worn pro-Israeli how the BDS (Boycott, its silence on serious global Relations Minister Naledi Pandor, tactic of ‘whataboutery’, Divestment, Sanctions issues compared to its vocal and Pretoria’s paladins can shine deflecting attention movement) had largely condemnation and criticism of the their human-rights credentials.” from Israel’s treatment of influenced and infiltrated state of Israel. He cited examples of some the Palestinians. Another the higher echelons of foreign policy in South Africa. “South Africa is increasingly Albie Sachs on the handshake that shook him out of touch with the changing dynamics vis a vis Israel’s MIRAH LANGER “I heard afterwards that he suddenly left the party the Orthodox rabbinate is calling Joe a good Jew. It was relationship with not only Gulf and he went home and cried for two weeks. I don’t on ethical grounds.” states but also a number of ustice Albie Sachs felt a real sense of liberation know if it’s true. I want to leave it as a possibility. The second incident was when he was visiting African countries. South Africa is after encountering the man who orchestrated “For me it was more important that this former England at a time when there was a legal challenge becoming an outlier in terms of its the car bombing in which he lost an arm and the killer … can now cry because of what he did. It was to a Jewish school that had excluded the child of a blanket condemnation of Israel. sightJ in one eye. liberating. converted woman. The court was asked to establish if She is isolated on the continent Sachs told the Temple Israel Passover Freedom “I wanted him to enter into the new South Africa and this was in contravention of race-discrimination laws. as far as Israel is concerned, and online event last week that his “heart [was] beating accept [new] norms and standards. The door would be Then chief justice of England, Nick Phillips, asserted she will have to live with the very, very fast” when apartheid soldier Henry van der open for him now to tell the truth and become a more that he suddenly found himself in the position of consequences.” Westhuizen asked to see him for the frst time. dignifed human being, and he walked through that having to “decide who is a Jew”. He said the anti-Israel lobby At the time, in 1996, Sachs was serving as a judge door.” Sachs remembers a member of the country’s Jewish faced “a crisis of credibility” at the Constitutional Court, and the man called at Sachs went on to speak about the plight of refugees, Board of Deputies being called as a witness, and by continuing to propagate a reception, Sachs told the audience of the Hillbrow- speaking of his own experience in exile in England. asserting that there were three criteria to being Jewish: particular message that was based shul’s talk. He described how he was frst “a psychological wreck” to have a mezuzah; to contribute to Jewish charities; no longer the consensus in the “I open the security gate, and there and to go to shul for at least the high holy days. Middle East. is this man, tall and thin like me, “Joe didn’t do these things – and I’ll be exactly the “The broader macro issues of although younger. He is looking at me, same. So I don’t know.” how to deal with the Abraham and I’m looking at him. In his eyes, I Sachs said what was very pronounced for him was a Accords has made life difficult can see [refecting] this is the man I “horror of antisemitism”. for an organisation like BDS. tried to kill and, in my eyes, you can He recalled visiting Bulgaria on holiday in 1968, It’s undermined by the broader see [refecting] this is the man who and coming across two synagogues which had been diplomatic events taking place. tried to kill me. We didn’t know each hoarded by Nazis with looted memorabilia from other These developments are making other; we hadn’t fought [personally]. Justice Albie Sachs synagogues all over Europe as part of Hitler’s plans to it difficult for the anti-Israel He was just on that side, I was on this build a monument to an extinct race. lobby to continue to lambast side, and he tried to kill me.” “I went back to the apartment, and wept,” he said. Israel when any number of Arab The men spoke extensively during a Others questioned why he was overwrought, saying, nations have decided to take a meeting in his chambers, with Van der everyone found it horrifc. “I wept and said it was a more co-operative stance with Westhuizen boasting about his own decimation of my family, my aunties and uncles whom I Jerusalem. In future, it will either educational success and then rise in the ranks of the when he went there after being tortured in prison, and had never known. It’s something, in that sense, visceral have to take a more radical line army “as if he wanted a pat on the back for that”. then after the car bombing, he was there as a “physical for me, and very profound.” which will totally exclude it from At the end of the meeting, Sachs told Van der wreck”. He said his connection was in terms of Jewish the changes, or [engage in] a Westhuizen, “Henry, normally, when I say goodbye From the British nurses who cared for him, literally experience, rather than doctrine. “It might be more pragmatic, constructive to somebody. I shake that person’s hand, but I can’t picking the shrapnel out his chest, he learnt that something to do with our grandparents living in the engagement with Israel.” shake your hand. Go to the Truth and Reconciliation refugees need more help than just safety and survival. shtetls. The only book they would have had would be Meanwhile One South Africa Commission (TRC) and tell them what you know. Maybe “The nurses, washing my body, that laying on of hands, the Torah; the only school would be the cheder. [It Movement leader Maimane we’ll meet one day.” gave me a sense of connection with England I never showed] that ideas mattered. hit back at Leon for telling Although Van der Westhuizen jauntily strode in, he had before. It was a kind of organised love.” “For those of us who were activists, ideas mattered, News24 at the weekend that he “shuffed” out. Sachs said this is what we as South Africans need to not just compassion, but ideas and a kind of rationality was “an experiment that went Sachs said he forgot about the incident until offer those seeking solace in feeing their homes. connected with justice. If that’s part of the Jewish wrong”, calling the statement sometime later when he was attending a party in He told the audience that he had been refecting experience, then I’m imbued with that aspect. dehumanising. Johannesburg. He heard someone calling his name, recently on his Jewish identity and what it meant to be “I’m a proud Jew and I’m proudly secular. I don’t In an interview with Newzroom and it was Van der Westhuizen. Again, he asked to “a good Jew”. know what the connection is. It’s between opposites.” Afrika, Leon said the statement speak to Sachs. Two events made him contemplate the topic. He has always been certain about one thing: “My was made in an interview with “We went into a corner so I could hear him over the First, he always remembered how the late Chief auntie Rosie’s taiglach that she made every Rosh News24 about his book, where he music, and he said, ‘I spoke to the TRC and I told them Rabbi Cyril Harris had spoken at former anti-apartheid Hashanah in a big round tin. She made the best said “Mmusi was an experiment everything I know’. I put out my hand, and I shook his. I activist Joe Slovo’s funeral. “At the funeral, he said Joe taiglach in Cape Town!” that went wrong as he had never almost fainted. He went away beaming. was a good Jew. Now that surprised me: the head of committed to the party’s ideals before he joined it.” 9 – 16 April 2021 SA JEWISH REPORT 5 Enough vaccines to go round, say experts, but not for a while

NICOLA MILTZ chairs the Ministerial Advisory Committee COVID-19 field, who can provide the on COVID-19 tasked with advising the most advanced scientific evaluation of the here is a widespread perception in the government on vaccine-related matters, said suitability of vaccines for the South African community that South Africa is lagging there were a number of important things to environment, especially given the dominance way behind in its vaccine rollout, but remember about the rollout. of the B.1.351 variant.” Tinsiders say there will be enough vaccines “First, many of the middle and lower- South Africa’s vaccines are expected to to go round and herd immunity isn’t a pipe income countries have opted to roll out with start arriving in the middle of this month, dream. vaccines which haven’t yet been approved according to Gore. Discovery Group Chief Executive Adrian by what are called stringent regulatory A total of 0.6 million Pfizer-BioNTech Gore told the SA Jewish Report this week that authorities, for example the United States doses are scheduled for delivery this month, South Africa had secured 51 million doses Food and Drug Administration,” he said. and a further 4.5 million Pfizer-BioNTech of vaccines. Tese include 31 million doses “For example, vaccines from China and doses are scheduled for delivery in May and of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and 20 Russia, which may well be very good vaccines June, with the remaining 15 million doses million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. and are also undergoing review in South scheduled for delivery in the third and fourth “Together, these should be sufficient to Africa, but haven’t yet been approved by the quarters of this year. cover more than 40 million adults in South South African Health Products Regulatory Gore, who has been working with the Africa, exceeding the population herd Authority (SAHPRA).” task team (chaired by Schoub) appointed immunity target of 29 million people,” he South Africa is “very fortunate” in having by the health minister to support vaccine said. an excellent regulatory authority in SAHPRA, procurement, said 2.8 million Johnson & He said cabinet had indicated an intention Schoub said, advised and supported by a Johnson doses were scheduled for delivery from April to June, with the balance scheduled for delivery in the third and fourth quarters of this year. He said Discovery had been working on detailed plans to ensure its medical-scheme members and clients were able to access vaccinations as soon as they were eligible according to national prioritisation criteria. “In alignment with the national priority setting process and three- phase rollout, we have segmented and stratified our member base based on those at highest risk. Trough this exercise, we have identified more than to vaccinate all high-risk groups, including team of excellent local scientists, in order to 550 000 clients and members as high-risk,” essential workers, people over the age of uphold high standards of safety and efficacy he said. “Te aim is to vaccinate this group as 60, and people living with multiple co- in approving vaccines for use in this country. quickly as possible, then to go on to provide morbidities by the latest October 2021. “Also, it’s indeed fortunate that we didn’t, access to vaccination for the remaining “Discovery, together with public and in fact, like high-income countries, rush to 2.5 million members and clients as quickly private-sector partners, is pushing hard to buy large amounts of vaccines because of the as possible in the following phases of the achieve this sooner, pending the available dominance of the B.1.351 variant in South rollout, ideally before the end of 2021.” supply of vaccines.” Africa. Tis variant is proving to be a major He said Discovery was also preparing to Professor Barry Schoub, emeritus determinant of vaccine efficacy. help its members navigate the vaccination professor in virology at the University of “We are also fortunate in this country process. Tis includes how to register on the the Witwatersrand and the former director to have a network of scientists which Electronic Vaccination Data System, how to of the National Institute for Communicable ranks amongst the top in the world in the locate accredited vaccination sites, providing Diseases, agreed that there was a perception follow-up reminders for second doses, and that the country was lagging behind. providing access to vaccination certificates. However, Schoub said South Africa “Discovery is participating in Business for was lucky that the lag hadn’t been South Africa workstreams that are planning too damaging, because of the low the roll out of the national COVID-19 transmission rate of the virus. Tis, vaccination programme alongside the he said, was “unlike the continuing national department of health. We are devastation in the northern contributing skills and expertise to support hemisphere in spite this national effort,” Gore said. of extensive vaccine He said Discovery remained in regular rollouts in those contact with vaccine manufacturers, countries”. while making every effort in “We do hope that co-ordination with the health there will be sufficient department to speed up vaccination in good availability to members of the time for a large medical schemes it administers. proportion of high- “Schemes administered by risk individuals to Discovery have ring-fenced be covered before we funds for vaccination for all experience our third members. We are ready and wave and before waiting to disburse these funds winter,” he said. pending the arrival of vaccines “Unfortunately, and official launch of the next financially, we weren’t phase of the rollout,” he said. able to race with the According to the health hounds and grab all the department, the number of good vaccines, as most healthcare workers vaccinated of the high-income under the Sisonke Protocol countries have selfishly remains 269 102, a tiny figure done, procuring far more compared with the United States, than their populations where a record four million needed.” Professor Barry Schoub Adrian Gore people received a vaccine last Schoub, who also Saturday alone. 6 SA JEWISH REPORT 9 – 16 April 2021 south african Is the US losing interest JewishThe source of quality content, news R and insightseport Getting my head around six million individuals in the Middle East? f ever you question the importance of OPINION HARRY JOFFE commemorating Yom Hashoah, which we do this he United States-Saudi Arabia the US was in fact a net week, keep in mind that we’re not talking about relationship is a really interesting exporter of oil and natural gas. Istatistics, but the systematic annihilation of a huge case study for those who watch Second, the US has been involved in long and percentage of our people. TMiddle Eastern geopolitics closely. Some endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that have In fact, before the Holocaust, 60% of all Jews background to current events is necessary to cost trillions of dollars and achieved very little. lived in Europe. Two out of three of them were set the context. Finally – and this has been the policy across murdered during the war. In 1933, there were 9.5 On the one hand, Saudi Arabia is a difficult three US presidents now – the US wants million Jews in Europe and this number was down ally. Its human-rights record is suspect, to say to pivot to Asia and focus much more on to 3.5 million in 1950. the least. It was clearly responsible for the countering a rapidly growing and influential Tis is hard to absorb, I know, but so often, killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in China. It wants to lighten its burdens in the people dismiss comparisons of the Holocaust with 2018, which caused a worldwide outcry. It has Middle East, and instead focus its energies the behaviour of Israel or even with apartheid. Te also been involved in a war in Yemen that has on what everyone believes will be the world’s more I acknowledge what it means to murder six created a humanitarian disaster, with high leading growth region of the 21st century. million Jews systematically, the more I realise that there is simply no comparison. civilian casualties and hunger, malnutrition, This doesn’t mean the US will withdraw Tis year marks 80 years since the beginning of the mass annihilation of Jews and and illness in that country. totally. It still has troops all over the area, and each year, fewer and fewer survivors remain. Many died this year of COVID-19. Teir On the other hand, it’s a strategic US ally, has vital interests in preventing a nuclear arms survival enabled us to understand what they lived through and how six million of and a stable, pro-Western country. It entered race there and not allowing terrorist groups their brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, cousins, aunts, uncles, and other family and the war in Yemen for good reason – to prevent to grow and find sanctuary. However, given friends were brutally murdered. Te only reason for their death was because they the Iranian-aligned Houthi forces from taking recent events, it seems clear that it will scale were Jewish. over the country. It was also the second biggest down its activities and no longer expend the Until recently, the number six million was simply a very large number to me. oil producer in the world in 2020. time and energy it has in the past. Its military Although I had seen the movies and read the books, I couldn’t quite identify with it President Joe Biden was left with a activities will be curtailed. as being six million people like me and all those I love in this world. It really isn’t easy difficult choice. Heading up a Democratic Te effect of this clear signal from the US has to absorb and comprehend this number in terms of individuals who had a future, administration, which supposedly prides itself been dramatic, and it no doubt played a major perhaps a degree or three, a wife or a beloved, and children. Tey had potential and on its support for human rights, he couldn’t role in the Abraham Accords and signing of peace lives yet to be lived, but their lives were stolen from them way before their time. leave things as they were. On the other hand, treaties between Israel and the United Arab Te Nazis took away their humanity, their individuality, and attempted to make he couldn’t damage the US’s vital strategic and Emirates and Bahrain. If and when the Saudis them just a number, which they tattooed on their arms. national interests. To this end, he seems to join the emerging Israel-Sunni reproachment, Every year, on Yom Hashoah, we observe a ceremony under the auspices of the have attempted to walk a fine line by taking it will no doubt also be due to the fear of less president of Israel known as “Unto Every Person there is a Name”, in which names of the following actions: US involvement in the region and of therefore those who perished in the Holocaust are called out. He released a redacted intelligence report having to face their enemies alone. Te point of this particular exercise is meaningful because an individual is that blamed the crown prince for being behind While this development has been positive for given a name by their parents. And they and their families have a surname that the murder of the journalist, but took no Israel in that it now has new strategic allies in the they share. Tis makes every single person a unique individual. Each person has a further action. He has made it clear that the US region, bringing much more diplomatic strength name, a personality, a particular look, a way of walking, talking, and a way of being no longer supports the operations of the Saudi and regional influence, in the long term, there that is special to them. So, starting with a name we are given at birth, a person is coalition in Yemen, and has temporarily paused must be concern. individualised. And so every year on Yom Hashoah, we do our best around the world the sale of offensive arms to Saudi Arabia, but Te US moves towards Saudi Arabia are a to individualise and humanise as many of the six million Jews who died as possible. has allowed the continued sale of defensive portent for it becoming much less involved in the To date, Yad Vashem has recorded 4 800 000 names of Holocaust victims on arms. region, and clearly show its intention not to be its Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names, with more than 2 750 000 names registered on Pages of Testimony. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, centre, meeting Here’s the thing: if we had all the names of the six million who were murdered, with US Defense Secretary James Mattis and his delegation in Saudi and could say each name, age, and place of death in one second, we could cover only Arabia, 2017 86 400 individual names in one 24-hour Yom Hashoah. To read six million, we would need almost 70 days of 24-hour non-stop reading. If we recited names for only 12 hours a day, giving the reader time to sleep, eat, and have a few short breaks, we would need 138 days to cover the names of the six million Jews who were annihilated in the Holocaust. And that’s if you can read all their vital details in one second. Tis brings me a little closer to understanding what the number six million actually means in terms of individuals. On the Yad Vashem site (YadVashem.org), you can find lists of these names. I went to look this week and found 23 people with the surname Krost who were victims of the Holocaust. I know of a handful. I wonder who the others were. Were they also family? Ten, I looked at the lists of children’s names and there were literally hundreds of pages of names of children, some not even a year old. I couldn’t help the tears as I read names, ages, and where and how they died. I felt quite sick. I couldn’t help thinking that these littlies, who should have been playing and having fun without a care in the world, were brutally murdered because by chance they were born Jewish. It was then that I decided that I was going to light the six commemorative candles with my sons this year. We will recite the El Maleh Rachamim prayer, and then start Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Pool/Getty Images Jonathan Ernst/Pool/Getty Photo: reading children’s names and keep going until we can’t anymore. I believe this will give us a better inkling of the massive horror of the millions who perished all because More importantly, he didn’t act when Saudi dragged into any more wars there. they were like us. oilfields were once again attacked by Houthi While Israel now has a lot of new allies as a In this edition, there is a story about the Holocaust on page 12 that stands out for missiles and drones on 7 March, which led to a result, and it seems the friendships will be warm, me. It’s about the Wannsee Conference, where the decision was made by the Nazi spike in oil prices briefly above $70 (R1 021) a none of the new allies are major military powers. leadership to murder Jews en masse. What really hit me was Holocaust educator barrel. Local regional alliances, useful as they are, Dr Matthias Haß’s warning that it was because of the small incidents of antisemitism The US said on the Monday that its cannot replace the world’s main superpower, and that the Wannsee House decision was made. It was the accumulation of decades commitment to defend Saudi Arabia was an unstable region will surely become still more of slowly building antisemitism that seeped into German society over years that “unwavering”, and in a Twitter post, the US unstable without the US’s active presence. eventually led to the dehumanisation of Jews, he said. mission in Riyadh condemned the attacks, Israeli leaders have long suspected this, but How often do we dismiss or not make a big deal about what seems to be minor which it said demonstrated a “lack of respect the fact that the US hasn’t responded militarily incidents of antisemitism or racism? Sometimes it isn’t always so clear and for human life” and a “lack of interest in the to the two recent attacks on the Saudi oilfields sometimes it is. But it’s not easy to stick your neck out, especially when you are alone pursuit of peace”. However, the US took no when in the past, under any president, there in a situation. And sometimes it might be cleverly disguised as anti-Israel sentiment. further action. would have been a robust and strong response, Te next time someone says to me, “Don’t make a big deal about it” referring to The main issue, however, which is being shows how dramatically things have changed. Te antisemitism, I will remember how I tried to get my head around the systematic brought to the fore by the awkward US-Saudi US can no longer be relied on as a military ally. murder of six million Jews. dance, is that the US is losing interest in the Israel will be left to fend pretty much for itself if Middle East. The area is much less of a priority and when the next war breaks out in the Middle Shabbat Shalom! than it used to be. East. Peta Krost Maunder There are a few reasons for this. First, the Editor US no longer relies on imports of oil from the • Harry Joffe is a Johannesburg tax and trust region. Last year, according to The Economist, attorney. lior suchard ya_jewish report_.indd 1 2021/04/06 13:41:38

9 – 16 April 2021 SA JEWISH REPORT 9 Labia Theatre’s nine-year battle against anti-Israel film

commercial titles. It has also launched a streaming service that is available anywhere in South Africa. Kraus believes that the PSC and its supporters don’t care much about the actual screening of the film at the Labia anymore. “For them, all these years later, it’s more about the publicity that’s being generated over the issue,” he says.

TALI FEINBERG to screen it instead. I phoned the publishing screening of the film.” company, and told it that I didn’t want to Going forward, Krause is most concerned t’s been nine years since Labia Teatre proceed. Communication was initially polite. about the ongoing funding of legal costs, owner Ludi Kraus was unwittingly caught Tey were understanding, and said they would especially if the case goes all the way to the up in a fight with the Palestinian Solidarity discuss it with their colleagues. Constitutional Court. Te cinema has had a ICampaign (PSC) over the screening at his “Te next thing, I was by accident sent some tough year financially as it was in lockdown theatre of a documentary which compares Israel in-house emails that weren’t intended for me, for five months. It was then hit by the second to apartheid South Africa. in which one person said that they were happy wave during the holiday season – the only time “Tis is a battle I didn’t choose,” he to find an alternative venue, but others insisted it could have ‘caught up’. Having now fought says in an exclusive interview with the that it be shown at the Labia, which would two high court cases, it simply doesn’t have the SA Jewish Report. “I stood up for the rights generate publicity for their cause. resources to continue to fight with an appeal of independent cinemas and in particular my “We were then subjected to emails, threats, to the Supreme Court and then, if necessary, theatre. It’s been enormously stressful, but I boycotts, and pickets every Friday for a year. the Constitutional Court. Kraus says that even didn’t want my theatre to be used for an event Tey got academics and the media involved. with his attorneys acting pro bono, the cost of that was central to something as divisive as the Meanwhile, the film was shown on UCT [the driving these matters through the courts is still opening of Israel Apartheid Week (IAW). So, I University of Cape Town] campus, and went on substantial for a small business. stuck with those principles.” a national tour. “It’s a struggle. Many of our patrons are In a judgment delivered on “Tey also got organisations to boycott us, older people who aren’t ready to return to the 26 March 2021, Western Cape Judge Andre and some of it did affect us. We were then cinema, even though we have COVID-19 safety Le Grange of the Equality Court ruled that the approached by Right2Know (R2K), which said protocols in place,” says Kraus. Te cinema is Labia must screen the film Te Roadmap to it was prepared to mediate. It culminated in our hoping to draw a younger audience with more Apartheid within 60 days, and it was ordered to agreeing to a screening of the film on condition pay costs. that the South African Zionist Federation Kraus, who is Jewish, couldn’t at the time [SAZF] be present to debate the film afterwards. of going to press share how he and his legal We obviously wanted to try and have a balanced team would respond to the judgment, but debate. But the SAZF pulled out. Because the he recalled how it all started. “I received a condition hadn’t been met, we cancelled the request from a publishing company to rent a screening, which led to a further outcry. cinema on a Sunday afternoon. It was called, “Tat was followed by both the PSC and R2K somewhat innocuously, Workers World Media lodging complaints with the South African Productions. Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Te “An arrangement regarding the screening SAHRC found in favour of us. of the film was made, and I was told to send “Unbeknown to us though, the PSC and an invoice to the PSC. I was puzzled because I R2K then appealed the SAHRC decision thought it was a South African movie linked without notifying us that they were doing so,” to apartheid. Te publishing company hadn’t Kraus says. “Tis time, on appeal, the SAHRC mentioned the PSC at all. So I googled the overturned its initial decision, and found film, and to my surprise, found that it was against us. Te first we heard about the appeal about comparing apartheid to Israel and the ruling was a year after it had taken place. Palestinians. I didn’t feel comfortable showing Yet, it’s a legal principle that you can’t rule the film, especially when I found out that the against someone if you haven’t given them the screening at the Labia was to be a central part opportunity to hear their side of the story, as of the opening of IAW in 2012. was the case here. “I was unhappy with the film and the event. “So, we took the SAHRC’s decision on review I felt it wouldn’t be popular with the majority to the High Court, and we won that battle. of my patrons, especially considering the But the Equality Court, in a separate matter hundreds of other venues that could be used brought by the PSC, ruled against us, ordering a Helen Mirren to play Golda Meir in upcoming film GABE FRIEDMAN – JTA the holiday in 1973 by Egyptian, Syrian, and Jordanian forces. The ensuing bloody confict – chronicled in the cademy Award winner Helen Mirren will recent acclaimed Israeli production Valley of Tears on portray Golda Meir, Israel’s only female prime HBO Max – shattered the nation’s growing sense of minister, in an upcoming biopic set during the confdence at the time in an embattled region. YomA Kippur War. Golda will be directed by Israeli flmmaker Guy Nattiv, Production Golda will begin later this year, according who won the 2018 Academy Award for best short for to The Hollywood Reporter. Skin, a flm involving neo-Nazis that he later made into The news follows the announcement last month of a feature. another star-powered production on Meir, a series titled “As someone who was born during the Yom Kippur Lioness led by Israeli actress Shira Haas of Unorthodox War, I’m honoured to tell this fascinating story about fame. the frst and only woman to ever lead Israel,” Nattiv While Lioness will follow Meir from “her birth in Kiev said. “Nicholas Martin’s brilliant script dives into to her American upbringing in Milwaukee, her role in Golda’s fnal chapter as the country faces a deadly the formation of Israel, and her rise to become the new surprise attack during the holiest day of the year, a nation’s frst and only female prime minister”, according core of delusional generals undermining Golda’s to a report in Deadline, Golda will focus on the turbulent judgement. Yom Kippur War period. “I couldn’t be more excited to work with the Along with the rest of Israel, Meir and her all-male legendary Miss Mirren to bring this epic, emotional, cabinet were taken by surprise by the attack on the eve of and complex story to life.” 10 SA JEWISH REPORT 9 – 16 April 2021 From searching for Sugarman to seeking out a ‘barmi boy’

TALI FEINBERG

tephen ‘Sugar’ Segerman once successfully searched for Sugarman (also known as the musician Sixto SRodriguez) and found him, so what are the chances of him finding an equally evasive Barmitzvah boy? As depicted in the Oscar-winning 2012 documentary, Segerman isn’t one to give up. But he’s now setting his sights on a mystery a little closer to home: the identity of a Barmitzvah boy who appears in a photograph he found at a market in Cape Town a few years ago. Writing to the SA Jewish Report, Segerman explained how he came across the photo. “I’m originally from Johannesburg, but have been living in Cape Town for the past 25 years. Over the past few years, it has become a The photograph of the barmi boy on the dining room unit tradition for us to go to the Milnerton Market on a Sunday morning to browse through no matter how long it takes.” and even if I did, I doubt it would still be the many different stalls that comprise this It was this natural curiosity that drew him in existence. If it was, I doubt they would huge weekend flea market. Tere, we can find to the market. “Since moving down to Cape remember who this was after more than 50 records, books, magazines, curios, and many Town, I always enjoyed browsing through years. So, that seems like a dead end, and I other weird and wonderful bric-a-brac and Greenmarket Square and Greenpoint markets really have nothing else to go on apart from tsatskes, all at reasonable prices. for music, books, and magazines for my own the fact that my son-in-law said that the “One Sunday morning, I was browsing collection. But when I got involved with [his siddur that the Barmitzvah boy is holding through a stall, and I saw a framed picture of renowned Cape Town record store] Mabu looks very similar to the one he was given for a Barmitzvah boy, seemingly from around the Vinyl in 2003 [which has since closed down], his Barmitzvah by his shul [in the 1990s]. time when I had my Barmitzvah (late 1960s I started looking around more seriously for “But, having said all that, I must admit to early 1970s) judging from the suit, thick second-hand LPs, 7-inch singles, CDs, books, that if we could find Rodriguez, then we can tie, siddur, haircut, and so on. Tere weren’t and DVDs for our shop. Someone suggested probably find anyone, including this barmi any other Jewish items at that stall so it was that I try the Milnerton Market, and initially boy. I think it’s fair to say that, for me, the just sitting there on its own. I bought it for a I went occasionally, but it soon grew into a thrill of the chase, or the challenge of the few rand. regular Sunday morning tradition. search, is as important and exciting as the joy “It was still in good condition, but had “Over the years, the market grew as more of finding what one is looking for.” no identifying features on it, apart from and more private sellers began to set up their Leila Bloch of the South African Jewish the name of the studio where the picture little stores as a way to sell off spare stuff Museum’s (SAJM) Jewish Digital Archive was taken, but the guy in the picture looked from home alongside regular stalls. Because Project (JDAP) says that the archive exists for strangely familiar. I’m far more familiar with a lot of people enjoy taking a stroll around exactly this kind of material to be preserved the Jewish community in Joburg, but I did and hopefully to trace the boy in the mix with Cape Town Jewish children at Bnei Photo of mysterious Barmitzvah boy photograph or his family. “In fact, we were Akiva machaneh, so maybe I had met this guy once given a bunch of letters found at the there. Milnerton Market, and we traced them back “Anyway, we put the picture up on the to a famous fashion designer who had written unit in our dining room where all the other them to his family while he was studying in pictures of our family members are, and it London. His whole family came down from fitted in perfectly. So much so, that over the Israel, and as they pored over the letters, they years, whenever people came for a meal, they were so emotional. would ask who it was, and we would make “Tere is so much potential in finding up all kinds of different stories about who he and sharing such material. We collect was, and then we would tell them the story of photographs, film, and other material that how we found the picture. We gave him a few is often discarded, and it finds a home in the different names over the years. Someone once archive. Tat’s the beauty of this ongoing said he looked like a ‘Milton’, so that stuck for archive – we are always discovering new a while, but generally, he was known simply connections. With enough time, we can try as ‘the Barmitzvah boy’. We told people help trace the mystery Barmitzvah boy.” different stories, like he was a distant cousin SAJM director Gavin Morris adds: “Te or a friend of the family, it changed every sad reality is that a large proportion of our time, but we always then told them how he community have left the country, in many came to be on our unit. cases leaving their parents behind. As their “But, more recently, it has been bothering parents age and downsize, many of their us, and I decided to try and find out what his treasured family memorabilia are discarded name is, where he is, and what his story is. as the cost or hassle of sending it to their But, in spite of putting the picture on various children abroad is prohibitive. Tese items relevant websites and Facebook groups, I find their way into all manner of junk shops, haven’t had any success.” He hopes the SA curio stores and markets. Jewish Report can help him with his search. “Stories of items such as this one are Segerman sees parallels between this more common than you’d think. Te search and the search for Rodriguez, “but, SAJM is constantly contacted about some contrary to popular reports, I’m not nor have or other item of Judaica that has been ever regarded myself as a ‘musical detective’ this large market, it’s quite lucrative for unearthed. Unfortunately the museum is or any other kind of detective. How the these sellers, so they look for more and more not in a position to purchase, or even safely Rodriguez story began and evolved is still stuff to sell. Tat’s why one can find such a store these items. For this reason we have a source of amazement to me as it wasn’t disparate range of stuff, like this picture.” launched our SAJMarchives.com website planned or plotted, it just happened. So, although he’s not sure if he has a (which includes JDAP), so at least digital “I have always been naturally curious, and greater or lesser chance of tracking down copies of these items will still exist for future enjoy finding things like rare LPs, books, the barmi boy than Sugarman, “at least with generations.” or tiny diamonds that accidentally dropped Rodriguez, we had plenty of information and onto the floor of the jewellery factory in clues from his records. With the barmi boy, • To share any information about the mystery Johannesburg where I worked for many years all we know is that he was probably from the Barmitzvah boy, email Stephen Segerman: with my father – but never missing people. Cape, and the name of the studio where this [email protected] But, may I add, that once I start looking for picture was taken, which is ‘Brigda Studio’. • To contact the Jewish Digital Archive Project, something, I don’t usually stop until I find it, But I can’t find any reference to it on Google, email [email protected] 9 – 16 April 2021 SA JEWISH REPORT 11 Polish Jews drive inaugural celebration of Holocaust survivors MIRAH LANGER to focus on the stories of the survivors, which is the birthdate of Marian Turski, a Polish many have so movingly offered to share with survivor of Auschwitz, and a historian and n inaugural day to honour the lives the world in spite of their pain. journalist, who will turn 95 on the day. and legacy of Holocaust survivors “Teir lives encapsulate the spirit of the “He’s such a moral figure who has lived his has been launched by the Jewish Jewish people – this idea that we as a people life with exemplary Jewish values, and he’s just CommunityA Centre (JCC) in Krakow, Poland, in have gone through such difficult times and a warm, wonderful human being,” reflected collaboration with a range of other Jewish and experienced antisemitism over thousands of Ornstein. Holocaust organisations. years, and yet we continue to lead Jewish lives, Most recently, Turski spoke at last year’s “Te lives of Holocaust survivors convey we continue to be involved. We don’t give up as anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz- a universal message of the strength and the Jews or as human beings. Tat’s the story of our Birkenau, discussing the idea of an eleventh resilience of the human spirit; that people can people,” Ornstein said. commandment to the world: never be a go through something traumatic and then He said there had been a fantastic response to bystander. afterwards still be able to love, to appreciate the idea. An international advisory committee “Do not be indifferent,” he said at the time. beauty and to feel empathy after what they steering the day now includes representatives “Do not be indifferent when you see historical went through,” said Jonathan Ornstein, the from Holocaust-survivor organisations in lies; do not be indifferent when any minority executive director of the Krakow JCC, in Israel, the United States and Europe, as well is discriminated against; do not be indifferent explaining the rationale behind the day to be as the USC Shoah Foundation, the Auschwitz- when power violates a social contract.” held for the first time on 26 June this year. Birkenau Memorial Foundation, the POLIN Tali Nates, the director of the Johannesburg Ornstein launched the idea early last month, Museum of the History of Polish Jews, the Holocaust & Genocide Centre, said it was a along with Professor Michael Berenbaum, the General Compensation Fund for Victims of good idea to celebrate the resilience and lives of director of the Sigi Ziering Institute at the National Socialism, the Claims Conference, the survivors. American Jewish University. World Jewish Congress, March of the Living, In South Africa, there are about 30 survivors He said the idea had been “percolating” Polish survivor Marian Turski whose birthday has the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation, and various left. Tese are defined as people whose lives since the 75th anniversary of the liberation of been chosen as the date of Holocaust Survivor Day others. were affected by the Nazi regime between 1933 Auschwitz-Birkenau in January 2020, which to feel appreciated, and for them to understand Te date selected for the commemoration and 1945, and include refugees. about 200 survivors attended. “It really got us how grateful we are for how much they have thinking about the survivors and their effect on given and continue to give us.” us. In the twilight of their lives, they deserve to Each community should decide how best SA’s Yom Hashoah ceremony be honoured.” they want to commemorate the day, said ix Holocaust survivors will each light a Resilience and Hope”. The six candles represent It also became clear during the coronavirus Ornstein, but the hope was that it would involve memorial candle as part of the annual the six million Jews who perished at the hands of pandemic that communal assistance was interaction across generations, listening to Holocaust Commemoration Day (Yom Nazi Germany and her collaborators during World needed by many survivors. An international survivors’ stories, and, if needed, fundraising SHashoah) at 12:00 on Friday, 9 April. War II. Holocaust Survivor Day would hopefully assist for the well-being of survivors in that country. Ella Blumenthal (Cape Town), Helene Sieff Sadly, survivors of the genocide are dwindling in bringing awareness and practical support. Te day is proposed as an addition to (Johannesburg), Marian Turski (Poland), Pinchas (with 11 local survivors having passed away since It’s believed there are about 400 000 Yom Hashoah and the International Day of Gutter (Canada), Miriam Lichterman (Cape Town), the ceremony last year), making it even more survivors worldwide, of which it’s estimated Commemoration in Memory of the Victims and Oscar Langsam (Mauritius) will each give their important to hear the voices of those who remain. that a quarter of them could be living in of the Holocaust, which are held on 27 Nisan testimony. They will also offer a message on how The ceremony will take place online, and can poverty. in the Jewish calendar, and 27 January to continue the memory and lessons learned from be accessed via the South African Jewish Board of “It’s a day of hope, optimism, story-telling, respectively. the Holocaust. Deputies Facebook page or on the SAJBD YouTube and education. It’s a day, most of all, for them Having a separate day to these would allow us The theme of this year’s ceremony is “Memory, channel.

12 SA JEWISH REPORT 9 – 16 April 2021 Beware of antisemitism in corona conspiracies, warns educator MIRAH LANGER suddenly or surprisingly, but grew over had already been carried out under time, and was deeply engraved in the their jurisdiction, the meeting was he appropriation of antisemitic minds of these men [at the meeting] designed to co-ordinate these efforts into tropes, including by protestors and in the minds of millions of ordinary standardised practices. against government policies Germans.” “What flled their minds [when it Tto fight COVID-19, needs to be taken Haß evoked the chilling ordinariness comes to the killings] were issues of seriously, says Holocaust educator of the proceedings, organised by the effciency, money, time, the use of one Dr Matthias Haß. head of the Reich Main Security Office, bullet per person, the procedure after “When looking at our world today, Reinhard Heydrich, at the luxurious villa arrival [of deported Jews], and what to don’t look for the big, horrific crimes, on the lake. do with the bodies. The Nazis wanted the look at the smaller events and the “Heydrich wanted to dominate the killings done in an orderly way. smaller crimes. That’s why current meeting. That’s why he chose a place “What do these men have in forms of antisemitism and conspiracy outside Berlin where he could show off. common?” pondered Haß, in detailing narratives are so troubling,” said Haß, He served food; he served drink; it was that the offcials gathered had an average who serves as the educational director a loose atmosphere.” age of 42, that 10 of them had been to of Wannsee House in Berlin. This estate At the time, the Nazis believe they university, and eight had doctorates. is the location where Nazi officials met were winning the war and as such, “What we saw was that they were on 20 January 1942 to agree to the Dr Matthias Haß saw the need to plan for a “racial new pretty average, they were very young, co-ordinated mass murder of European order of Europe. It’s not about finding they were well educated, and they were Jewry. It now serves as an educational ‘ungeimpft’ [unvaccinated], very clearly existed.” compromise or a peaceful solution. [It convinced of Nazi ideology. Other than centre. minimising historical events by putting It’s a “painful learning experience” to was about] creating a new world,” Haß that, there was nothing special about Haß was speaking in an online themselves in the role of the victim.” see this reality, and contemplate what said. them.” webinar about this meeting and its He mentioned another situation it means for the work of the Wannsee The 15 Nazi bureaucrats who A year and a half ago, it relevance, hosted recently by the where an anti-lockdown protestor House centre, said Haß. gathered discussed mass murder as a was also established that a Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide compared herself to Sophie Scholl – a He said he had issued a warning “logistical issue”. secretary attended in order to Centre in partnership with the Memorial German resistance fighter who was about seemingly “small incidents” “These weren’t take notes. “This gave us and Educational Site House of the executed for her work against the Nazi of antisemitism precisely because of people on the insight into the Wannsee Conference. regime. the extreme outcome of the Wannsee political level of the fact that He cited the example of recent “There have been other strange and House meeting. This outcome was regime, they were this entire demonstrations against anti-corona disturbing comparisons. Something possible only because of decades the permanent procedure measures by the German government is going on here where current events of antisemitic propaganda that had secretaries wasn’t as containing troubling antisemitic are directly linked to the Nazi past. seeped into German society long before in the something elements. Antisemitism is at the ideological centre the Nazi regime came into power. ministry, completely different. “Some people, who feared mandatory of many of these issues, no matter As crucial as what was discussed the ones who were It was a secret vaccinations by the government how constructed, absurd, and crazy the at the meeting was that which wasn’t competent and really meeting but this opposed it by marking themselves with arguments are. seen as necessary to debate. “There running the show.” wasn’t so unusual. the yellow star [originally used by the “To be honest, a few years ago, I was no longer a need to argue why the While mass shootings It was part of the Nazi regime to identify Jews],” said Haß, would never have thought that the Jews are the enemy. It was a common An example of the yellow star daily work routine.” who is a political scientist by training. kind of antisemitism and conspiracy understanding at all levels of society. appropriated by anti-covid vaccination All in all, it took just 90 minutes for protestors in Germany recently “The protestors added in the inscription narratives that we are facing today still Clarity about hatred of Jews didn’t come the offcials to agree decisively to kill the 11 million Jews that they believed to be alive in Europe at the time. “Everybody was willing to co-operate, Focus on Yom Hashoah turns to family nobody hesitated and looked for a way YOSEF KAUFMANN I. People were suffering and looking for easy answers to We need to start with ourselves, on a personal level, to not to participate in the genocide.” diffcult questions. Extremism is born out of crisis. be consistent when we are with our friends, family, and Haß said that while they couldn’t here is a new international initiative to start a family “When people are suffering, they start looking for neighbours. We need to educate each other that racism, openly object to the “final solution” tradition on Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Memorial someone to blame. More often than not, blame falls on the however casual, isn’t acceptable. And we need to be active proposal, if they had any misgivings, Day), in which families will gather to light six Jews,” said Nates. “Today, we face another unprecedented to avoid the same mistakes made during the Holocaust and they could have played on notions of Tmemorial candles and recite a pertinent poem and prayer world crisis. COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. other genocides, which unfortunately are still taking place a lack of capacity or overworked staff. to remember the 6 000 000. We are facing a global economic and health crisis that we today. Instead, “they were all happy to be part This initiative, called “Generations light the way”, have never seen before. Again, born out of this crisis, we are “Because we are in South Africa, we should focus on how of this”. encourages families to recite the traditional we as South Africans can remember the The language used by Adolf mourner’s prayer, Kel Maleh Rahamim, and/ Holocaust,” said Nates. “I would love Eichmann in drawing up the final- or the poem, Nizkor – Let us Remember, by South Africans to spend time thinking protocol document of the meeting is Holocaust survivor Abba Kovner, to impart the about their own families. A lot of them “coded” in its euphemistic summary of memory of the Shoah to the next generation. come from Latvia and Lithuania, certainly the results of the discussion. Terms such It is a collaboration between Yad Vashem and they have relatives who were murdered. as “parallelising procedures” are used Tzohar Rabbinical Association. I would like for the Jewish community to in reference to extending mass murder “Today, we fnd ourselves at a crossroads,” really think about where they come from across the continent and “natural said acting Yad Vashem chairperson Ronen and what happened to their relatives reduction” when it comes to ensuring Plot. “As the last generation to be personally who couldn’t come here. that they work the Jews to death. acquainted with Holocaust survivors, we have “We need to try and collect those It reflected how bureaucracies a great responsibility to ensure that what we names so they won’t be lost forever. Yad allowed perpetrators to distance saw, what we heard, and what we learned is Vashem has only four million out of six themselves through language, passed on to future generations.” million names. We need to ensure the suggested Haß. “Here, it was present in “The Shoah shows us how important every other two million names don’t become the most extreme way.” Jew is,” said Rabbi David Stav, the founder lost forever. The Johannesburg Holocaust The use of language as a key tool of and director of Tzohar Rabbinical Association. & Genocide Centre together with the power, in the case of the Wannsee House He recalled an incident when an entire unit of Nazi soldiers seeing an alarming growth of extremism around the world. South African Jewish Board of Deputies and the Memorial meeting, ignited a genocide. Yet language, stayed on a small Greek island for more than two weeks just The open rise of nationalism and white supremacy is now & Information Centre in Mauritius have called on our even in very different contemporary to fnd one Jewish family. leading to an increase in violence against those that look communities to collect the names by sending in the names situations, continues to play a role in “We need to realise how precious a Jewish life is. and sound different.” of family members that don’t have a grave. For us, that’s a prejudice and oppression, said Haß. So much of our history has been forgotten. From the Nates said there were many lessons to take from the start.” “Words matter. Public discourse crusades to the pogroms of 1648 to 1649, to the Spanish Holocaust. “Remembering the Shoah is so important. Said Stav, “The only way to ensure that we pass this on to matters. The few that start spreading Inquisition,” he said. Starting from our young generation and going beyond just our children is to talk about it often. I speak about the Shoah hatred and lies need bystanders and “We cannot let that happen with the Holocaust. It’s not the Jewish community, to all of humanity, it has a huge with my family and community at least once a month. enablers – those who remain silent. If just because the Holocaust is recent history, it’s important to educational value. “Evil doesn’t care what we look or sound like. We have nobody speaks out, their ideology can remember because it teaches us that it doesn’t matter how “It’s a warning for us all to be vigilant and recognise the passed on the torch of faith, resilience, and morality for spread and conspiracy narratives gain you label yourself, we are all am echad (one people).” warning signs,” she said. “When words of hate turn into more than 3 000 years. The story of the Holocaust is the ground. Tali Nates, the director of the Johannesburg Holocaust & discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and violence, it ends story of the Jewish people. We have been murdered, “To engage in public debate; to call Genocide Centre, agrees. “We need to be aware of the past with mass murder and genocide. The frst thing is education prosecuted, and expelled from our homes. And yet, through out the liars’ ideology cannot start and how evil is allowed to grow if we hope to prevent more – to connect the dots and try to prevent it from happening it all, we managed to survive. We always fnd a way to come early enough. It’s not enough to call atrocities. And we need to recognise it quicker,” she said. again. out stronger. Those of us who know a survivor personally them fools and lies. As we see in our “The radicalisation of Nazi Germany didn’t happen in a “You have to make sure you fght antisemitism, racism, have experienced this frst hand. Rebirth and resilience is world, there is a risk of the nonsense, vacuum. The world was facing an unprecedented economic and xenophobia. These are the frst signs. We need to our story. It’s up to us to pass this torch to our children so the hatred, divisions, and violence crisis. Europe was still picking up the pieces of World War educate about the dangers of those words and actions. they can continue to light the way.” becoming powerful forces in our societies.” THE HOLOCAUST - REMEMBERING TOGETHER

Join us as #WeRemember Yom Hashoah ONLINE Friday, 9 April 12:00

& FOUND ATION 14 SA JEWISH REPORT 9 – 16 April 2021 Photos reveal Africa’s Jewish tapestry “My photographs try to weave together emerging black Jewish the complex tapestry of the Jewish African communities in places such peoples segregated by historical, cultural, as Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, linguistic, and regional divides yet united by Madagascar, Gabon, and a faith in Hashem.” Cameroon. Over the past 20 So says Jono David, a British-born or so years, the phenomenon photographer living in Japan who has of religious renouncement and travelled the globe to amass what is perhaps self-conversion to Judaism has, the most extensive archive of contemporary in some cases, as in Ghana, images of Jewish heritage and heritage sites in the world. Included in his growing compendium of more than 120 000 photographs from 116 countries and territories is his collection of photographs of Jews Hiloula of Rabbi Isaac Ben Walid, Tetouan, Morocco in Africa from 30 Upshernish countries on the Johannesburg, South Africa continent. The best however, and of these photographs official Jewish are in a book titled, The Jews of Africa: Lost Cameroon, and Gabon, grown with the recognition Tribes, Found Communities, Emerging Faiths rise of internet connection there. Real- remains an that includes essays by scholars, rabbis, and time connection is weaving a black Jewish important aim. African Jews. tapestry across the continent,” David “In my “Between August 2012 and April 2016, writes in his book. travels, these I embarked upon eight unique Jewish “So far, these small but fervent communities Africa photo tours comprised of about 60 communities remain largely ignored held a particular total weeks of travel to 30 countries and by official entities in Israel and in the fascination, but territories,” David writes. “Ultimately, mainstream Jewish world. The century- I was equally Kiddush, Shacharit (morning) I archived about 65 000 Jewish Africa old Abayudaya community in Uganda mindful of service, Beit HaTefilah Israel. photographs, and I did so with the aim of is officially recognised by Conservative the European- Antananarivo, Madagascar answering one primary question: who are Judaism, but that’s an exception. rooted the Jews of Africa? Connections with outside Jewish congregations. I “I was particularly interested in the organisations and rabbis are increasing, was curious not Hatikvah Jewish Community. merely about Gondar, Ethiopia their history, but about their manifestations of Jewish life in comparison to familiar ways in Europe. “Today, while Jewish communities of the southern African region shrink and ancient ones of the Maghreb cling on [notably in Morocco and Tunisia], black Jewish groups are growing in number, in location, and in commitment,” David concludes. “Following subjugation over the centuries by invaders both political and religious, motivating factors for this Jewish awakening are rooted in a quest for truth and identity, truth Jono David at Jewish Pioneers’ rooted in the tenants of Judaism and Memorial Museum (formerly, Raleigh the Torah, an identity founded in self- Street Synagogue). Port Elizabeth, determination.” South Africa

Beth Yeshourun Jewish community spiritual leader Serge Etele (L) inspects a new mezuzah. Douala, Cameroon

See more of Jono David’s Jewish work at JewishPhotoLibrary.com 9 – 16 April 2021 SA JEWISH REPORT 15 Mental health at work needs more than ‘tea and tissues’ TALI FEINBERG urgent. issues when managing mental health at work, organisational culture should respect downtime, Ancer, a clinical psychologist in private identifying and managing personality, mood, leave, family time, and sick leave. If a person rioritising mental and emotional health practice, says she was motivated to write the and anxiety disorders in the workplace, and is expected to be available all the time, it in the workplace is good for business, but book because “my concern is that often clinical early warning signs of mental-health difficulties. undermines their well-being. few companies have formal strategies to practitioners both in public service and private All this becomes even more prominent in the Milner says the past year has been a “mass Pdeal with these challenges. practice don’t always understand the interface COVID-19 era. experiment in the workplace”, and it has been Professor Karen Milner and psychologist with the workplace. We hope this book will “A recent study in California showed that tough for workplaces to replicate in-person Judith Ancer believe it’s so important, they help them navigate it. And there is a lack of anxiety most affected the mental health of those connection at an online level. It’s important to wrote a book about it. understanding from the workplace too. in the 18-25 age group, and those are the ages re-establish rituals lost online, and to work to Beyond Tea and Tissues: Protecting and “Mental-health policies aren’t just a ‘nice to entering the workplace,” says Ancer. build connections. Also, it’s important for people Promoting Mental Health at Work looks at how have’,” says Milner. “We make a strong business Te authors also look at the wider to find ways of marking the end of the workday to optimise employee well-being and manage case that depression can be extremely costly to environment, and how personalities, when they are working from home. distress, trauma, and mental illness in the companies. Businesses can’t afford to lose skilled management style, or systems can exacerbate Te book isn’t intended just for human workplace. Tey recently launched the book via staff because of mental-health crises. mental-health problems. “We look at what resources managers, but all managers. “In my an online webinar. “Not only are the costs associated with organisations need to do not only to protect experience, managers can’t just shift mental Milner, an associate professor of psychology poor mental health significant, but positive mental health, but promote mental health. health onto HR or outside the organisation,” at the University of the Witwatersrand, mental health, manifested as employee Te continuum doesn’t end when someone Milner says. She says it will be useful for says she was motivated to write the engagement and other positive mental- has a crisis and is then okay. We want to help employees themselves, and although it book when she was consulting in health states, has been found to people to thrive as engaged employees who includes theory and research, it has been a corporate environment a few play a key role in organisational get meaning from their jobs and are “translated” so that everyone can find years ago. “I bumped into success.” productive members of the team.” it accessible and helpful, including a quite senior human Ancer says the area they Milner says it’s worrying how psychologists, laypeople, resources manager who tried to cover is vast, much stigma continues to managers, and employees. was very distressed. and while it uses a surround mental health “We are in a time She had been talking lot of statistics and in the workplace, of change, and it’s to a colleague who had data, it’s not only for and it’s likely important for come to her for help – the academics or analysts but that the statistics everyone to tolerate colleague was extremely all people working with other are underreported imperfection, including depressed and cried in her office. Judith Ancer people. She says in the South as people hold back on companies and businesses,” She described how she found it really African workplace, mental-health revealing their challenges. says Ancer. Often, a mental- difficult as she didn’t have the tools to conditions are particularly prominent “Tey often hide it, or try to Karen Milner health crisis is as serious as a help her, saying, ‘All I could offer was tea as people battle with many social ills in present a more cheerful face. Tey broken leg, and needs to be treated and tissues.’ She felt inadequate and unhappy their home lives. fear being seen as less competent,” she as seriously, Milner says. Organisations that she couldn’t do more.” Te book looks at everything from loneliness, says. Organisational culture needs to allow need to have a plan in place in case of a Milner teamed up with Ancer, and they bereavement, loss, addiction, bullying and people to be vulnerable and normalise talking mental-health emergency, and understand that started writing the book before the pandemic, harassment, to dealing with difficult people about mental health while still respecting a an employee might need to take time off to heal. but the way the workplace has been overturned who struggle to be part of a team or cause person’s privacy and dignity. Tey hope the book will spark a new approach in the past year makes their book even more conflict with others. It also considers cultural Ancer says workplaces have a “moral to mental well-being at work, saying, “Tis is a imperative to treat mental-health challenges long road to travel, and there is a lot of work to Letters early and seriously”. Furthermore, be done.”

ONLY THOSE ON THE FRONTLINE SHOULD BE VACCINATED I read in dismay of doctors, often in private practice and allied professionals who are dying. They aren’t who never see a COVID-19-positive patient, who are there for the glory or the large salary but because they rushing off with their wives and administration clerks are committed to making a difference, to healing, and COACH DIPLOMA & CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

to get to the front of the queue to be vaccinated. I see to contributing to a better world. Professor Rabbi Joshua Ritchie, MD, Dean psychologists and other allied professionals faunting I urge all of you who aren’t dealing directly with Senior Faculty Chany Berger and Hindy Ilowitz the fact that they have been vaccinated or elbowing patients who breathe, cough, or spit at you, who can

their way to the vaccine table. treat patients while maintaining a social distance REFUAH: Caring, Kindness and Coaching

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received their vaccinations. These are the frontline – Diane Fine, social worker in private workers who are at risk. These are the doctors, nurses, practice Become a Certified LOOKING FOR DESCENDANTS OF LITHUANIAN GREAT-GRANDFATHER I would be grateful for any information a reader I know very little else. I believe the family may have as I search for descendants of my great- migrated to Lithuania from Germany around 1750 grandfather, Eliahu Zvi Bloch, a Kohen who lived in or 1800, that Eliahu Zvi’s father lived to be 100, and Life Coach Anassisic/Anusshishok, Lithuania, near the Latvian that Eliahu Zvi was 66 years old when my grandfather with workshops and supervised practice sessions border, from roughly 1820 to 1900. was born. It’s possible that some family members My grandfather, Elchanon, the son of Eliahu Zvi migrated to Israel, either prior to statehood or after by live interactive telephone conference or ZOOM video conference. and his third wife, Sarah Oralowich, who grew up living in South Africa. You will become an effective Solution Focused & CBT Life Coach. in an orphanage, is the only one of the family who I would welcome any information, even if emigrated to the United States. I recall hearing marginally related to my family, such as knowledge As a Life Coach you are an important influential member of your that some of Elchanon’s siblings or half-siblings of life in Anassisic/Anusshishok. I live in Silver Spring, emigrated to South Africa in the frst half of the last Maryland, United States, and can be reached at community and will discover dramatic ways to make a difference century. [email protected] – Farrell Bloch, USA in your life and for those around you.

PROTEST NOT A CREATIVE SOLUTION TO EDUCATION FUNDING CRISIS The four month course begins Tuesday April 6. Classes will be on Tuesday & Thursday, from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Regarding your editorial (SA Jewish Report, 19 I’m certain that was never Farber’s intention. In Practicums (supervised practice sessions) 3 times a week March 2021), in which you support Gabi Farber addition, whenever the government has been and others in protesting against inadequate intimidated into providing additional funding for funding for tertiary education, I agree with you students as a result of violent protest, it has almost about the importance of education and your always been to the disadvantage of other South Some work scholarships are available for accepted candidates sympathy for those who have diffculty fnancing Africans in greater need. their aspirations. Furthermore, I commend Farber I don’t deny that there are times when protest is REFUAH INSTITUTE for all the effort she has put in to explore multiple the only option available, but this isn’t such a time. avenues to assist these students. In her op-ed, Farber insists that all alternatives were Telephone: South Africa 27-105008447 The truth as you so clearly state is that South explored before resorting to protests. However, Africa fnds itself in a very diffcult fnancial reality if thousands of our brightest young people are WhatsApp +972-505360219 for multiple unfortunate reasons. But, confronting unable to fnd creative ways out of their present this reality requires creative and innovative ideas diffculty, it’s unlikely South Africa will ever extricate Email: [email protected], www.refuah.net rather than avoidance with protests, which almost itself from its present quagmire. always result in signifcant vandalism – though – Fortunee Alhadeff, Cape Town

16 SA JEWISH REPORT 9 – 16 April 2021 Time for Israelis to pray for South Africa or as long as I’m able to remember, we have always added a number of prayers into our Shabbat morning service. INNER VOICE FAside from what was prescribed by the rabbis Howard Feldman of yesteryear, we have continued to add and add, but somehow never seem to remove any. contention. In its World Happiness Report It wouldn’t surprise me at all if in 70 years’ of 2021, it offers unequivocal support for my time, the Shabbat morning service has so motion. According to said index, South Africa many additions that it becomes a full day is listed as the 103rd most happy out of the affair. In this sense, I’m grateful that I won’t index’s total of 149 nations, whereas Israel be around to have to endure that. came in at 12th place. Tat’s an improvement Somewhere during the service, “the of two spots, in spite of the survey being congregation will now rise” for a prayer for conducted before the country went to its the sick, for the South African government, fourth election in a matter of two years. And for the welfare of the state of Israel, and for yet, we pray for them? KDVP holds siyum for firstborn boys missing soldiers. Tere might even be more. Consider the vaccine roll-out. At the time I believe it’s time to revisit this. Whereas of writing, according to the New York Times there’s no doubt that the sick could do with vaccination index, 0.5 out of every 100 South our prayers, as could missing soldiers, I’m Africans received the vaccine compared with wondering if we should still be intoning 114 for every 100 in Israel (the Pfizer vaccine a prayer for the state of Israel. Especially requires more than one dose). Or to put it considering that it is in a much better place more simply, 269 000 South Africans have than we are. So much so, that I believe that been jabbed against the virus versus more they should be praying for us and not the than 10 million doses in Israel. It’s us who other way around. need their prayers, not the other way around. Ahead of Yom Ha’atzmaut, it might be the And the economy and unemployment? perfect time to reconsider. Given the state Indeed, it might be true that property is of the state of South Africa, I recommend expensive in Israel and there are certain Rabbi Mendel Rabinowitz addresses a siyum session for firstborn boys at King David Victory Park instead that communities in Israel start demographics who suffer the ills of poverty. ing David Victory Park held a siyum this year to – in which frstborn sons fast to show appreciation adding a prayer for us in this country However, compare the booming start-up celebrate the completion of a section of Talmud. for being spared from this plague. However, it’s sometimes during their Shabbat services. nation with our struggling economy, and it’s Participation in the event, run for the frst time at considered a lenient fast, and if a person is able to We have certainly done our praying bit, clear who should be praying for whom. Kthe school by Rabbi Ricky Seeff, general director of the participate in a seudat mitzvah, they aren’t required and I believe that it’s well time they returned And that’s without Eskom. South African Board of Jewish Education, is seen as a to fast. the favour. Tis isn’t to say that we aren’t I concede that my motivation is perhaps seudat mitzvah, which mitigates the need for frstborn Other examples of seudat mitzvah would be concerned for the welfare of both the Jewish more about time in synagogue than it is sons to fast on erev Pesach. attending a wedding or a bris. In the case of the state and her people, but I genuinely think about the principle. But even given my The fast of the frstborn before Pesach, Ta’anit siyum, all those at the event and not only the that we have significantly more to worry disingenuous agenda, it’s worth considering Bechorim, is a long-standing custom connected to the person who completed the section are considered about than they do. just how much prayers for South Africa are last of the 10 plagues – the slaying of the frstborn participants, and therefore don’t need to fast. Te United Nations supports my needed. A column of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies Join us for Yom Hashoah his Friday at 12:00, our community comes together to observe Yom ABOVE BOARD Hashoah, which once again will take Shaun Zagnoev Tthe form of a single, united ceremony for the entire country. If you read this in time, Lessons for South Africa from Freedom join us on this solemn day of remembrance, Seder click on the relevant link on the South We have had a gratifyingly enthusiastic African Jewish Board of Deputies’ response to our virtual Passover Freedom (SAJBD’s) Facebook site. Seder, held on 24 March, the Wednesday Tree quarters of a century later, only evening just before Pesach. Our guests from a handful of survivors remain in South government, political parties, diplomats, Africa, making their testimony even more university leadership, and media were given important. Accordingly, the emphasis a “Pesach box” beforehand, including a this year will be on passing the torch of Haggadah specially adapted for the occasion. remembrance to the next generation. We are For our keynote speaker, we were honoured privileged to be able to present addresses to have former cabinet minister and by six survivors from South Africa, Poland, provincial leader Mathews Phosa, who spoke Canada, and Mauritius. Each presentation about life under apartheid, his time in exile, will focus on a particular theme of the Shoah. and campaigning for human rights and non- Teir message will be directed specifically at racism. Afterwards, Investec Chief Executive our youth with a view to strengthening the Fani Titi reflected on 27 years of democracy sacred duty of perpetuating remembrance in South Africa, while other participants and education about the Shoah into the comprising SAJBD leaders from the three future. Te ceremony will also include main regions spoke about basic themes of the traditional Yom Hashoah events such as seder, charity, education, diversity, and the reading the names of Holocaust victims importance of learning from the past. (commencing just before the main event at Te event concluded with Rabbi Dovid 11:50), the lighting of the memorial candles, Hazdan reflecting on lessons of human rights and the singing of the Partisan’s Song and from the Pesach story. Just prior to the event, Ani Ma’amin. SAJBD National Director Wendy Kahn spoke Much planning has gone into ensuring at the World Jewish Congress Model Seder, that this year’s single national ceremony sharing the concept of the South African is as inclusive as possible. Participants Freedom Seder with it. will include representatives from I commend Wendy and her team for Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, putting together this very successful evening Durban, East London, and Port Elizabeth, in spite of the short notice. It was an as well as Mauritius. I thank all those inspiring example of how our Jewish heritage involved in putting this event together, can be used to share important lessons with in particular our national president, Mary our fellow South Africans and values relevant Kluk; Tali Nates; and Heather Blumenthal, to our time and conditions. and the three Holocaust & Genocide • Listen to Charisse Zeifert on Jewish Board Centres in Johannesburg, Durban, and Talk, 101.9 ChaiFM, every Friday from 12:00 Cape Town. to 13:00. Tis column is paid for by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies