THE EMIGRATION PHENOMENON AND ITS IMPACT ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY

DAVID SAKS Senior Researcher, South African Jewish Board of Deputies, Johannesburg, South Africa

The long-term viability of tlie South African Jewish community is tlireatened by its high level of emigration, which creates a leadership vacuum and has a powerful psychological effect. However, it is still a very well-organized and cohesive community.

or some years now, the dominant percep­ under 10 percent and levels of Jewish iden­ Ftion of South African Jewry in interna­ tification and activity unsurpassed anywhere donal Jewish circles has been that it is a else in the Diaspora (Kosmin et al., 1999). community in the throes of gradual disinte­ Over 80 percent of Jewish children attend gration, steadily undermined by an appar­ Jewish day schools, which is indicative, not ently inexorable process of attrition through only of the value even more assimilated Jew­ emigradon. It would be nice to confound this ish parents place on Jewish learning but also, pessimistic analysis, but unfortunately there less positively, of the undoubted decline in is a lot of truth in it. Although sdll consd- the quality of public education in the post- tudng by far the largest concentradon of apartheid era. In Johannesburg alone, there Jews on the African condnent, the commu­ are ten different Jewish schools, four of nity has long passed its peak in terms of which educate pupils of both sexes from numbers and is steadily shrinking as its kindergarten through high school. Most of members opt increasingly to resettle the schools have an Orthodox religious focus abroad. An estimated 80,000 Jews remain and range in terms of pupil enrollment from in South Africa today, down from just un­ a few dozen to several thousand. Jewish der 120.000 in 1980. Deaths are today ex­ learning does not stop in high school, more­ ceeding births, and the annual net loss over. In recent years, Yeshivot and KoUehm through emigration is believed to be in the have mushroomed, particularly in Johannes­ region of 1.500. burg but also in Cape Town and Pretoria, with Mizrachi, Lubavitch, Ohr Somayach, Stad.sdcs, however, do not always tell the Aish HaTorah, and various Haredi-oriented full story. In many ways, South African movements all contributing to a remarkable Jewry is experiencing a golden age, combin­ religious revival (Harris, 1999). ing impressive achievements in the public realm with intensihed Jewish religious and In addition to the vitality of its educa­ communal activity. Although comprising no tional and religious infrastructure. South Af­ more than 0.2 percent of the South African rican Jewry has an excellent network of wel­ populadon, Jews continue to be over-repre- fare organizations, which together provide a .sented in the highest echelons of the eco­ wide range of facihties for Jews in need, be nomic sector, public service, judiciary, and these needs financial, employment-related, the professions. Tony Leon, Leader of the or psychological. Emigration, and with it the Opposition in Parliament, and Judge Arthur departure of the more financially successful Chaskalson, Chief Justice, are just two of members of the community, has certainly those who hold prestigious positions within affected negatively the welfare community, South Africa's vibrant new democracy. but sensible rationahzation initiatives and In terms of purely Jewish involvement, sound financial management has helped en­ the picture is even more favorable. Mo.st sure that the situation, while difficult, is far recent surveys reveal an intermarriage rate of from being a crisis.

139 Joumal of Jewish Communal Service I 140

Before moving on to the emigration phe­ South Africa as a center of Jewish life is nomenon, several other points need to be under threat as emigration continues apace. made in order to provide a more balanced The departure of so many in the 18-35 age perspective of modem South African Jewish bracket has created a leadership vacuum, life. First, Jewish immigration to South Af­ with fewer young members joining the rica has by no means dried up, even if it is ranks of established Jewish organizations. nowhere near the levels of a half-century With the exception of the religious Zionist ago. There is a large ex-Israeli population, movement Bnei Akiva, youth movement and the burgeoning religious and educational membership is significandy down, and out­ infrastructure has further attracted a not in­ side the main centers of Johannesburg and significant number of rabbis, scholars, and Cape Town, and to a degree Durban and educators from abroad, mainly the United Pretoria, youth activities as a whole have States, Israel, and the United Kingdom. Sec­ virtually ceased. Marriages outside Johan­ ond, recent research has shown that while nesburg and Cape Town have also become many people are indeed emigrating, many a rarity. ultimately choose to retum. A 1998 survey The psychological impact of emigration conducted by the Institute for Jewish Pol­ should also not be underplayed. It has under­ icy Research in London, in association mined confidence in the future of the com­ with the Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies munity among those who remain, precipitat­ and Research in Cape Town, found that ing further departures as the herd instinct fully 13 percent of the 1,000 people inter­ factor takes hold. It has also introduced a viewed were in fact returned emigrants certain pall of sadness. Few South African (Kosmin et al., 1999). The crisis in neigh­ Jewish families today do not have close fam­ boring Zimbabwe has also helped offset ily members—children, brothers, or sis­ losses to emigradon as the remnants of this ters—living overseas, and the decline of the once thriving community make their way South African Rand against other currencies south. makes it difficult to arrange visits. Indeed, In summary, while South African Jewry is the natural desire of parents to see their de­ in decline, it is certainly not in collapse. parted children and grandchildren has im­ Given the strength of its institutions, coupled posed yet another financial burden on the with the fundamental soundness of the South community as a whole since many potential African economy and the enduring political donors have had to budget for overseas trips stability that characterizes Africa's most instead. democratic and human rights-conscious There has always been one kind of emi­ state, it could even be reversed if the will is gration that the South African Jewish com­ found to do so. Another very important fac­ munity has welcomed positively, and that, of tor is the relatively low level of anti-Semi­ course, has been aliyah to Israel. The grati- tism that exists in South Africa compared fyingly high number of South African Jews with other Diaspora communities. Only forth who chose to settie in Israel—an estimated antisemitic incidents were recorded by the 17,000 ex-South Africans now live there, Jewish Board of Deputies in 2002, few of with the late. Cape Town-born Abba Eban them of any seriousness. By comparison probably representing the community's most Australia, the favorite destination for South celebrated export—has always been a source African emigrants, recorded 593 such inci­ of pride to those who chose to remain. Nat­ dents up to the end of September alone (as urally, the departure of so many Jewishly reported in South African Jewish Report, committed members has weakened the com­ June 12, 2002). munity to an extent. One of the reasons why All these positives aside, however, there the local Zionist movement has declined is is no doubt that the long-term viability of because it was a victim of its own success. A

WINTER/SPRING 2003 The Emigration Phenomenon and Its Impact on the South African Jewish Community I 141

high proportion of young leaders and com­ colleagues, Jewish and non-Jewish, were not munal professionals who had formed the so lucky. backbone of Zionist activity in the country The flight of Jewish acdvists to safer ha­ chose to take the culminating step of making vens nevertheless had little impact on the aliyah, which naturally left a leadership vac­ mainstream Jewish community, mainly be­ uum. Even in these times, when concern over cause these acdvists had been minimally in­ Jewish emigration is at a high level people volved, if at all, in Jewish communal affairs. are encouraged to consider making aliyah. In the main they were staunchly communist The standard approach of the South African in their sympathies, with all the denial of Jewish Board of Deputies to the emigration ethnicity, religious identity, and, of course, question remains, "Stay home or go home;" solidarity with the State of Israel that this that is, stay in South Africa and make a allegiance entailed. However, a number of difference or go home to Israel. This broadly liberal-orientated Jews not necessarily com­ echoes the philosophy of all the Jewish com­ mitted to the communist fold also left during munal movements. this time in protest against the system of racial dominadon and exploitation then in Unfortunately, the second half of the 20* force. century has seen emigration of a far less In 1970, the South African Jewish popu­ positive nature taking place, an outflux mo­ lation numbered just over 117,000, its high­ tivated not by the guiding ideal of realizing est level to date, and a decade later it had the Zionist dream of aliyah but by the polit­ reached 119,000. However, according to nat­ ical and more recent social and economic ural increase, that second figure should actu­ instability that has characterized South Af­ ahy have been considerably higher. The fact rica in the modern era. Already by the early that the increase was so small suggested that 1960s, a regular stream of individuals and something had happened to retard the com­ families were relocating to other countries, munity's growth, and that indeed was the mainly the United Kingdom. Since South case. In June 1976, a popular, spontaneous Africa at the time was enjoying spectacular uprising against white minority rule sent economic growth and, as a result of draco­ shock waves throughout South African soci­ nian security crackdowns on political dis­ ety. It was the start of a sustained period of senters, relative polidcal quiescence, the ma­ popular resistance to the apartheid regime jority of these tended to be left-leaning that no amount of suppression could extin­ political activists. A fair number were effec­ guish and that would culminate in the de­ tively driven into exile by the security crack­ mise of white minority rule some two de­ down of the apartheid State, which ensured cades later. As a result of the mounting through such measures as bannings, deten- unrest, which included rioting, mass deten­ don without trial, and restrictions on free­ tions, and acts of terrorism, an increasing dom of movement that the lives of the more number of whites began leaving South Af­ radical opponents of white minority rule rica. This included a high proportion of would be constantly disrupted. One of those Jews. exiles who went on to play a major role in Another "push factor" was the introduc­ world Jewish communal service was Mi­ tion in the 1970s of compulsory military chael Schneider, past execudve vice-presi­ service for white males, eventually extended dent of the American Jewish Joint Distribu­ to two years plus an additional two years of tion Committee. Schneider was in fact reserve duty in military camps. From the fortunate to evade arrest and the likelihood mid-1970s, South Africa was embroiled in a of a lengthy period of imprisonment for his low-level but frequendy vicious war with the acdvities in the African Resistance Move­ South West African People's Organisation ment and to escape abroad. Many of his (SWAPO) and their Cuban allies on the

WINTER/SPRING 2003 Journal of Jewish Communal Service I 142

Namibian-Angolan border, which finally tinued departure of Jews from South Af­ ended with the attainment of Namibian inde­ rica. Additionally, while mainly young pendence in 1989. In addition to being re­ people are emigrating, an increasing num­ quired to keep order in the unruly black ber of the older members of the community townships, where successive States of Emer­ are choosing to leave to join their children gency had been imposed, national service­ already living overseas. men also faced the possibility of having to The mainstream day schools of King spend time in the Operational Area in South David (Johannesburg) and Herzlia (Cape West Africa. A number of Jewish recruits Town), which the majority of Jewish chil­ lost their lives in this pointless conflict, dren attend, are being hard hit by this attri­ which, together with the prospect of pro­ tion, declining on average by 4 percent an­ longed military service in defense of an un­ nually. Interestingly, the more religious day popular cause, persuaded many young Jew­ schools have been less affected, which can ish males, and often their families as well, to be attributed to the strength of the religious relocate elsewhere. infrastructure in Johannesburg and the diffi­ Seeing so many of its youth departing culties of reproducing it in other parts of the was disheartening enough, but in addition Diaspora. Another saddening aspect of emi­ the community seldom even had the satis­ gration has been the number of elderly peo­ faction of seeing them choose to go to the ple left alone following the departure of their Jewish homeland. On average, about 15 children. Since many of these are living in percent of emigrants chose to settle in Is­ the Jewish aged homes, whose fees they are rael, but the most popular destinations often unable to pay, this has increased the were Australia (40 percent) and the United financial burden on the community as a States (25 percent), with Canada, the whole. In recent years, former South Afri­ United Kingdom and, to a much lesser cans in the United States have begun raising extent. New Zealand, making up the bal­ funds for the maintenance of the aged ance. These proportions more or less hold homes. true today. Reliable figures regarding who is leav­ For the above reasons, the South African ing and how many remain are notoriously Jewish population went into steady decline difficult to arrive at in South Africa. What after 1980. A I99I population survey (Dubb, the available data suggest, however, is that 1994) put the number of Jews at between over the past two years, the rate of emigra­ 91,000 and 106,000, the last an inflated tion seems to have stabilized and even figure admitted to be probably too high. slowed down somewhat. No doubt the de­ The years immediately leading up to the cline of the South African currency, which transition to multi-racial democracy in currently stands at around RIO to the $US, April 1994 were particularly turbulent has had a great deal to do with this slow­ ones, with pohtical violence, mainly down. Prospective South African immi­ among rival elements within the black pop­ grants know that when they arrive in their ulation, accounting for the loss of close to new country, they will be considerably 20,000 lives. This violence speeded up poorer than they were in South Africa. Jewish emigration further. Even the sur­ However, an optimistic view might be that prisingly smooth transition to majority rule notwithstanding the problems South Africa in 1994 did not halt the outflow. An un­ faces and the question marks that hang precedented upsurge in crime, often of the over its future, given its location on a violent variety, perceived falling standards notoriously backward and troubled conti­ in public services, and affirmative action nent. South African Jews may be begin­ policies effectively discriminating against ning to believe again, tentatively to be whites have all contributed toward the con­ sure, in the country's prospects. They may

WINTER/SPRING 2003 The Emigration Phenomenon and Its Impact on the South African Jewish Community I 143 be recognizing, too, that from a strictly Study, Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies and Jewish point of view, they are unlikely to Research, Cape Town, S.A. find a community quite so well organized, Harris, C. K. (1999). "The Baalei Teshuva Phe­ cohesive, and committed as the one they nomenon and South African Jewry", Jewish would be leaving behind. Affairs, Vol. 54, No. 1. Kosmin, B. A., Goldberg, J., Shain, M., & Bruk,

REFERENCES S. (1999). Jews of the 'New South Africa': Highhghts of the 1998 National Survey of Dubb, A. A. (1994). The Jewish Population of South African Jews, Institute for Jewish Pol­ South Africa, The 1991 Sociodemographic icy Research, JPR/Report No. 3.

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