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He had clearly circumstances of any learners’ attendance community campus in Cape Town. he principal of a Khayelitsha school turned down the organisation’s request for at the protest held on 12 February 2020 The SA Jewish Report was unable to reach criticised the fact that dozens of his pupils to attend the anti-Israel protest. “If [from 13:00 until 15:00]. Its policy is not COSAS for comment. pupils had been bussed to an anti- children leave school on public transport to allow learners to participate TIsrael picket outside Parliament in Cape on their own accord, they are taking in political activities during Town last week, saying, “Children shouldn’t unnecessary risks.” teaching time.” be used as political Rowan Polovin, the Ahead of the pack tools.” chairperson of the South Bulumko Secondary African Zionist Federation, said, School Principal Gideon “The South African Schools Act Skweyiya was shocked prohibits political activities when the SA Jewish during school time. According Report queried the to the act, this includes presence of his scholars campaigning; the conducting at the rally. He said of rallies; the distribution of that a Congress of pamphlets and fliers; and the South African Students School children at last week’s anti-Israel picket hanging or putting up of posters (COSAS) leader called and banners. Taking learners him last Wednesday, 12 February, asking He emphasised that the pupils should to an anti-Israel rally is a form permission for 30 pupils to take part in an have “known better than to go to of indoctrination. This ‘rent-a- anti-Israel rally outside parliament ahead of something they don’t know about. It’s sad crowd’ tactic to boost numbers the State of the Nation Address (SONA). that they agreed to go, but sometimes they demonstrates the disingenuous Skweyiya refused, saying that the parents don’t know the right questions to ask.” nature of BDS [Boycott, had not signed any indemnity forms Indeed, when the SA Jewish Report asked Divestment, Sanctions] allowing the pupils to attend. He then told the pupils (aged 14 to 16) why that were at supporters and the anti-Israel them that according to a bylaw, “children the rally and what boycotting Israel meant, camp.” cannot be at a political event during school they couldn’t answer either question. Stuart Diamond, the director hours”. COSAS is the same organisation that of the Cape South African Jewish He told the SA Jewish Report, “We are an placed pigs’ heads in Woolworths stores Board of Deputies, wrote to apolitical educational institution. We don’t in 2014, apparently to “stop Woolworths Skweyiya saying, “Te Cape SA let teachers or any other adult’s political buying products from apartheid Israel”. Jewish Board notes with concern views influence our learners. We don’t At the anti-Israel picket last Wednesday, the use of school youth for this support events like this.” a COSAS leader told the small crowd agenda, especially during school Skweyiya’s conversation with COSAS was (including pupils) that “Donald Trump must hours.” Noga Yadin, 18, casts an early vote at the Israeli embassy the last the principal heard of the matter until go to hell, and he must know we are coming He asked the school “to turn in Pretoria on Wednesday. Israel goes to the polls next the SA Jewish Report queried it with him. He for him!” This same activist also called out this negative incident into a week, its third election in a year. Only diplomats and has no idea how his pupils landed up at the “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be learning opportunity”, inviting emissaries can cast their vote outside of the country. Yadin rally, in school uniform, during school hours, free!” pupils and educators to visit the is one of four young Israelis on the Shinshin program, in but he surmises that they went on their own Kerry Mauchline, the spokesperson South African Jewish Museum, which Israelis who have just finished high school volunteer accord, possibly with COSAS. for Western Cape Education Minister the Cape Town Holocaust at King David schools and the community for a year. Tis is the second time she has voted, both times at the embassy. He is still evaluating how he will deal Debbie Schäfer, said, “The Western Cape & Genocide Centre, and the CSO rescues women from bee terror TALI FEINBERG Security Organisation (CSO) they were completely covered by minutes. absolute chaos.” played an integral role in rescuing bees, and were being stung all over. Beck says he was on his way to Beck said he acted on instinct, “I looked over at my mom, and them. Te women miraculously Charlie was also attacked, and even meet Glezer when he received her leading them even further away her whole face was just black, survived the incident, but their swallowed some of the bees, which frantic call. Leaving his wife and from the area until no bees covered in bees. She was sitting dog didn’t. he later vomited. dogs in his car, he ran into the followed. He then called the CSO. very calmly on the grass. Her face, Glezer describes what Glezer says that much of the park, where he saw both women “At that stage, there were no more neck and arms, and my face, arms, happened. “My mom Sylvia, ordeal remains a blur, but she covered in bees. bees, but the damage was done. and legs were completely covered my beautiful dog Charlie, and I remembers taking off her jeans “I saw Lauren screaming and Within minutes, the CSO had put by bees.” often go to this park as it has a as they were covered in bees, and her mother lying on the grass. up drips and monitors. It was like Tese are the chilling words restricted enclosure where dogs she felt it was the best way to get Tere were bees everywhere – a movie.” Lauren Glezer used to describe can run freely. It’s my happy place. them off her body. Park security they had followed them even Te women were taken far one of the most frightening days “We usually sit on the other tried to help them, giving her though they were now quite far enough away from the bees of her life. It started as a simple side of the park, but it was full, a jacket to cover her legs, and away from where it started. Tis to a room behind the park’s dog walk in Cape Town’s Green so we headed to a bench that we helping her to get the stings out was five or 10 minutes after the restaurant, and the CSO began Point Urban Park on don’t usually sit on, which we of her hair. Most people couldn’t bees first attacked. Sylvia looked treating them. “If the CSO hadn’t 16 February, and ended with didn’t realise was near a beehive. get close enough to help the like someone had taken 50 or come, I‘m not sure what would Glezer, her elderly mother, and Suddenly I felt a bee sting me, women, but a nearby friend, 60 needles and put them in her have happened. It was there for their dog being attacked by a and then we were surrounded by Rodney Beck, called the CSO, face and arms. Tey were saying, us,” says Glezer. swarm of bees. Te Community thousands of bees.” Te next thing, which rushed to the scene within “It’s burning, it’s burning!” It was Continued on page 8>> • Brief • Wo in rld s N ew e N w d s 21 – 28 February 2020 2 SA JEWISH REPORT l i r n o B W r i • e f • • f Shabbat times this week e Lady Kitty to convert to Former POW, • i r W Among the approximately 180 B o n r i l Judaism for marriage Gilad Shalit, Starts Ends d s participants were the United States N w e e w N s 18:15 19:17 Johannesburg d l gets engaged i Ambassador to Egypt, Jonathan Cohen, r n o B W r i • e f 19:15 20:06 Cape Town Gilad Shalit, 33, the Israeli • and former Israeli ambassador David 18:15 19:10 Durban soldier who was held prisoner by Govrin, as well as local cultural attachés. 18:15 19:28 Bloemfontein terrorist group Hamas in Gaza for five years, Te three-year, multimillion-dollar 18:15 19:38 Port Elizabeth is engaged. renovation project was completed last month. His girlfriend, Nitzan Shabbat, posted Twelve of the synagogue’s approximately 60 18:15 19:27 East London a photo of the couple on Instagram in Torah scrolls were removed from the ark for which she is holding up her hand to show a the service, which was organised by the Nebi Appliance Repairs on Site diamond engagement ring.