The Jewish Report wishes our readers a Happy Chanukah! www.sajewishreport.co.za Friday, 09 December 2011 / 13 Kislev, 5772 Volume 15 Number 45 Sydenham Pre-Primary School is participating in the “Butterfly Project”. The Collecting 1,5 million Holocaust Museum in Houston Texas is collecting one and a half million hand- made butterflies - all of a certain size - from around the world to be exhibited in 2014. These butterflies represent the one and a half million Jewish children butterflies for kids killed who perished in the Holocaust. Each child in Sydenham Pre-Primary is making a butterfly. Ella Rosmarin, one of the Sydenham learners, holds her butterfly. in the Shoah SEE PAGE 16 The theme of butterflies is based on a poem by Pavel Friedman, who wrote it in Terezin. He died in Auschwitz in 1944. (PHOTO: ILAN OSSENDRYVER) - IN THIS EDITION - 4, 7, 14 Travelling Kosher in KZN, PE and CT 3 Climate 9 A warm 8 SAKS - change - welcome to Jewish Israel’s Jewish Report’s optimism contribution new business tempered to fixing the column - with problem Bryan Silke’s realism BusinessBrief 11 Good reads NOTE TO OUR READERS: This is the last issue of the Jewish Report for 2011. Our next issue will appear on January 20, 2012 2 SA JEWISH REPORT 09 December 2011 - 20 January 2012 SHABBAT TIMES SPONSORED BY: PARSHA OF THE WEEK Chabad spreads the PARSHAT VAYISHLACH Jacob Rabbi Ramon light this Chanukah Widmonte jumps! MICHAEL BELLING from 17:00 to 19:00 on the first night, Bnei Akiva with the public lighting of the THE SPIRIT of Chanukah this year, menorah and dreidel games, music from the evening of December 20 to and fun activities for children, OUR FOREFATHER, Ya’akov (Jacob), is a shadow- December 28, is reaching across the Rabbi Gidon Fox of the Pretoria man. When we read of his naming, it sends shivers up country, with special events to mark Hebrew Congregation said. my spine, the eight-day celebration of the Across the country in Cape Town, ‘’And when Rivkah gave birth, behold, there were Maccabi-era miracle. Chabad House has arranged a pub- twins in her womb. And the first came forth red, all The high point, literally, will be in lic candle lighting in Sea Point on over like a hairy cloak; and they called his name Eisav. Umhlanga. December 25, with a similar ceremo- And after that came his brother, and his hand had hold “We are going to light on Eisav’s heel (Akev) ; and his name was called Africa’s biggest giant meno- Ya’akov… The children grew up and Eisav became a rah, about six metres high, at man who knew how to hunt, a man of the field; while the Gateway Shopping Ya’akov was a simple man who lived in tents. Yitzchak Centre,” Rabbi Shlomo loved Eisav - who practised the art of hunting even with Wainer, of Chabad of the his mouth - while Rivkah loved Ya’akov.” North Coast, told the Jewish The word Ya’akov means, “he will follow”. What must Report. it have been like to grow up in the shadow of Avraham, Different events are planned Yitzchak and then Eisav and to be told: “You are a fol- on each of the eight days of lower!” What must have run through his mind those the festival, most of them at December 9/13 Kislev long nights studying in the tents - watching his father Umhlanga’s Chabad House: adore an older brother and to be told: “You must fol- December 10/ 14 Kislev • Day 1 - Latke party and arts low!” and crafts And as the Gemara in B’rachot (7b) teaches us, a • Day 2 - Ice skating at the Parshat Vayishlach name can be a critical element in the formation of one’s Durban Ice Rink 18:15 19:28 Johannesburg self-image. So we’re unsurprised when Ya’akov does • Day 3 - Open air rickshaw 18:20 20:29 Cape Town not lead, but follows. We are unsurprised when he fol- bus touring Durban ny two days later at Dolphin Beach 18:15 19:26 Durban lows the path of least resistance, a path devoid of direct • Day 4 - Chanukah Shabbat dinner in Blouberg. 18:20 19:43 Bloemfontein confrontation, a path which leads him to bargain • Day 5 - Games night and light din- The Green and Sea Point Hebrew Eisav’s birthright away from him, to win a blessing 17:51 20:00 Port Elizabeth ner Congregation is holding two youth from his father through deceit (mirma), to rolling over • Day 6 - Kids’ party at the events, an arts and craft morning on 18:15 19:48 East London before a father-in-law who cheats him of his wife, to Umhlanga Sands December 21 from 16:00, with candle running away secretly with his family. All of this is • Day 7 - Chanukah braai lighting, and drum cafe drumming, expected. • Day 8 - Chanukah extravaganza at and a braai the following day. What is astonishing is what happens in this week’s Gateway Shopping Centre. Seniors will have a Mad Hatter’s parsha. Details of all the Durban events Tea Party on December 21 from “And Ya’akov remained alone and a man wrestled Published by are on www. chabadnc.com or 10:30, with entertainment by with him till the morning. And when the man saw he phone Wainer at 083-550-0503. Chazzan Ivor Joffe. The shul will S A Jewish Report (Pty) Ltd, couldn’t win, he hit Ya’akov on his thigh and the bone PO Box 84650, Greenside, 2034 Chabad in Johannesburg also has join the public candle lighting on Tel: (011) 023-8160 was dislocated. And the man said: ‘Send me away a packed programme at several ven- December 25. Fax: (086) 634-7935 because the sun is rising.’ Ya’akov responded: ‘I will not ues. According to Rabbi Michael Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Printed by Caxton Ltd send you away until you’ve blessed me.’ The man Katz, menorahs will be lit at Village will see a special candle-lighting responded: ‘What is your name?’ Ya’akov answered: EDITOR - Geoff Sifrin Walk in Sandton and KosherWorld ceremony and picnic for members [email protected] ‘Ya’akov.’ The man said: ‘Your name will no longer be in Glenhazel every night at 18:30, and guests of the Claremont called “Ya’akov”, but “Yisra’el”, because you’ve strug- and at 20:30 on Saturday night. Wynberg Hebrew Congregation and COMMERCIAL MANAGER gled with G-dly forces and with people and you have Sue Morris There will also be fixed meno- Ohr Somayach, Sea Point, on [email protected] won.’” rahs, without candle lighting in as December 27, from 16:30. Ya’akov struggles, for the first time with no guile, many malls as possible, to advertise Further up the coast, in Sub-Editor - Paul Maree with no preparation, a frontal, violent confrontation. the festival, according to Rabbi Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Ed Co-ordinator - Sharon Akum And at the end, his name is changed. Katz. He said four malls had con- Route, shul chairman Johnny [email protected] As always, our Sages incisively see what has hap- firmed that menorahs would be put Amoils confirmed, “We always do Sports Editor - Jack Milner pened here. Rashi comments on the above episode that, up: Balfour Park, Killarney, something on Chanukah for resi- [email protected] “no longer will people say of Ya’akov that he won the Morning Glen and Norwood, with dents and holidaymakers. We will Books Editor - Gwen Podbrey blessings from Eisav due to akavah (ankle-tapping) and the possibility of another four doing do it again this year. We will have mirmah (cheating), but rather through majesty and so. candle lighting in the shul.” Arts Editor - Robyn Sassen presence.” [email protected] On Sunday, December 25 at 17:30, In Port Elizabeth, the shul’s Rashi’s vision into Ya’akov’s transformation is pro- cars with menorahs on their roofs annual Chanukah service for the Youth Editor - Alison Goldberg found. Our forefather Ya’akov becomes Yisra’el. He [email protected] will parade through the streets of entire community at the Raleigh breaks free of the chains of his name and old identity, Glenhazel, while children and Street Jewish Pioneers Museum Cape Town correspondent building a new level on top of the old. He is still the man adults will have a special pro- will be held on December 21, Rabbi Moira Schneider: 021-794-4206 who dwelled in the tents of study but now he has the gramme at KosherWorld. Shmuel Bloch said. The candles Pretoria correspondent confidence to express that Torah with boldness and “If anyone doesn’t have a meno- will be lit on the 100-year-old meno- Diane Wolfson: 082-707-9471 courage. rah and wouldn’t otherwise light rah there. Advertising - (011) 023-8160 We are called Am Yisra’el, the nation of Israel, not one, menorahs and candles are On the east coast, The Durban [email protected] Am Ya’akov, the nation of Ya’akov, for this exact reason available free of charge from United Hebrew congregation will - for we bear within us that same potential transforma- Britt Landsman: 082-292-9520 Chabad House, tel (011)440-6600.” end the year with a children’s party [email protected] tion. With Torah as our DNA, we can and will, as indi- Pretoria will also have a parade of on December 11, with prizes for viduals and as a nation, reach majesty and presence.