CONTENTS
02
Editorial
Out of Perspective
Israel
EDITORIAL
No One is Actually Boycotting Israel
03
04
04
Jewish World
05
justification for Jews
05
Jewish community’s economic history - Part 1
06
Dear Pope Francis, desperation has never been a
It’s Durban Calling! A bird’s eye view of the KwaZulu-Natal
Community News
07
Past Tense
07
Bubkes08
Durban Holocaust Centre
09
Durban United Hebrew Congregation
10
Council of KwaZulu-Natal Jewry
11
Umhlanga Jewish Day School
12
Young Israel Centre
12
Umhlanga Jewish Centre
13
Union of Jewish Women
14
Mazaltov Matrics 2015
15
Durban Progressive Jewish Congregation
15
Sisterhood of Temple David
16
Divote
17
Wotsup Wizo
18
Beth Shalom
19
Talmud Torah
20
Limmud
21
Bridges for Peace
22
Above Board
23
Cooking with Judy and Linda
23
Social and Personal
24
Diary of Events
24
The views expressed in the pages of Hashalom are not necessarily those of the
Editorial Board or any other organisation or religious body unless otherwise
individual.
Hashalom Editorial Board:
Editor: Prof Antony Arkin
Editorial Board: Mrs Mikki Norton, Mrs Michelle Shapira
Commitee: Dr Issy Fisher, Ms Diane McColl, Mrs Lauren Shapiro, Mr Colin Plen
Production Manager: Mrs Robyn Bradley
Notice to Organisations/Contributors:
All material to be submitted by email to
[email protected]
DEADLINE FOR THE MARCH ISSUE: 8 February 2016
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Hashalom is published under the auspices of the Council of KwaZulu-Natal
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Visit our website: www.hashalom.co.za
2 HASHALOM
February 2016
HOLOCAUST DENYING IRAN
Prof Antony Arkin
As the world commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day at the
end of last month, Iran announced a contest aimed at creating
cartoons that deny the genocidal event occurred. Organised by the
Teheran Municipality, the contest is calling for cartoonists world
wide to send in works denying and satirizing the Holocaust. The
contest’s grand prize has been increased from $ 12000 to $ 50 000.
Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon called on UN Secretary
General Ban Ki-Moon to demand an official condemnation of the
competition, claiming “this anti Semitic act represents the pure evil
of the Iranian regime.” Danon wrote that “denying the Holocaust
is one of the most powerful expressions of anti-semitism, which
legitimizes the deaths of millions of Jews”.
Relations between Iran and the Jews are at a historical nadir.
Shortly after the signing of the nuclear deal at the end of last year,
the Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei published a 416 page
book titled ‘Palestine’. The book has one message: the urge to
annihilate the state of Israel and establish the state of Palestine in
its stead. Khamenei describes Israel as “a cancerous tumour” whose
elimination would mean that “the west’s hegemony and threats will
be discredited” in the Middle East. In its place “the hegemony of Iran
will be promoted”.
A glance at the turbulent history of Iran’s relationship with the Jews
would show that on the one hand it was Iranian rulers Cyrus the
Great and Darius who had respectively ordered the building of the
second Jewish temple in Jerusalem and brought it to completion in
516 BCE. On the other hand, the current Iranian regime has vowed
to destroy the so-called “third temple” and annihilate the Zionists,
the Jews of Israel.
This is the same Iran, which as early as 1950, recognized the new
state of Israel and built strategic relations with it that endured for
thirty years. Yet when the Islamic Republic headed by Ayatollah
Khomeini came to power in 1979, it turned Israel into Iran’s official
nemesis. This paradox is explained by Prof Ofra Bengio of Tel Aviv
University. Among all Muslim sects, “the treatment of Jews was
the worst under Shia rule, especially in Iran, the only place where
Shi’ism has been the religion of the state since the 16th century
...” In Shia Iran the Jews were persecuted and had to wear a special
badge on their clothing to distinguish them from Moslems. There
were also occasions of massacre of Jews or forcible conversion to
Islam. The Jews are considered by the Shia to be ritually impure”.
(Tablet Magazine, Sept 24, 2015)
The period between 1953 and 1978 may be considered then as
the golden era of Iranian-Israeli relations. The Shia clergy’s clout
was diminished by the Shah and relations with the Jewish state
flourished. It should be observed that whenever the Shi’ite clergy
has the upper hand, the situation of the Jews or relations between
the two states has taken a negative turn. As long as the clergy rule
Iran, the prospects for it accepting the legitimacy of Israel are dim.
While the world remembers the atrocities of the Holocaust which
are still fresh in our collective memory, Knesset Speaker Yuli
Edelstein wrote to Ban Ki-Moon that “words cannot describe the
revulsion and protestation of the state of Israel and many across
the world at the recurring proof that Iran continues in its policy of
Holocaust denial”.
Out of Perspective
Of Rock Stars and
Reality Stars
By David Arkin
The second yahrzeit of Arik Einstein has
recently passed. Israel’s most celebrated
singer and songwriter was the complete
antithesis to how the average modern rock
and reality star behaves, namely low-key
and modest. His music retained its appeal
and relevance to all ages, throughout his
career and into the after-life. Interestingly,
this characteristic, namely broad massappeal is something that is shared by many
of Israel’s current rock and reality star
generation. I say this as my seven-year old
Na’ama sings both
and with equal gusto. The former is an
Arik Einstein children’s classic, and the
latter was rated as song of the year across
nearly all radio stations before last Rosh
Hashanah, sung by a popular rocker with the
stage name Muki. I can think of 2 reasons
for this mass-appeal: the Hebrew lyrics are
simultaneously meaningful to child, adult
and pensioner alike; and this is Israel, not
Hollywood – our stars live amongst us, like
us.
Flashback to last summer. There is a music
festival at the Amphitheatre in the Sultan’s
Pool, at the foot of the Old City walls. Ivri
Lider, local pop star, played to a full-house. It
doesn’t matter that he is openly gay or that
he controversially avoided army service due
to medical reasons, or that in the past the
army even prevented him from performing
before soldiers, the Yerushalmi crowd loved
him. Admittedly, the summer holidays did
allow for many children to be present, but
the 6 year olds were clapping and shouting
as much as the 60 year olds. The diverse
audience – secular, dati-leumi, modern
Haredi – all unified by the music. Ivri played
host on stage to Ninet. Born Nina Tayeb,
back in 2003, as a 20 year-old, she won the
inaugural “Star is Born” competition, the
local version of Pop Idols. She’s a prodigious
talent and her career has since evolved into
acting, composing, song-writing and the
odd D.J. gig. There have been 10 seasons of
“A Star is Born”, which morphed into various
other singing reality shows in numerous
formats. And while the talent unearthed
on these shows never ceases to amaze me
and continues to entertain in 2016, Ninet
remains the original reality star, and has
become something of a cultural icon to hold
a dear place in all Israeli hearts. But she is
also now a working mom, and this concert
was soon after the birth of her baby girl two
months previously. She thanked her hubby
on stage for staying home to baby-sit.
Another flashback to last year some time,
this time to the Habima theatre in Tel Aviv.
Mosh Ben Ari is bringing the house down.
Resembling Bob Marley somewhat with
long dreadlocks, he is a contemporary of
Muki and Ivri Lider in the age 40+ rockers’
club. With his Temini/Parsi background from
small-town Afula, he shot to fame in the
nineties blending rock, reggae and soul in
hits singing about Shalom/Salaam. The Tel
Aviv crowd was a bit younger and hipper
than Jerusalem obviously, but the audience
demographics still had a decent spread of
ages from the 20’s to 50’s, with even a few
outliers in their 60’s. Mosh also hosted a
guest performer onstage during his show,
the completely bald and soft-spoken Shlomi
Shabat. This brings me to my final flashback,
this time to one Motzei Shabbat late last
November in the Cultural Centre of Modi’in.
I had seen Shlomi Shabat previously at an
end of year company party, but this was a
novelty watching a live show down the road
from my apartment for the first time. I had a
preconception that the atmosphere wouldn’t
be as lively as in one of the bigger cities, but
was pleasantly surprised. He started off
by welcoming a special fan, a 15 year-old
boy, who was also soccer-mad, and a huge
supporter of Real Madrid, and who gave up
watching an El Classico game between Real
and Barcelona that evening to come watch
his favourite singer play in his home-town.
He was very appreciative that the young fan
preferred his company over that of Ronaldo
and Messi, and commiserated with him that
Real were getting thrashed (they lost 0-4
for the record). Shlomi has a huge hit, ‫אמא‬,
which unsurprisingly is about children’s
love for their mother. He didn’t sing it, but
instead regaled the audience with stories
about his late father, who emigrated from
Turkey (in the early days of Statehood I am
guessing, as Shabat was born in 1954). With
age comes nostalgia, and he had plenty of
this to share. I felt he spoke a bit too much,
but when he did sing (also in Turkish and
even Spanish) he didn’t show any signs of
being on the wrong side of sixty.
All the male artists showcased above have
also recently appeared as judges and/or
mentors on reality shows, bringing them
even closer to their fan-base. All of them
are A-list celebrities, but living in a small
country of 8 million population, the local
market is just too small to ignore anyone.
Mass-appeal is a must to be star. I haven’t
yet mentioned my rendezvous with a local
reality celeb. Before the winter, I invited a
plumber to give me a quote for servicing my
water-boiler. I vaguely recognised him from
somewhere, and it was only that evening
when I remembered it was none other
than Bentsi, the plumber with Tourette’s
syndrome from the second Big Brother
series (or 2
). I really despise this
show, so I didn’t take his services.
February 2016
HASHALOM 3
ISRAEL
No One Is Actually
Boycotting Israel
By Adrienne Yaron – The Jerusalem Post
No one is actually boycotting Israel. Not the Europeans. Not the
American Studies Professors. Not Saudi Arabia. Not even Roger
Waters. There is not a single human being on this planet that has
access to electricity and the internet that actually boycotts all Israeli
products. How do I know this? The same way you all know it: they all
have cell phones, and there isn’t a cell phone manufactured today that
does not contain Israeli hardware or software or both.
In fact, the overwhelming majority of Israeli export products
are simply not susceptible to boycott. Of Israel’s top ten export
categories, only two of them consist primarily of consumer products:
pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. Do you really think anyone
with AIDS or HIV will boycott the best HIV medications available?
Or that diabetics will boycott the easiest and most painless insulin
administrators, or the newly developed artificial pancreas? Will blind
people really refuse to use technology that describes the world to
them in real time because it was engineered by Israelis? The list
of cutting edge, top of the line medical treatments, therapeutics,
vaccines and medical equipment invented and produced by Israel is
immense, and most of them have no viable substitute. You either
use the Israeli product or go untreated. Do you think a lot of people
would choose the latter? When the chips were down, even veteran
anti-Semite Jimmy Carter used Israeli cancer treatments. Heck, how
many people really exist that would even be willing to pay triple or
quadruple the price, out of pocket, to avoid a generic antibiotic that
was made by Teva? I would guess not that many.
The rest of Israel’s top ten export categories are all industrial or
governmental-level products, which are not purchased by individual
consumers. The industrial and government level products that
Israel markets are, like Israel’s pharmaceuticals, generally unique,
necessary, and irreplaceable. China, India and Africa need Israel’s
agritech and water technology products to feed and water their
burgeoning populations. California has no choice but to employ Israeli
companies to solve its drought problems. Every country in the world
that wants to protect its population from terrorist attacks must
turn to Israel for the most state of the art security products. And
of course, Israel’s high tech industry, both hardware and software,
is thoroughly integrated into virtually all modern electronic products.
Even most Arab countries either directly or indirectly use Israeli water,
agriculture, and communications technology.
BDS’ own website only instructs its supporters to boycott “fresh
produce, Ahava, and Sodastream.” Ahava and Sodastream are both
great companies, but they hardly constitute a major percentage
of Israel’s export sales. Moreover, these two companies probably
benefit by increased sales from Israel supporters because they are
the only two individually-named targets of the boycott movement.
As for “fresh produce”, this stopped being a major export of Israel
decades ago. Fresh fruits and vegetables now constitute only about
3.6% of Israel’s total exports. More importantly, the overwhelming
majority of Israel’s fresh vegetable market is to Russia - a nation
that has shown little interest in the boycott bandwagon and a lot of
interest in feeding its population. Both India and China have also been
4 HASHALOM
February 2016
steadily growing their market share for Israeli produce, and there is
little doubt than any sales drop in Europe will be outbalanced by an
increase from these giants.
So in fact, all the huffing and puffing of the anti-Israel “BDS” crowd is
nothing more than hot air. The BDS movement has not, and will never
have, any significant economic effect on Israel’s overall economy,
because Israel’s economy is grounded in products and services
that effectively cannot be boycotted. In fact, financial analysts are
predicting Israel’s economy will grow more than any other developed
country in 2016. Even these academic association resolutions are
hypocritical and phony. If you read the texts of them, they specifically
allow for “individual members” to continue working with “individual
Israeli scholars” - in other words, these hypocritical professors don’t
actually have to give up anything, or stop any research projects with
Israelis. They make their nasty, defamatory statement, and continue
business with their Israeli colleagues as usual.
So what does all this mean? It means we have been fighting the BDS
movement all wrong. BDS cannot really hurt Israel economically. They
probably spend more money promoting their “boycott” than it actually
costs Israel in lost export sales. The real goal and purpose of BDS is
to defame Israel, and attempt to discredit it in the eyes of foreign
observers, in order to exert political pressure. BDS demonstrations
are an opportunity for them to spew anti-Semitic vitriol and express
their vicious hatred of the Jewish state. BDS’ only real power is in
propagating its hateful ideology.
Those of us that support Israel have been out there trying to convince
people why they should not boycott Israel, defensively arguing that
Israel is a nice place and please don’t be mean to us. And in the process,
we’ve been making the BDS movement seem far more powerful and
effective than it really is. Our protestations make it seem like BDS is
actually hurting Israel. Responding rationally to their arguments makes
them seem legitimate. Does Israel need to vastly improve their public
relations? Yes. But we cannot do that by giving the BDS movement
more credibility than it deserves.
If we want to beat BDS, we must expose them as the useless hateful
idiots they really are. What we should be doing is humiliating these
people with the evidence of their hypocrisy and ignorance at every
opportunity. BDS tables should be countered with humorous tables
offering “Deposit your cell phone here to boycott Israel.” When proIsrael voices are asked about the issue by the press, we should thank
them for the free advertising and their continued support of Israeli
communications technologies used in planning and recording their
events. BDS are nothing more than schoolyard bullies. They thrive on
making us upset, but ultimately that is their only real power.
We can defeat them simply by laughing at them. After all, what
is more ridiculous and pathetic than a bitter Jew-hater who can’t
survive without Jewish technology? We can discredit them simply
by showing the world how hypocritical, idiotic, and ineffectual they
really are.
Jewish World
Dear Pope Francis, desperation has never been
a justification for Jews.
By Gheula Canarutto Nemni - www.gheulacanaruttonemni.com
In the impassioned plea for social justice you made in an address to
Kenyan lawmakers in Nairobi last week, you asserted that “violence,
conflict and terrorism, are fueled by fear and desperation, born of
poverty and frustration.”
Yet nothing, not even desperation, can justify terrorism. The roots
of terrorism lie only in hatred-based education. We Jews have a
lot of experience with desperation. But our history shows other
more constructive ways out of it. Desperation has never been
a justification for Jews to commit violent acts in the name of our
religion.
We have been paraded through the streets of Rome in chains while
our Sanctuary in Jerusalem was in flames. We have been thrown
into amphitheaters where hungry lions and spectators waited for
our blood. We have been burnt in autos-da-fé, we have been called
marranos, our candle lighting and prayers in our ancestral tongue
have been banned. We have been expelled from Spain. We have
wandered through many countries looking for a new home.
We have been massacred in pogroms, our
synagogues sacked, our children enlisted in
armies from which they never came back. We
have been deprived of our right to work, to
own, to vote, to speak. We have been robbed
of that dignity which every human being
should enjoy by right when he is born.
Our gold teeth were torn from our mouths and our arms branded
as if we were animals for the slaughterhouse. We have been told
for centuries ‘go back to your homeland’ and now that we are home
they tell us ‘get out of there’.
We Jews are an indissoluble part of the historical fabric of our world.
The Jewish presence is the common thread in most of the countries
on the globe. In every place we arrived on this earth, we produced
poets, mathematicians, physicists, writers, politicians, scientists,
doctors, inventors. Even when we were closed in ghettos we have
never stopped writing, thinking, discussing, producing good. We
have never put our lives on standby, not even for a little while.
Despite all this, we have not been covering our heads with ashes for
thousands of years. We loaded our destiny onto our shoulders and
bound our ancestors’ heritage to our hearts and we went searching
for a new place where we could breathe again.
If you have been taught that every instant on this earth is the
biggest richness you own, and that life is the most precious gift you
received when you were born, there is neither the time nor the will
to wallow in self-pity. And there is no room for resentment.
We returned, without our parents, our brothers, our children, our
husbands and wives, to Germany, Italy and France. We stood
beneath the windows of our homes looking in at strangers now
living in places that belonged to us before the war. We rolled up our
sleeves, revealing numbers stamped with fire on our arms, and we
started everything again from scratch.
Countries interested in migration waves should study Jewish
history and our integration model. In every new place we arrived,
we had our golden rule: Never slip on your tears.
We have not waited around for compassion from the countries that
opened their borders for us. We tried from the very start to integrate
ourselves in the social fabric of the place that was hosting us. And
while thanking them, we contributed our talents to development
and progress, ours and theirs.
There are those who use desperation as a justification for murdering
innocents. And there are those who put aside desperation, locking
it in the memory drawer, and try to climb back to the top, focusing
on new opportunities.
Dear Pope Francis, Secretary John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and
hundreds of world influencers who are looking for a reason,
for a motif, behind the transformation of
individuals into lethal splinters. Even if you
delved into the personal, tragic lives of these
killers (though in most cases they live at
exactly the same standard as those in the
society around them), even if it was really like
this, nothing, NOTHING, can justify an act of
blind violence against another human being. Nothing, nothing, can
give the right to one individual to deprive another of his tomorrow.
Looking for justifications means only one thing: preparing the soil
for the next brutal act, G-d forbid.
History has never mistreated a nation more than it has mistreated
the Jewish people. But everywhere that the wind of hate has
transported us, we integrated, we learned the local language,
reciting by heart Whitman, Eliot and Dickinson. We invented the
pareve cheesecake. Integration is something you have to want and
work at every single day.
We have never asked the place that hosted us to adapt itself to
our rules. “Dina demalchuta dina” - the law of the land must
become your law too - says the Talmud. Real integration, even for
the most desperate people, can be realised. But it depends, first
and foremost, on values transmitted by the religion, families and
teachers of those who have just arrived.
And it depends on the will to become part of society in a constructive
and positive way.
Gheula Canarutto Nemni is a professor and novelist living in Milan, Italy.
Her most recent novel ‘(Non) si può avere tutto’ Mondadori 2015 tells
the story of an Italian Orthodox Jewish girl and her challenges in the
professional world in Milan.
February 2016
HASHALOM 5
Jewish World
It’s Durban Calling! A bird’s eye view of the KwaZulu-Natal
Jewish community’s economic history - Part 1
A special interview with Prof. Antony Arkin in memory of his father, Prof. Marcus Arkin
By Steve Linde - Editor-In-Chief of The Jerusalem Post
The Jewish community of KwaZulu-Natal has a fascinating history that has
been documented in books, newspapers and academic research. We all
have our own personal and family stories that have shaped who we are, as
individuals and as a collective. What does the future hold, and what role can
present and former Durbanites (for the purposes of this article, this term
includes people from other places in KwaZulu-Natal) play in helping the
community to survive, maintain basic institutions such as a synagogue and
a school, and preserve its memories?
I recently went to hear a talk in Israel by former South African President F.W.
de Klerk, who said that in order to understand the present and prepare for
the future, one has to first study the past. Of course, he is right, even if we
don’t always learn from the lessons of the past!
Where did we come from? How did our community start? What was unique
about our community? How do you explain the many success stories in our
community, especially economic successes?
For me, the Durban Jewish community has always been a warm and
welcoming place, but we should not ignore the deep divisions that split the
community historically -- personal, religious, political and ideological. For
the most part, we have been strong supporters of Israel and proud to call
ourselves Zionist. There are many of us who will always consider Durban and
the surrounding communities in KwaZulu-Natal our home, whether we were
born there, grew up there, or even just lived there for a significant period of
time. It is these people – Durbanites, for the most part -- whom, I hope,
will find this article interesting. It is my fervent hope that it triggers positive
memories of a once-thriving albeit small community, and motivates you to
contribute to the future of what is now a community struggling to survive.
What better person to talk about the history of the KwaZulu Jewish
community, with a spotlight on the Durban area’s economic history, than
one of the leaders of the Durban Jewish community, Economics Professor
Antony Arkin?
A former Head of Department of Economics at the University of KwazuluNatal and the retired Academic Vice-Rector Durban University of
Technology, Arkin has also served as Editor of Hashalom, the Durban Jewish
newspaper, chairman of the Kwazulu-Natal Zionist Council, Treasurer of the
South African Zionist Federation(SAZF), Executive Member of the Council
of Kwazulu-Natal Jewry (CKNJ), President of the Durban Progressive
Jewish Congregation (DPJC), chairman of Arzenu SA, vice-chair of SAUPJ
as well as South African delegate to the World Zionist Organization (WZO),
JAFI and JNF. Arkin followed in the prestigious footsteps of his late father,
who was also a prominent economics professor, writer and Jewish leader.
Prof. Marcus Arkin, a past Chair of the Natal Zionist Council and DirectorGeneral of the South African Zionist Federation, passed away on August
30, 2015. May his memory be a blessing!
I asked Prof. Antony Arkin what makes the Durban Jewish community
unique? His response was the following: “The Durban community does have
unique features. In contrast to Cape Town and Johannesburg surprisingly
few prominent businessmen assumed leadership positions in synagogue
affairs. Many, however, were involved in the umbrella organizations of the
Council of Natal Jewry, Natal Zionist Council and Durban Jewish Club. This
gave a more holistic approach with a much greater awareness that Durban
is a single community and all of its components deserve support.”
Another question I asked Prof. Arkin was to name some of the legendary
figures in the history of the Durban Jewish community. His response
was lovely: “I think should be thrown open to your readers. Besides the
business leaders I have discussed [see below], key educators such as Sam
Ernst and Issy Fisher stand out. Rabbis Isaac Richards and Abner Weiss
were hugely influential and communal leaders Sheva Hodes and Josh
Goldberg were the backbone of the community for decades.” There are
also others in a number of fields: Prof. Aaron Klug, who won the 1982
Nobel Prize for Chemistry, and former world surfing champion Shawn
Tomson come to mind. I would also include Prof. Antony Arkin and his late
6 HASHALOM
February 2016
father, Prof. Marcus Arkin. As Antony
wrote me in an email, “this [interview]
is a memorial to him.”
Here is the rest of my interview with
Prof. Antony Arkin.
1. WHEN DID JEWS START SETTLING
IN DURBAN?
Four Jewish pioneers played a pivotal
role in the establishment of the
KwaZulu-Natal region. Nathaniel Isaacs’ Travel Adventures in Eastern Africa
in 1836 provide one of the most valuable accounts of early times in the region.
He publicized the potential for development based on first-hand experience.
His was the first systematic account of the region’s economic prospects.
Benjamin Norden, who came out with the 1820 Settlers and was a
Grahamstown merchant, created KwaZulu-Natal’s first export trade. He
organized expeditions to collect ivory and other goods between the Eastern
Cape and Port Natal. In 1835 he spent three days as the guest of Zulu King
Dingaan. A highly lucrative bartering business based on the region’s national
resources was developed.
After the British, with some reluctance, annexed Natal in 1845, an influx of
settlers under various immigration schemes increased the white population
to about 9,000. This was largely the effort of a Bavarian Jew, Jonas Bergtheil,
who arrived in Cape Town in 1834 and moved to Natal in 1843. Keen to
take advantage of the booming Lancashire textile industry’s need for raw
cotton, Bergtheil gathered a group of spinners, weavers and farm workers
from the Bremen region and brought them to Natal in 1847. They settled on
54 square miles of land known now as New Germany, close to Pinetown.
While cotton growing was not successful the community was to prosper as
market gardeners.
It was not raw cotton, but the cultivation of cane sugar which was to
provide Natal with a solid base for viable communal farming. It was a
Jewish businessman Daniel De Pass who utilized the latest scientific
methods to establish sugar production as the region’s most important
industry. As an aside, during one of his visits to England, he raised by
public subscription a third of the sum required to redeem the mortgage on
the Durban synagogue.
2. WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?
Mass Jewish immigration to South Africa occurred during and immediately
after the early diamond and gold rushes. Some 40,000 Jewish immigrants
arrived between 1870 - 1910, mainly from Russian-controlled Lithuania.
Relatively few Jews, however, came to live in Kwazulu-Natal. The 1911
census recorded a Transvaal Jewish community of just under 26,000,
some 20,000 in the Cape Province, but only 1,482 Jews in Natal, with the
great majority living in Durban. Even the Orange Free State contained a
Jewish population twice the size of Natal – 2,808.
While many of the Jewish breadwinners who came to South Africa after
the 1870’s started their new lives as itinerant hawkers, who developed
into storekeepers and hotel keepers, the majority were small scare
artisans. These craftsmen were largely tailors, shoemakers, butchers and
carpenters.
Opportunities during the second half of the 19th century in KwaZuluNatal for Jewish immigrants to engage in trade or follow their traditional
craft pursuits was greatly circumscribed by the presence of a large, highly
competitive and hardworking Indian community. Accordingly, during the
half century down to 1920 the Jewish community of KwaZulu-Natal
remained largely small and showed few signs of significant growth. Some
element of stability had, however, been provided by the establishment of
a formal congregation in Durban in the mid-1880’s.
Part 2 of this interview will be continued in the next edition of Hashalom.
PAST TENSE
PAST TENSE
by Pundit
HASHOLOM JANUARY 1941 - EXTRACTS
HASHALOM JANUARY 1966 - EXTRACTS
TWO DISTINGUSIHED VISITORS
The first of these “distinguished visitors” was described as “DR.
HERZOG- RELIGIOUS LEADER”- a somewhat mysterious description
of the Rabbi Dr. Isaac Herzog, who was then the Chief Rabbi of
Palestine, having previously served as the Chief Rabbi of the Irish Free
State. The other distinguished visitor was Mr. Leib Jaffe, the Palestinian
poet, who had previously accompanied the late Nahum Sokolow on a
Keren Hayesod tour of South Africa.
The editorial celebrated the 70th anniversary of the publication of Herzl’s
book “Der Judenstraat” by publishing part of Herzl’s introduction to the
book.
IN TOWN AND OUT
Congratulated:
•
JEWS IN THE FAR EAST continued on the series of “Do you
know?” articles about Jews in unusual places.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Jews started to settle in China from the first century and were
known as “Pluckers out of the sinew”
In the eighth century there were sufficient members for the
Emperor to appoint a special supervisory officer.
Jews settled in the city of Kai-Fung-Foo in the year 950 and were
found in recent years (“recent” you realise in relation to 1941)
indistinguishable from the surrounding population.
In 1652, a Jewish Mandarin, Chao Yng-Cheng was sent to reestablish the community after its destruction in a siege.
In the 20th century, young men from the Kai-Fung-Foo community
were brought to Shanghai for religious education.
The “present” (in 1941) Jewish population of China is about 18000,
mostly Russian origin.
The Jewish population of Japan is about 1000, who live in
Yokohama, Kolu and Tokyo.
IN TOWN AND OUT
Congratulated:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mr. and Mrs Harold Freed and Dr. and Mrs B. Orden on the birth
of daughters.
Mr Dodie Friedman on being elected President of the Natal Branch
of the Pharmaceutical Association.
Harold Lurie on attaining his B. Sc. degree.
Mr. and Mrs. Hymie Silver, and Dr. and Mrs. Henry Lazarus
(Chrissie Davidson) on the birth of sons.
Miss Sarah Goldberg and Sergt. Philip Patz, and “Chippie”
Friedman and Dr. Sweidan (of Aliwal North) on their respective
engagements.
“Sonny” Katz on his promotion to Lieutenant.
Esmond Jacobson, who was then serving with the Signallers Corps,
on news received from Rhodes University, that he had passed all
the subjects for his second year B.Com
•
•
•
•
•
•
Henriette and Phil Frankel, Brian and Jeanette (nee Defries)
Eckstein, Jack and Jerry (nee Friedman) Gilchrist, Neville and
Evelyn (nee Abel) Kosviner, and Ivan and Myra (nee Phillips)
Socher, all on the birth of sons.
Raymond and Estelle (nee Moffson) Hirschfield and Martin and
Sandra Sternberg on the birth of daughters.
Phillipa Levy and Clive Brock and Brenda Kremer and Les Gouvey
on their recent engagements.
Mr. and Mrs Rodney Shapiro (Anne Horowitz), Mr. and Mrs K. Black
(Hillary Henry), and Mrs C. Schefts (Beverley Green), Mr. and Mrs
Peter Jacobson (Zona Avonovsky) on their recent weddings.
Mr. and Mrs Jock Josephson on their recent silver wedding
anniversary.
Steven Friedlander, Esther Goldstein, Peter Stange, Margot Danin,
Jesmond Blumenfield, Brigid Solomon, Elaine Geshen, Moira Stern,
Lynn Ackerman and Joan Bacharach on obtaining their BA degrees.
And the following on their respective achievements:
o
Jackie Freed(B.A English Hon)
o
Ralph Freedman (MB. Ch.B)
o
David Ernst (B.A. Psycho Hon)
o
Eric Braude (Maths. Hon)
o
Johnny Rend (Applied Maths Honours)
o
Morris Deift (B. Sc. Chem. Eng)
o
Brian Deveen (B. Soc. Science)
HASHALOM 1966 must have been doing well financially. The issue
ended with five full pages of advertisements in addition to another
12 full pages scattered through the issue. Two of them, which caught
Pundit’s eye, were:
(a) A Liberty Life ad. Which named Harry Strous and Albert Weinberg in bold type as the Natal Manager and Assistant Manager respectively.
(b) Rowell and Sons (Pty) Ltd. announced proudly that Max Nathan had joined their staff and offered his services to the readers of the ad, with any particular printing problem.
Pundit’s question.
Before you read it here, who ever heard of a place with Jews in it called
Kai- Fung-Foo. None of you, I’d bet!
February 2016
HASHALOM 7
Bubkes
Road Trip
By Lauren Shapiro
“GPS or no GPS, we found our way around the country, and around each other”
“Turn left,” instructed a flat, American
voice. “Mom, turn left!” chirped a highpitched seven-year-old South African voice.
“Mommy, turn left!” shrieked an excited
two-year-old South African voice. I looked
left. There were three side streets off the
road on which I was driving. In the time it had
taken for everyone in the car to issue their
instructions, I had passed another two. “Turn
left,” repeated the American voice. “Left!
Left, Mom!” yelled Backseat Driver Number
One. “Left! Left!” shrieked Backseat Driver
Number Two. “Which left??” I howled, pulling
over on the side of the road to haul out the
good old-fashioned map book.
In some instances, it could not help me at all,
like when we were looking for a playground
near the Green Point Stadium (you’d think
that would be hard to miss, wouldn’t you?).
After nearly half an hour of driving around
in circles searching for side-street access
that was gratuitously well-camouflaged, my
five-year-old rolled his eyes and asked why I
didn’t “juth-t uthe the Gee-Pee-Eth”.
We’d driven down to Cape Town for a family
holiday. Well, I use that term loosely, as
any trip with children is not really a holiday
for their parents. Nevertheless, we found
ourselves in the Mother City, visiting family
and friends and generally having a jolly
time – when we weren’t as lost as a nun on
honeymoon.
We’d driven down with three other families
(12 children under ten – where are our gold
medals for surviving?!).
I passed Standard 7 Geography, so even I
should be able to figure out which way is up
when the sun is shining. But when the roads
keep twisting and the sun keeps shifting and
the road signs keep changing (I swear!), it can
become a little difficult to figure out where
you are. It’s easy in Durban, where the sea
always means east; Capetonians swear by
their beloved Mountain, but they seem to
forget that one can find oneself anywhere
around said mountain – to the tune of 360
degrees – which can mess with the compass
somewhat.
So we employed the services of an electronic
geographic application known as GPS (short
for Global Positioning System). This, too, had
its challenges. Even once we had upgraded
to a version that included indulgences like
street names, it was virtually –laughably
– impossible to follow the automated
American voice when it directed me to “turn
right into Booh-ten-cracked” (Buitengracht).
8 HASHALOM
February 2016
“Because it won’t help me if I don’t have an
address,” I snapped. “But, Mommy, you DO
have a dress!” chirped the two-year-old.
Thank goodness we had not undertaken this
travel folly entirely alone.
Travelling in convoy has its pros (not
murdering your children at the end of a
looooong day simply because there are
witnesses) and cons (one child deciding, as
you’re about to pull out of the Ultra City, that
she needs a wee delays you by five minutes;
six or more doing so in quick succession
delays you by at least half an hour).
You might, like my mother, ask why on
earth we would choose to spend three days
in a small metal box with three energetic
children with weak bladders when there are
perfectly good airplanes available. Economic
imperatives aside, we wanted our kids to see
the beautiful country we live in: the rolling hills
of northern KwaZulu-Natal (“When can we roll
on them?” asked the five-year-old gleefully);
the farms of the Free State; the great expanse
of the Karoo; the majestic mountains of the
Cape. But more than just seeing our country,
we came to have a better view of ourselves,
individually and as a family. We realized that
we are resourceful, adaptable, and more
patient than we gave ourselves credit for.
The road is a ready metaphor for life,
with its twists and turns, its detours and
scenery, and its signs that we often seem
to miss. That’s where GPS comes in – or
it should. Other writers have compared
GPS to Hashem’s guiding hand in life,
redubbing it a “Godly Positioning System”,
which is very cute but, I feel, ignores
the complexities of life on the road. God
doesn’t always lead us where we want to
go, no matter how carefully we listen. He
leads us where we NEED to go, which is
sometimes very different.
This can be challenging (the more
convoluted the route, I find, the more direct
the language). But GPS or no GPS, we found
our way around the country, and around
each other. We learnt to work together and
become more accommodating, whether
that meant holding barf bags for each other
(no time to stop, we have a schedule to keep,
people!) or agreeing on which audio book to
play (even if it was The Cat in the Hat AGAIN).
The other families in the group reported
similar experiences of cooperation and
reconciliation. And between families, we
forged friendships deeper than Kimberley’s
Big Hole (which, I can now testify, is very,
very deep). Travel is a unifying experience.
I can’t help but wonder if that isn’t why
Hashem made the Children of Israel schlepp
through the desert for 40 years. If I look at
how much we’ve grown in just two weeks,
imagine what a few decades could do!
At the end of the day, Hashem knows what
He is doing. He sends us all on the journeys
we need. Some involve national highways.
Others necessitate trips down Memory
Lane. Still others require navigating the
deepest, darkest alleyways of our own souls.
The only kind of trip that doesn’t, ultimately,
make you a better person, is a guilt trip.
Standing still all our lives – literally or
metaphorically – can be very boring, so
pack your bag and follow the road. Until
next time.
COMMUNITY NEWS
By
Alana
Baranov
Alana
Baranov
77th anniversary of Kristallnacht – ‘The
Future of Jewish Memory in Central Europe’
T
he DHC, together with the Victor Daitz Foundation, the Rosa Luxemburg
Stiftung and the Austrian Embassy, marked the 77th anniversary of
Kristallnacht with a talk by Edward Serrota on the topic ‘The Future of Jewish
Memory in Central Europe’.
Centropa, a Vienna-based historical institute, has sought out the oldest living Jews
in 15 Central and Eastern European countries and asked them to tell stories about
the entire century – as they lived it. Digitizing 22,000 old photographs, they asked
their 1200 interviewees to talk about their lives through pictures.
Ronald Lazarus, DHC Director Mary Kluk with special
guest speaker Edward Serrota and Alan Magid
Wonderful feedback on
our Schools Programme
Treblinka’s Last
Witness
We received the most wonderful note from a teacher at Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High
School, who recently visited our Centre with her learners to view our exhibit and
participate in one of our workshops.
Dear Maureen
On Wednesday December 2nd, the DHC hosted
a screening of the documentary ‘Treblinka’s
Last Witness’, a first hand account by Samuel
Willenberg who is the last living survivor of the
Treblinka death camp.
I would just like to thank you and your team for an excellent tour of the Durban
Holocaust Museum last Tuesday. Our girls really had an informative experience and
learnt a lot. Thanks for accommodating us and for your excellent staff members
and volunteers. Please thank each one of them for us, they did a great job. Our girls
benefitted a lot from their expertise. Your museum has really touched lives.
The film was both riveting and harrowing as
Willenberg, now 92 years old, details his life
during the Holocaust and as a forced labourer
in Treblinka, where an estimated 900,000 Jews
were murdered during World War 2.
Yours sincerely, Debby Joubert History teacher.
Samuel’s story is one of survival against
staggering odds, and although heart-rending, is
ultimately a story of triumph. We were privileged
to have this remarkable man as our special guest
on the evening and to hear his story in person.
Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School.
DHC on Social Media!
@ DbnHoloCent
www.facebook.com/dbnholocent
Check out our website at
www.holocaust.org.za
February 2016
HASHALOM 9
COMMUNITY NEWS
Channukah Celebrations
By Michael Greenbaum
The DUHC organized a splendid function to
celebrate Chanukah and commemorate the
miracles of the Temple oil and the heroic military
victory of the outnumbered Maccabeans over
the Greeks who sought to destroy Judaism by
forced assimilation into Hellenist culture.
On the 8th night of Channukah, over 100 guests
attended a delightful communal candle-lighting
and dinner evening with musical entertainment.
After Maariv, our Chazzan Jaron Kalmonowitz
lit the 8th night candles in the Perling Hall
before dinner and, along with Rabbi Zekry, led
the guests in the appropriate Chanukah prayers
10 HASHALOM
February 2016
and songs. After the candle-lighting, a delicious
“Kosher Hot Beef” dinner catered by Selma
Lurie was served with fruit and traditional
rich doughnuts for dessert. Rabbi Zekry said
we should be grateful for modern miracles in
our times including the State of Israel and our
freedom to practise Judaism.
The evening was sponsored by the Shapiro
family who were about to leave Durban to live
in Cape Town. Debbie Shapiro said that she
had attended many Shuls in her life but nothing
compared to the magnificence and spirituality
of the Great Synagogue, and to the warmth and
friendships she had found in the Durban Jewish
community. She thanked everyone for all they
had done for her.
The DUHC and all who attended the evening
thank the very generous sponsor and organizers
who made this memorable evening possible.
While the festival is always celebrated in a
joyous atmosphere, Chanukah recalls serious
and significant events in Jewish history,
remembering the miraculous victories of the
past and reminding us to be being thankful
for the present miracles and freedoms we
experience each day.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Council of KwaZulu-Natal Jewry
C
By Alana Baranov
Sharing a meal in the spirit of reconciliation
ommunities from across the racial,
religious and financial divide coming
together to not only feed the homeless
of Durban but to sit down and share a meal as
friends – a true embodiment of the spirit of
reconciliation.
To celebrate Reconciliation Day, on 16 December
2015, the the Denis Hurley Centre together
with the Muslim development organization
SANZF, hosted a ‘Meal of Reconciliation’
at the Denis Hurley Centre. The Union of
Jewish Women Durban generously provided
refreshments for the meal and participants from
the Muslim, Christian and Hindu communities
Representing the Jewish community as Vice
President of the Council of KwaZulu-Natal
Jewry, I was honored to be a part of the
celebration with my husband Gary and our
daughter Luciana, and to play a small a part in
this inspiring act of engagement, understanding
and friendship.
in the inner city - for the poor, homeless,
hungry and sick of the city – through various
programmes, including a clinic; feeding
scheme; and vocational training. The CKNJ has
previously partnered with the Centre’s Refugee
Pastoral Care office and contributed goods and
donations raised by our community to their
work during the xenophobic violence of March
this year.
The Denis Hurley Centre has become an
important place of interfaith cooperation in
the city. Named after the former Archbishop
of Durban for over 45 years, Denis Hurley, the
Centre is committed to bring about change
We look forward to working together with the
Denis Hurley Centre, and other faith-based
organizations in Durban, to build bridges of
understanding and cooperation between our
communities.
all contributed to this special event.
The tables, with refreshment provided by the
Union of Jewish Women, were beautifully set.
Everyone sitting together to
share in the meal.
The singing of the national anthem on this
special Reconciliation Day.
The youngest volunteer on the
day, Luciana Baranov.
The CKNJ and DJSS would like to thank the community for their spontaneous and generous donation of foodstuffs that we received for
Jewel House from the call of Mitzvah day.
This donation, which was most welcome, will be faithfully applied in our kitchen for the more than 400 meals that we supply a week.
Ronnie Herr & Lew Heilbron
February 2016
HASHALOM 11
COMMUNITY NEWS
By Gilad Friedman
When the Umhlanga Jewish Day School opened just a few years ago a great dream was achieved, bringing a full time Jewish Day School back to
Durban. The UJDS is delighted to announce that 2016 will see the opening of a High School (grade 8 -12) on the school property. UJDS now caters
for all ages - playgroup (18 months) to matric. Our learners will be doing the Cambridge International Examinations in O and A levels, giving them
access to any university both locally and abroad.
Our school aims to instil a sound educational foundation and Jewish identity in our children by encouraging a passion for lifelong learning,
excellence in academic achievement as well as fostering a devotion to the study of Torah and a commitment to the land of Israel.
Young Israel Centre
By Jessica Stout
The Young Israel Centre was excited to be a part of the Shabbat project this year. Yoram from Bnei Akiva Johannesburg joined us for the Shabbat.
We hosted a large Friday night dinner at the Young Israel Centre for young families in the area that were keeping the Shabbat. After lunch at Shul,
children came back up to relax and socialise with us. The festivities were carried over on to the Sunday when a Bnei Akiva programme was run.
The annual Choir Braai was held again this year at the Young Israel Centre at the beginning of November. Chef Dave catered the braai, and the
house was filled to capacity. It was a lovely afternoon to treat all of those involved in the DUHC choir.
Bat Mitzvah and cheder lessons continue to go strong every Sunday morning. We have been very busy with a continuous flow of guests coming
to devote their time to our wonderful community.
We ended off the year with a CSO braai for the volunteers and their families. This was very well attended with 40 people eating and relaxing
together. This was followed by a young families Shabbat lunch. It was a fantastic way to end off the year with the house full of laughter, chatter
and the sound of children playing.
We look forward to another full and successful year at the Young Israel Centre.
12 HASHALOM
February 2016
COMMUNITY NEWS
Umhlanga Jewish Centre
By Gilad Friedman
The Umhlanga Jewish Centre held a Channukah event
The Umhlanga Jewish Centre held a Channukah event on 9 December 2015 – 4th night of Channukah. The event saw many guests coming
together to celebrate the miracles of Channukah, the victory of the Maccabees and the oil burning for 8 days, when there was only enough for a
single day.
During the December holidays the UJC held two burger bar evenings, 29 December and 5 January. This is the second year in a row that the UJC
has proved a popular venue for holiday makers to find quality kosher food, activities for children and regular minyanim.
Rabbi Hoppenstein gave a daily shiur throughout the holiday period which was well attended.
The UJC shul now runs a weekday shacharit service at 7am in addition to the regular Shabbat services.
We are delighted to welcome the Moss, Lowenstein, Gering and Feigenbaum families, to our wonderful community. We wish you a warm Durban
welcome.
We welcome Ms Kerryn Feigenbaum as the new principal of the Umhlanga Jewish Day School, Hatzlacha Raba.
For more information contact [email protected] or 031 566 3227.
February 2016
HASHALOM 13
COMMUNITY NEWS
THE UJW GOES GREEN
Mitzvah Day International has become an annual “green” letter day in the Union’s calendar.
Members of the committee enthusiastically participated in arranging a special morning tea at Beth Shalom. The residents and guests, from Eden
Crescent, were treated to singing by the Issy Geshen Home Choir. Ernie Aaron helped keep the fun going with a short “stand-up” comedy routine
followed by the Beth Shalom staff and carers bringing things to a rousing close with their harmonious singing and high-kick dancing with participation
of residents and guests alike, though not quite as energetically!! Thank you and well done to everyone for making this, to quote a resident, the “best
ever” Mitzvah Day.
KOL HA’KAVOD
Congratulations to the recipients of the Annual UJW Judaica awards.
Bev Levy, Jade Friedman (Eden College) and Jacqui Burne, Danielle Burne (Umhlanga
Norma Bloch Gemilut Chassadim Award
Jewish Day School) Bev Levy Gemilut
in memory of Jean Kluk z’l.
Chassadim Award in memory of Jean Kluk z’l.
14 HASHALOM
February 2016
Netanya Dogan (Talmud Torah) with
Sharon Maserow.
February 2016
HASHALOM 15
COMMUNITY NEWS
By Diane McColl
On
31
January
2016 the Durban
Progressive
Congregation
will
hold its final service
at the synagogue in
Ridge Road which
has been our home
for 65 years. It is
however just
the
beginning of an
exciting new chapter
in the history of the
congregation, for as soon as the new Durban Progressive Jewish Centre
in Durban North is completed, that will be our new home. But still the
closing of the doors of the Ridge Road synagogue is a poignant and
emotional moment for all its congregants. This synagogue has been
the centre of Progressive Jewish life in Durban and its outlying areas
for over half a century. It has seen baby naming ceremonies, b’nei
mitzvah and weddings, in some cases for 3 generations of Reform
families. It has seen countless Shabbat services and study. We have
celebrated festivals of joy and we have commemorated the Days of
Awe and listened to the shofar in solemn silence within the walls of
this synagogue.
Although the Durban Reform Congregation was established on 10 May
1948, Temple David was only built in 1950, on property purchased in
Ridge Road. The synagogue’s foundation stones were laid by Rabbi M.C.
Weiler, life president of the South African Union for Progressive Judaism
and Mervyn Gild, the first president of the Congregation on 27 August
By Elizabeth Groot
The last Friendship Club Bingo Morning of 2015 was greatly enjoyed
by the residents of Beth Shalom. All the players received special
envelopes with Chanukkah gelt and inspirational verese, and both
were very much appreciated. In addition to the normal prizes, there
were two special prizes, which were won by Gill Salakoff and Leah
Maserow, much to their delight. Sisterhood look forward to seeing
the residents enjoy Bingo this year.
Elaine Goldberg giving Leah
Maserow her prize
16 HASHALOM
Sheila Schulman giving Gill
Salakoff her prize
February 2016
1950. The synagogue was consecrated on 23 March 1951 and it was in
this year that the first Seder was held at Temple David, in Ridge Road.
Since then, many annual functions that have become synonymous with
Temple David. Women’s World day of Prayer Services and Free Mason’s
Services are examples of these. Rabbis of great learning and dedication
have served the congregation. Men such as Rabbi Meyer Miller, Rabbi
Isaac Richards and our incumbent rabbi, Rabbi Hillel Avidan, to name
a few. The congregation has been blessed and enriched by its rabbis.
And now even as we look forward with hope and eagerness to reestablishing ourselves at the new Durban Progressive Jewish Centre we
cannot help but say goodbye to our home of 65 years with a touch of
sadness and nostalgia. We remember all those congregants who, over
the past 65 years, have made contributions to the welfare of Temple
David and its congregation. Men and women who have dedicated
themselves to the continued existence of a Progressive Jewish presence
in Durban. All the celebrations and sorrows, the commemorations and
mournings form part of our collective memory and go with us as surely
do our Ark and scrolls.
On 31st January 2016 Keith Gild, son of Mervyn Gild who unveiled the
foundation stone in 1951, will extinguish the Ner Tamid and the door of
Temple David Ridge Road will close for the last time.
Note: The offices of the DPJC and Rabbi Hillel Avidan will be housed at the
Durban Jewish Centre until the relocation to Durban North.
Religious services on Shabbat and festivals will also be held at the DJC.
For further details contact the DPJC via email: [email protected] or phone
0605270461
COMMUNITY NEWS
By Cheryl Unterslak
The DIVOTE volunteers went to
visit little Tahel after she was badly
injured by a Molotov cocktail.
Tahel was given a large doll, toys
and games that came from a very
special couple in Johannesburg.
DIVOTE volunteers were invited to the bris and delivered
a DIVOTE baby bag to these parents. The father, Eran, was
severely injured in a suicide bombing and has had a lot to
deal with. He has endured a lot of therapy and surgeries.
We are all so happy to see Eran married to such a wonderful
woman and that he has two beautiful children. DIVOTE has
had a connection with Eran for many years and brought him
to SA on holiday years back when he was recovering from
the attack.
In this picture, is the son of Genadi Kaufman. Genandi was
horrifically stabbed in the back, lungs and heart in Hevron.
His son pictured above took leave from the army and stayed
at the hospital day and night until Genadi sadly passed away
a few weeks later. He was given a DIVOTE care package
and treats for Shabbas from one of our DIVOTE volunteers
This beautiful girl’s parents were
both murdered by terrorists.
A DIVOTE volunteer recently
delivered her Batmitzvah gift
to her. She was so happy to be
remembered and to receive the
love, support and beautiful letters
from a special girl in Johannesburg.
These beautiful children were
injured in a stoning. They sent
DIVOTE this photo with the
Channukah cookies that they had
made, to thank us for the love and
support that they get from the SA
community.
Rebbetzin Goldfien is delivering a chattan
and Kallah gift box to the mother of a
chattan. Sadly a year ago her other son
was killed when a terrorist rammed his
car into him. The family was very grateful
for the support.
The DIVOTE volunteers delivered a baby bag to these
new parents. The baby’s grandfather, Rabbi Levine, was
murdered in the Har Nof shul attack and the baby is named
after him.
Rebbetzin Goldfien was in Israel in
December and she volunteered to
deliver some of the magnificent blankets
that were made, by the Pretoria
community, to families that desperately
needed them for the winter. Rebbetzin
Goldfien is pictured with Livnat, who
was injured in an attack, and sadly her
sister was killed right next to her.
February 2016
HASHALOM 17
18 HASHALOM
February 2016
COMMUNITY NEWS
By Sylvia Collins
General update
Beth Shalom had a quiet December as most of the staff was on leave.
In January, Mrs Jo Fourie, who runs the daily activities, was back and
the residents, who really enjoy her activities, were all very enthusiastic
to get started again. The exercise room was pumping with activity and
excitement.
namely: Heidi Bernstein age 84. Charlie Hotz age 93. David Heyman
age 81. Basil Isralls age 85. Sylvia Miller age 92 and Bertha Bloch age
92. Mazaltov to our wonderful residents. I would like to mention that
David Heyman is a keen gardener and is helping our staff to maintain our
magnificent gardens. Thank you to David for this.
We are very fortunate to have such dedicated residents such as Rolene
Lyons and Ernie Aaron who continue, without fail, to treat our residents
to lovely music mornings. Also, a big thank you to Arthur Zimmerman
who has continued with his weekly sessions which our residents love.
We were sad to say good bye to our staff who retired at the end of
December 2015, however, I would like to take this opportunity of
welcoming the new staff members to our Home and wish them many
long years of service.
A few residents went to The Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre to see Puss
in Boots. This was an outstanding show, which everyone thoroughly
enjoyed. Lots of laughter and it made everyone feel young again. A big
thank you to Beth Shalom for sponsoring the tickets.
We had a few residents who had their birthdays in December month
Elaine lange who celebrated her birthday on Sunday 10th January 2016.
Special Tea
I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Sidney and Gaynor Lazarus who sponsored a tea in the Lounge on the 11th January 2016. This was
held to in honour of the 65th Wedding Anniversary of Bernhard and Pearl Lazarus and the birth of Sidney and Gaynor Lazarus’s granddaughter, Naama
Rachel Glassman. All the residents were treated to a lovely afternoon of eats.
Sonia Weiner and Rowena
Gafenowitz at the celebration tea at
the Home
Lovely photo of our residents at
the celebration tea today at Beth
Shalom- Barbara Daniels; Joan
Sandberg; Dr Elaine Goldberg and
Gill Salakoff
Dr Jack Albert and Frank
Schneider at the celebration
tea
Josie woolf resident from
Beth Shalom
Dr Fisher and his friend Mr
Friedman at the celebration tea
Pamper Day
Janice and Lindy, who do voluntary work at the Home,
sponsored a very special pamper day. This was a lovely
treat for the residents in semi-clinic who cherished every
moment.
Beryl Israelite at the pamper day
Beautiful gardens at Drummond
February 2016
HASHALOM 19
COMMUNITY NEWS
Talmud Torah
By Cheryl Unterslak
Talmud Torah had a wonderful, well-attended prize giving that was very
special and a lot of fun. All the students made their own Chanukah candles
and really enjoyed this task.
•
The most enthusiastic student in Jewish studies and Hebrew went to
Netanya Dogan. (This prize was awarded by the Union of Jewish
Women)
All the awards were given out to the very deserving students.
•
The draw for two tickets to Israel for a parent and child went to
Zak Baitz.
A huge Mazaltov to the following students:
Mazeltov again to all the winners, the Talmud Torah team is very
proud of you all!!!!!!
•
The most committed Hebrew student for senior primary went to
Zak Baitz.
•
The most committed Hebrew student for junior primary went to
Samuel Selikow.
We thank all the students who are committed to coming to Jewish studies
and Hebrew lessons throughout the year and to the parents who are
committed and supportive.
•
The most committed Jewish studies student for junior primary went
to Leah Droyman.
We would also like to thank the Rabbis and all the Talmud Torah teachers
who care so much and are so committed and professional.
•
The mentch prize went to Cain Letchert.
We look forward to an exciting year of learning in 2016!!!
Our Talmud Torah students making their own Channukah candles a the prizegiving.
The Talmud Torah prize winners with the Talmud Torah primary teachers and the “Mom and
Dad” of Talmud Torah - John and Anna.
20 HASHALOM
February 2016
February 2016
HASHALOM 21
COMMUNITY NEWS
Educating, Informing and Empowering Bridges for Peace supports Israel
By Michelle Shapira
Founded in 1976, Bridges for Peace is a
Christian organisation supporting Israel and
building relationships between Christians and
Jews, in South Africa, Israel and internationally.
Through their programs, they give Christians
the opportunity to actively express what they
consider their biblical responsibility - to support
Israel and the Jewish community.
Bridges for Peace supports Israel in a wide variety
of ways, and one of these ways is their “Israel
Foundational Course”. The goals of this course
are to deepen the attendees’ understanding of
Israel, Judaism and the Jewish people, develop
a better grasp of the current situation in Israel
and empower them to support and defend
Israel by sharing their knowledge with others.
A quote from their website sums up their
support for Israel and the Jews: “For too long
Christians have been silent. For too long the
Jewish community has had to fight its battles
alone. It is time Christian individuals and
congregations speak up for the people who
gave us the Bible”
During November, Bridges for Peace held their
annual “Israel Foundational Course” in Durban,
attended by 16 Christian leaders of various
denominations. As part of their course, the
KNZC organized a visit to Temple David on a
Friday afternoon, during which the participants
had an informative tour of the Synagogue
let by Rabbi Avidan, followed by attendance
MASADA’S
BEAUTIFUL GIFTS
MASADA WORKSHOP - 031 202 3419
•
•
•
•
Amazing new stock arrived from Israel.
A stunning new range of exquisite challah covers,
candle holders and travelling Shabbat candle holders
and much, much more.
A spectacular Pesach range of matza covers and
Seder plates. New stock of Pesach wine has arrived.
Tasteful gifts to suit every pocket and every Jewish
occasion.
A warm welcome awaits you at Masada and we would like
to thank you for your support.
22 HASHALOM
February 2016
at the Kabbalat Shabbat service, thank you
Rabbi! On Sunday 15th of November, Michelle
Shapira spent an hour with the participants in
an informal QA session on Israel and Zionism,
and this was followed by tour of the Holocaust
Centre led by Maureen Caminsky.
COMMUNITY NEWS
EVERGREEN!
Say ‘No’ to Online Racism
One of the main stories in the opening weeks of 2016 was the public’s
outrage over various racist comments in the social media. For a long
time now, we have seen a steady escalation in online platforms being
abused by hate-filled individuals to propagate virulent racism against
their fellow citizens. Rabid antisemitic discourse is especially prevalent
in times of heightened conflict in Israel, but even in times of relative
quiet, offensive comments continue to surface. One recent issue that
the Board has taken up through the SA Human Rights Commission
concerned Facebook comments by one Maureen Jansen, who inter
alia referred to Jews as ‘monsters’ and who should be ‘exterminated’
for supporting Israel “by action or silence”.
The process of naming and shaming those who propagate hatred on
the basis of race, religion, or other such grounds is an effective ways of
discouraging such offensive discourse. Another avenue for combating
online hate is through reporting the offending site to Facebook or
Twitter. Practical guidelines in this regard can be accessed on outr
Facebook (June 2015).
What is nevertheless a cause for some concern is how certain
community members have responded to antisemitism by posting
blatantly offensive, including racist, comments of their own. This
cannot be justified, no matter what the provocation. Moreover, it risks
putting the entire Jewish community in the firing line (as the repellent
‘monkey’ remarks of Penny Sparrow evoked a furious reaction against
white people in general), and all but sabotages our efforts to bring to
public attention dangers of rising antisemitism in our country.
Positive outcome in Snowy Smith Case
On 15 December, the Durban Equality Court handed down
judgment in the Board’s long-running hate speech case against local
resident Snowy Smith, in terms of which Smith was restrained from
sending further antisemitic emails and directed to apologise to our
community. The ruling demonstrates that racism in South Africa will
not be tolerated and that religious, ethnic and minority groups are
and remain protected within the laws of this country. My thanks to
all those involved in pursuing this matter to a successful conclusion, in
particular CKNJ member and attorney Susan Abro, who handled the
case with such tenacity and commitment on our behalf.
The Year Ahead – Challenges and Opportunities
Later this year, South Africa will hold its fifth municipal elections since
the 1994 transition to democracy. For the 2014 national and provincial
elections, the Board conducted a multifaceted election awareness
campaign and volunteer drive for our community and, albeit on a
smaller scale, we hope to do so again this time round. In general, I
am firmly of the view that if we, as Jews, want to live in a successful
South Africa, we need to start getting more involved in the fabric of
South African society, be it in politics, social services, education, job
creation, human rights activism or other such areas. We cannot stand
back and wait for others to do what needs to be done; rather, we
should try wherever possible to take the initiative and find ways in
which to positively contribute to improving our country.
FRESH PEA AND CELERY SOUP
2 Tablespoons butter or oil
3 large stalks celery with leaves,
sliced
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 large potatoes, peeled and
chopped
1 cup grated carrots
2 litres hot vegetable or chicken
stock
3 cups fresh or frozen shelled
green peas
½ cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
In a saucepan, heat butter or oil then add celery, onion and garlic and fry,
stirring often, until celery and onion have softened. Add the potatoes,
carrots and stock and when the soup has reached boiling point, add
the peas and parsley. Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring periodically.
Remove from stove and cool Puree the soup in a liquidizer or processor
– season to taste. Heat gently to serve sprinkled with a little parsley and
a few croutons. Serve with fried cocktail sausages.
AVOCADO SALAD WITH GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
Mixed lettuce or fresh baby spinach
leaves
4 avocado pears, peeled and sliced
6 zucchini
2 green pears, unpeeled and sliced
chopped pitted green olives
handful of fresh basil
2 cups of peeled cucumber chunks
1 bunch spring onions, thickly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled,
coarsely croutons
Halve the zucchini lengthwise or if they are large, into four. Fry in garlic
butter or olive oil until almost soft but still crunchy On a platter, form a
bed of lettuce/spinach and the basil. Layer the cucumber, pears, apple
chunks, spring onions, zucchini and avocado in that order Top with the
Green Goddess Dressing and sprinkle with croutons and some chopped
spring onion.
Green Goddess Dressing
½ Cup parsley sprigs or orly whip
good pinch of dried basil
1 small clove of garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup mayonnaise
1 spring onion, chopped
2 anchovies (optional)
1/3 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
juice of a small lime
In a blender or processor, combine and puree all ingredients until smooth
Season with some salt, pepper and if you like, a few drops of Tabasco.
QUICK AND EASY SPINACH BOUREKAS
Filling makes about 30 – 36 bourekas
1 Roll store bought puff pastry cut out rounds the size of your choice
Filling: 200g baby spinach leaves
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
cheese
3 Tablespoons fresh dill
2 eggs
½ cup grated parmesan or
pecorino
leaves from 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Lightly wilt the spinach leaves in melted garlic butter in a frying pan.
Transfer to a sieve and allow it to drain, pressing with the back of a
spoon. Chop roughly. Cool Mix rest of ingredients then add the spinach
and some black pepper. Place a teaspoon of the filling into each round,
fold pastry over into a half-moon and seal. Paint with some egg wash and
sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds. Place on a greased baking
tray and bake at 190degC for about 15 - 20 minutes.
February 2016
HASHALOM 23
COMMUNITY NEWS
BIRTHS
February 2016
Mazaltov to Sidney and Gaynor Lazarus on the birth of a
granddaughter, a daughter for Aviva and Alon Glassman; to
Joan Handelsman and Freda Newman on the birth of a great
granddaughter; to Bernice and Stan Hart on the birth of a
granddaughter, a daughter for Darren and Ayala in Israel; to
David and Cheryl Unterslag on the birth of a grandson, a son for
Chana-Leah and Michael Glass.
BAR/BATMITZVAHS
Date Time
ENGAGEMENTS
Mazaltov to Trudy and Arnold Leibowitz on the engagement of
their daughter Melissa to Harvey Sallis; to Dr Jeff and Shirley
Chanoch on the engagement of their granddaughter Lisa,
daughter of Bev and Gary Hirschowitz to David Talpert.
Venue
Friendship Club - UJW
Beth Shalom
3
9.30am
24
10:00am WIZO Annual General Meeting
DJCentre
March 2016
Date Time
2
Mazaltov to Wendy Schaffer on the Bar Mitzvah of her
grandson, son of Bruce and Leora Rubenstein; to Ronnie and
Margaret Spector on the Barmitzvah of their grandson Arieh
in Israel; to Dr Jeff and Shirley Chanoch on the Batmitzvah of
their granddaughter Erin in the UK, daughter of Debbi and
Grant Kurland;
Event
9.30am
Event
Venue
Friendship Club - UJW
Beth Shalom
Evelyn Plen, Cecil and Raphael Kahn and families
wish to thank all family and friends for their kind
messages of condolences on the passing of our
dearest Goldie of blessed memory.
Position Wanted
Mature Jewish lady with many years experience in
admin, PA, and secretarial work requires stable & secure
office job. High recommendation, good references and
CV available. Contact Claire 0849156715
WEDDING
Mazaltov to Elisha and Rachel Puterman on the marriage of
their daughter Tehillah to Bentzi Binder in Israel; to Gary and
Vivienne Budlender on the marriage of their son Rowan to
Robyn; to Andy and Clive Bernstein on the marriage of their
son Gary to Courtneigh and Clarice Sternberg on the marriage
of her grandson.
On our cover:
ANNIVERSARIES
What is so Jewish about the Sequoia trees? Sequoia trees are the
largest species of plant on earth and are magnificent to behold. If
you stand among the trees, you cannot but help but be reminded
of how small we humans are in the context of the greater universe.
Mazaltov to
Bernhard and Pearl Lazarus on their 65th wedding
anniversary; to Deon and Olga Pincus on their 50th wedding
anniversary.
Yet, what most people don’t know is that Sequoia trees have very
shallow roots. A Sequoia’s roots “are so shallow that it can hardly
stand up to a strong breeze” says Rabbi Dannel Schwartz.
BIRTHDAYS
Mazaltov to Charlie Hotz on his 93rd birthday; to Sylvia Miller
on her 92nd birthday; to Bertha Bloch on her 92nd birthday;
Basil Isralls on his 85th birthday; to Clarice Sternberg on her
85th birthday; to Heidi Bernstein on her 84th birthday; to
David Heyman on his 81st birthday.
CONDOLENCES
Our deepest condolences to the family of Julian Ellman;
to
Evelyn Plen, Cecil and Raphael Kahn on the passing of their
mother Goldie.
24 HASHALOM
In celebration of Tu B’Shvat,
the Jewish New Year of Trees, a
photograph of the magnificent
Sequoia Trees of California.
February 2016
So how is it that this extraordinary species is able to grow so
large and live so long? The answer is simple – the trees spring
up in groves and their roots intertwine. Or as Rabbi Schwartz says
“they hold each other up – they give each other the strength
necessary to withstand the angriest winds.”
Doesn’t that closely parallel the story of the Jewish people? We
have held each other up for thousands of years against even the
angriest winds.