27-November-2013 - SA Jewish Report

Transcription

27-November-2013 - SA Jewish Report
Friday 29 November 2013 / 26 Kislev 5774
Volume 17 – Number 42
Blood
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Jewish Report
south african
Photo: Ilan Ossendryver
www.sajewishreport.co.za
Miracle of the written word
Chabad House, driven by Miracle Drive, in conjunction with Jack Halfon from Atlas Finance, last Sunday launched a library in Malatjlie, an impoverished
informal settlement near Lanseria Airport. The library is a converted container, acquired through sponsorship from Halfon and his company, while the
shelving was donated by Uri Krost from Krost Shelving. The graffiti work on the container was done by Think Wild artists. The library was filled with books
that were donated through a Miracle Drive community appeal, as well as from the READ Educational Trust. In the picture, Rabbi David Masinter of Chabad
House and Jack Halfon, CEO of Atlas Finance, surrounded by young library users with the library in the background.
Minister Mashabane won’t
meet SAJBD on Monday
A new Christian force in
support of Israel
Benjamin Netanyahu’s
next (Iran) move?
The Ministry’s spokesman,
Clayson Monyela told the SAJR
the date was still pencilled
in, in the minister’s diary. He
understood the meeting to
be “related to the upcoming
election campaign”.
Luba Mayekiso felt they would
be more effective in lobbying for
Israel as unaffiliated members.
“People cannot accept that
a Christian will come to the
support of Israel without being
someone’s puppet.”
“International pressure we
applied has led to a result
better than what was originally
planned; this is still a bad deal
that reduces pressure on Iran
without receiving anything
tangible in return.”
3
3
Arik Einstein, beloved
icon of Israeli song, dies
The belles of the
ball: Our competition
for beautiful brides
reaches closure
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7-10
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SA JEWISH R
REPORT
EPORT
Community
News
01–-608
June 2012
29 November
December
2013
Photo: Galya Bender
Initiated by Daniel Brouze who was determined to help raise money to buy a new bus for our Jewish senior citizens, as well as for the people of Malatjlie, a group of 56 riders took part in the Momentum 94,7 cycle race last
weekend.
Each rider was given a choice as to which project they wanted their money to go. A quarter of a million rand was
raised for Chabad’s Miracle Drive!
“As we ride through the journey of life, we dare not solely focus on ourselves. We all need to help wherever we
can. For me, this has certainly been a life-changing experience”, said Brouze.
Photo by Galya Bender
Fifty six riders raise a quarter of Infiniti Q50, a Miracle
a million rand for Miracle Drive Drive prize to take
your breath away
Jason Nestadt, Dealer Principal Nissan & Renault Melrose; James Carmichael, Used Car Sales Manager; George Stegmann, GM Infiniti SA; and
Ryan Holmner, Dealer Principal Nissan & Renault Melrose.
OWN CORRESPONDENT
Former Springbok rugby player Ashwim Williams; Daniel Brouze; and former All Black flyhalf, Carlos Spencer.
Wake-up calls
Parshat Miketz
Rabbi Yossi Goldman
Sydenham Highlands North
Hebrew Congregation
Not everyone is lucky enough to get a wakeup call in life. Some people get theirs just in
time. Others get it but don’t hear it. Still others hear it loud and clear but refuse to take
any notice.
Pharaoh got his in this week’s parsha when
Joseph interpreted his dreams and advised
him to appoint a wise and discerning man
who would oversee a macro-economic plan for
the country.
Joseph explained to the King of Egypt that
because he experienced two dreams and woke
up in between it was a sign from heaven to
wake up and act immediately as the matter
was of the utmost urgency. Pharaoh took the
message to heart and the rest is history.
On the health and well-being level, a little
cholesterol, climbing blood pressure or recur-
ring bronchitis, might be the not-so-subtle
signs that it’s time for a change of lifestyle.
These are the medical wake-up calls we receive
in life.
Do we really have to wait for a heart attack,
G-d forbid, to stop smoking, or start eating
less and exercising more? That’s what wake-up
calls are for, to help us get the message before
it’s too late.
Then there are the spiritual signs. I will never
forget a friend who shared with me the story of
his own red lights flashing and how a changed
spiritual lifestyle literally saved his life.
He was a workaholic driving himself to
the brink. Had he carried on indefinitely he
simply would not have survived. Then he
decided to give Shabbos a try. What he had
never previously appreciated about Shabbos
was that it is a spiritually invigorating day of
rest and spiritual serenity. And in discovering
Shabbos, he rediscovered his humanity. (He
also discovered he could play golf on Sundays
instead of Saturdays.)
A short trigger film I once used on a Shabbaton programme depicted a series of profes-
Last Monday night saw the exclusive launch of Miracle Drive 24 at Melrose Nissan in
Johannesburg. The prestigious Infiniti Q50, the first prize in next year’s draw, was on
display, as George Stegmann, managing director of marketing for Infiniti SA welcomed
the crowd.
Drawing from Nissan’s 24 year association with Miracle Drive, Stegmann spoke of his
company’s initiative to compete on the luxury stakes with German car manufacturers.
Claiming status as the biggest charity event in the southern hemisphere, Miracle
Drive draws over 2 000 people to its annual event in March.
Rabbi David Masinter, director of Chabad House and founder and director of the Miracle Drive initiative in Johannesburg, in celebrating the event, drew young cyclist Daniel
Brouze from the audience.
Brouze was instrumental in raising R250 000 for Miracle Drive in the recent Momentum 94.7 cycle race. Rabbi Masinter also celebrated the recent donation given by
Jack Halfon from Atlas Finance, of a library to an impoverished informal settlement near
Lanseria Airport. Entertainment at this joyous launch featured children’s world championship hip-hop act, The Boys are Back, comedian David Levinsohn, mentalist Gilan Gork
and magician Marc Wegkamp.
sionals and artisans at work. As they became
engrossed and immersed in their respective
roles, they each became so enmeshed with
their work that they lost their own identities.
Monday through Friday, the carpenter’s
face dissolved into a hammer, the doctor
took on the face of a stethoscope and the accountant’s head started looking exactly like a
calculator.
Then on Shabbos as they closed their offices
and came home to celebrate the day of rest
with their families, slowly but surely, their
faces were reshaped and remoulded from
their professions to their personalities. Total
immersion in their work had dehumanised
them. They had become machines. Now,
thanks to Shabbos, they were human again.
That short video left a lasting impression.
It’s not easy to change ingrained habits. But
Chanukah, which falls during this week’s parsha, carries with it a relevant message in this
regard. Take one day at a time. One doesn’t
have to do it all at once. One light at a time is
all it takes.
On the first night we kindle a single Chanu-
kah light, on the second night two and on the
third night three. We add a little light each day
and before long the menorah is complete and
all eight Chanukah lights are burning bright.
It’s okay to take one day at a time. It’s not
okay to go back to sleep after you get a wakeup call. Whether it’s your medical well-being
or your spiritual health, the occasional wakeup call is a valuable sign from Above that it
may be time to adjust our attitudes, lifestyles
or priorities.
Please G-d, each of us in our own lives will
hear the call and act on the alarm bells with
alacrity.
Shabbat Times
Parshat Miketz
November 29 / 26 Kislev
November 30 / 27 Kislev
18:1519:20 Johannesburg
18:15 20:19 Cape Town
18:1519:17 Durban
18:1519:34 Bloemfontein
18:15 19:51 Port Elizabeth
18:15 19:38 East London
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News
29 November – 6 December 2013
Minister
Mashabane
will not meet
SAJBD on
Monday
SA JEWISH REPORT
3
New Christian/Israel advocacy group
kicks off with a bang
ANT KATZ
ANT KATZ
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite NkoanaMashabane will not address the
community on Monday December
2, as had been widely expected.
Jewish Report has been unable to
get confirmation or denial from the
SAJBD. The Ministry’s spokesman,
Clayson Monyela told the SAJR the
date was still pencilled in, in the
minister’s diary. He understood
the meeting to be “related to the
upcoming election campaign”, and
that the minister had planned it “in
terms of (her) capacity as an ANC
NEC member”. Jewish Report learnt
on good authority, however, that the
meeting would not take place.
Jewish Report sought confirmation from the higest levels of the
SAJBD last Thursday and Friday and again on Monday and Tuesday
this week - but has been unable to
get confirmation or denial that any
form of meeting would be taking
place.
After being advised by the Board
on Tuesday afternoon that no statement or information would be forthcoming before the newspaper goes
to print on Wednesday evening,
Jewish Report got hold of Monyela,
who confirmed that the Minister’s
diary had such a public session
“pencilled in” for next Monday
evening, but that no arrangements
had been confirmed.
Monyela said the minister met
with the SAJBD three or four times
a year as “part of a process of
regular interaction between her
and the Jewish community”, and
that he thought they had met three
times this year. This meeting, however, was different, he said.
While the minister normally
engaged with the Board of Deputies
about communal issues, he told
Jewish Report, “this (meeting),
however, I believe is related to the
upcoming election campaign”.
Monyela said that while the
meeting appeared in the minister’s
diary, she had not yet confirmed
the arrangements. Asked who had
initiated the proposed meeting and
who would be expected to be invited, Monyela said he had no idea.
“We don’t know who will be
invited,” he told Jewish Report.
“As soon as it is confirmed I will
be prepared to discuss it more and
arrange for an interview.”
Africa for Israel Christian Coalition
(AFICC), a new Israel advocacy organisation, which launched in Cape
Town on October 31, has churches
“with a congregational size of
around 600 000 that have officially
affiliated, in South Africa alone”,
in its fold, says the group’s founder
and long-time Israel lobbyist Luba
Mayekiso. “And this number grows
each week.”
The AFICC is co-operating with
a multitude of advocacy groups including the SA Zionist Federation.
“In Nigeria over 3 000 pastors in
22 states have started to mobilise
themselves,” Mayekiso told Jewish
Report.
“We have agreed that come hell
or high water we will co-ordinate
and co-operate on a Pan-African
basis” as Christians lobbying for
Israel. “A Nigerian delegation will
come to our Gauteng launch in
early February.”
Mayekiso and his wife Ncedi are
long-time Israel advocates and have
worked tirelessly for the past two
years lobbying for Israel in parliamentary circles. They have drawn
up a constitution and mission
statement which their Nigerian
counterparts have signed on to.
As a guest discussion leader at
a Zionist advocacy seminar in Johannesburg in January, Mayekiso
made a strong impression by telling
South African Jewish and Christian Zionists alike that unless one
knocked on doors of power, it was
Pictured at the Christians United for Israel Summit in Washington DC in July, are Luba Mayekiso, Pastor John Hagee
and Ncedi Mayekiso.
impossible to keep up with Palestinian lobbyists.
Mayekiso said he and Ncedi had
always felt they would be more effective in lobbying for Israel in Parliament as unaffiliated and independent
members. “People cannot accept that
a Christian will come to the support
of Israel without being someone’s
puppet,” he said this week.
But, “as time went by, we came to
realise that numbers are the only
thing that will talk to politicians;
all they listen to is numbers.” For
this reason, he says, they decided to
form a broad coalition of Pan-African Christian supporters of Israeli
lobbyists on the continent.
Christians wanted to speak out,
he said. He had found that many
Christians felt their silence (on
Israel) was being misinterpreted.
He was part of the 100-odd
delegates from across the continent
who attended the recent African
Leaders Summit in Jerusalem.
Says Mayekiso: “We have
far-reaching political and socioeconomic strategies involving
potentially tens of millions of
Christians in Africa as a force of
active supporters of Israel. Already
we have 600 000 black, white and
Coloured Christians standing with,
and committed to, Israel. And numbers count!”
AFICC, says Mayekiso, represents
Africans standing in solidarity and
does not confine in terms of race;
“this is a battle for every Christian”.
The AFICC already has relationships in Nigeria, Congo, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania who are
“very eager for us to stand together
and have requested our assistance
in providing them with the correct
modern narrative about Israel”.
His organisation has also linked
up with UE partners Christians
United for Israel’s Pastor John Hagee and some of his senior team.
Having launched their Cape
Town chapter, their next stops are
Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the
Eastern Cape. A national launch is
planned for Johannesburg in April
2014.
Iconic Israeli singer Arik Einstein dies
JERUSALEM – Arik Einstein, an iconic Israeli singer
as well as a songwriter and actor, has died.
Einstein died Tuesday night at a Tel Aviv hospital,
where he was rushed after suffering an aortic aneurysm. He was 74.
Israeli television channels halted their regular
programming to broadcast clips and remembrances
of the singer, whose first recordings were released in
the 1960s.
Fans holding a vigil outside the Sourasky Medical
Center cried when the hospital’s director general,
Dr. Gabriel Barbash, announced that Einstein had
died.
Einstein has not performed in front of an audience since the early 1980s following a road accident
in which he was seriously injured.
His first album, “Shar Bisvilech” or “Singing for
You,” was released in 1966. He was part of the rock
band The High Windows with Shmulik Kraus and
Israeli-American Josie Katz. He also formed the
Lool, or Chicken Coop, comedy troupe.
Among his well-known songs were “Ani Ve’ata,” or
“You and Me”; “Atur mitzchech zahav shachor”; and
“Sa Le’at,” or “Drive Slowly.” (JTA)
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News
SA JEWISH R
REPORT
EPORT
01–-608
June 2012
29 November
December
2013
The Israel App is a boon
for tourists et al
ANT KATZ
A virtual tour guide, travel companion and digital guidebook all in one, has been released this
month and is a download for Apple and Android
devices; it could only be an Israeli invention!
The millions of visitors to Israel every year
now have a complete mobile audio tour guide
and travel companion at their fingertips.
The Israel App brings to life some 400 sites
and the history behind them with stunning visuals, crisp audio, and fascinating interactive articles, providing so much more than traditional
guidebooks, for so much less.
Defying all stereotypes, the Jew IQ team
which developed the app, is headed by CEO Joel
Padowitz and Yaakov Lehman, who are American olim, splitting their time between Kolel and
revolutionising the app world. The software engineers behind the scenes are more than 30 Israeli haredi female programmers.
“Until now, visitors unable to afford a professional guide, simply missed out on so much of
what Israel has to offer. The Israel App is a gamechanger, allowing everyone in Israel to have a
world-class tour guide, local insider and virtual
concierge in their pocket,” says Padowitz.
“And even if you are with a human guide, the
app is an incredible tool for discovering Israel.”
The app includes convenient GPS-based
guided tours and navigation functions to allow
travellers to discover unseen sites around them
instantly. For those familiar with the usual tourist hot spots, the Israel App identifies dozens of
lesser-known sites for veteran travellers.
The Israel App’s initial release covers all of
greater Jerusalem, including the Old City,
the City of David, and even an in-depth walkthrough of the Jerusalem Zoo. Future releases
will include Masada, Caesarea, Tel Aviv and other
popular sites.
The Israel App is available from GooglePlay
and AppStore. To view a demonstration, look at
their website at www.TheIsraelAPP.com.
Fighting child abuse in Diepsloot
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AND DELIS IN CAPE TOWN AND
JOHANNESBURG
Contact Charmaine: 082 922 4784 | [email protected]
Outreach organisation Afrika Tikkun’s Wings
of Life Centre in Diepsloot settlement north
of Johannesburg, marked the beginning of
“16 Days of Activism for no Violence against
Women and Children”, on Monday. In a media
release, Afrika Tikkun said the day involved visiting the Centre, from which the organisation
runs various programmes in the community.
These programmes are based on their holistic
development model, which seeks to care for the
lives of vulnerable children from cradle-to-career and include early childhood development
(ECD) programmes, youth and childhood development, nutrition, food security and social
services.
“At Afrika Tikkun, we strive to provide a safe
haven for these children where they can develop and grow, as children should,” says the head
of the Gender Based Violence programme, Ne-
woh Belinda Geh.
Afrika Tikkun has partnered with a variety
of like-minded organisations to facilitate this
programme, including the Nelson Mandela
Children’s Fund, People Against Women Abuse
(Powa), the Teddy Bear Clinic and Childline.
Through this programme, Afrika Tikkun is
able to provide vital services to a community
wracked by violence, especially against children. In the last half of this year, Diepsloot was
host to a spate of child murders, including that
of two little cousins who were registered to begin at Afrika Tikkun next year.
At the Centre Afrika Tikkun prepares over
300 meals daily, both for the children and the
needy in the community.
“The theme for the ‘16 Days’ this year is:
‘From peace in the home to peace in the world’,”
said Geh.
Sharmaine Myambo and Petronella Rabelani,
young women volunteers from Diepsloot who
go into the streets to educate people against
violence against women and children.
What made the news
December 12, 2003
Jewish Report
south african
Chief Rabbi: UOS puts faith in youth
“The selection by the Union
of Orthodox Synagogues of
32-year-old Rabbi Dr Warren
Goldstein to take over as South
Africa’s chief rabbi in January
2005 when Rabbi Cyril Harris
retires in December 2004, after a
tenure of 17 years, has surprised
and delighted many in the Jewish
community,” wrote Lionel Slier.
“During a lengthy selection
process in which a wide spectrum
of the community leadership was
consulted, headed up by UOS
President Harold Novick, he was
chosen from a short list of five.
“Some people in the commu-
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nity have questioned whether he
is too young for such a demanding position, despite his achievements as a practising rabbi and
scholar of Judaism and law.
“The job of chief rabbi is being
the public face of the community
in South African society and the
government. It also requires he
be accepted by a broad crosssection of SA Jewry.
“Many who are enthusiastic
about his appointment believe
his youth will stand him in good
stead in his effectiveness and in
building the emerging multiracial, multi-ethnic SA society.
“He is of a generation that
came to adulthood when apartheid was already on its way out.
He was still in school during its
heyday.
“Chief Rabbi Harris says Rabbi
Goldstein reflects the mood and
trend of the younger generation,
characterised by the Ba’al Teshuva movement, serious Torah
study and tikkun involvement.
The selection of Rabbi Goldstein is a statement of being
proudly South African Jewish - it
is the younger generation who
will stay here and build this community.’”
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Yiddish Vinkel
Vilne un Minssk
Eyner a id fun Kovne iz gekumen keyn Vilne. Er hot gehat ba zich a hunderter, un hot em gevolt tsubaytn.
Iz er gegangen fun eyn krom in der anderer, un keyner hot nit gehat em tsu gebn keyn kleyngelt. Iz der id araus fun letstn krom un
gezogt tsu eynem a mentshn af’n gas:
“Epes a modne shtot Vilne: az me darf tsubaytn a hunderter, iz nito avu!”
Macht yener tsu-n-em: “Noch als besser vi Minssk! Vorem ba unz in Minssk, az me darf tsubaytn a hunderter, iz nito der hunderter!”
Vilna and Minsk
Once, a certain Jew from Kovne came to Vilna. He had with him a hundred rouble note, and he wished to exchange it.
So he went from one store to another and one of them had any money to give him as change. So as the Jew went out of the last shop,
he said to a passerby in the street:
“What a strange city Vilna is: if one needs change for a hundred rouble note, there is not any place where you can do so!”
The other said in reply: “It’s still better than Minsk! Because at us in Minsk, even if you would wish to exchange a hundred rouble
note, no one would have a hundred!”
2013/10/29 2:39 PM
29 November – 6 December 2013
Community Briefs
Jewish community
embraces Mitzvah Day
House and Garden
Circle creates
constant delight
Each month the Johannesburg
Union of Jewish Women’s House and
Garden Circle members enjoy visits
to magnificent gardens and homes
around the city. Great guest speakers
share their gardening and décor
knowledge in these gorgeous, tranquil
surroundings. Funds raised by the
Circle go to the UJW’s Kosher Mobile
Meals project which supplies cooked
meals to around 165 elderly people
who are unable to provide meals for
themselves.
Lynne Raphaely, vice-chairman of the UJW and
Mitzvah Day Convener, and Bev Cohen, a UJW
volunteer with 101-year-old Abe Simpson.
UJW committee members Simone
Walsh; Helen Slavin (chairman); Greta
Treisman (treasurer); and Leah Zail.
Parents should ‘enable’
themselves
In this age, kids are “connected” 24/7; borders
between cyber and real worlds blur. Ilanit Gerson
and Luke Lamprecht conducted Living in the Most
Connected/ Disconnected Era in History, the final
talk for 2013 in the Enrich Your Life series, hosted
by the Chevrah Kadisha’s Community Social
Services Department and Sydenham Shul’s Centre
for Jewish Adult Education. The speakers stressed
the importance of parents keeping up with social
media to know what their children are doing. Geotagging is a threat to child safety; parents were
advised to deactivate GPS tags so that when their
children post to Facebook, their location is never
disclosed.
LYNNE RAPHAELY
VICE-CHAIRMAN, UNION OF JEWISH WOMEN
DL Link is sending team
to Jerusalem Marathon
CELESTE EVERITT
The Selwyn Segal soccer team, “Selwyn’s Eagles”,
participated in the Johannesburg Disability Games
held at the Danie van Zyl Centre in Johannesburg.
They trounced opponents 3:0 in the first game, 1:0
in the final. Said GM Brenda Solarsh: “Our team is
inspired to play more sport and we are inspired to
provide more opportunities for them to be on the winning side; Special Olympics, here we come!”
5
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY TZIVIA GRAUMAN
HEAD OF GROUP COMMUNICATIONS, CHEVRAH
KADISHA
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH
BY ESTELLE CLINE
Selwyn Segal, the
champions!
SA JEWISH REPORT
Cancer awareness and holistic lifestyle organisation, DL Link is sending a team to Jerusalem Marathon next year under a “Run for a
Recovery” banner. A media release says: “the
motivation is to run in the name of someone
needing recovery or in a special person’s
honour. We are including united prayers for
them at the Kotel.” Vic Boston, who has run
37 consecutive Comrades Marathons.”
The Union of Jewish Women Johannesburg was
thrilled with the public’s response to their appeal
for packs of toiletries and chocolates for the elderly, in the Mitzvah Day Appeal on November 17.
Over 500 gift packs were handed to elderly members of the Jewish community, many of whom live
alone in areas such as Hillbrow, Yeoville, Berea and
Bellevue. The 38 residents at the Joseph Gerard
Old Aged Home in Alexandra township, were each
given a knitted blanket and a gift pack. Mitzvah
Day, coined in the UK in 2008, is a way for people
to actively assist their community, regardless of
religious affiliation. This year about 20 countries
took part in Mitzvah Day.
Rabbi Yossy Goldman of Sydenham Shul; Luke
Lamprecht, child and youth care practitioner and
director of Parent & Child Counselling Centre;
Glynne Zackon, manager of Chevrah Social
Services; and Ilanit Gerson, school counsellor and
creator of Surfing Safely.
‘No Easy Walk to Freedom
THE SAJBD AND
THE RCHCC LAUNCH: - A Collection of Mandela’s
RCHCC Centre
011 728 8088 / 8378
[email protected]
Writings & Speeches.’
WEDNESDAY
4 DECEMBER 19:30
OpinionNews
and Analysis
SA JEWISH R
REPORT
EPORT
What’s in a
picture?
It goes without saying that any country must protect itself
from enemies, that there are critical points that must be
guarded. For example, when the 9/11 attacks happened in
the United States, the security service immediately acted
to secure the head of state responsible for making critical
decisions - President George W Bush, in that case.
The “security cluster” in this country should be embarrassed, however, at how they have bungled the issue of
material about President Jacob Zuma’s private homestead
Nkandla getting out, using the notion of key points to
prevent it. How can a photo endanger the life of the president? In the US you can go on a tour of the White House,
or a virtual tour via Google.
When on Tuesday a hoax report surfaced that the security apparatus had issued a warrant of arrest against City
Press editor Ferial Haffajee, for publishing a photograph
of Nkandla, it is indicative of the situation in the country
that so many people were taken in. It felt awfully similar
to life under apartheid with its absurdities. There was a
sense of resignation. Later, Haffajee used Twitter to refute
the hoax.
What kind of reality is the security cluster living in?
South Africa wants to present an image to the world of a
liberal, democratic country, espousing First World values,
where the right to information and freedom of speech is
enshrined in its Constitution.
What does this aggressive, ham-handed police action
do to our image? Or to investors, who might be thinking
about putting their money here?
We also live in the age of the Internet and social media.
No matter how hard they try, they cannot suppress such
material. If they attempt to stifle it here, it will pop up in
Norway or anywhere else on the planet connected to the
Internet. They are floundering, probably from embarrassment about rampant spending - a figure of R208 million is
now touted - on a “private” homestead for one individual.
The more they paint themselves into a corner, the more
we look like a caricature. Once we become that on the
world stage, it is incredibly hard to restore our dignity.
Today at least we have the Constitution, which we didn’t
during apartheid - a good Constitution, with all legislation
subservient to it. And, thankfully, it seems that most of
our Concourt justices are nobody’s lackeys.
The awful irony is that this is déjà vu: we have heard it
all before during apartheid. The censoring of newspapers
and the understated threat: “You’d better toe the line”...
hoping the media will engage in self-censorship so as not
to get into trouble – and obviously not embarrass state
structures or politicians.
What is the condition of our media today? Will they capitulate? We think not. There were courageous newspapers
during apartheid, and there will be now. The hoax about
Haffajee’s arrest warrant came amidst the furore over the
controversial Protection of Information Bill, which has
put people on edge, and which will obviously put more
constraints on what papers are allowed to publish.
The Jewish Report does not operate in a vacuum. It is
part of the family of South African newspapers. We understand there is no such thing as unbridled freedom, and we
believe in responsible reporting, in our own community
niche and the broader society - to report in fairness and
balance, to be credible and accurate with our facts, and to
act as a fearless watchdog.
However, we are South Africans and must voice our concerns about what is happening in the country. We must
not capitulate on our hard-won freedoms. We can’t just sit
back and watch the train smash.
Where are the intelligent people with integrity in the inner power circles of government? What about old activists
who fought apartheid and know what kind of things can get
hidden when a government suppresses information? Surely
they can speak out? Public Protector Thuli Madonsela is an
inspiring example of what others should be doing.
What is happening is a sad day in South African politics,
whichever way you look at it. And it is affecting each and
every life in this country. It will take a long time to win
back the dignity we had under Nelson Mandela. We were
the darling of the world. Alas, no longer.
– Geoff Sifrin, Editor
01–-608
June 2012
29 November
December
2013
Benjamin Netanyahu’s next
(Iran) move?
Photo: Haim Zach/ Gpo/Flash90
Jewish Report
south african
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement, in his office in Jerusalem, last Sunday, regarding the agreement
reached in Geneva a few hours earlier between Iran and six world powers.
BEN SALES
TEL AVIV
With an interim agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme in
place, US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu each face formidable challenges ahead.
For Obama, the goal will be to move from the interim
agreement to a broader and more permanent deal within six
months, all while managing deep scepticism about the deal
from some US lawmakers who want to pass new sanctions legislation against Iran.
For his part, Netanyahu must convince Obama to hold out
for a final accord that corrects what the Israeli leader called
the “historic mistake” of the deal signed late last Saturday
night.
The two leaders talked by phone on Sunday, and Obama reportedly agreed to keep Netanyahu up to date on the progress
of negotiations. On Monday, Netanyahu said he was dispatching his national security adviser, Yossi Cohen, to Washington
to consult on the parameters of a permanent accord.
For nearly two decades, Netanyahu has been sounding the
alarm about the dangers of Iran’s nuclear programme, steadily raising the volume since he retook the bully pulpit of the
prime minister’s office in 2009.
He has brandished a cartoon bomb at the United Nations
podium for illustration, criticised allies, and said time and
again that Israel would “defend itself, by itself, against any
threat”.
Experts have credited the prime minister with helping persuade the world to enact an unprecedented sanctions regime
against Tehran. Netanyahu also has helped ensure that the
United States keeps Israeli interests in mind; when discussing
the Iran deal, US Secretary of State John Kerry almost always
mentions Israel’s security concerns.
Now that the US has gone against Israel’s wishes and signed
the deal, Netanyahu’s challenge is to keep up the pressure now more than ever.
“It is true that the international pressure which we applied
was partly successful and has led to a better result than what
was originally planned, but this is still a bad deal,” Netanyahu
told his parliament on Monday.
“It reduces the pressure on Iran without receiving anything
tangible in return, and the Iranians who laughed all the way to
the bank are themselves saying that this deal has saved them.”
A year ago, with negotiations stalled, Iran’s then-president,
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was questioning the Holocaust and
speaking openly of wiping Israel off the map. Now the world is
welcoming the conciliatory messages of his successor, Hasan
Rouhani, and celebrating the first diplomatic agreement with
Iran in a decade.
Analysts believe the agreement makes an Israeli strike on
Iran less likely in the short term because attacking Iran during ongoing negotiations would anger the US and could shatter the international alliance against Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“It’s not very likely that any government will carry out any
operation when there’s an agreement,” said Ephraim Kam, a
senior research fellow at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for
National Security Studies, reflecting a consensus among analysts.
“The Israeli government can decide to surprise everybody,
but logically it’s not the right time.”
Over the coming months, Netanyahu’s voice will be amplified by the pro-Israel lobby groups in Washington and voices
in Congress that also are sceptical about the interim deal with
Iran and the likelihood that it will lead to a final accord that
will dismantle Iran’s bomb-making capabilities.
They will also be keeping an eye on whether Iran honours
the interim deal. In 2003, Tehran continued uranium enrichment even during a supposed freeze. For years, North Korea
used negotiations and interim agreements as stalling tactics
while it built up its bomb-making capacities and became a nuclear power.
Netanyahu “needs to wait until the Iranians start cheating
again”, said Ephraim Inbar, director of the Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University. “They’ve done
it before.” (JTA)
Norwegian official: Jews, Muslims circumcise out of ignorance
World News in Brief
2
6
OSLO - The Norwegian government’s child welfare adviser says
Jews and Muslims would stop circumcising children if they
learned more about the risks and pain involved.
“With good information about risk, pain and lack of health
benefits of the intervention, I think parents from minorities would
voluntarily abstain from circumcising children,” Anne Lindboe,
Norway’s children’s ombudsman, told the Norwegian Aftenpost.
Lindboe, who last year advised Jews and Muslims to replace
circumcision with “a symbolic ritual”, told the paper that nonmedical circumcision of pre-teen boys should be outlawed and
those performing it should be punished similarly to people who
use violence against children.
“We introduced a law on violence against children even though
we had reason to believe that individuals would still be beaten
and mistreated,” she said, dismissing concerns raised in the
Norwegian media that a ban on ritual circumcision would mean
that parents would perform it illegally.
“If 15 years is set as the minimum age, we expect Norwegian
parents to follow and respect the law,” said Lindboe, a longtime
advocate of the criminalisation of ritual circumcision, which she
considers a form of abuse and infringement of children’s rights to
“physical integrity”. (JTA)
BRIDAL SUPPLEMENT
SA JEWISH REPORT - 29 November 2013
7
Jewish Report’s bridal
competition ends on a high
OWN CORRESPONDENT
Our entry list for our Jewish Bride Competition 2013, was stunning! At a function on
Monday evening, tribute was paid to these
gorgeous young women as well as the generous sponsors who provided enticing prizes.
The function, in the form of light refreshments and tea, took place at Jozi Blue in Glenhazel – one of the sponsors.
Breaking with past tradition, sponsors’
prizes were “hidden” in unmarked boxes. The
brides could pick a box, standing a chance to
win one of the prizes. The sponsors received
the opportunity to tell the audience briefly
about their companies.
The sponsors were Mi-Vami; Hottess; House
of Hair; Kitchenique; Seattle Coffee Co; KosherWorld; House of Judaica; Jozi Blue; Pretty
Woman; Savour; Lazers Jewellers; 54 on Bath;
and Spray Tanning.
Karen Knowles, Jewish Report’s general
manager – mover behind the competition –
welcomed the brides, their partners and the
sponsors.
“As usual our brides were beautiful and our
sponsors generous. Of course, the focus is on
our brides without whom – and the support
of their mothers and also mothers-in-law who
on more than one occasion made sure that
those beautiful pictures could be reproduced
in the Jewish Report – this event would not
have happened,” she said.
“And then, in the same vein I would like to
thank our amazing sponsors for giving us such
valuable prizes.
“The Jewish Report is the voice of the
broader South African Jewish community. It
provides a home for everyone, with everything
Jewish. We pride ourselves in the integrity of
our standards and that we have our finger on
the pulse of our readers.
“We cover the whole spectrum of Jewish
‘happenings’ – from reporting on the youth,
to sport, to in-depth analyses of what affects Jewish life, not only in South Africa, but
worldwide.
“We are in this regard also the link between
South African Jewry and our brethren and
sisters all over the Diaspora and, of course, in
our beloved Israel.”
Knowles told her audience that the Jewish
Report was impressed by “our vibrant South
African community” and that then paper
endeavoured to serve the community with
truthfulness, dignity, fairness and objectivity.
“We are definitely not sensation-mongers,
but will not shy away from putting the spotlight on the unpalatable, if it is in the interest
of our community.”
Turning to the brides – without whom there
would be no bridal competition - she reiterated how proud the paper was of them.
The different format of this year’s competition – with not a single “winner-takes-all”,
was much fairer, as every bride was in fact a
A big thank you to our sponsors
HOTTESS
Food warmer with dual elements
winner.
Besides standing a chance to win a super
prize, each bride also received a R50 KosherWorld voucher - thanks to Joel and Adele
Back and the KW team as well as a piece of
jewellery.
Photographer Lawrence Paiken, who has
also sponsored a prize, took photographs of
the event.
The main prize was sponsored by 54 on
Bath and all brides were eligible to win this
prize.
“When I look at our lovely young brides
gathered here, and also those who for logistical reasons may not be able to be here, an old
cliché become an absolute truism: You are all
winners. We wish you all a long and happy
union.
“Thank you all for gracing our paper with
your presence to make this occasion such a
memorable one. And thank you again to our
generous sponsors.”
8
BRIDAL SUPPLEMENT
SA JEWISH REPORT - 29 November 2013
Catering by
Jozi Blue
Shmuel Montrose
Sharni Sharabi and Tali
Jodi Tanner, Tali Berman & Justine Montrose
Ronald and Tahna Edelman
Nicole Cohen
Gina Woolf, Valyn Kolman and Lauren Nathan
Robyn & Jonathan Dayan
Darren Hailstones and Annie Hodes
Darren Hailstones and Karen Knowles
Gina Woolf, Valyn Kolman
and Talya Kier
Carol Lowenstein and Talya Kier
Robyn Dayan
Michelle Her
Tali Schay
Gina Woolf
BRIDAL SUPPLEMENT
SA JEWISH REPORT - 29 November 2013
9
Adi Lew and
Darren Hailstones
Gifts from
The Chocolate Tree
Perry Geffen
and Adele Back
Carol Lowenstein and
Tamsyn Sweidan
Leanne Silver and
Darren Hailstones
Shmuel Montrose
Tali Berman & Britt Landsman
Geoff Sifrin and
Mandi Kussel
Tracey Paiken
and Talya Kier
Debbie Gotlieb and Tali Gritzman
Felicity Marcus
Sharni Sharabi and Robyn Dayan
Jodi Tanner
Moishe and Yael Amoils with Tali Schay
Judith Raier and
Tamsin Sweidan
Adele Back, Lara Nathan and Carol Lowenstein
10
BRIDAL SUPPLEMENT
SA JEWISH REPORT - 29 November 2013
Justine Montrose, Moshe
and Yael Amoils
Tahna Edelman
Alexandra Hepker
Justine Montrose
Mandi Kussel
Tali Gritzman
Nicole Cohen
Valyn Kolman
Lauren Lacey
Zara Rudnick
Leanne Nathan
Elana Borkum
Tali Berman
Mandy Perez
Alan Finkelstein and Jodi Tanner
Shira Miller
Lara Nathan
Karen Knowles
and Geoff Sifrin
2014 registration now open
Courses start in February
Join Dr. Dean Lutrin and the Academy for a four-part exploration of
Bereishit’s moral vision for all Humanity: the Individual, the Family,
and the whole of Society.
For many of us, Bereishit (Genesis) is a
book of talking snakes, sudden floods
and babbling towers, ideas we relegate
to the realm of children’s stories. But
that is not its true legacy.
Bereishit
Bereishit presents a coherent and
comprehensive dialogue on how all
human beings should live as creative
individuals in society, building sustainable and productive communities.
4 sessions
How should we reconcile our perception of morality and Hashem’s? What is
the perfect balance between individual
rights and duties, on the one hand, and
social cohesion on the other? What is
moral leadership? These are just some
of the questions it poses.
A handbook for
humanity
Course begins
Wednesday 26 February
Night course: Killarney
Join Rabbi Ramon Widmonte and the Academy
and get the whole picture!
What would it be like to comprehend
the Chumash (the first five books of the
Torah) as a complete, organic entity?
Not a bit here and a bit there, but a
solid grasp of how it all fits together
along with a grounding in all the foundation concepts?
This pioneering course from the London School of Jewish Studies, under its
president, Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks, has
given thousands of people world-wide
a paradigm-shifting perspective in just
6 sessions.
The course examines the Chumash
from seven key perspectives while at
the same time giving over a methodology for analysing any part of the
Chumash, utilising classic methods of
analysis.
Torah in a
Nutshell
6 sessions
Course begins
Wednesday 5 February
Day course: Killarney
THE MOST DARING
BOOK EVER WRITTEN
Join the Academy faculty, cover the entire Tanach in 27 weeks
and gain insight into its central themes and messages.
For millennia the Tanach (Hebrew
Bible) has stirred debate, war, love,
cruelty and hope. Poets marvel at
its passionate and sensual images;
scholars are awed by the scope of its
tales; while ordinary men and women
find comfort and courage in its bare,
honest accounts of tragedy and
restoration.
Is it any wonder that it has been called
“The Book of Books?”
This course is a chance to explore the
Tanach and discover what meaning
it has for the modern world. Learn
the history, marvel at the imagery and
explore its guidance in our relationship
with Hashem, humanity and this world.
Tanach
27 sessions
Course begins
Tuesday 11 February
Night course: Melrose Arch
Thursday 13 February
Day course: Killarney
For bookings and more information:
Tel: 011 485 3624 Email: [email protected] Web: TheAcademy.org.za
In the case of financial need, please contact the Dean directly on [email protected]
In association with Mizrachi South Africa and the London School of Jewish Studies; President: Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Dean: Dr. Raphael Zarum
12
2
Letters
SA
SAJJEWISH
EWISHREPORT
REPORT
Disclaimer The letters page is intended to provide opportunity for a range of views on any given topic to be
expressed. Opinions articulated in the letters are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
editor, staff or directors of the Jewish Report.
01–-608
June 2012
29 November
December
2013
Guidelines for letters Letters up to 400 words get preference. Provide your full name, place of residence, and
daytime contact phone number. We do not publish letters under noms de plume. Letters should be e-mailed. Letters
may be edited or shortened.
The Editor, PO Box 84650, Greenside, 2034 email: [email protected]
Shabbos ProjECt’s spinoff must be seen in perspective
I refer to a letter by Ellen Ettinger in the Jewish Report of November 15,
saying the money spent on The Shabbos Project could be more meaningfully spent on organisations such as the Chevrah Kadisha.
I fully identify with her concern that the wonderful organisations that
attend to the tzedakah needs of our community must be supported as a
matter of great priority. On that basis she questions the monetary investment in the recent Shabbos Project campaign.
However, she should please consider the following insight: Jews give
tzedakah; education - and inspiration - make Jews.
In the US one demographic study after another in the past decades have
demonstrated that, as the American Jewish community assimilates, less
and less of their charity dollars have gone to anything remotely Jewish.
Where are the Facebook millions of Mark Zuckerberg going?
The funds of the Chevrah Kadisha et al, draw from the reservoir of
Jewish identity that is being “re-Jew-venated” by the world-acclaimed
initiatives of Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein. They make us feel profoundly
the unity of our Jewish family and ignite in us a desire to take care of our
brothers and sisters.
Jews give tzedakah - The Shabbos Project inspires Jews.
Rabbi Zeév Kraines
Principal, Shaarei Torah Primary School
Sellers of Dead Sea cosmetics must tone it down a bit
Mashabane on Israel, Orthodox rabbis on
Limmud...
Burnt churches don’t always make British
headline news
In the Jewish Report of November 8 we read “…according to media reports, Minister Mashabane (International
Relations Minister, nogal) stated on Friday that her
government’s policy was not to engage with Israel at
ministerial level until progress has been made in advancing the Israel-Palestinian peace process and addressing
Palestinian grievances”.
Ironically, South Africa has a working relationship with
North Korea, the “bastion” of democracy, human rights
and liberty. It must be noted that their society is equitable: everyone is impoverished. In the same issue, under
“Limmud and the Orthodox” Rabbi Cardozo describes
the unwillingness of (some) Orthodox rabbis to assist in
teaching non-Orthodox/Conservative/Reform/ nonaffiliated Jews, via Limmud.
So, we have the ANC washing their hands of the IsraelPalestine conflict and some Orthodox rabbis washing
their hands of bringing Torah to non-Orthodox Jews.
If we discount the non-Orthodox this would include 70
per cent of Israelis
Once again Canada has shown itself to be Israel’s best
friend in the world by refusing to reduce sanctions on
Iran following the circus in Geneva.
Barack Obama and his lackey, John Kerry, have shown
themselves to be weak, gullible and naive - the Neville
Chamberlains of the modern age.
America’s status as the world’s superpower has
crumbled. Israel must now do what suits Israel and not
America or the EU or any other country for that matter.
Jews around the world must unite behind Israel in its
struggle for survival in a hostile region.
In the last elections 70 per cent of American Jews
voted for Obama. Sickening.
I’m replying to the question posed to me by Dr Jack
Chernin from London, “Could Mr Selikow please tell us
which, where and when the churches were burnt down?”
(by Islamists in Britain).
While the torching of an Islamic centre in London in
response to the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby was a big
media story and caused a furious reaction by the British
rabbis, the British Board of Jewish Deputies, and the Community Security Trust, the following attacks on churches
over the same month did not make the news at all.
Church arson in Cumbria; arson attack at a Hampshire
church; a church in Surrey, England has been targeted
in a suspected arson attack; a blaze at a parish church in
Bonhill, West Dunbartonshire.
The non-reporting was because of a media blackout, but
occasionally it does make it into the media.
See the following: http://www.sundaypost.com/newsviews/uk/shock-rise-in-fire-attacks-on-churches-1.133566
and also see the following article on an incident that took
place just over a decade ago: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/
uk_news/england/1641817.stm
And anyway, they are raping British children and killing
British soldiers on the streets. Why would an example of
burning of churches be needed? People are sick and tired of
putting up with Islamic aggression.
There have been British girls raped and forced into
prostitution by Muslim gangs. The victims are in the
vast majority neither Muslim nor Jewish (although how
do we know it won’t spread to Jewish communities?) In
any event, where is the Community Security Trust and
the Shomrim that are so eager to protect mosques or
the rabbis who are so eager to pay solidarity visits to the
mosques?
To support Islamisation of a country against the wishes
of the native people, as has been done by the Community
Security Trust and Shomrim, the British Board of Jewish
Deputies and British rabbis, is a chillul hashem.
When have any of them condemned the rape and child
prostitution networks run by Muslim gangs in Britain? If
they have not then, why not?
Brian Levenstein
Israel
Gary Selikow
Johannesburg
John Brenner
Johannesburg
Last week The Star’s Verve page carried a humorous article listing 50
things that most irritate people. One of these was the Israeli Dead Sea cosmetic sellers, who have outlets at shopping malls and airports. This issue
was also raised on a radio talk-show and again the sellers were mentioned
(albeit very neutrally) by callers as being very annoying. I cannot disagree.
Of course, the purveyors of these cosmetics are free to market and price
them in any way they see fit and it is up to the consumer to buy them
or not. But, in the light of current (negative) sentiments towards Israeli
goods, which have been boycotted in many places around the world, even
here not too long ago, as well as the general concern about an undercurrent of anti-Semitism, I too, would be relieved if they would tone it down.
I must admit feeling uncomfortable when I was targeted by these
salespersons; they took persistence to an unprecedented level and a polite
refusal was rebuffed again and again as yet another “special offer” was
proffered. One virtually has to tell them to “buzz off” to get rid of them!
I actually felt a degree of “shander voor de goyim” by both their intrusive
sales talk, manner and the outrageous price of the goods. Of course, it
is a different matter if you are able and willing to indulge in extravagant
cosmetics. For the general non-Jewish public, however, this is not, in my
opinion, the true face of Israel, or PR I would like them to see and it gives
an unfortunate misconception of the standard of Jewish business.
Israel must do what is good for Israel
alone
Sonja Bulkin, Highlands North
‘Jewish Zulu’ coming to the Teatro stage
Tapestry
Johnny Clegg, popularly known as the Jewish Zulu, took his highly acclaimed show, A South African Story, to the Royal Albert Hall in
London, in March this year, where he debuted as a solo artist on this prestigious stage. This weekend sees this show coming home to
Teatro at Montecasino, November 29 - December 1. The show reflects Clegg’s life, lyrics and choreography, and is one of our culture’s
timeless gems, offering insight into the trajectory of South African history and discrimination. Featuring previously unseen visuals,
state-of-the-art lighting, it promises to be iconic.
KING DAVID JUNIOR SCHOOL
Situated in Linksfield, is an independent Jewish Day
School, from Grade 1 to Grade 3.
Part-time Jewish Studies teacher for
Foundation Phase
commencing January 2014.
The school seeks a dynamic, innovative and
experienced teacher for the Jewish Studies Department
with relevant requirements for this position.
The successful applicant will:
m Be passionate about Jewish Studies
m Enjoy working with children
m A team player, forward thinking and passionate
about working in a school environment
m Competent regarding information technology skills
m Be flexible
A Curriculum Vitae and contact information of two
referees should be emailed to [email protected]
Closing date for applications: December 6, 2013
The school reserves the right not to make an appointment.
Only shortlisted candidates will be interviewed.
avid 15x3 271113.indd 1
Philippa Graf Kotzen ‘on the world as I experience it’
Artist Philippa Graff Kotzen exhibits paintings at The Studio, in Highlands North on December 1. In a media statement, she describes
her work: “It is the unplanned, involuntary visual experience that I translate into compositions on canvas. I am intrigued by the wealth
of design, pattern and colour in nature and manmade artefacts, architecture and textiles. I respond with my emotional retort. It is the
composition stripped to the bare essentials that pleases me. The contemporary works makes manifest my preoccupation with mark
making and colour, conveying my response to the world as I experience it.” For further information: 083-225-5786.
2013/11/27 2:30 PM
29 November – 6 December 2013
Tapestry
SA JEWISH REPORT
13
Blood Brothers deservedly Property investment in Israel a win-win option
raises the musical bar
Photo: Jesse Kramer
Advertorial
Solly Zaslansky; Shlomo Grofman, chairman of the Faire Fund; and Oved Zangi, sales manager of
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This, Shlomo Grofman, chairman of the Faire
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Keeping secrets: Mrs Johnstone (Bianca le Grange) with a seven-year-old Edward Lyons (Dean Balie).
If you missed the phenomenal interview
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candy with a deeper subtext, it touches all
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Theatre: “Blood Brothers” adapted
php/podcasts/weekday-podcasts-6am-6pm/chaithe bases necessary in extraordinary theatre. Apartments.
and directed by David Kramer (Pieter
drive-podcast
Pantomime fans may recognise Bianca le
While limited stock is still available in the
Toerien Theatre, Montecasino Fourways,
Mr Grofman and his Faire Fund team wish all
Grange as a Cinderella a few years back. It
completed projects in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan and
until January 5).
Jewish Report readers, their friends and clients a
was at this panto that Kramer noticed her.
Ashdod, the launch of the 142 apartment project
Happy Chanukah.
“She’d been caught up as a pop recording art- in Bat Yam was announced. This he pointed out,
REVIEWED BY ROBYN SASSEN
ist, which represents very different challenges to a seven-show week. As Mrs Johnstone,
Deeming this production flawless is an understatement. This version of Blood Brothers she carries the show.”
Le Grange’s emotional muscularity will
has been in the head and heart of director
make you cry; she becomes the face of milDavid Kramer (pictured below) for nearly 30
years. The final product has all the fastidious- lions of women subject to their own indigence and fertility.
ness and love of something thought through
You’ll recognise Dean Balie (Edward) and
in every aspect.
Carlo Daniels (Sammy) if you saw Kramer’s
Calling himself a “survivor” with 35 years
Kat and the Kings, which graced local stages
in theatre, he told SAJR he saw Blood Brothfor 11 months last year. They debuted with
ers in London in 1987; a match was lit in his
Kat. In Blood Brothers, they shine with
head about the possibilities of adapting it
authority.
with a Cape Town context.
“With the twins, I needed actors who could
“I’d almost given up on it. Then, two years
play across the ages.”
ago, there was a rumour Pieter Toerien was
The play is structured into increments of
considering Blood Brothers; I pitched the
The present head, who has with love and care attended for
seven years; the performance of Balie and
idea to him.”
many years to those in our community who are in need, is
Ephraim Gordon, who plays Mickey contains
The original by Willy Russell of Educating
calling it a day.
developed sense of authenticity, making the
Rita and Shirley Valentine fame, written in
passage of time believable.
1981, was premised on the Liverpool slums
Elton Landrew wowed audiences last year
and loosely based on a tale by Alexandre DuWe therefore seek the services of an experienced social worker
mas, The Corsican Brothers. Kramer met Rus- in his gutturally sophisticated Boesman, in
to head DJSS and to act as Director of our residential home
Fugard’s Boesman and Lena. In Blood Brothsell in London in 2012. “He was concerned
of between 12 and 15 members of our community who have
about the work’s geography.” They met again, ers, Landrew is the narrator. Says Kramer:
“His is a special presence necessary in the
the following June, in Russell’s Soho apartspecial needs.
work.” He doesn’t exaggerate.
ment. “Being with him was like being with
This production raises the bar on largeone of the Beatles,” Kramer adds. “He has the
The successful applicant must have:
scale musicals. Not only is it impeccably polsame Liverpudlian dryness.”
ished in everything from set to performance,
The two worked extensively on the
• Relevant degree in social work with a minimum of 10 years
it delivers a truly human texture.
24-year-old script. Ultimately, Russell gave
experience
It’s a heartbreaker with a denouement
Kramer freedom to adapt the work.
• Registered with the SA Council for Social Work Professions
The riveting tale of twins separated at birth predicted in its overture, threaded through
• Provide social work services; assessments; counselling
as it is with adulation of Marilyn Monroe and
in a flurry of financial torsion and imposed
old wives’ tales. It’s the best we’ve seen in
rehousing, it’s filtered through with sinister
services; supportive services and crisis intervention
decades.
reflections to Faustian deals. Mixing eye
DURBAN JEWISH SOCIAL SERVICES
INCORPORATING JEWEL HOUSE
HEAD OF
SOCIAL SERVICES
• Experience in mental health needs would be an advantage
• Ability to prepare case presentations
• Ability to manage and motivate staff
• Good writing skills
• Computer literacy
Suitable applicants should apply, in writing, with a concise CV to the
Chairman of DJSS at P O Box 50833, Musgrave, 4062.
Interviews will be held in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town
DJSS 20x4.indd 1
2013/11/27 2:32 PM
the South African population.
interviewed on Radio SAfm, she was even
ountry and her Conservative Party 11
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama
ears, from 1979 to 1990.
in his Yom Hashoah message recalled his
This column is paid for by the SA Jewish Board of Depu
She called Begin, who served two terms
recommitment in Israel last month to
A column of the Chevrah Ka
n the 1980s, the “most difficult” man
combating anti-Semitism and intolerance.
01–-608
June 2012
2had SA
SAdeal
JJEWISH
EWISH
REPORT
REPORT
he14
to
with,
according to the
“Today, we honour the memories
29 November
December
2013
Community Columns
hronicle. She also strongly opposed
of the six million Jewish victims and
A column of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies
A column of the Chevrah Kadisha
srael’s bombing of Iraq’s Osirak nuclear
millions of others who perished in the
Everyone enjoys
a good
As You
it happened,
the most why
practical
eactor.
darkness ofOWN
the Shoah,”
Obama said on
Everyone’s
been boasting
may be wondering
I am and
boas
CORRESPONDENT
story, the
but 2012
they’re
not
affordable
option
was to
pay that’s
their bond
She believed that the Arab-Israel conflict Monday in a message timed for Holocaust
about matric
results
when
the dos
about
matric
The Johannesburg
Jewish
much fun
they’re
they
could continue
in their home
was at the centre of the Western world’s
Remembrance
Day.
results
andwhen
there’s
cerschools.
And it’s a living
good question.
But th
Genealogical
which
filled
with
pain
and
with
domestic
help.
We
also
facilitated
di
ifficulties in the Middle East, pressing
“As we reflect
on theSociety(JJGS)
beautiful lives
lost
tainly a lot to boast about
of who is responsible for ensuring that
died
a
quiet
death
some
years
ago,
ability
grants
whicheducation
helped toward
food a
sraeli leaders to make peace
with the
and
great potential
that
would
never
receive
a Jewish
has become
-suffering.
mazaltov to learners,
nity,their
the lessons
of Chanukah
have
a particular
Chanukah,
which
resurrected
Almost
daily
a new
clothing.
alestinians in order to cool
regional
fulfilled,has
webeen
also
pay
tributeastothe
allJewish
those
parents
and
schools!
ingly murky. Maybe we should talk abou
around
this
time.
commences
this week, beresonance
Genealogical Society South Africa.
heart-breaking
story
home
visitsfrom
were
routi
ensions.
whoOne
resisted
the
Nazis’
heinous
actsAfrican
and all
The cost ofand
private
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inaJewis
The 15
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students
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great
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South
represents among
It
was
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I returned
e JGSSA
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my
desk
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Israeli Prime Minister other
Benjamin
those
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hefour
said.
for
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and
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Jewrywho
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more
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of
its
things the
meeting
at
the
Department
of
Social
Development
last
week.
International Association of Jewish
ing
some
communal
enable
the children
toSupport
continue
in thei
Netanyahu mourned herresilience
passing of
inthe
a Jewish children
“On myattend
recent
trip toSocieties
Israel,
I(IAJGS),the
had
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The colleagues
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vided
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I attended
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some oftomy
key
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Genealogical
sadness
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sorrow.
schools.
tatement.
opportunity
to in
visit
Yad
Vashem,
Israel’s
agreement
with
these
schools
through
w
selling
services,
all
passed
benefits ofumbrella
this
fostering
an
enduring
Jewish
people in maintainbusiness
plans
we
had
submitted
for
subsidies
for
Selwyn
Segal,
body of over 80 societies
“She was truly a great ing
leader,
womanand
of national
Holocaust
memorial,
and
reaffirm
These
situations
are
But
life
evolves
and
with
the
passage
we
subsidise
families
in
need
of
help
bu
with
excellent
results
identity are
obvious,
it
does
also
mean
that
theirareligious
Kadimah,
Sandringham
Gardens,
Arcadia
and
Social
Services.
around the world. A call is going out
often
of time
it became
that
the
children
rinciple, of determination,
of conviction,
collective
responsibility
confront
when
theyfor
leave
school,
mostinofto
our
youth of
willthe
cultural
identity under our
This is with
a process
that occurs
several
times
- we
submit
to
a degree.
Theach
eclear
bulkyear
of the
subsidy
rest
-challenging,
several
multiple
all
interested
the
history
be
exposed
to
a
predominantly
non-Jewish
Jews
of
SA
and
the
story
of
their
own
the
most
difficult
business
plans
and
the
Department
responds
with
service
level
requiring
more
wisdom
required
closer
supervision.
f strength;
a
woman
of
greatness,”
anti-Semitism,
prejudice
and
intolerance
the
schools
themselves.
Th
at,
we
believe
distinctions.
Our
pledge
Above Board
infirst
Europe
environment
for the
time.and
ForSouth
them,Africa,
their
circumstances.
agreements
advising
us of what
they
will
subsidise,
how much they
than
wedentiality
humans
have,
The
oldest
had matriculated
and ou
Netanyahu said.
across
the families
world.”
should
be. son
of
confi
prevents
Mary Kluk
to
become
involved.
Partners
in
continued
identification
with
the
Jewish
comHistorically,
Jews
will
subsidise
and
what
we
must
achieve
to
merit
this.
and
there
are
seldom
student
support
services
financed
his
ter
“She
was
a
staunch
friend
of
Israel
He
concluded:
“On
this
Yom
Hashoah,
me
from
saying
more
than
Primary
responsibility
for
education
National Chairman
Thethe
JGSSA
munity
henceforth
ahosting
matter aofpublic
choice.
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Believe
me
when Ithis
say we tiary
jump
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hoops
acquire
that becam
simple
solutions.
nd the Jewish people. She
a
we
mustwill
accept
fullbeisresponsibility
twotoyounger
ones
daystudies.
schoolsThe
remains
the
obligation
of th
that
some
achieved
meeting
the HODand
Partners
in support
In wishing
our matriculants
allCentre,
success
I
to all kindsofofpolitical
challengesleaders.
that have
threatened
and
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continue
do
is school
demanded
of us.are
Michael
Sieff
eneration
I send
my
of remembrance,
asatnations
as 58
Respecting
thehorrifi
ofeducational
Arcadia’sthat
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isheverything
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schools
under
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most
c topart
Oaklands
Road,
Orchards,
on March
also
strongly
encourage
them
to
find
ways
to
to
separate
them
from
their
heritage.
At
worst,
But
it’s
getting
more
and
more
difficult
for
them
to
justify
Group
CEO
Chesed
privacy and (often
homework
andpressure
play is supervised.
most sincere condolences to her family and individuals - not simply to pledge ‘Never
themselves
under
and are hard
circumstances
and opthat we where
10 at 19:30.
At this
meeting affairs.
Lionel
remainbut
connected
to Jewish
communal
taken the form
outright
supporting
us.
In a been
sense,
our
problems
are tiny
by comparison
with
Michael
Sieff
o this
the has
government
and of
people
of religious
Great
again’,
to commit
ourselves
to the
posing)
perspectives
of
situation
is
being
carefully
monitored
and
and
sometimes
disinclined
to
maintain
are
thrilled
to
have
Slier
will give
a talk about
“Ththe
e SA
In
particular,
I
urge
new
students
to
join
persecution,
as
was
the
case
in
the
time
of
the
those
the
country
is
facing
is
a
whole.
Group
CEO
those
involved,
we
sumif
it
becomes
necessary,
they
will
move
in
ritain.”
understanding,
empathy
and
compassion
able to help.
subsidies, particularly for students who
RescueStudents
of Jewish
Orphans
frominthe
Union
of
Jewish
and
get
involved
Maccabees
and
at
various
other
times
subseBeing
less
than
0,5
per
cent
of
the
population,
and
having
certain
standards
and
mon
our resources
Vivian Wineman, president of the Board
that is the Horrors
foundation
of peaceEastern
and human
reward with good behaviour and good r
Ourallnumbers
could have Arcadia.
of War-torn
Europe expectations, they are increasingly
the diverse projects and activities it provides.
to that.
disinclined
the needs
of a faith-based
f quent
Deputies
of British Jews, told JTA that
dignity.”
to examine
from
every
angle.to
Sadly,
dad
has passed
away. West
been
bigger,the
butcomplexities
there were no
matric
students
atconsider
Unlike
welfare,
education
is notPark
the to
C
in 1921, taken to South Africa”.
The annual end-of-year youth camps will be
A more insidious form of pressure, which is
organisation with low numbers and high ideals.
hatcher “was always extremely supportive
In a separate
statement, Representative
Then welast
do year
our very best to help.
care
of all
and covered
thea
area
of arrangements
expertise. Education
becomes
Arcadia
[email protected]
commencing shortly. An essential aspect of orwhat primarily faces Diaspora Jewry today, is
Of course for us, our numbers are anything but small and our budget, at R200 million
nd admiring of the ethos of the British
Nancy Pelosi082-423-05560.
(Democrat California),
I want to share just one story with you.
burial costs.
ganising these events is ensuring that the camps per annum, is enormous. By Jewish standards our welfare offerings are adequate, not
that of quiet assimilation into the host culture.
ewish community. This close relationship
the minority leader in the US House
Once upon a time the parents of three
We have finally managed to persuade m
A column of WIZ
are properly secured. Here, the CSO continues to luxurious. But I understand that everything is relative.
This, too, had to be overcome by our ancestors
egan when her family took in a young
of Representatives, noted that the day
children were involved in a serious car accito join our protected employment program
do an outstanding job.
during the period of Greek overlordship, given
The bottom line is that it is becoming more evident, with every passing year, that our
ustrian
Jewish refugee from Nazism in
marked
thetoHebrew
calendar’s
anniversary
dent. The father was left a paraplegic and his which will bolster her self-esteem and prov
It is able
discharge
this vital task,
along
how very powerful and enticing was the domireliance on government subsidies is an illusion. As we watch our grants plummet, it is
henant
lateGreek
1930s.”
of
the
Warsaw
Ghetto
uprising.
wife we
suffered
severe
emotional
trauma and
her with a productive element to her day.
with many more of its core functions, in large
of the day.
clear
need to
adjust
our expectations.
“There
are people,
there
ideas.
“This
day isitsa volunteer
reminderbase.
of allThis
who
had
depression.
Neither
was ableAs
to planning,
work.
This
storythe
far
from
over,
it iswill
our
the
newly-elected
ofisWIZO
SA
I thebut
part
through
is another
Chanukah
differs from
theare
other
festivals
In the interests
of responsible
we have president
to
accept
reality
that
Chev
Occasionally
come
together
the
couragearea
to fight
whocan
refused
It’s our
policy to reliant
try to solicit
support
from
hopemy
that
we can and
provide
the children with
look
forward
to sharing
thoughts
aspiraimportant
whereback;
our youth
make a
in having anthose
overtlytwo
public
aspect
to the way
become
completely
upon
the
community.
family
members,
but in
thismillion
case,
many
o in
create
Lady
Thatcher
was of
anthe
tomeaningful
allow the contribution.
inhumanity of the Nazis to
emotional
and
support that w
tionsas
for
movement
in 2013.
Theducational
e and
leadership
whichvision.
its central
ritual,
the lighting
In 2010
we received
R15,2
ininour
subsidies,
assessment
rates
Lottery.
xceptional
leader, a Once
colleague
in the
them of Itheir
ownclass
humanity,”
she
others,
no-one
couldwas
assist.
in time,
to emerge confident
ofR8,6
WIZO
SA attended
the WIZO
(Meeting
In conclusion,
wish our
of 2013 evecandles, is observed.
lit, those
lights must deprive
In 2011
that figure
onlyMaintaining
million
and inenable
2012
itthem,
was MOR
R4
574
440.
nternational
arena
a friend
their
medical
aid was
a priority.
productive
ofenterprising
our
ofIRepresentatives)
in
Israelare
in January
and
werecommunity.
rything of the best in this exciting new phase
be displayed so
as toand
be visible
fromfor
theme
outside said.
While
the reality
is daunting,
also know that we
Jews
amembers
resilient,
ersonally,”
IsraeliAs
President
Peres
is alives,
reminder
of the
defiant
spirit
Thenand
a holistic
approach
was
applied,
storyteller
happy
proudly
acknowledged
forneed
our quick
response
toprefers
of“Ittheir
and look
forward
to their
future
the Jewish home.
such, theyShimon
represent
an
people
quite used
to being
self-reliant.
It seems Certainly
we
tothis
summon
those
resources
aid
in a statement.
served
asidentity.
an
ofinvolvement
the survivors,
whose
strength
and
involving our financial services,
the healthcare
Pillars of Defenceendings.
Emergency Appeal last year.
in the
Jewish
community.
unabashed
assertion“She
of one’s
Jewish
again.
nspiration
other
asthe
theform
firstof
perseverance still inspire us today. It is
professionals
socialholiday
workers
who
teamed
May
our partnership
In Southfor
Africa,
thisleaders,
also takes
I wish you alland
a restful
period.
Travel safely.
Th
e spontaneous
and
generous
donations continue
of our to thrive
•
Listen
to
Charisse
Zeifert
on
Jewish
Board
Talk,
celebrations
in
such
public
venues
as
shopping
May
our
partnership
continue
to
thrive.
emale prime minister of Great Britain she
a reminder of the righteous among the
up to assess the family’s living
arrangements
Feelprovide
free topsychological
contact me on feedback@
chaverot
to this fund will
101.9 ChaiFM
every Friday
12:00-13:00.
centres,
featuring
lighting
of afar
giant
roke
newoften
ground.
She the
showed
how
a
nations
who risked
their own
lives to
and determine how best to meet
their needs.
thechev.org.za
counselling
programmes,
dealing with post-trauChanukiah.
Talk to me on [email protected]
erson
can go with strength of character,
protect the lives of their neighbours.” (JTA)
matic stress for our
children,
staff
their
This
columnyouth,
is paid
forand
by the
Chevrah Kad
For many younger members of our commuThis column paid for by SA Jewish Board of Deputies
families in the day-care
WIZO
Thiscentres,
column isschools
paid forand
by the
Chevrah Kadisha
Johannesburg Jewish
Genealogical Society
is re-launched
May our young Jews remain
true to their heritage
Subsidising
Jewish
educatio
Once upon
a time...
Jumping through hoops…
with relatively precarious
rewards
Attending MOR is like c
youth clubs, affected by the bombing.
Youth
In addition,
in those areas where WIZO facilities
are at high risk, allocations are being made to se2013/04/10 4:
cure and upgrade the bomb shelters. The concern
WI
and support of our chaverot for Israel’s human
were kosher and those we are forbidden to
eat.
SUZANNE BELLING
South
needs, are greatly appreciated by World WIZO.
There was a giant model of Noah’s Ark in the
Tamar L
We thank you for caring and for making the
foyer of the school and each class did a project,
Recently children from Torah Academy Nursery
Presi
difference and as each facility is secured with the
with paintings and handcraft connected to rain,
School held a “Rainbow Day”, when they all
necessary structures, we will keep you informed.
umbrellas and the story of Noah.
dressed in the different colours comprising a
Each year the attendees
at the MOR are exposed to a
Highlight of the week was a visit to the Nursrainbow.
battery
of
facts
and
fi
gures
and
highly-rated
opinions
animals
from a petting
farmon- a
They learnt about various animals which Noah ery School by
subjects
of interest
as goats,
part ofchickens,
a globalducks
movement
to improve
pony,
and rabbits.
took on board the Ark and differentiated
which
the status of women in every sphere of their lives in Israel.
From the spiralling cost of living to honour killings; from
Rainbow Day for TA children
Photo: Suzanne Belling
NJWED01412.indd 14
NJWED01622.indd 16
Children from Torah Academy Nursery School receiving a practical lesson on the biblical story of
Noah when animals from a petting farm were brought to the school.
The partners and staff of Grant Thornton would like to wish all their
Jewish clients a Happy Hanukkah.
KDHSVP grade 12s pay visit to Soweto
DAVID GROSS
www.gt.co.za
© 2013 Grant Thornton South Africa. All rights reserved. Grant Thornton South Africa is a member firm of
Grant Thornton International Ltd (‘Grant Thornton International’).
Jewish Report_Hanukkah.indd 1
2013/11/15 3:09 PM
The King David High Victory Park Grade 12s
continued a school tradition and went on a tour of
Soweto for the day. For the history learners it was
a way of seeing “where it all happened” and for
the whole grade it was an opportunity to experience an environment so different, yet so much
a part of our lives. The whole experience was an
eye-opener and made a strong impression on us.
In addition to learning a tremendous amount, we
all walked away with a new appreciation of how Danielle Nagar and Alexis Landauer with kids from
the Kliptown Youth Project.
lucky we are.
Classifieds
29 November – 6 December 2013
What’s On
Today, Friday (November 29)
• Giant menorah lighting at Chabad’s
Goodness & Kindness Centre, 8 Stella
Street, Sandton at 18:00. Information:
(011) 440-6600.
To book your classified notice or advert contact: Tel (011) 274-1400, Fax 086-634-7935, email: [email protected]
IMPORTANT NOTICE - The Jewish Report runs adverts in the Classified section in good faith, however we cannot be responsible for
the quality of services offered and claims made.
NOTICES
LIFTS OFFERED
The winners in
the WIZO South
Africa “Progressive Jackpot”
2013 competition, were:
SMILE-LEE’S LIFTS
A reliable lift service.
Specialising in lifts to
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appointments, casinos
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B Franklin
R Gawron
M Goldstein
V Cohen
(WIZO PE)
M Stekel
F Kirsch
WIZO South
Africa would like
to thank the community for their
contribution to
the Jackpot.
SERVICES
MEMORIALS
Hawley Marble and
Granite Works Est. 1948
Monumental masons. We
are proud to have served
the Johannesburg Jewish
community for many
decades. Your support is
much appreciated. Collen
Hawley Tel: (011) 8289010 Chaim Silver
(011) 485-3005
LIFTS OFFERED
Brian K Lift
Service
Dec 2013 – Jan 2014
Airport shuttle
“special” R180.
Your return from OR
Tambo: R160
Call Brian
076 533 1440
Experienced, reliable
driver able to lift you
anywhere / anytime
24 hours. Courier work
undertaken.
Please call Paul
083-542-6480
Lift service
Doctors app, shopping,
OR Tambo, Pretoria.
Reasonable rates!
Ivan 082-962-5007
A TAXI SERVICE
Let Warren Pogorelsky
chauffeur you to your
destination in Johannesburg and back. Only R120
round trip for 20km. Tel:
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All you need to do is call
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AIRPORT SERVICE
JHB
8-seater.
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Contact Arnold,
082-447-0185
011-454-1193
Airport
Shuttle
Sam
(011) 728-5219
083-627-8516
To OR Tambo
from R160
To Lanseria
from R210
Reasonable rates to
all other areas
PROPERTY
TO RENT
Accommodation
Kosher holiday home
Sea Point
Modern 4 bed 4 bath
home available from Dec
18. Patio with views,
braai, double garage
air-con, WI-FI, computers,
ADSL, DStv. Dates neg,
Price R3 000 pd
Kashrut references
required.
Call 082-776-9688
When last were your
Mezuzahs checked?
A professional scribe with 30 years
experience (Rabbi Klein) will inspect
all Mezuzahs and Tefillin.
Supplier of new Scrolls and Tefillin
TO RENT
HOME SERVICES
COTTAGE(S) TO RENT
PERCELIA
Modern, 2 bedrooms, full
new kitchen, parking bay
R6 000 p/m excl.
electricity.
Bookkeeping,
tax and CCs
at reasonable rates.
Tel: (011) 616-6212.
1 bedroom bachelor
accommodation with new
kitchen. R3 000 p/m
excl. electricity.
Call Doron 083-411-3678
GLENHAZEL
One-bedroom
flat with 2 parking bays, close
to Yeshiva. Ideal
for single executive or young
couple. R5 250
monthly, plus
electricity and
security.
Available from
January 1 2014.
Contact Jay
082 929 6074.
ACCOMMODATION
BONDI,
SYDNEY
Modern, bright,
spacious 2-bedroomed apartment
(suitable for 2
people).
Close to transport,
shops, restaurants,
shuls.
With Internet and
all modern amenities, incl garage.
Available December 12 - January
16, 2014.
Rental: A$1 500 per
week.
Respond by e-mail
to cecilesmollan@
gmail.com
HOME SERVICES
• Chabad hosts a thanksgiving Shabbos
dinner - a traditional thanksgiving menu
with a Chanukah twist .Cost: R150 per
person. RSVP essential [email protected]
/[email protected] or phone (011)
440-6600.
ANYONE GOING
AWAY?
Need a house sitter?
Look after all animals
Doron on
073-800-3670
Appliance
Repairs on-site Fridges, stoves,
washing machines,
tumbledriers and
dishwashers.
(011) 334 1102
Free quotations!
Call Jason
082-473-6040
082-401-8239
SILVER
REPAIR &
REPLATING
Deceased
estate house
clearances
Entire households
cleared, professionally and confidentially. I’ll take
the burden off your
shoulders and pay
you for it. Please
contact
Ladislav Miklas
079-810-8837
For a trusted
and professional
service. Also clear
garages, cellars,
storage rooms and
storage facilities.
JUST MATRICULATED?
GET YOUR DRIVER’S LICENCE!
DRIVE WITH DAVE
Fully qualified driving instructor.
Centrally located • K53 instruction.
Patient, highly experienced.
Very high success rate.
Code 8 and Code 10.
Contact Dave Geffen on
082-3767-045 or (011) 887-0137
VEHICLES
WANTED
IF YOU WANT
TO BUY
OR SELL A
VEHICLE
Contact:
Solly
Kramer
082-922-3597
FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP
Lithuanian /
Polish / German
citizenship
• UZLC hosts Rabbi Shaun Wingrin on
“Honouring the Past. Embracing the
Future”. Venue: Our Parents Home. Time:
14:00. Contact: Gloria, (011) 485-4851 or
072-127-942.
Saturday evening (November 30)
• Chabad House invites you to a Chanukah
celebration at KosherWorld. Menorah
lighting at 20:40.
• Giant menorah lighting at Chabad’s
Goodness & Kindness Centre, 8 Stella
Street, Sandton at 19:00. Information:
(011) 440-6600.
Sunday (December 1)
• Big Band Music Appreciation Society’s
December meeting takes place at St
John’s College Auditorium, Houghton and
will feature Harry Fidler on “A Tribute
to Glenn Miller”. Time: 14:15 sharp.
Enquiries to Marilyn at 072-243-7436 or
Jack at 082-450-7622.
Many South African • Chabad House hosts an event of Jewish
unity and pride at the Rivonia Road
Jews are eligible for
entrance to Sandton City. A huge car
EU citizenship.If you
are interested, please parade will be followed by a children’s
programme at 17:30, including menorah
contact me.
making, an olive press, bands and a raffle.
I specialise in obtaining
Menorah lighting on the Giant Menorah
Lithuanian, Polish and will be at 18:30. Information: (011)
German citizenship.
440-6600.
I am able to obtain
the required docu• RCHCC screens “The Way We Were”, with
ments from archives in Cat Simoni doing Barbra Streisand. Venue:
Europe and from SA
Clive M Beck Auditorium. Time 07:30.
Cost: R120 (incl refreshments). Booking:
Home Affairs.
Rael Cynkin CA (SA)
[email protected]
083-346-4627
SEA POINT, CAPE TOWN
A rare gem – sea views!
3 – 4 bedroomed apartment with large patio. +- 180 sqm.
Housekeeper’s accommodation attached to unit. Lock-up
garage. A hop-and-skip to Marais Road Shul.
Hazel or René (011) 728-8088/8378, after
hours (011) 728-8378, E-mail: rchcc@
telkomsa.net or [email protected] or
www.greatpark.co.za
• Second Innings hosts its year-end
function, with the theme “Hearts’
Desire” and performers Tony Bentel on
piano, Gerrit Koorsen on ‘cello and Marli
Labuschagne on flute. Venue: The Gerald
Horwitz Lounge, Golden Acres. Time:
09:30 for 10:15. Cost: R60 for members,
R80 visitors. Contact: Grecia Gabriel,
(011) 532-9718.
Monday (December 2)
• The Yiddish Academy is holding its
annual end-of-year Chanukah party at
the RCHCC, Glenhove Road, Houghton.
Time: 19:15 for 19:30. Donation: R20.
Refreshments will include potato latkes,
sufganiyot and soft drinks. RSVP
yiddishacademy @gmail.com
We will remove and refit your Mezuzah
Phone Ivor on
(011) 615-8738 or 082-682-3438
NB: Mezuzahs and Tefillin must be
checked twice every seven years
• Beit Emanuel presents the “Tenth Franz
Auerbach Interfaith Memorial Lecture”.
Yasmin Sooka, executive director
Foundation for Human Rights, will deliver
a lecture on “The Role of Religion in Social
and Political Reconciliation”. Venue: Beit
Emanuel, 38 Oxford Road (Entrance 3rd
Ave), Parktown. Time: 20:00, after the
evening service/Kiddush. Information:
Ilana, (011) 646-6170/1/2.
Offers from R4 699 000.00 Call Esther on 082-447-1394
• Chabad of Norwood hosts a menorah
lighting at Norwood Mall at 18:30.
Information: (011) 440-6600.
SA JEWISH REPORT
15
• Giant menorah lighting at Chabad’s
Goodness & Kindness Centre, 8 Stella
Street, Sandton at 19:00. Information:
(011) 440-6600.
Tuesday (December 3)
• WIZO Aviv hosts motivational speaker Joel
Harris, on “Surrender to the Fact that Life
is not Fair” and Bev Milun, numerologist
and life coach, on “The 3 Most Important
Things to Teach your Children”. Time:
09:30. Cost R150 including tea. For
essential bookings and venue details: Cindy
082-894-3941 or Andrea 083-677-8999.
• UOS hosts an “Executive Fundraiser”
breakfast with a panel discussion, with
Trevor Manuel, Tony Leon and Chief Rabbi
Warren Goldstein, on ”A 20/20 Perspective
on Democracy: 1994 - 2034”. Interviewer
Stephen Grootes. Venue: Summer Place in
Hyde Park. Time: 07:30 - 08:45 (breakfast
served from 07:00). Cost: R750 per
delegate. Bookings: 010-214-2600, e-mail:
[email protected], online www.uos.co.za
• Chabad House invites all seniors to its
annual Chanukah Extravaganza; including
entertainment, olive oil press, violinist,
Kristel Birkholtz, Kids Choir, lunch, raffle,
arts & crafts, dreidel tournament and
more. Time:11:30 at Chabad House, Savoy.
RSVP essential. Call (011) 440-6600 or
e-mail [email protected]
• Chabad House hosts a Chanukah menorah
lighting at Killarney Mall at 18:30.
Information: (011) 440-6600.
• Giant menorah lighting at Chabad’s
Goodness & Kindness Centre, 8 Stella
Street, Sandton at 19:00. Information:
(011) 440-6600.
Wednesday (December 4)
• Discovery Vitality and Friends of the Chev
present “Helping You Run Better” - tips
and strategies from leading experts to help
you achieve your full potential. Venue:
Discovery Auditorium, 155 West Street,
Sandton. Time: 17:45 for 18:00. A panel
discussion facilitated by Benjy Porter,
featuring Bruce Fordyce, Dr Craig Nossel
and Candice Smith, follows. No charge, but
bookings are essential. Contact Tanya at
[email protected] or (011) 532-9628.
• WIZO Chanukah Party for Women at the
Pretoria Hebrew Congregation. Time:
19:00. Book the date for the eighth
lighting. Chanukah candle-lighting at
19:30. Deputy Israeli Ambassador Michael
Freeman will open the evening with an
interactive Israel update. Fun, laughter and
prizes. Each woman is requested to bring
a wrapped Chanukah gift up to the value
of R100.
• RCHCC and the SAJBD host political
commentator and author William Gumede
who will talk about the new edition of
“No Easy Walk to Freedom” by Nelson
Mandela. This collection of Mandela’s
writings and speeches was first published
in this format in 1965. Venue: Clive M
Beck Auditorium, RCHCC. Time: 19:30.
Admission free. Booking: Hazel or René
(011) 728-8088/8378, after hours 011
728-8378, e-mail: [email protected] or
[email protected] or www.greatpark.
co.za
• Chabad House hosts a party at
KosherWorld for the last night of
Chanukah. Menorah lighting at 18:30.
• Giant Menorah Lighting at Chabad’s
Goodness & Kindness Centre, 8 Stella
Street, Sandton at 19:00. Information
(011) 440-6600.
20
Sport
SA JEWISH REPORT
30 November – 7 December 20
Perfecting
the than
art confident
of howabout
not Yorker
to lose
Anton
more hopeful
Sport
29 November – 6 December 2013
SA JEWISH REPORT
16
game one needs to defend a lead. Howe
er, defence is seemingly quickly becomi
what South African sport is all about.
While the Boks held England at bay
in the north, managing to cling to a on
point win, the Proteas looked to be hea
ing for certain Test defeat Down Under
as they ended the fourth day under the
cosh at 77 for four wickets, chasing 430
to win.
The match looked all over, with a wi
for Australia certainty, but AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis and especially Faf d
Plessis, had other ideas. De Villiers kep
Du Plessis company for 68 overs and a
nobbled Kallis for another 40 overs in
the searing Adelaide heat, as Du Plessis
tenaciously defied the Australian bowli
attack for nearly eight hours.
Cricketer Faf du Plessis is supported by his team as he pulls off a stunning save of the second
Many people would have found the
Test match against Australia in Adelaide.
pushing and prodding mind-numbing t
he took advantage of a lucky bounce of
in the final minute was one of the most
watch, but it takes a special kind of pro
Anton
Marcus
wins
on
Yorker
at
Turffontein
in
April.
Can
he do itand
again
in the aptitude
Summer Cup
this ou
the ball to score the only try - and furinane I have ever seen. That was total
ficiency
mental
to stay
weekend?
thermore superb defence by the Boks.
capitulation, as if to say they were happy
there for seven hours and 46 minutes, i
I have said for the past few years that Both
to Kantor
lose byand
oneJooste
point.
34Anton
degrees
heatinand
high humid
and,mainly
of course,
Marcus
the saddle.
are involved in the
the Boks are unable to play 80 minutes of breeding
Onindustry
that subject,
was
thethinking
one person Marcus
ity, with
different
partners,
one of
is a five
dedicated
rider who
travels all
and partI of
their
attacking rugby. In the final 20 minutes when
absolutely
delighted
bybred
thatson
decision
couldtobarely
to Markus
defy a voraoverwhom
the country
ride forrun,
owner
buying this
beautifully
of Jet
of the game they were probably lucky to Master
as I had
England
minus
cious
and tenacious
attack
in particular.
He rodeAustralian
in Cape Town
last a
mustbacked
have been
to sendon
himato
stud at2,5 Jooste
save aPietermaritzburg
crucial match on
forSunday
his country.
have spent two of those minutes in the
andcareer.
that whacky decision sealed Saturday,
and then
thespread
end of his
was
monumental
effort,
England half. The remaining 18 minutes
me my win. there is no hope of having suc- came upThis
to the
Vaala to
ride on Tuesday.
Unfortunately
on debut
and already
writte
was played somewhere on the Boks’ 22m cess atThere
is with
no doubt
we have
I performed
have been around
horseracing
long enough
the sales
the progeny
of a some
horse who
into that
the you
folklore
of South
African
crick
line.
wonderful
players
our so
team,
but one to know
can never
write off
any horse,
could
not perform
on theintrack,
the decision
especially
in
a
race
of
this
nature.
Yorker
could
was
taken
to
geld
him.
There is little doubt that England,
is never certain down which garden path
history.
in hiswe
second
runlack
afterthe
a rest,
but
He
cameHeyneke
back in the
Charity
at Turfwhen it comes to attacking, are equally
coach
Meyer
is Mile
leading
them. well improve
So, while
might
attackin
some
people
believe
the
opposite
is
usually
fontein
at
the
beginning
of
the
month
and
word
Afriinept and they certainly had enough
But coming back to defence: All sports prowess of a Genghis Khan, Southtrue.
There
is a belief
the worldthe
of racing
that
a
was
out
that he
superb
work onIt is
can sport
hasinelevated
art of
defenc
chances. We kept conceding penalties in
are made
upwas
of producing
offence and
defence.
horse
often
goes
flat
in
his
second
race
after
a
the
track
at
home
and
was,
in
racing
parlance,
to another level. I suppose there is an
the dying moments but one has to say
vital to have a balanced share of both. It
but that theory
has not
been
running
fast
that
was “catching
advantage
in playing
not
to corrobolose...
that England’s decision to go for posts
is alsosoan
art
tohe
know
at whichflies”.
point of a layoff,
followers throughout the country and the moment it is announced that he is on a particular
horse, the odds shorten immediately. Currently
Yorker is quoted at 7-1 for the R2 million race to
ROCKING
ROCKINGTHE
THEBOAT
BOAT be run over 2000m at Turffontein.
Jack
Jack Milner
Milner
Yorker was not a cheap animal to buy. He
runs in the colours of Bernard Kantor who
is part of a syndicate with Markus Jooste of
Winston
in his
war broadcast,
I do notChurchill,
profess to
be first
an authority
on
when
talking
about
the
how
the
Russians
would
rugby. During my time at school I actually Steinhoff, and his wife, Ingrid, and cost R1,8
million as a yearling. He started off well enough,
behave
over aaparticular
incident
said: “It
is a
developed
hatred for
the game
because
winning three of his first five races, but all
riddle,
wrapped
in
a
mystery,
inside
an
enigma.”
it was continually jammed down our
those connected with him felt that for Yorker to
That
is
very
much
the
same
impression
jockey
throats.
improve, he needed to be gelded.
Anton
Marcus
has
of
his
Sansui
Summer
Cup
However, as I got older and became
That is not an easy decision when you have
runner,
Yorker
at
this
weekend’s
meeting.
more involved in the world of sport and
The former champion jockey has thousands of a horse that could be worth quite a bit at stud.
began to understand the nuts and bolts
of the game, I actually began to enjoy
it very much. Whatever I might think I
know, I will always bow in admiration to
the likes of commentator Dan Retief who
has a marvellous understanding of the
sport.
However, what I have learned during
my tears as a sports journalist is how to
analyse a game. As I said last week, I have
always tried to maintain my objectivity and not become a “fan with a pen”.
Last Saturday I only managed to see the
second half of the Springboks versus England Test but on Sunday morning I sat
through the replay. Knowing the result,
I could put the excitement of a close
encounter behind and dispassionately
interpret what I had watched.
After a little thought I came to the
following conclusion: In simple terms, all
that won us the game was an inspirational moment from Willem Alberts in which
What’s On
Sunday (December 2)
• RCHCC is rescreening the award-winning film, “The Debt”, directed by John
Madden and starring Helen Mirren,
Sam Worthington, Jessica Castain and
Tom Wilkinson. Venue: Clive M Beck
Auditorium. Time: 19:30. Donation:
R60. Booking: Hazel or René (011) 7288088/8378, after hours (011) 728-8378,
e-mail: [email protected] or rene.s@
telkomsa.net or www.greatpark.co.za
• JJMC, with musical director Evelyn
Green presents a musical tribute to the
Doornfontein Hebrew Congregation
(Lions Shul), “Memories of Yesteryear”,
as a fundraiser for the shul. The repertoire will encompass traditional Jewish songs. Secure parking. Time: 15:00.
Tickets available from Darla at R200.
083-794-6358 [email protected]
Monday (December 3)
• UJW is hosting Marcia Leveson, former
professor of English at Wits, on “Please
Sir, I Want Some More”, Charles Dickens and children in this his bicentenary
year. Time: 09:30. Contact: (011) 6481053, fax 086 273-3044. Donation:
R20. Join UJW for an informal tea after
the lecture.
Thursday (December 6)
• UJW CT adult education division hosts
Isaac Habib who will talk on “Jewish Life
in the Island of Rhodes – From Beginning to End”. Venue: Stonehaven. Time:
10:00 for 10:30. Entrance: R20 (incl
refreshments). Enquiries: (021) 4349555.
Friday (December 7)
As a result, he was backed into favouritism for
the Charity Mile, but after looking dangerous
400m from home, he had nothing to come and
finished fifth, beaten 4,50 lengths by Royal Zulu
Warrior.
“Please believe me, I know because I’ve ridden
him in work. He gets there in a race (as he did in
the Charity Mile), but just doesn’t finish it off.
I’m not saying he can’t win on Saturday, but I’m
more hopeful than confident,” said Anton.
“Then there’s the distance. I’m not convinced
he stays 10 furlongs (2000m), only the race will
tell.”
The distance is an issue. Yorker has won up to
1700m in weaker company, but in his only start
over 2000m he finished 10th behind a horse
called Vercingetorix. The winner is unbeaten in
four starts and is currently in Dubai where he
will take on some of the best in the world.
What Yorker does have in his favour, however, is a top trainer in Geoff Woodruff, who
has won this race twice before, with El Picha in
1999 and Eventuail, who was owned by the late
Laurie and Jean Jaffee, a very good No 2 draw
rated in either direction.
I am not a fan of Yorker in this race, but it is
very open. Woodruff has four runners and the
other three - Master Sabina, Tellina and Killua
Castle - could all have chances.
I have decided to row in with an outsider
named Royal Bencher. He was on offer at 66-1
at one stage but is now trading at 14-1. He dead
heated with Pomodoro in last year’s SA Derby at
this course. Pomodoro went on to win the Durban July while Royal Bencher suffered an injury
and was out of training for more than a year. He
has had three runs since returning to racing and
his last – in the Grade 2 Victory Moon Stakes –
was excellent.
Royal Bencher is trained by Alec Laird, son
of legendary trainer Syd Laird, who won the
Durban July seven times and looked after the
likes of Politician, Yatagan and the all-time great
Sea Cottage.
Alec won this race in 2006 with Malteme
while jockey Kevin Shea has won it twice - on
Ingleside in 2001, ironically for Bernard Kantor,
and again in 2003 on Wolf Whistle.
• The United Sisterhood has its yearend book sale at the Benmore Gardens
Shopping Centre. Unwanted books and
magazine donations are gladly accepted.
Contact: Tel (011) 646-2409; fax (011)
646-4654.
World News in Brief
POPE CALLS FOR END TO PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS, NEW ME PEACE EFFORTS
NOW AVAILABLE IN-STORE
ROME - At a gathering in Rome with Lebanon’s new cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI launched a new appeal
for peace in Syria and the Middle East, the Associated Press reported.
“The church encourages all efforts for peace in the world and in the Middle East, a peace that will
only be effective if it is based on authentic respect for other people,” Pope Benedict told the gathering,
which included several Lebanese pilgrims.
He also spoke out concerning the plight of Christians from their traditional homelands throughout the
Middle East, calling for them to be able to “live their faith freely”.
Christian communities have come under assault by Muslims amid the upheaval related to the
“Arab Spring”. Tens of thousands of Syrian Christians have fled from the civil war there, while Egypt’s
Coptic Christian community fears the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood and the ultra-extremist Salafi
groups to power.
Recently, several Coptic Christian teenage women were been assaulted by other women on Cairo
subways because their hair was uncovered. Many Coptic women are now afraid to ride the transit system
in fear of being assaulted or sexually harassed, according to Morning Star News. (JNS.org)
Wide range of Fairview Estate cheeses
Find us inside KosherWorld
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