here to view the full contents of the magazine

H T OFF THE PRESS
A TREAT FOR OUR VERY
SPECIAL STAFF...
What a wonderful and dedicated group
of people work at Beth Protea and
what a pleasure it was to treat them
all to a night out on the town. Good
food, good wine, good company – all
the perfect ingredients for a special
evening topped by great music and
karaoke which had everyone singing
and dancing...
BETH PROTEA “CATWALK”
MODELS ABOUND...
A NEW YEAR BEGINS...
September and October brought the
And once again ... Beth Protea’s
Chagim back to our doorsteps. Always
glamorous models alongside the
a time for celebration, retrospection,
professional beauties from Irene
singing and dancing. A time to give
Fashions, hit the red carpet runway
thanks and a time to share special
showing new winter fashions. Great fun moments with friends and loved ones.
was had by all.
And not to forget the countless excuses
to indulge in gastronomical treats nonstop over this period.
BETH PROTEA VISITS
SARONA...
BETH PROTEA TURNS 22...
Where have the years gone to!!! Beth Protea has just celebrated it’s 22nd birthday.
And what a celebration it was. Using the number 2, it was decided to celebrate
“twice”. The first was a unique “Shuffle” concert with visiting musicians from
the USA. A treat of royal proportions. And this wasn’t all... A few days later,
celebration number 2 – our very own “Dancing with the Stars”. A demonstration
of Ballroom dancing performed by the polished dancers – Ariel & Tal who
literally “wowed” the audience with their incredible talent and stunningly
beautiful costumes. Happy 22nd Birthday Beth Protea.
Bright blue skies and beautiful
autumn weather set the tone for a
delightful residents’ morning trip
to visit Sarona in Tel Aviv. What an
incredible morning it was!! This is an
extremely interesting area with a rich
history which was shared with us by
our innovative guide. Coffee and cake
ended the visit, basking in the warm
autumn sunshine and a full busload
of residents returned home happy and
sated.
“LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!” – BETH PROTEA WEBSITE VIDEO CLIP...
Camera men, video crew, producer and make-up artist created a “Hollywood” atmosphere at Beth Protea
recently while shooting a new video clip for our website. Take a few moments to enjoy a glimpse into life in our
very special home – scan the code on the left or visit http://www.bethprotea.org.il/media/video/
BETH PROTEA – The Pride of Israel’s Southern African Community
5 Asher Barash Street, Herzlia, Tel: 09-9595222, Fax: 09-9595300
Email: [email protected]
Website : www.bethprotea.org.il
3
ve
o
M
e
o n t h Telfed
Editorial
19 Schwartz Street, Ra‘anana 43212
Focus on Telfed
10
Tel.:(09)790-7800; Fax: (09)744-6112
14
16
In The Mail
Keren Telfed
Cover Story
Heritage
29
32
41
Nuptials
23
18
22
26
39
7
Book Nook
People
In Memoriam
Classifieds
Classifieds
Cover photos: Southern African students at Israeli colleges and universities.
A Young Country with Young Ideas for Young People
V
Gadi Cohen, “doors open.” Illustrating
the high standard of his alma mater,
Gadi cites “that what my buddies were
studying in third year in Computer
Science back in SA, we sailed through
here in first year.” Commensurate with
the Israeli mantra of “Work hard, play
hard,” another IDC graduate, Josh
Scher from Cape Town, says, “Let’s
not forget the unbelievable student
life here. You have this amazing opportunity to interact with fellow students from all over the world. Between
my new friends here, we speak about
a dozen languages; do you realize the
network potential this has for
the future?”
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use
“Clearly, this
to change the world” – Nelson Mandela
is where I want
to be,” says 1st
Please Join Us
to salute the young people who will be changing our world for the better!
year Bar Ilan
University stuThe public is cordially invited to attend the prestigious
d e n t Ta l i a
2015 Telfed Bursary Awards Ceremony
Raichlin who
to be held on Sunday 4 January 2015
( ‫י"ד טבת תשע"ה‬-‫ ) אור ל‬at 19.00
relocated in
mid-term from
Over 400 deserving students, consisting of former Southern Africans,
veteran Israelis and Olim from other countries, have been invited to gather
Johannesburg.
at the Zionist Organisation of America (ZOA) Building in the stately
Her message is
Meyerhoff Auditorium on 26 Ibn Gabriol St, Tel Aviv
(1 km from the HaShalom train station)
“Come to Israel.
y
ASstaffWando rlaythleaders,
It’s way more
The evening will be attended by state officials,
Telfed
PR
volunteers and senior representatives of the Meitav – Dash Investment
advanced with
House, who are the proud sponsors of the auspicious event.
so many more
Light refreshments will be served at the reception during which the
opportunities.”
students will be able to interact with the public and attending dignitaries.
Telfed today is
The evening's entertainment will be provided by a number of very talented
in the vanguard
students from amongst the bursary recipients: this is an exciting event –
not to be missed!
in promoting
Please RSVP to [email protected]
study options
Limited places
for students .
isited over the millennia by conquering invaders, Israel today
conquers the hearts and minds of its
invading visitors. Times have changed.
Tourism is up; Christians are flocking to the Holy Land in their multitudes, Aliyah figures are constant but
the most exciting phenomenon of all
is the steady increase in overseas school
leavers opting to study at Israel’s universities and colleges.
“It’s known that when you have a degree from Israel,” says former South
African and IDC Herzliya graduate
14
Noticeboard
Sport Shots
30
[email protected]; www.telfed.org.il
www.facebook.com/telfed
New Arrivals
12
Contents
40
“For the Young Ones”
South African Zionist Federation (Israel)
4
38
Editorial
Editor and Chief Correspondent: David E. Kaplan
Design and Layout: Becky Rowe
Media Committee: Dave Bloom (Chair), Sharon Bernstein, Gershon Gan,
Neil Schwartz, Maurice Ostroff, Linda Barron, Jodi Reichenberg,
Barbara Meltz-Kahn, Dorron Kline, Rolene Marks, David Kaplan, Becky Rowe
Proofreading: Sharon Bernstein, Marvyn Hatchuel, Linda Barron,
Rae Galloon, Mark Reichenberg, Leon Moss, David Levin, Neil Schwartz, Berry
Hammar.
Advertising: David Kaplan (09)7672404, (050)7432361; [email protected]
Magazine Production: Debbie Friedman (09 7907819) [email protected]
Subscriptions: Debbie Friedman (09 7907819) [email protected]
Accounts: Dafna Rosenfeld (09)790-7808; [email protected]
Views and comments expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the South
African Zionist Federation (Israel) or of the Editorial Board. SAZF (Israel) is not responsible
for articles and advertisements which appear herein.
To this end it not
only speaks about it
but puts its money
where its mouth is
by offering scholarships. “Over 400 students received Telfed scholarships for
2014,” says Telfed CEO Dorron Kline.
Of these, some 120 are Telfed PRAS
students, who receive an increased
scholarship for providing community service in Israel. “The philosophy
with PRAS is to mesh the two concepts - study and giving back to society,” says Dana Levy Tavor, Head of
Telfed’s PRAS programme.
In our Cover Story, we explore the
unsettling situation of campus life in
South Africa and the attractive alternative of studying in Israel.
The term “Academic Garin” borrowed from the antiquated Kibbutz
Garin concept is being promoted by
Telfed where the idea will be for students to come and study at Israeli
universities in groups. The concept is
being discussed with universities, students, the Jewish Agency, the leadership in South Africa and hopefully in
the years ahead, TAU, HU, IDC, Bar
Ilan, Haifa University and BGU will
have credible rugby and women’s netball teams made up of South Africans.
Should these graduates return to SA
or move elsewhere, they will be ambassadors for Israel, strengthening Jewish
continuity and local communal leadership. On the other hand, they may
meet partners here in Israel and stay.
This is what I call ‘hormonal’ Zionism!
Very effective.
David E. Kaplan. Editor
3
Focus on Telfed
C h a i r m a n’s
Stu d e n ts
Looking back at 2014, Telfed can
take pride at its achievements covering a
wide range of services, activities and projects. In this issue of Telfed Focus, you can
enjoy our ‘Year in Review’, which pictorially
records the highlights of a busy year – encapsulating our energetic multi-year program - ‘Telfed on the Move’.
Hands Up!: PRAS
students celebrating at Telfed’s 2013
PRAS ceremony.
A milestone in the history of Telfed occurred with the retirement of Director Sid Shapiro who in his 42 years of service
enriched the organisation, contributing much to its many successes. A smooth transition followed with the ‘Young Blood’
appointments of the talented Dorron Kline as CEO and Nava
Lapid as COO who already have made their mark in mapping
a fresh vision for Telfed’s future.
Su pp o r t
!
r
a
e
y
a
t
a
h
W
,
h
O
A year in Focus -
Snapsh ots of Telfed 2014
“E
Telfed
2014
ventful is the only way to describe 2014,” says Telfed’s CEO Dorron Kline who took over the reins from Sidney Shapiro
in April. Telfed, which has been accelerating at a frenetic speed in keeping with its ‘Telfed on the Move’ (ToM) programme, shifted gears to a higher notch as Dorron launched ToM2 at the AGM earlier in the year. The year has been a rollercoaster from one month to the next as events and activities unfolded. There
has been the awarding of Telfed scholarships and
the expansion of the PRAS programme. Members of Retired and Relaxed. A
the SA community have been recognized by Telfed function was held to celebrate
Sidney’s 42 years of service to
for their contributions to society, and aspiring to
Telfed, 30 as Director - follownew heights. Telfed’s property management coming his retirement in May 2014.
pany, ISRENTCO, recently unveilled
eight new du6
plexes in the apartment complex in Ra’anana. Sadly,
the year has also been one of war, during which
Israel lost 66 soldiers and six civilians in Operation
Staff
Protective Edge. Here too, Telfed mobilised support
in the war effort, and assisted community members
The New Team. In May, following Sidney
in need.
Shapiro’s retirement, Dorron Kline took
Let your fingers do the walking as you stroll through
over as CEO with Nava Lapid appointed as
COO (Chief Operating Officer).
the year that was Telfed 2014.
4
Rep o r t
Honourable Menschen: In June, Telfed hosted a reception honouring Philip Krawitz (Chairman of the Board
of Trustees of the United Jewish Campaign) and welcoming Alison Berk
Katzeff, the
newly appointed Chairperson
of the Cape
Town United Jewish
Campaign, on her
first visit to Telfed.
Seen here at the inaugural presentation at Telfed of the
‘Philip and Michele
Krawitz Annual
All Smiles: Alison Berk Katzeff
Bursary’ are (l-r) bursary
recipient Rafi Nathan, Telfed Vice-Chair, Batya Shmukler
(2nd left) Philip and Michele Krawitz.
Lea d e rs h ip
The evening also celebrated the official unveiling of the
plaque dedicating the “Eliot and Myra Osrin Administration
Centre”. (below: l-r) Myra & Eliot Osrin.
We are proud of the addition of eight new duplex-apartments
and the complete refurbishment of our Schwartz Street complex.
We hope soon to welcome the first olim into these apartments. The Southern
African Community in Israel can be immensely proud that Telfed is the only
Olim organization providing subsidised rental housing for its olim and continues to explore how best to meet the housing needs of its growing community.
We are equally proud of our superlative PRAS program which matches
students who receive special Telfed scholarships with olim in special
need - from providing companionship to seniors to assisting school kids
with their homework. Managed by Telfed staffer Dana Levy-Tavor, 150
students are providing three hours a week each of community service.
Telfed is indebted to the generosity of several Southern African family
foundations and trust funds that enables it to provide this highly-acclaimed service.
I would like to take this opportunity as we end 2014 of personally thanking the other members of staff: Susan Sharon for her dedication in providing Klitah Services and overseeing the scholarships; social worker
Louise Geva who provides highly professional counselling; veteran employment counsellor and office administrator Sharon Bernstein for her
steadfast work often beyond the call of duty; our quietly efficient and unswerving bookkeeper Helayne Shedletzky, Nikki Leviner who introduced a breath
of fresh air and positive energy into our Resource Development department;
Gerald Wolman for his solid contribution to keeping our books in order; Dafna
Rosenfeld who has raised the level of professionalism in our finance department and Netta Steiner who is inspiring in heading our volunteers division. A
special thanks again to Sid Shapiro, who has made enormous strides in achieving Telfed’s fund-raising targets.
We welcome new staff member Debbie Friedman to the Resource
Development department and we bid farewell to the veteran manager
of Isrentco (Telfed’s housing company) Pinchas Melchior who is retiring. Telfed salutes Pinchas for his outstanding managerial skills, sometimes in difficult circumstances which needed his cool Scandinavian
head. We wish him a long, happy and fulfilling retirement.
Su pp o r t
Thanks of course to all our dedicated volunteers who without them,
Telfed would never manage to achieve a fraction of its activities. There
are far too many to mention by name but Telfed is proud of the work
they do in the service of their community and the State of Israel.
We look forward to an exciting 2015 as Telfed ‘On the Move’ accelerates into the future.
Dave Bloom, Chairman
continued on page 7
5
Focus on Telfed
2014
Movie Magic. Following the screening of the documentary on Rav Azriel Goldfein
(z”l), a panel discussion was held, moderated by Telfed CEO, Dorron Kline seen here
(left) followed by the panelists Ilan Chasen, the film’s producer & director David
Sassoon and Rabbi David Simon. Rav Azriel Goldfein is a graduate of the famed
Telshe Yeshiva who in 1978 opened the Yeshiva Gedolah of Johannesburg, becoming
the first advanced Torah learning institution of its kind in South Africa,
He r i tag e
(l-r) David Kaplan,
SA Ambassador Sisa
Ngombane, Dave
Bloom, Harris Green
and Dorron Kline.
Contact IAN
cerns in the relationship
between South Africa and
Israel over recent statements against Israel by
high-ranking members of the South African ANC leadership, a Telfed delegation met with
South African Ambassador Sisa Ngombane at the Embassy in Ramat Gan. Following statements by Jesse Duarte, the Deputy Secretary-General of the ANC calling Israelis “Nazis”
and Gaza a “death camp”, Telfed felt that a border had been ominously crossed when ANC
Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe co-signed a statement on behalf of the Alliance
Secretariat that accused Israel of being “founded on Apartheid” and the establishment of the
State “a crime against humanity”.
Madiba Magic: Organised by Telfed, Forum Tzora, Wits Alumni and the SA Embassy, members of the
SA community braved rockets raining over Tel Aviv, to mark the anniversary of the passing of Madiba with
a panel discussion held in Jaffa. Seen here are celebrated journalist and anti-apartheid campaigner, Benjamin Pogrund,
Liliesleaf Farm chief executive Nicolas Wolpe, SA Ambassador
Sisa Ngombane, Tova Hertzl, the former Israeli Ambassador
to SA and the evening’s MC, Telfed Chairman Dave Bloom,
Tamara Zesmer, an art student from Nahariya who received a
special award for a poster she drew about Mandela and Wits
Alumni Chairman in Israel, Les Glassman.
ed
Sp ec ia l Br e
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Defending Israel. Following an address
by strong Israel advocate Irwin Cotler to a
packed hall of Southern Africans in Ra’anana,
Telfed Chairman Dave Bloom (right) presented the Canadian MP with the Telfed publication
‘Seventy Years of Southern African Aliyah’
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2014 kicks off with a Telfed-IDC Herzliya Breakfast. Southern
African students enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast over serious discussion as
how to spread the word of study options in Israel. There was much ‘food
for thought’ and as one satiated student reflected before going to class,
‘we should do this every week’!
Ho m ef r o n t
Stu d e n ts
Strong
Message.
With Tel Aviv
under rocket
attack, Telfed
organized a solidarity gathering at Amishav
(l-r). PRAS students Eitan Cohen, & Yoav Yshaya, Dorron
Kline, Nina Rappaport and Ido Gordon.
Men of Destiny:
Having reached
the pinnacles in
their professional fields and made
monumental contributions “to
the security, advancement and enrichment of the State of Israel”, (l) Smoky Simon
and (r) Morris Kahn received Telfed’s most prestigious Lifetime
Achievement Award at a special Gala Dinner held in Tel Aviv.
Adults from
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Telfed felt that these anti-Israel statements accompanied by calls for boycotts and sanctions against Israel by high-ranking government and/or governing party persons, was fueling an environment of hate against both Israel and the Jewish community in South Africa.The meeting was open and frank. The Telfed delegation expressed that if South Africa was genuine
about wanting to play a meaningful and credible ‘conflict resolution’ role between Israel and the Palestinians as it has offered, it
should be guarded against provocative and untruthful language that calls Israel’s birth “a crime against humanity”. The Telfed delegation appealed, as
the representative of the South African community in Israel, to convey the serious concerns discussed to the leadership in South Africa and welcomed
further discussions in the future.
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JOHANNESBURG
Telfed Meets with SA Ambassador to Israel: Following serious con-
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Ho m ef r o n t
Bringing Joy: Telfed staff preparing boxes
with sweets and toys for children under fire in
the South during the war this past summer.
7
Focus on Telfed
2014
Su pp o r t
Mega’nificent . Following
Operation Protective Edge, Mega
Supermarket and Telfed expanded their joint project of assisting
‘Lone Soldiers’. During the 50-day
war, over 1000 ‘Lone Soldiers’
served in and around Gaza. Seen
here at a special gathering at the
launch of the Rosh Ha’Shanah
project in cooperation withy Telfed,
Mega presented the representatives from Telfed, Michael Levin
Lone Soldier Centre, Ha’Bayit
Shel Benjy, Bayit Cham and Beit
Kobi with gift vouchers for each
of the lone soldiers that they care for,
totaling NIS 200,000. Telfed CEO Dorron Kline is seen here (4th from the left) in the offices of Moti Keren, (3rd from left) the Director of the
Mega in Rosh Ha’Ayin and Yael Loewenthal Lev-Ran, Head of Mega’s Societal Responsibility Department.
Cross-Cultural Exchange: The German Federal Agency for Civic Education, established by the German government in 1952 to educate the
German people about democracy to counter any lingering inclinations towards fascism, met recently with Telfed staff, its lay leadership, volunteers and new Olim. The Federal Agency was excited to meet with
Telfed because “Your organisation is known to be the premier immigrant organisation in Israel from which we can learn more about
Western immigration to Israel in general, and Southern African Aliyah
in particular.”
Ed u ca tio n
“We received excellent feedback from the participants, noting it as
the highlight of their programme in Israel,” expressed Anita Haviv,
Director Israel Encounter Programs.
Meeting of the Minds: Standing with the German delegation in the
gardens of Telfed’s Amishav complex in Tel Aviv are veteran Southern
African Olim. Rozanne Laufert, Lew Slom, Telfed Chairman Dave
Bloom (first three on the left) and new Olah Dianne Sher and former
Telfed Chairman, Itz Kalmanowitz (far right).
Enriching Association: Telfed welcomed from the UK Michael Lewis
(centre), representing the Stanley and
Zea Lewis Family Foundation, where
he met with members of Telfed’s
Directorate and staff. Seen here from
(l-r) Sidney Shapiro, Batya Shmukler,
Dorron Kline and Mel Cohen. Many
of Telfed’s activities and those of the
Foundation were reviewed as part of
the long standing association between
Telfed and the Foundation.
8
Su pp o r t
A Night with Morris
E xp e r tis e
Entrepreneur
Morris Kahn
inspiring aspiring young
entrepreneurs
from South
Africa.
Enriching Entrepreneurs
How better to learn about the ‘real’ in IsREAL,
than visiting the country and being exposed
to the truth rather than the orchestrated
bias of the overseas agenda-driven media.
Last September, the SAIF (the South AfricanIsrael Forum) based in Johannesburg and
founded by Mendel Kaplan (z’l) “to enhance
relations between the two countries through
better understanding”, organized a visit of 20
young South African entrepreneurs to Israel.
This followed a visit earlier in the year of young
people in the South African media industry
to Israel with the aim of introducing these
budding young businessmen and women
to what makes “The Start-Up Nation” one of
the most exciting and innovative markets in
the world. Telfed arranged for the Southern
African community’s quintessential entrepreneur, Morris Kahn, and a 2014 recipient of
the Telfed Lifetime Achievement Award to
address the group. Morris, who was born in
Benoni and made Aliyah in 1956, brought
the Yellow Pages to Israel and is the founder
of the largest telephone billing company in
the world – Amdocs.
Morris addressed the budding entrepreneurs - a mainly black South African audience - with the observation that “tonight’s
gathering in my day in South Africa was
illegal. I could not see my future in such a
country and left.”
Mighty
Morris:
financial success, Morris surprised his audience revealing that what has made him
most proud “are the social projects that I initiated, for example, therapeutic horse riding
for disabled children and cataract operations in Africa to restore sight to the blind.
One’s greatest achievements are always the
good deeds that
one can do for
others.”
With these inspiring words,
Morris bade farewell to the aspiring business
leaders of tomorrow whom
he charged to
bring about
positive social
change in their
country.
Intel hosts young entrepreneurs:
Delegation of young South African entrepreneurs visit Intel in Kiryat Gat where they met
with Intel Israel CEO, former South African
Maxine Fassberg, seen below in second
row , 2nd from right.
E xp e r tis e
continued on next page
The young audience was regaled with
stories of Morris’ entrepreneurial journey
from selling lead-crystal radio sets while
still in high school, opening bicycle stores
in South Africa and Israel, breeding a new
strain of chickens in Israel, building the
world’s first underwater aquarium in Eilat,
bringing the Yellow Pages to the Holy Land
and the founding of Amdocs.
“Don’t give up and don’t be afraid to fail,”
advised Morris. “Be outrageous, but always
remain ethical. You need to be able to look
at yourself in the mirror each day and say to
yourself that what you are doing is right!”
During the Q&A session, Morris was asked
what he considered to be his greatest
achievement. Probably all expecting a
response about his monumental global
9
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Focus on Telfed
Stu d e n ts
2014
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Family Values: Telfed Chairman Dave
Ladies’ Man:
Telfed CEO
Dorron Kline
addressing
female students
at the Yehud
Girl’s Seminary
in Jerusalem on
ideology driven
Aliyah.
Beck and Call: Telfed welcomes representatives of the newly
Devorah
Friedman
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Cape Town
Eskapa,Roy
Kaplan ,Saul, Michal, Ariel, Noa
and Shira
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Su pp o r t
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Johannesburg
Armitage,Nicole
Bailey,Marc
Dayan ,Jothan and Robyn
Epstein,Alon
Friedman,Devorah
Hoffman,Mark
Jacobson ,Gerald and Jeanette
Kaplan,Tamar
Lior Levy
Levy,Lior
Meyerowitz,Anthony
Rosen,Golda
Sananes,Nadav
Sher,Dianne
Shevel,Lee-at
Thanks to the RE/MAX Real Estate School,
established Graham and Rhona Beck Foundation (Israel) RA
who met in order to learn of Telfed’s services and activities for the
Southern African community in Israel.
Seen here (l-r) Sidney Shapiro Telfed’s Director of Resource
Development, Telfed Vice Chair Batya Shmukler, Trustee Eddy
Oblowitz and Rivka Myburgh of Stonehage Financial Services
and Mike Solomon, one of the Foundation’s Israeli Trustees. All
expressed the hope of the Foundation exploring ways of partnering with Telfed in projects for the betterment of Israeli society and
the Southern African community in Israel.
Bloom, accompanied by former Director
www.remax.co.il
Sid Shapiro, COO Nava Lapid and Treasurer
Harris Green, met earlier this year with
Chairperson of the Mauerberger Foundation Fund, Dianna Yach, and her
brother Jonathan Yach. The MFF has enabled Telfed to impact on Israeli
society with various projects
such as TECI (Telfed Ethiopian
Community Initiative), hosting
a conference on the legacy of
Nelson Mandela and various
other projects that assist disadvantaged members of Israeli
society. Under the Chairmanship of
the late Solm Yach, the Israeli
based MFF (Channel Islands) was
founded in 1993, at which time
Students at Maksam
Telfed was appointed as Administrator. Hadera, part of Telfed’s edUnder the astute leadership of Estelle
ucational TECI program.
Yach, and most recently Dianna, the
MFF has affirmed their commitment to multiple charitable projects in
Israel, and through their generosity, “ensured that human rights of all citizens are valued and protected, in the pursuit of social justice, inclusivity
and equality for all.”
1-800-211-311 ext. 5
Su pp o r t
Summer Camp. Following
generous donations and initiated by Telfed’s TECI committee under chairmanship of Mel Cohen, Telfed
sponsored 21 Ethiopian,
Russian, Yemenite and
English-speaking youngsters to attend the Yahalom
Summer Camp in Jerusalem
run by former South African
Derek Perlman. The programme involved family participation and promoted understanding and appreciation of different cultures, whilst
strengthening Jewish identity.
“Telfed is honoured to partner with the MFF to positively impact on our
community,” expressed Dave.
Honouring our Heroes. Initiated by
ed
Sp ec ia l Br e
Saul, Michal,
Ariel, Noa and
Shira Kaplan
10
Su pp o r t
Telfed, World Machal
honored Stanley Medicks
(z’l) by adding a permanent Machal exhibition in his name at the
Michael Lewis Centre for
Lone Soldiers in Tel Aviv.
Seen here at the official
opening is Stan’s daughter, Elana Overs, Dorron
Kline and Dave Bloom.
A wa rd s
Well Done Telfed. Outgoing Director Sidney Shapiro and Telfed
Chairman Dave Bloom, received the 2013 prestigious award for “the
best volunteer management in the field of Aliyah Absorption.” The
award was presented by the Minister of Absorption and Immigration
Minister Sopha Landver, at a special ceremony in Jaffa.
11
N oticeboard
For Your Travel
Requirements,
Wherever,
Whenever...
Salute to Volunteers
Telfed is pleased to be cooperating
with
MICHAL MERTEN
who specializes in
Career Transition, Personal
Branding and Career
Management and Leverage
Through Telfed, new olim in their
first year in Israel are offered a
meeting with Michal at Telfed’s
expense.
Contact Sharon 09–7907 801 for
more information,
or write to:
[email protected]
Tune into Telfed
If you would like to receive
Telfed’s email newsletters
(with community news and
events)
please send your name and
email to [email protected].
You are invited to a special event!
Salute to Volunteers Award Ceremony
Wednesday 4th February 2015
from 19:15 – 22:00
Beit Issie Shapiro, Raanana
You are invited to join us in paying
tribute
to all our volunteers.
Light refreshments will be served.
RSVP to Netta Steiner Lebel
[email protected]
Now you can pay for
your Telfed Magazine
subscription via the wellknown and trusted online
payment system PayPal. You
can pay by regular credit
card (Visa, Mastercard,
Amex) or via your Paypal
account. It is simple, quick
and secure – go to telfed.org.
il/donor for details.
Phone 09 – 7907 805
12 Kikar Haatzmaut, Netanya; Tel: 09-8607000, Fax 09-8620719
Good news!!
Telfed welcomes jobs for Southern Africans
WINTER AIRFARE SPECIALS
Check our
website:
www.shakedtours.co.il
or contact:
Johannesburg: from $995.00
New York: from $999.00
London : from $499.00
Zurich: from $399.00
09-7672404
050-5372522
[email protected]
NIEL BOBROV
at Shaked Tours
Also:
09-8607001
WEEKEND PACKAGES to Budapest, Prague or Cyprus from $399.00
[email protected]
(incl. flights hotel, hotel transfers) all taxes and fuel charges included in prices.
We have many Southern Africans looking for work
in a myriad of fields, from accountants to zoo keepers and everything in
between! Please be in contact with Employment Advisor Sharon Bernstein
if you can offer work to a fellow Southern African:
[email protected] or phone (09)7907 801
Support your Community
Telfed’s own
on-line magazine
www.telfed.org.il
Sign up for the bi-monthly Telfed
email newsletter and visit the
exciting Telfed Facebook Page:
www.facebook.com/telfed
Spread some cheer and goodwill this
Chanukkah with an end of year (taxdeductible) donation supporting Keren
Telfed’s charitable activities (assisting the
Southern African community in Israel). For
more details: Nikki ([email protected] or 09
7907819). Chag Sameach!
11th grade for future leadership. So far, there are 16
Jewish Federations throughout the USA participating in the programme, which partners teenagers in
American cities with teenagers in Israel.”
The thinking in Telfed was, “Why not South Africa?
And so we brought in the Israel Centre and the
Jewish Agency P2G (Partnership Together) and
South Africa will be the first country outside of the
USA to run this elite leadership programme.”
They will be trained utilising the acclaimed Diller
leadership syllabus by Johannesburg educator Gilad
Spitalnik and will meet their Israeli counterparts in
Israel in July 2015 for a joint seminar.
“We hope to see the programme expand to Cape
Town and Australia in the coming year,” said Dorron.
No Diller-Dallying for
Telfed!
Fellowship Leadership Training Programme.
The impact on future Jewish leadership will
surely be evident in the years ahead.
Telfed initiated a partnership with the prestigious Helen Diller Foundation of San Francisco
whereby from 2015, twenty young Jewish
leaders from Johannesburg, together with
twenty Israeli teenagers from Beit Shemesh
and Mateh Yehudah will join the Diller Teen
Sealing the pact for an enriching future,
Telfed’s CEO Dorron Kline attended in
November the annual Diller Professional
and Lay Leader Conference in Washington,
DC, where he presented Telfed’s vision of
the Diller Leadership Training Programme
12
Call Hilary
Kaplan:
Joffe Jankelowitz
Insurance Agency (2010) Ltd.
Elementary: Car, House, Business & Travel
Private Health: Health Insurance
Life: Life Insurance, Pension, Gemel
Training tomorrow’s Leaders. (l-r)
Gilad Spitalnik (Johannesburg coordinator), Mark Reisbaum (Director -Diller
Philanthropic Engagement), Liat Raviv
(Director - Diller International), Yigal
Sela (Director ZFA – Israel), Ginnette
Searle (Director ZFA), Dorron Kline (CEO
– Telfed), Yael Babin (Beit Shemesh coordinator), Adam Weisberg (Director
-Diller Teen Initiatives).
Tuning into Teens
continued on next page
and Hishtalmut Funds
[email protected]
[email protected]
Tel: 03-6329112/3 Fax: 03-6329116
POB 6935, Kiryat Matalon, Petach Tikva
for South African Jewish youth.
“It all started some six months ago,” says
Dorron “when we approached the Diller
Foundation to extend their outstanding
Jewish teen leadership training programme
to South Africa. Since 1998, this foundation
has been training Jewish teens in 10th and
and Frail Care (Siudi)
Su pp o r t
13
Sport Sh ot
Fast &
No ‘Fleisch’ on him
Furious
By David Kaplan
Running Man: Dekel
Fleisch in action.
M
other’s milk is all very well for
new born babies, however to
nurture future rugby players, “nothing better than good old biltong,” says
Ziv (Michael) Fleisch from Kibbutz
Kfar Haruv in the Golan. The proof
is his 19 year-old son, Dekel, who
from the age of five months was
weaned on biltong plied by his late
grandfather Percy Fleisch, originally from Zimbabwe.
Dekel, together with Dor Perl and
Uriel Mai Jeiker - all Israel Rugby
Union’s Elite under-19 squad members
- was recently snapped up by talent
scouts and are currently participating
in a year-long intense Israel Rugby
Union’s (IRU) Overseas Development
14
Training Programme
at Sale Rugby Club
in Manchester.
“ Re c e i v i n g t o p
standard coaching
means that they will
return to Israel and
significantly enhance
Israel’s senior intercontinued on top
of next page
‘The flying
dentist’: Springbok
Wilf Rosenberg
with Adv. Charles
Abelsohn, who
organized and
refereed the “Blue
Bulls” match in Israel
in 1975.
Tackling th e Past
Recently Charles Abelsohn from Kfar Saba met
Wilf Rosenberg, a resident at Beth Protea for the
second time in history. Their first ‘meeting’ was in
1956 when Charles was a youngster in the stands
at Newlands and the Springboks were playing their
second test match against the British Lions. The
Springboks had lost the first test and Danie Craven
put his reputation on the line to bring a “young talented Jew” into the squad. “Craven took a chance
with me,” says Wilf, “as he was the only selector that
had seen me play. He also firmly believed that having a Jew in the team brought luck.” He was right.
Wilf ’s famed airborne try proved a signature feature
of his play leading to
his appellation: “the
flying dentist.”
Charles and Wilf
exchanged stories
about the past recalling with such detail
of tries and tackles
as if it was yesterday.
Charles, an avia-
national squad,” IRU overseas development officer Ian
Kay told Sportsworld.
Ian, who immigrated to
The Mud Pack. A
Israel from Manchester
rare breed indeed
with father Milton
last January, noted how
Kaplan (centre) and
Israel “has already imsons Nimrod (l) and
proved its ranking from
Yonatan all having
96th to 46th in the past
at one time served
as the captain of
two years.”
the Israel national
Israeli rugby has team.
come a long way since former Natal playtion lawyer
er
and Machalnik, Leo and foundCamron, who, while
ing member of Truth be Told (TbT),recalled the
serving
in the sports famous rugby match in Israel which he refereed in
department in the IDF
1974 between Northern Transvaal, which had that
in the early 1950s, oryear won the Currie Cup and Israel. Charles had
ganised Israel’s first ‘ofalso helped organise the ‘Goodwill Tour’ of a side
ficial’ rugby match. It
that “included six Springboks.”
was between a group Played at Ramat Gan, it proved a watershed event
o f So u t h A f r i c a n s
which helped towards popularizing rugby in Israel. and a team of IDF “The Israeli side tackled and played exceptionalParachutists and what
ly well,” recalls Charles. “Milton Kaplan - who
is most rememwould dominate the sport as his two sons [Yonatan
bered about the match and Nimrod] would decades later - played lock.
was less about the reThey surprised everybody. The Israeli captain, Scot
sult (18- 6 to the Wilson, a former Scottish international scored the
South Africans) but the only try for Israel.”
rugby ball - it was a
It was literally - a ‘trying’ experience for Charles.
shoe wrapped in a towel!
“The Northern Transvaalers almost ‘donnered’
Looking forward to
(beat) me under the posts. They said Wilson used
Dekel’s return, will be
his hands in the scum to get the ball to make the
his club Yizreel who
try.” Charles stood his
before his departure
ground. “I threatened
to the UK, had repthem with a penalty
resented Israel at a
kick for arguing with
number of internathe referee without
tional youth tourgoing through their
naments, as well as
captain.”
playing in the jun“Is that a rule that
ior national team at
holds today?” the
the last Maccabiah
writer enquired. “I
and the European
don’t know. It was
Youth Tournament
my rule on the day.
held in Portugal earIt’s not written in
the book; it’s one
Wilf Rosenberg
of those unwritten
in full flight 1956.
laws.”
RS
Law Office
We act in:
All Civil Law,
Real Estate,
Contracts,
Trusts, Wills,
Inheritance,
Litigation
ADV Boaz Rabin
054-4819624
ADV Haim Shalom
054-2042222
Office +972 3 624 1818
Fax +972 3 624 1798
65 Yigal Alon Street
PO Box 20395, Tel Aviv 61203
lier this year.
Dekel wears the ‘number 9’ jersey
and playing as scrum-half, he is the
link between the ‘forwards’ who tend
to play as a group and the ‘backs’
who are strung out across the field.
It’s a key position that can make or
break a game.
“He’s been up to the task since he
was thirteen when he was playing
against guys who were eighteen. It
did not bother him he was half their
size,” says Ziv. “As I recall him telling me, “You know Dad, it doesn’t
matter how big they are, if you tackle
’em at their feet, they’ll fall down”.”
Tough, fast and agile - it must be
due to ‘Saba Percy’s’ tried and tested formulae - biltong! And the future literally is about tries and tests.
Now there’s something to chew on!
15
In th e Mail
oners of war being repatriated. Our
small group, which included Sam
and Harriet Levin on a preparatory
Revivim
pre-Aliyah trip, Nadyah Lourie and
Moshe Baumgarten, who was returnRevisited
ing home from shlichut and who enDear Editor
joyed more comfortable quarters on
My name is Joyce
the upper deck. Friedman, and I was
Early Pioneer
After about ten days travel, we dison Revivm
born in Pretoria in
embarked at Hurghada to a ‘warm’ re1943 with the maiden name
ception by the Egyptian customs offiof Kanowitz.
cials who emptied our suitcases and
When l was 18, l immigrated to
scattered our belongings over the floor
Israel and after six years moved to
of the customs shed. We completed
Kibbutz Revivim, and became a memthe rest of our journey to Tel Aviv by
ber there. When the 1967 war broke
train through Ismailia and across the
Joyce Friedman (USA)
out, many groups of volunteers arrived,
Sinai without incident.
[email protected]
amongst them
I spent most of the
South Africans
next
four years as a
“The chaverim in the
and it was my job Kibbutz Shuval 1947
member of Kibbutz
(l-r): Jackie Gross, Yehudit
picture are all South
to be their madri- Verbranchik, Zvi Zipper
Africans, except for Satan,
Shuval and then left
cha. They did well (Rhodesia), Meir Sherman, Gideon
the boxer dog who helped
to study in London.
Zvi and Gideon guard the
for themselves and Rosenberg (who was killed in
I returned to Israel
pipeline.” Nina Selbst
I was proud of the fighting to keep the road to
in 1954, which is
Jerusalem open in 1948), Nina
them.
Herbstein, Issy Greenberg.
the date you have
After living
recorded.
in Israel for 12
Nina Selbst, Sayvon
years, l met my
[Ed note: Nina is the daughhusband who
ter of Judge Joseph Herbstein,
is an American,
Chairman of Telfed 1971-1974
and we marand known as ‘The father of
ried at Revivim.
Telfed’s Trusts’. Nadyah Lourie,
After two years,
is the wife of Norman Lourie,
we moved to the
the founder of S.A. Habonim
USA in 1974.
and was instrumental in Telfed
Recently, my
finding premises for its office
nephew in Israel
near the Dan Hotel in Tel Aviv
sent me a copy of
in the early fifties, and Sam
your article (Telfed
Levin was Telfed’s first director.]
2014, no. 2) regarding Kibbutz Revivim
Settling on Sh o val
and the financial link between it and
Dear Editor
South African Jewry. It made for very
A Machal fligh t
interesting reading as this was the first
What a nice surprise on receivto Israel
time l had ever heard about it. Even
ing a Telfed letter on the anniversaDear Editor,
while I was on the kibbutz, no one
ry of our Aliyah. However, you have
had ever told me about the funding.
Thank you for the Telfed Mazal
the date wrong. My actual date of
Funnily enough my cottage faced the
Tov
letter received on my Aliyah
Aliyah was 7th February, 1946. I travold fort, so l was constantly remindAnniversary. Your good wishes took
elled from Durban on the Maloja, a
ed of the kibbutz’s history.
me back to August 1948 when I arP&O liner. The lower decks of the
rived with my husband Berl Yudelman
boat were packed with Italian pris-
16
Now that l am a grandmother and
in my early 70’s, l sometimes wonder about the people l knew so long
ago. I remember fondly Zacharia
and Sarah as well as their daughter,
Naomi, respectively the daughter
and granddaughter of Golda Meir.
Actually, we received a book signed
by Golda about her life when we married. l have lately read it again, with
much appreciation for the quality of
the person she was.
If anyone from those days remembers me, my Hebrew name was Hedva,
and l would love to hear from them.
(z"l) in a group of about 20 young
people on a 3-day Machal flight from
Johannesburg to Tel aviv via Rome. At our final briefing before our departure we were given to understand
it was all top secret - “You are students on an organized tour to Italy
and France, and please dress accordingly, and don’t hang about in large
groups whenever you land, but split
up into couples or foursomes.”
Six of us were members of Habonim,
another group was from Hashomer
HaTzair, and the rest individual volunteers coming to the aid of the new
State of Israel. Our plane was an ex-army Dakota
with metal benches along each side for
passengers and our suitcases stacked
in the middle. The plane was capable of flying about
three hours at a time, so we bounced
up Africa stopping at every “friendly”
airport on the way as well as some that
were just called airports. I threw up
at every landing and take-off.
At Khartoum, we were taken to a
large hotel on the banks of the Nile
and encountered our first ‘adventure’.
There were a large number of soldiers
in the hotel lobby and we were convinced they were out to “get” us. So
when a lady approached Rosie Shluzny
(z”l) and asked if we were the “halutzim from SA on our way to Israel”,
we panicked, fearing she was a spy. Rosie answered her rudely and we
split up. Many years later, we learned
that the lady had been a member of
the local Jewish community and had
come to offer us their hospitality and
show us around Khartoum!!!
Preparing for landing at Rome, we tidied up to appear as “touring students”,
and not, heaven forbid, “Halutzim”.
However, when the doors opened,
in enters this guy in an open-necked
shirt and rolled up shirt-sleeves, blurting aloud: “Shalom chevra, bruchim
haba’im, this is where you get
off.” So much for secrecy!
On the last leg of the journey,
our flight was diverted to Sde
Dov in Tel Aviv as we heard
that UN forces were interning
all military aged people who arrived in Haifa.
The next day we were inducted
into the army, but thanks mainly to Rosie’s excellent command
of Hebrew, we were finally discharged, and allowed to go to Tel
Aviv, where we made a beeline
for the offices of Telfed in Achad
Ha-am Street. Bosom Buddies. Leon Charney and Julius Weinstein with
Israel’s President, Chaim Herzog.
Sydney Lossin (ex-Yudelman, née Brunow), Asseret
[Ed note: for the rest of the story, visit www.tefed.
org.il and log onto Blogs]
Julius to th e Rescu e
Dear Editor
Once again, you have produced an
excellent Telfed Magazine (2014,
no.2). Some comments in respect of
your Cover Story on ISRENTCO in
which I feature and am thus familiar
with much of what transpired over
the years.
Firstly, the meeting with Jewish
Agency Executive Chairman Pinchas
Sapir regarding the R3,000,000 that
Telfed received and went into developing Telfed’s two apartment comcontinued on next page
Dear Editor
With the dust now settled in the Negev after the intense and nerve wracking “Tzuk Eitan”
campaign, I’m writing to thank those – mostly my fellow Southern Africans - who opened
their hearts and homes to help our people on our moshav - Talmei Yosef.
While the threat was faced by all those living in Israel for more than fifty days, the residents of the settlements surrounding the Gaza strip lived their lives between the ‘safe rooms’,
the dangers of being caught outside during a missile attack, and the fear of terrorist infiltration through the tunnels.
To lighten the mood, we kept on thinking, “cheer up; it could be worse”.
So we cheered up and it got worse!
When the time came when certain members needed to urgently leave our moshav, I contacted Dorron Kline from Telfed and he immediately began looking at possible options for
temporary relocation.
Thank you Kibbutz Yizre’el and my good friends on Moshav Ein Yahav - Issy and Ettie
Bloch - for offering holiday apartments to the families from Talmei Yosef.
Thank you to Des Massad who made it possible for three of our senior citizens and a caregiver to spend over three weeks at Protea Village.
Knowing that they were safe put our minds at ease.
I take this opportunity to invite Telfed and members of the Southern African community to visit
our special part of Israel and see the desert bloom and witness pioneering in its purest form.
Ivan Fleisch, Moshav Talmei Yosef
17
Keren Telfed
Michael & Sheila Zetler –
70th birthdays
Ivan & Ruth Bonner, Tony &
Zivi Harris, Leslie & Ethlee
Dembo, Brian & Lindsay Bert,
Bokkie & Rochelle Zegal
Keren Telfed and Oth er Funds
Please remember Keren Telfed when you are celebrating happy occasions,
when you are invited to enjoy meals with friends,
or when you want to pay tribute to the memories of loved ones.
The Keren Telfed Fund was started over 30 years ago.
Donations are used to assist Southern Africans in Israel
during times of individual or family need, or national crisis. They are tax-deductable.
All donations are acknowledged in the magazine as soon as possible after receipt thereof.
Contact Debbie Friedman to make your donation: 09-7907819 or [email protected]
Donors..................................................................... Honorees
KEREN TELFED FUND (general assistance to the community as needed)
Colin & Ann Sperber.....................................................Jeffrey & Barbara Wolf – golden wedding
Ellie & Libby Posniak....................................................Manny & Rayla Shimoni – 60th anniversary
Gerry, Ivor & Brenda Stoch........................................Meg Stoch – 85th birthday
Harold and Edie Kaufman.........................................Isaac Nurok – 80th birthday
Harry & Barbara Lipchin.............................................Rosalie Benson – 80th birthday
Henry & Ruth Shakenovsky......................................Naomi Fredman – new home
Itz & Marj Kalmanowitz...............................................Gavriel Sivan – 80th birthday, Gittie Subotsky - 90th birthday
Ivan & Vivienne Maron................................................Reeva Chait – 85th birthday
Jean Kangisser................................................................Rosalie Benson – 80th birthday
Karin Hesselberg............................................................Arnie Polatinsky – New Year greetings
Lazar & Janice Kassel, Sheri & Guy & families...Cecily Sluszny & Ruby Sluszny – 80th birthdays
Arthur & Viv Wolman...................................................Roger Hertz - 70th birthday
Michael & Eve Adler......................................................Naomi Fredman – new home
Michael & Sheila Zetler...............................................Jack Plax – 90th birthday
Nokkie & Vicky Scher...................................................Hymie & Chana Ehrlich – anniversary
Pnina Kaltetash...............................................................Yeshua Geltzer – 80th birthday
Solomon & Helga Gelgor...........................................Reuben Narunsky – 87th birthday
Sydney & Pamela Miller .............................................Myra Shirken – 70th birthday
Dave & Gail Bloom........................................................Debbie Chitiz – on her grandson’s arrival
continued on top of next page
In th e Mail
continued from 17
plexes for new olim - Ra’anana and
Tel Aviv - mainly occurred because of
Julius Weinstein’s connection with
Sapir that went back to the Six Day
War when Sapir was the Minister of
Finance and which you so aptly described in your article. The complex
in Tel Aviv was designed by my firm.
The relationship was cemented back
in June 1967 when Julius doggedly
persuaded “Mr. Diamonds” - as Sapir
referred to Harry Oppenheimer to make the largest donation at the
time to Israel (following three meetings) which paved the way for the
18
generous donation that was to follow
nearly a decade later to assist Telfed
in providing housing solutions to its
growing Southern African community in Israel.
By the way, regarding the 1953
Hostel, I also designed and supervised its first major alteration which
was carried out at the same time as
the building of the apartment complex next door.
Fast-forwarding to the eighties,
Kohav Yair only arose from the crusty
earth because again of Julius Weinstein.
He was the initiator and driving force
of this major Telfed housing project.
Ariel Sharon was then the minister of
agriculture, not housing. The Minhal
(the Israel Land Authority) was at that
time in the hands of the Ministry of
Agriculture thus making it possible
for Sharon to offer the land for the
future town of Kochav Yair.
In conclusion, I am immensely
proud of my contribution to Telfed’s
‘Rishon Project’ in the late 80`s
when I was Telfed Chairman and
became great friends as a result with
the then Mayor, Meir Nitzan, who
helped the first Russian immigrants
find jobs in his city.
Keep up the good work.
Leon Charney
[Ed. Note: Leon was Telfed Chairman1987-1990]
David & Marlene Gaffan.............................................Naftali Bennet – birthday
Dorron & Cindy Kline...................................................Geoff & Brenda Kline – birthdays & anniversary
Dorron & Cindy Kline...................................................Michelle Favero – birthday
Ellie & Liebe Posniak.....................................................Morris Strauss – birthday
Ernest & Elizabeth Schneider-Kuper.....................David & Joan Weinstein – Shana Tova
Gerald & Freda Wolman..............................................Hillel & Jennifer Hurwitz – in appreciation
Gerald & Freda Wolman..............................................Monty & Marilyn Hilkowitz – in appreciation
Glen & Lucille Eilon.......................................................Jeff & Ros Kaplan, Zvi & Dot Pantanowitz – in appreciation
Harris & Phyllis Green..................................................In honour of their new granddaughter, Avigael Blume
Dov & Freda Boston......................................................Ora Leshem – birthday
Israel (Sol) & Chana Ben Ami....................................Morris Kahn
JJ Hurwitz..........................................................................Julian Hurwitz & family
Joel & Sandra Kaplan...................................................Ivan & Renee Perel – in appreciation
Linda & Asher Saban....................................................In honour of their new granddaughter, Shalhevet
Max & Libby Strous.......................................................Nathan & Terry Mowszowski – New Year greetings
Mayera Glassman..........................................................Rena and Joe Gale – 60th wedding anniversary
Micky & Hymie Goldblatt...........................................Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft
Monty & Marlene Sacho.............................................Ruby & Sandra Eilim – on Adrian’s wedding
Naomi and Tuvia Stuchiner.......................................Sid & Michele Shapiro – Shana Tova wishes
Nokkie & Vicky Scher ..................................................Allan Nestadt – 90th birthday
Ronny & Ruth Kaufman..............................................Their grandchildren
Sheila Swiel and family...............................................Alan Wilder – special birthday
Sidney & Michele Shapiro..........................................Rosh Hashana greeting to family and friends
Stephen & Thelma Miller............................................Gil Herbert – 90th birthday
Tony and Suzanne Suckerman................................Bertha and Harry Joffe - in appreciation
Mel & Eileen Cohen......................................................Rosh Hashana greetings (friends and family)
Rob & Gillian Hyde........................................................Lily Hyde - 99th birthday
PROJECT HELPING HAND (to improve the quality of life of the elderly)
Alex & Ethne Tolkin.......................................................Selwyn & Nina Golomb
Bokkie & Rochelle Zegal.............................................Michael & Sheila Zetler – 70th birthdays
Frankie & Mike Jaffe ....................................................Asher Gotsman – 80th birthday
Freda Pincus.....................................................................Rochie Swade – 95th birthday
Jack & Esme Rabin........................................................Asher Gotsman – 80th birthday
Sybil Shapiro....................................................................Lynette Shapiro – special birthday
IN MEMORIAM
Adrian & Emma Wolff..................................................In loving memory of Jack Wolff
Anne Biderman...............................................................In loving memory of David Biderman
Annette Gordon and family......................................In loving memory of Lionel
Anonymous......................................................................In loving memory of Freda Judith Gordon
Anonymous......................................................................In loving memory of Ros Israelstam
Avi & Tirtza Levin...........................................................In loving memory of Yehuda Lewis
Barbara Klingman..........................................................In loving memory of her husband, Dov
Pnina Pamela Weissman.............................................In loving memory of her parents, Herman and Vera Wald, z”l
Benny & Phillippa Segal..............................................In loving memory of their parents
Brian & Liz Harris ...........................................................In loving memory of Sam & Ann Harris, David & Marli Izsack
Cecil & Rhoda Zlotnick................................................In loving memory of Tamar, beloved daughter
Cecile Rechtman............................................................In loving memory of George & Joyce Amoils, beloved parents
Cyril & Gillian Feinberg................................................In loving memory of Ian Feinberg
Dave & Rae Kopping....................................................In memory of their beloved daughter, Greer-Rose Kopping
David Shawinsky............................................................In loving memory of Gerald Shawinsky
Dolores Linde..................................................................In loving memory of Hilly Linde
Dvora Lison......................................................................In loving memory of Eliezer Lison
Freda Hurwitz..................................................................In loving memory of Harry and in honour of 5 boys
George Mundel..............................................................In loving memory of Roxi Mundel, beloved wife
Gerda Israel.......................................................................In loving memory of Alec Israel
Gershon & Sandra Orelowitz....................................In loving memory of Meir Joseph Ben Gershon
Harold & Edie Kaufman..............................................In loving memory of Ilan Kaufman
Helen Goldfoot...............................................................In loving memory of her parents
Ian & Pearl Rogow.........................................................In loving memory of Ilan Kaufman
continued on top of next page
Herbie Gaito – 80th birthday
Tchiya & Jack Harris, Rochie
& Frankie Myers, Tamar Meir,
Sarah & Dave Paikin, Linky &
Michael Furman, Fay & Barney
Wittert, Miriam & Eli Shiloni
Bella and son Rafi Barnett
Tzvi & Shelley Dwolatzky...........
for Bella Barnett’s 90th and
Rafi Barnett’s 60th birthday
Ron & Riwa Lapid
Arthur & Viv Wolman &
family, Karin Hesselberg &
family, Bryan & Ruth Slater,
Arthur & Louise Lipschitz,
Doctors Arnie & Rachel Shub
& family – Shana Tova
19
Keren Telfed
LONE SOLDIERS FUND (to assist young South African lone soldiers)
Chani Shull & friends....................................................Lone soldiers
Hylton & Gill Sher..........................................................Lone soldiers
John & Judy Eliasov......................................................Lone soldiers
Mark & Ora Nussbaum................................................Monty & Sheila Nussbaum – Aliya
Ronnie & Sharon Judes...............................................Geoff & Pam Bethlehem – 50th anniversary
Ronnie & Sharon Judes...............................................Noel & Esther Finkelstein – 50th anniversary
Uri & Beryl Milunsky.....................................................Lone soldiers
Prof. Asher Gotsman celebrates his
80th birthday
20
BURSARY FUND FOR SOLDIERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN OPERATION PROTECTIVE EDGE
Bernard & Debbie Kampel.........................................Steve and Thelma Levy - Rosh Hashana wishes
Jean Cohen.......................................................................Hila Kahn and Tzvika Sobel - marriage
Beverley Mans
Bradley Raik
David & Ayala Kruss
Hylton & Harriet Bark...................................................Yudke Fridman – 70th birthday
John & Judy Eliasov
Linda Michelow
Selwyn & Nina Golomb..............................................Honoring Israeli soldiers
WOOLF RAKIN MEMORIAL BURSARY FUND
Renee Rakin and Family.............................................Myna Roy – special birthday
Renee Rakin.....................................................................Iris Cohen – Rosh Hashana wishes
Renee Rakin.....................................................................Kevin Rakin – on his birthday
Renee Rakin.....................................................................Vanessa Rakin – on her birthday
Renee Rakin ....................................................................Lynette Shapiro – special birthday
CONSIGN
TODAY
Johannesburg
Auction House, 4th Floor, South Tower, Nelson Mandela Square
Studio, opposite Gucci, Nelson Mandela Square,
Cnr Maude & 5th Streets, Sandton, 2196
+27 (0)11 880 3125 • [email protected]
Cape Town
The Great Cellar, Alphen Estate, Alphen Drive, Constantia
+27 21 794 6461 • [email protected]
www.stephanwelzandco.co.za
OPENING TIMES:
Weekends: Saturday: 09h00 - 13h00 Sunday 10h00 - 13h00
Alexis Preller
(South African 1911-1975)
MAPOGGA AXIS MUNDI
oil on canvas
Sold R3 360 000, October 2013
FREE shipping and insurance
when consigning to us - T’s & C’s apply
Dr. Les Glassman
International Consultant
Cell: +972 (0) 525522438
Email: [email protected]
Online bidding managed by ATG Media SA through www.the-saleroom.com Europe’s leading portal for live art and antiques auctions.
KEREN ALIZA
SAM LEVIN SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Trevor & Lynne Urison.................................................Nathan Pamensky – 80th birthday
PRAS
Frankie Jaffe.....................................................................Sybil Shapiro – birthday
Geoffrey & Pam Bethlehem......................................In celebration of their anniversary
Reuben & Roselyn Mowszowski.............................In honour of Batya Shmukler
Barney & Thelma Wainer............................................Hila Kahn and Tzvika Sobel - marriage
Books | Carpets | Ceramics | Clocks | Coins | Collectable Cars | Furniture | Homes above R5m | Jewellery
Mandela Memorabilia | Maps | Paintings | Sculptures | Silver | Stamps | Watches
SW784Tel
Bex Kroser - 80th Birthday
Grandchildren & greatgrandchildren: Tali & Aki
Shavit, Rotem, Gil & Omer,
Lisa & Gilad Halperin, Tom
& Zoey, Michal & Naor, Dvir
& Raz Michalowsky, Kroser
& Fleisch grandchildren:
Daniela, Arielle, Galit, Yoni,
Tal, Dean & Kim
Ivan and Ruth Bonner.................................................In loving memory of parents Les & Doreen Bonner, Aaron & Becky Diamond
Jack & Ruth Trappler.....................................................In loving memory of their parents
Menachem & Michele Fogel.....................................In loving memory of beloved Shlomit
Jeff Geffen.........................................................................In memory of his beloved wife Doreen (Mommy)
Jeffrey Lederer................................................................In memory of Benno Lederer (who would have been 110 this year)
Jennifer & Lonya Rubin ..............................................In loving memory of Muriel Chesler
Joe Woolf ..........................................................................In memory of the 123 Machalniks killed in 1948
Joey & Cheryl Noik........................................................Tree planted in loving memory of their son, Howie
Jonathan & Revital Lessick........................................In loving memory of Claire Lessick, daughter, sister, wife & mother
Leon Charney..................................................................In loving memory of Menorah
Leonore Shaveitzion.....................................................In loving memory of Albert
Lola Nathan......................................................................In loving memory of Issy Nathan, beloved husband
Louis Goldstein...............................................................In loving memory of Sydney Goldstein, beloved father
Marilyn Sharon................................................................in loving memory of her late parents, Aron & Greta Katz
Michael & Annette Weil..............................................In loving memory of Brian and Jason Armist
Rollo Norwitz...................................................................In loving memory of Marionne
Roy Chweidan.................................................................In loving memory of Perla & Ivor Chweidan
Ruth & Yosi Mor..............................................................In loving memory of Ruth’s parents - Tillie and Eric Katz
Sadie Symon & family..................................................In loving memory of Dr. Mickey Symon
Shirley Kaplan & family...............................................In memory of Raymond (Chic) Rothschild
Tess Gordin.......................................................................In loving memory of Jacqui Gordin
Tony & Eva Sachs...........................................................In loving memory of Inge Sachs
Uri & Maxine Levite.......................................................In loving memory of Maxine’s parents
Lilian Zackon....................................................................In loving memory of Natan Liberman
Norman Barron celebrates
his 70th with wife Linda.
Renee Rakin.....................................................................Sarah Rakin – 18th birthday
Renee Rakin.....................................................................Naomi Fredman – in appreciation
Renee Rakin and Family.............................................In loving memory of Woolf
Renee Rakin.....................................................................Kevin & Alison Rakin – on their anniversary
Renee Rakin and Family.............................................Antony & Caryn Loebel – on their birthdays
MAYER PINCUS BAREL FUND (education fund)
Freda Pincus.....................................................................Roi & Hilit Bar-el, on Itai’s Bar Mitzvah
Isaac & Maureen Lipshitz...........................................Dr. David Fine – in appreciation
Tony & Rochelle Swil....................................................On their 37th wedding anniversary
SAM LEVIN SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Geoffrey & Pamela Bethlehem
50th anniversary
Bennie Penzik & Angie Benjamin, Frankie &
Mike Jaffe, Mike & Irma Zaslansky, Ron & Riwa
Lapid, Lennie & Selma Cartoon, Roby & Helen
Osimo, David & Hilary Zetler, John & Lola Harris,
Livia Goldblatt, Sydney & Pamela Miller, Eitan
& Doreen Levy, Geoffrey & Pamela Bethlehem,
Roby Osimo
MARILYN CHAZAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND
Alon and Yonit Chazan ..............................................In loving memory of Marilyn Chazan
Idan, Leigh Chazan & family.....................................In loving memory of Marilyn Chazan
KEREN ALIZA (to assist students with their educational needs)
David & Hilary Kaplan..................................................Asher Gotsman – 80th birthday
Martin & Michelle Wolff & family............................Asher Gotsman – 80th birthday
Martin & Michelle Wolff..............................................Norman Barron – 70th birthday
SURF FUND
Monthly luncheon club
Brian and Maureen Galgut........................................Berel and Maurice Ratzer
TECI (Telfed Ethiopian Community Initiative)
Monty and Sheila Nussbaum
Joel and Beryl Klotnick...............................Gill Hyde, in appreciation
Joel and Beryl Klotnick...............................Sid Forman
Joel and Beryl Klotnick...............................Sam & Russy Oken – 70th anniversary
Roy and Lesley Cohen
Participants in the TECI
Hadera program.
PRAS
Geoff & Pamela Bethlehem –
50th anniversary
Harry & Diane Shaer, Jay &
Maureen Rosen, Colin & Louise
Kessel, Paul & Naomi Feigin,
Charles & Leah Shaikovitz
21
Co ver Story
By David Kaplan
“The Good,
the Bad,
and the Ugly”
Hate on the Streets: Rather than love for the Palestinians, it is hate against Israel
that moves the crowd at this ugly demonstration in Johannesburg.
While South Africa was championed as “The
Rainbow Nation,” one wonders today whether
for Jews this remains the case, unless of course
they stick to their religion and do not dabble
in Zionism.
It’s no secret that Anti-Semitism has reared its
ugly head in South Africa. President Zuma recently met with the Jewish leadership over this
very issue and despite the assurances, not too
many feel reassured.
South Africa’s Chief Rabbi has been accused
of holding dual loyalties; members of the ruling
ANC party post blatantly anti-Semitic material
online with little rebuke; a Pretoria politician
called on the government to “buy a ticket for
the ambassador of Israel, take him to the airport and send him back home” and more recently, the Secretary General of the ANC has
referred to the “birth of Israel in 1948” as “a
crime against humanity.” There were “Shoot the
Jew” chantings at public gatherings and explicit
threats were made to carry out revenge attacks
against the Jewish community for events unfolding in Gaza during ‘Operation Protective Edge’.
Jewish acceptance in ‘The Rainbow Nation’
is beginning to look increasingly – conditional!
Back in Fashion
While Anti-Semitism has reared its
ugly head in South Africa.....
22
Israel holds its head high as it prepares to welcome
young Jews to its fine Universities
Over the years, in answer to the question that is
always asked of visiting South African school groups to
Israel each January, “If you have the choice, how many
of you would choose to study outside of South Africa?”
most hands shoot up. When the question is followed
by “And how many of you would choose to study in
Israel?” again, the hands reach skyward.
If this has been the case in the past, then the future
might see not only an increase in raised hands but an
increase in feet coming Israel’s way.
It is time to dress this growing anti-Israel sentiment in its proper apparel – anti-Semitism.
This ‘new-old fashion’ was recently paraded on
the proverbial runway when members of the
Congress of South African Students (COSAS)
deposited a pig’s head in the supposedly kosher
meat section of a Woolworths food store in Sea
Point. In a press statement, COSAS Western
Cape chairperson Siphakamise Ngxowa explained that “We will not allow people who will
not eat pork to pretend that they are eating clean
meat, when it is sold by hands dripping with the
blood of Palestinian children”.
How are these messages being processed by young Jews in South Africa?
Telfed Magazine addressed this issue to a
group of young South African students and
former students in Israel.
Talia Raichlin made Aliyah
from Johannesburg in 2014
and in October began her first
year in Special Education at Bar
Ilan University. She had studied briefly for a BA in Graphic
Design in Johannesburg “but
the whole time I was thinking about returning to Israel.”
She had earlier been on the
Bnei Akiva MTA programme
and many of her friends had
remained in Israel. Ditching design
school in Randberg for Bar Ilan, she
relates an experience there that clearly left no fond memories.
A fellow female student before the
class and the teacher bellowed: “You’re
Jewish; so are you filthy rich like all
your Jewish friends?” Talia acknowledges “It’s a lot worse at Wits. I know
a lot of the guys there who have got
into fights over supporting Israel.”
Her message to those in South
Africa who are considering Special
Education, “Come to Israel. It’s way
more advanced and has many more
opportunities.”
Daniel Winer made Aliyah in 2013
from Johannesburg and is a 1st year
law student at the College of Law and
Business in Ramat Gan. A follower
of events at Wits, he says “while the
bad news has been an increase of incitement and anti-Semitism, the good
news is that Jewish students are now
better organized and are fighting back.”
Of course even better news would be
“to see younger Jews come and study
in Israel. Even if they do not make
Aliyah, they will in the future be ‘ambassadors’ for Israel and take up leadership positions in Jewish communities wherever they settle.”
Daniel, who is in touch with many
of the recent Olim from South Africa,
believes that “we need to create a
young community of South Africans
Wise Guys: Sitting
in the gardens
of IDC (l-r) Gadi
Cohen, Josh Scher
and Guy Waters.
in Israel that will
create a momentum – encouraging others to follow us and whom
we can help integrate on arrival.”
Daniel Winer (right)
at the College of Law
and Business in Ramat
Gan.Talia Raichlin
(below), first year
student at Bar Ilan.
Sitting outside
in the tranquil
grounds of the
IDC Herzliya
were past and
present South
African students.
Discussion centred on how they
came to study at
the IDC, their experiences in Israel,
and the way Israel is presented and
how it is perceived by young Jews in
South Africa. This discussion followed
in the wake of the horrendous UCT
SRC’s resolution supporting BDS, declaring Israel an apartheid state, and
calling for the expulsion of Israel’s
ambassador. Many UCT alumni in
Israel have taken issue over this resolution and engaged in an intense exchange with Dr. Max Price, the Vice
Chancellor of UCT.
The South African students at the
IDC could so easily have been students at UCT. In fact, some like Ryan
Sonik from Johannesburg were.
He gave UCT five months before
“deciding it was not for me’
and relocated to the IDC where
today he is a 3rd year Business
Administration student. “Most
of my friends in South Africa
are proud Zionists and so are
unhappy with what is happening on campus. While some
there are active
supporters, others chose to stay
out of it. Not engaging is another way of dealing
with it. Each will
chose his or her
own way.”
Is this not reminiscent
of the Ghetto?
“A huge problem is that young
Jews in South Africa today are
uninformed about Israel. This
undermines their self-confidence. They feel that if they
do not have accurate information, it’s best to avoid direct confrontation. So while they may be supporters, many end up as passive observers
rather than passionate activists.”
On the other hand, there are those
who understand the Middle East.
“These guys have the tools to fight
back, and are bravely making the
case for Israel in the front lines on
campuses.”
For Guy Waters, there was little
in his education at Herzlia School
in Cape Town that “connected me
meaningfully with Israel – it was archaic.” Graduating in 2014 with a
BA at the IDC Herzliya, he is now
pursuing his Masters in Government
23
Cover Story
and Diplomacy. He admits his take
on Herzlia School was before certain
new educational programmes on Israel
were introduced.
His experience reflected the images
and ideologies of the past and failed
to resonate with young minds. “I had
the image of kibbutzim and moshavim
with palm trees and watch towers so
that when I arrived in Israel on my
first trip on the Encounter programme
before matric, I was bowled over by
the modernity. The vibrant lifestyle
grabbed me.”
Offered a scholarship, Guy needed
little encouragement to opt to study
at the IDC rather than UCT. “It was
a no-brainer.”
What are you hearing from
your friends back in South
Africa about the situation on
campuses? “
“My sister, who is in her 5th year of
microbiology at UCT, feels uncomfortable on campus whenever the issue
of Israel is raised,” says Guy. “There
are many Muslims in her faculty that
always raise Israel-Palestine issues and
she is at a loss as to how to respond,
so for the most part, she clams up
and if there are protests, she will stay
clear of them.”
While embracing Herzlia School’s
liberal philosophy, Guy asserts it has
undermined the passion which young
Jews once viscerally felt towards Israel.
While the inclination of youth has always been “to question everything”,
now it is more, “of proving Israel to
always be in the wrong. It is destroying Zionism.” Guy experienced this
first-hand when he recently addressed
a class at Herzlia School, and a young
pupil stuck up his hand and said, “I
don’t support Israel because I don’t like
what the IDF is doing to Palestinians.
24
They have no right to be doing what
they are doing.”
The student was thirteen years old!
Says Guy, “I can be very critical of
Israel but it comes from a place of
LOVE. It is constructive criticism.”
Gadi Cohen is a past Computer
Science student (2005-08) at the IDC
and is embarking on an exciting new
business venture. He too is critical
of how Israel is presented in South
Africa. “Israel is the hi-tech capital
of the world; its education so much
more advanced than in South Africa
and yet young
people in South
Africa, even in
this age of social networking, are totally
unaware of it.”
He initially gave
UCT a try, “was
bored” and one
thing led to another “and I
Ryan Sonik
ended up at the
(top); Daniel
IDC.” During
Schechter
his first semes- (right), both
ter in his first
studying at
the IDC.
year, “we were
covering material that my UCT Computer
Science friends told me they
only do in 3rd year.”
Regarding what is enfolding politically in South Africa, Gadi says, “I have
a sense in SA today that Jews there
are either on the far left or far right –
there is no longer a centre. So when
you take a position on Israel you are
immediately branded an extremist by
the opposite ‘camp’. This is very intimidating – it’s like walking through
an ideological minefield.”
He feels the entire Jewish community is on the edge and sites the recent
fallout in the community over King
David School deputy head boy Josh
Broomberg, donning a Palestinian
Keffiyeh (head scarf) while representing
the South African National Debating
team in Thailand.
The picture that appeared on facebook was accompanied by a caption
which read: “Team South Africa wearing Palestinian badges and Keffiyehs
to show our opposition to the human
rights violations carried out against
the people of Palestine.”
“While his action showed ignorance
of the situation” says Gadi, “the overreaction of the community also was telling as to how fragile and hypersensitive the community has become.
The way this drama played out
reflected the schisms and polarizations within the community.”
All the young interviewees
saw the Jewish community as
less comfortable and confident
in a society with an uncertain
future.
Josh Scher from
Cape Town graduated in 2014 from the
IDC Herzliya with
a BA in Business
Administration. He
relates that many of his
Jewish peers in Cape
Town hardly associate themselves with
the Jewish community. “There is a marked shift away from
Israel; it is not central to their lives.
So even with the unsavoury developments going on around them, many
of them are unfazed by it. They choose
not to feel affected.”
For 2nd year Business Administration
student Daniel Schechter, “the number one problem is the ANC and particularly its youth league. They are
fueling the anti-Israel activities on
campus. Whenever you see photos
of demonstrations against Israel, the
ANC banners are present. Its leaders
use words like ‘apartheid’ that they
know - or should know - has no re-
lation to Israel. Either they are simply ignorant or have an agenda to
besmirch Israel at every opportunity? It’s probably a case of both as you
can see from recent statements from
ANC leaders.” Daniel refers to Jesse
Duarte, the ANC’s Deputy SecretaryGeneral who wrote, “The state of Israel
has turned the occupied territories of
Palestine into permanent death camps…
for the State of Israel, the notion of an
eye for an eye has become perpetual massacre with merciless revenge which has
lasted for more than 60 years.”
He refers also to the postings on
Twitter by Rene Smit, the social media
manager of an ANC branch where
Hitler was pictured with the text, “Yes
man, you were right. I could have killed
all the Jews, but I left some of them to
let you know why I was killing them.”
Reflecting community concern,
David Saks, head of the SA Jewish
Board of Deputies’ Anti-Semitism desk
notes that “Variations on the ‘Hitler
was right’ theme are today commonplace, with Jews variously being described as ‘dogs,’ ‘pigs’ and ‘cockroaches.’ This is in addition to accusations
of Jews supporting mass-murdering
baby-killers and of being a disloyal fifth column working against the
country’s interests.”
Each One! Teach One!
1979
The Future Academic Garin
While all the students interviewed
chose to study in Israel because of
Israel’s appeal, they do see South
Africa’s increasingly negative features
as an incentive for many of their
peers and future generations to follow them to Israel’s esteemed academic institutions.
While all agree that “the cost of tuition, the depreciating Rand, suitable
accommodation, new language and culture,” were all factors for concern, there
is no reason why, if these issues are favourably addressed, Israel should not
see many more students from South
Africa. “If we have over 1,500 international students from 86 countries
around the world studying in English
at our International School, there is
no reason why we cannot significantly increase our numbers from South
Africa,” says former South African
Stephanie Miller, who heads the
School’s recruitment and admissions.
“We already have the largest number
of South African students at any university in Israel,” says Jonathan Davis,
the International School’s head, “and
we want them to come in their multitudes. With so many South Africans,
it will be like a home-away-from-home.
It’s about time we got a credible
rugby team together!”
All the students are ready to
‘play ball’. “Provide solutions,
Each Jew is a Target
2014
‘Pig Headed’
“This cartoon says it all,” says Rolene
Marks, a member of the Telfed Media Team, a member of MTI (Media Team Israel), TbT (Truth
be Told) and a commentator on SA radio. Rolene was visiting SA during the recent pig
episode. “It has become open season on Jews. Expressing anti-Semitism is no longer politically
incorrect or intolerant in certain circles. Instead it has become almost fashionable to Jew-bash.
The silence from politicians and human rights organisations has been deafening. Not a
peep, not a squeak, not an oink.
These are Dark days for the Beloved Country.”
and you will see they will come,”
was the general consensus. Says Talia
from Bar Ilan: “Just look at my MTA
group. There were 60 of us on the
programme. Twenty of us are here
in Israel; that’s a third of the original
programme. Others will follow and if
certain conditions were met, I’m sure
most would be here.”
Tunnel Vision
“There is light at the end of the
tunnel,” says Estee Lipshitz, English
Academic Advisor at the College of
Law and Business. “We have enrolled
our first South Africans and expect
this to increase.” One of the concepts
being discussed was an old successful
idea of Habonim South Africa called
the “Garin”, where the bogrim came
as a group to kibbutzim. “It’s a case
of not throwing out the baby with
the bath water,” explains the writer who initiated the concept. If kibbutz was yesteryear’s model, the idea
of the future is the Academic Garin,
where school leavers, who have come
to know each other through school,
their youth movement or from the
same town or neighbourhood, would
come to Israel as a group and study
at a particular university.
Accommodation would be collectively organised, and, guided by sufficient
interest, ways will be explored to generate funding for scholarships. “Great
idea,” was the general consensus of all
the students interviewed. “The concept,” says Josh,”would appeal to parents knowing their kids were together in Israel. I definitely think this is
one far-reaching idea that will enjoy
– parental approval.”
“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”
- the situation in South Africa today
is “Bad”, it has gotten “Ugly”, but the
“Good” news is that youngsters are
coming to study in Israel•
25
Heritage
A Tale
of Two
Sh uls
By David Kaplan
The Majestic Gardens Shul Cape Town.
This “recording” is worth recording!
When Roy Scher, Telfed’s Jerusalem Regional Head made
Aliyah in 1979 immediately after matriculating, he thought
to bring more than a backpack of teenage possessions. He
wanted to include a reminder of his “spiritual upbringing”
and what better than a stirring recording of a melodious
wedding ceremony under a Chuppah at the Gardens Shul. It
was not a wedding of anybody he knew but it was the music
“which I loved.” More than a visual snapshot of the past, it
remains decades later, an audio “reliving of my rich legacy.”
Roy did not grow up under the shadow of Table Mountain
where the majestic Gardens Synagogue reigned supreme over
the Cape Town Jewish community. The Scher family was
amongst 20-28 Jewish families who lived in the small picturesque farming village of Durbanville in the northern suburbs of Cape Town.
While it boasted a splendid shul built in 1927, its small
community did not warrant the customary ‘cantor and choir’
services of Cape Town’s larger communities. This did not deny
young Roy - growing up during the late sixties and seventies - from acquiring a love for synagogue music which “I
received from my parents.”
While his mother Vicky “grew up attending services in
the Gardens Synagogue and was imbued by its choir and
the liturgical renditions of Cantor Borris Rome,” his father
Nokkie had received excellent training as a boy from Reb
Dorogow at the Durbanville shul. “My Dad would go onto
be the shul’s Ba’al Tefilla for many years as well as reading
26
On the eve of Yom Kippur, 26 September 1841, the
first Services were held in Helmsley Place in Hof Street
- which today forms part of the iconic Mount Nelson
Hotel. It was on this historic night that the Cape Town
Hebrew Congregation was founded with 17 male
members. The Congregation grew slowly and in 1849
was able to purchase a house that they converted into
a small Synagogue. Reverend Isaac Pulver was the
Synagogue’s first spiritual leader.
The Congregation continued to grow and in 1863 the
first Synagogue was built. This quaint, charming and
tastefully designed Synagogue still stands today adjacent to the Great Synagogue and currently serves
as the entrance to the world renowned South African
Jewish Museum. 1895 saw the arrival of Reverend Alfred
Bender who was very much beloved by the community
and who served for 42 years
the weekly Parasha.”
And so, before leaving South Africa, Roy received
permission from the Gardens Synagogue to record
next to the choir room, a Chuppah in progress.
“I have enjoyed listening to it ever since.”
Riveting Recording
Twenty-five years after his Aliyah, Roy mentioned
to choirmaster Richard Shavei-Tzion of Ramot
about the recording. Richard, who had sung in the
Gardens Shul choir in the sixties, “encouraged me
to make a copy and send it to the couple as a memento of their wedding.” Roy of course had no idea
who the couple was.
With the assistance of Gilad Stern in Cape Town,
the Garden Shul archives revealed the names of the
couple who were married on that Sunday, the 23rd
December 1979. “With this information, I contacted Herzlia School Alumni, who provided me with
the couple’s address.”
Roy then wrote to Lauraine and Haylen Lewin,
wishing them a belated Mazel Tov enclosing the CD
of their wedding ceremony.
The couple was bowled over.
Firstly, they now could relive that beautiful melodious
moment as they had no recording of the ceremony.
Secondly, and as the saying goes, The Lord works in
mysterious ways. “The CD arrived on the exact date
of their 25th Anniversary!”
Th e Last Note
There was still another surprise to follow. A few
years later, Roy attended a Chazzanut charity concert
where he learnt beforehand that the guest Chazan
was to be David Ullman from Haifa who had been
the Chazzan at the Gardens Synagogue at the time
of the Lewin wedding. Naturally Roy went armed
with more than his entrance ticket.
Ullman was overwhelmed when Roy presented him
with the recording. “While he had many recordings
of himself performing, he had no recordings of himself singing under a Chuppah at the Gardens Shul.”
A week later he revealed to Roy that friends and family had been visiting to hear the recording. Ullman
had been 33 years old at the time of the recording.
May such sounds of the past linger on for all eternity!
To hear the recording visit:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnsX3hRQ
‘G E N E S I S’
Davening in th e Dorp
Walking through the streets of Durbanville today, one
cannot miss
the names of
two streets Scher Street
and Borok
Street in recognition of
the contribution of these
two families
to the town.
Both Samuel
Durbanville
Shul. The two Borok and his son
Menoroth
Sonny would serve
in the
as Deputy Mayors.
Durbanville
Samuel also left
Shul on
his mark on “that
ground doShtetl by the sea”
nated by the
Borok family, were made by Vicky Scher’s father Boris
Muizenberg, where
Surovsky in the memory of her late mother. He also
he became partmade the Ner Tamid, in honour of Nokkie and Vicky’s
owner of the famed
marriage in 1953.
Balmoral Hotel.
Seen here in the synagogue’s first committee in 1927
While Durbanville
are: Seated: Hillel Emdin, Samuel Borok (President
at its Jewish comand father of Gessie Borok of Rechovot), H. Schus.
Standing: Philip Scher, Solly Swerling (uncle of
munal prime boastNorman Spiro, a past Director of Telfed’s ISRENTCO)
ed only some 28
and Abie Scher (Roy Scher’s grandfather).
families, the descendants of at least three – the Schers, the Boroks and the
Spiros – settled in Israel. “Not a bad statistic,” says Roy, whose
grandfather, Abie Scher arrived in Durbanville in 1904 at age
ten with his mother, Roy’s great-grandmother. Abie’s eldest
brother, Nathan had arrived earlier in1892. Two other brothers would follow and all went into dairy, cattle and sheep farming as well as cultivating vines providing grapes to KWV for
making wine. Roy’s parents, Nokkie and Vicky Scher reside
today in Ramot, Jerusalem.
Well settled in Rehovot are Dr. Gessie and Belle Borok.
Gessie’s father Samuel came to Durbanville in 1914 after an
auspicious start following his arrival in Cape Town the previous
year from Lithuania. A teenager, he took a job at a butchery
delivering meat on a bicycle. “Unfortunately he had a crash;
continued on next page
27
the fresh meat went flying and worse, Dad was fired,” says Gessie. Actually, it all turned out for the
best. Taking a less ‘mobile’ job, Samuel soon found himself at the Oxford Hotel in Durbanville, washing wine bottles for the Basson family. Three years later, he borrowed money and bought the hotel.
At that stage there were few Jewish families but as time passed, more Jewish farmers and speculators
moved to Durbanville and the hotel prospered mainly catering to commercial travelers.
In 1920 Samuel married Sylvia Shirken and together they became active in Jewish communal life
and donated the grounds on which the synagogue was built with funds from the community.
At one time Samuel employed a young barman, Louis Lerer, who would later be awarded the Military
Medal for bravery during WWII. Lerer’s two children both made Aliyah – Prof. Bernard Lerer, an
internationally renowned psychiatrist lives in Alon Shvut (See article on page 35) and Dr. Rose Lerer
Cohen, a renowned genealogist lives in Jerusalem.
Desert Rat: Louis
Lerer on parade in
Intrigued to discover more of Louis Lerer’s war exploits, the writer learned that this diminutive ‘Desert
Rat’ proved to be a giant on the battlefields of North Africa during WWII. “We were on patrol,” wrote North Africa
Lerer, “when a German column broke through our lines near Mersa Matruth. We lay doggo and remained behind. In the
morning, we found two enemy 5-millimeter guns about one-and-a half miles away from the main columns. We charged
up, and I stood on the running board of the car, and at the pistol point we captured the guns. We then made a wide detour and rejoined our comrades.”
However, it was mainly for his leading role in a daring rescue of 27 British prisoners-of-war that Lerer was decorated.
In charge of an armoured car, Lerer encountered a pair of enemy trucks with the prisoners on board and guarded by four
of Rommel’s men. The report reads that “Lerer gave chase single-handed and not only stopped the convoy but took the
four German prisoners amid the cheers of the captives.”
Such was the calibre of staff at the Oxford Hotel.
‘Th e Three Talmidim’
The star pupils at the Cheder were Gessie Borok, Nokkie Scher, and Norman Spiro (z’l). Norman was the Director
of Telfed’s property management company, ISRENTCO for many years.
Their cheder teacher was Reb Dorogow who made an indelible impression on their lives. “I would say it is through
him that we all three made Aliyah,” Norman would adamantly assert.
“He provided us with such profound Yiddishkeit and the beauty of
the Hebrew language, that he gave us the tools to come on Aliyah.”
“When Norman and Nokkie spoke on the phone,” says Vicky, “they
would invariably rattle off the Sedra of the week.”
Unable to get to shul recently for the Chagim, “we davened at home.
Nokkie read the Torah portion from the Machzor. It was very special.”
And there is more that made the transition from Durbanville to
Jerusalem so enriching - both physically and spiritually. In 1970,
Vicky was in a motor accident in which her mother-in-law, Golda
From Durbanville to Israel: Gessie Borok,
Scher, her daughter Hannah Raichlin, and her daughter-in-law
Nokkie Scher, and Norman Spiro
Judith Scher, were tragically killed.
To commemorate their names, the Abie Scher family donated a Torah to the Durbanville Shul, and “it was from this
Torah that our grandsons read their portions for their Bar Mitzvahs,” says Vicky proudly. Years later, the Torah was brought
by Roy’s brother Neil, to the synagogue in Ramot, where the Scher family davens and to date, six of Abie Scher’s greatgrandchildren have read from the same Torah for their Bar Mitzvahs in Jerusalem.
There may be few Jews left today in Durbanville but there is much of Durbanville’s enriching Jewish legacy embedded
today in Israel. •
28
Nuptials
Darren, son of Brian
and Tessa Rozowsky
of Ra’anana, married
Elinor, daughter of
Esther and Itzhak
Itzhakov of Herzliya.
Arnon, son of Yair
and Tessa Chelouche
of Gan Yoshiya,
married Anat,
daughter of Lucy and
Uri Krajtman from
Kibbutz Magal
Ran, son of Meir and
Ofra Burda of Rishon
Le Zion and Grandson
of Chana Eidelmann
(Gulis), married Shira,
daughter of Shalom
and Esther Berkowitz
of Bavli, Tel Aviv.
Elinor, the oldest
daughter of
Heather & Colin
Ovzinsky of Kibbutz
Hanita (previously
Randfontein),
married Yaron, son of
Avi Beulah Young of
Rishon Lezion.
Sarah, daughter of
Avigdor and Batya
Tobias of Ramat
Bet Shemesh and
grandaughter to
Naty and Denise
Tobias of Ra’anana,
married Rafael, son
of Shlomo and Chaya
Ticochingsky of
Jerusalem.
Tania, daughter of Hilliard and
Erica Hart of Kfar Saba, married
Shuky, son of Moshe and Yudit
Ashkai of Moshav Magshimim.
Ayala, daughter of Sharlene and Nicky Capelouto of Ra’anana,
married Ran, son of Etty and Buki Snir of Herzlia Pituah.
29
Book N ook
Drawing Fire
T
he scene is set in the book’s foreword. A quick read of the authors’s impressive credentials as a journalist, political activist, historian and
writer in both apartheid South Africa
and in Israel for the last 15 years
- one is assured that this author
knows what he is talking about.
Benjamin Pogrund, who spent 26
years as a feisty reporter in South
Africa investigating apartheid and
who has been living in Israel for the
past 15 years, painstakingly investigates the accusation that Israel is
practicing apartheid and the motives of those who make it. His
study is founded on his belief in the
State of Israel, combined with frank
criticism, to provide a balanced view
of Israel’s strengths and its problems.
Revealing th e Truth
His research is rich in detail and persuasively counters the accusation of
Israel being an “apartheid” state - an
accusation that has become the cliché
of many of Israel’s opponents, especially the BDS (Boycott, Divestment
and Sanctions) movement. Pogrund
does not leave any stone unturned to
unearth the core issues of this highly emotive debate and he does so
Slippery Slope
Investigating the Accusations
of Apartheid in Israel
by Benjamin Pogrund
Benjamin Pogrund with
Nelson Mandela after
his release from prison.
About the Author
Benjamin Pogrund lives in
Israel where he reports on the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He
was the deputy editor of the
Rand Daily Mail, South Africa’s
leading anti-apartheid newspaper during the Apartheid era. It was hounded by
the state, leading to its eventual closure in 1985. Thereafter, he was chief foreign
sub-editor of The Independent, London and editor of The WorldPaper in Boston
before moving to Jerusalem to foster dialogue. He has written inter alia for the
Guardian (London), Haaretz (Tel Aviv) and Facta (Tokyo).
In May 2013, he was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award
by the International Media Council in London on behalf of the Next Century
Foundation, for encouraging understanding of the Middle East and war-torn
areas of the world.
To learn about Pogrund’s close relationship with Nelson Mandela, read ‘Day of
Rain – Goodbye Madiba’ in Telfed Magazine April 2014 (page 16).
‘Drawing Fire’ is published by Rowman & Littlefield and can be purchased online through Amazon.
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with historical facts, arguments and
counter-arguments.
Providing detailed historical background to the Zionist movement and
the creation of the State of Israel,
Pogrund does not spare his readers
some of the more troubling chapters
of Israel’s past, including the slaughter of Arabs at Dir Yassin and Kfar
Kassem. He does point out that although the facts relating to Dir Yassin
are still not entirely clear and have
evolved into mythical proportions
in Arab propaganda, it nevertheless
did create fear in the hearts of Arabs
causing many to flee during the 1948
War of Independence.
While I’m sure some will argue that
Pogrund is too even-handed, I believe
this is what gives the book its credibility. ‘Drawing Fire’ will not please
those adherents of the maxim - “my
country - right or wrong”.
I contend that it is essential reading
for those who are willing to approach
the question with an open mind.
In one chapter, Pogrund provides a list of apartheid laws
that existed in South Africa
and describes how the situation in pre-1967 Israel does
not compare at all. He does
however refer to the situation
in the West Bank, where certain similarities do appear and
hence are potentially problematic. In one paragraph, he invokes
a “what if ” scenario with a series of conditions which could
potentially lead down the slippery slope to an apartheid state
– a wakeup call for anyone concerned about Israel’s moral and
political future!
He uses a multitude of wideranging sources to support his arguments. Each is methodically referenced, countering any accusation
of being subjective. He is forthright
with his own views in resolving the
conflict (i.e. the ‘Two-State Solution’)
and does not hold back in displaying frustration with all the parties
for not doing enough to resolve their
differences.
Last Word
In my view, anyone wishing to arm
themselves effectively with the relevant facts to counter the apartheid
canard should read ‘Drawing Fire’.
It should be compulsory reading
for students of history, political science and those advocates for Israel,
whether serving in NGOs or Israel’s
diplomatic service.
Sir Harold Evans says it succinctly and poignantly in the foreword:
“Everyone who cares about how
Palestinians and Israelis may live
together should read this compelling book.” •
31
31
People
Varsity
By David Kaplan
Vibes
It was Simon Cowell’s loss missing out on this one – the
IDC Herzliya’s 2014 ‘IDC Idol’. With the competition narrowed down to eight finalists before a large student audience on the green lawns and under the eucalyptus trees on
the IDC campus, it was 1st year student of ‘Government,
Diplomacy and Strategy’, Antony Hatchuel who was
crowned ‘IDC Idol’ with his rendition of the Alicia Keys
hit - “If I Ain’t Got You.”
Whatever Alicia “ain’t got”, Antony sure had it in winning the top prize.
Born in Edmonton Canada, Antony is the son of
Dorian and Sharon Hatchuel of Ra’anana, originally
from Johannesburg.
Attending his first musical ‘chug’ at age two, Antony
began learning the piano at four and then took time out
while focusing on kindergarten. It was only after coming on Aliyah at the age of six that he resumed piano lessons and at the age of fourteen, he attended Ra’anana’s
Antony Hatchuel playing If I Ain’t
Got You by Alicia Keys.
32
Conservatory of Music.
Throughout his schooling, Antony has appeared in numerous shows and is currently performing in a group
called ‘Crazy Love’ that travels across the country singing
the ‘Golden Oldies’ from the sixties.
Winning the IDC Idol, Antony is at a crossroad – is it
to be the grey tarmac road of politics or the ‘Yellow Brick
Road’ to a career in music? In the meantime, “it will be
both,” says Antony hedging his bets. He definitely has the
mind and the voice for either!
To view Antony performing, check:
http://youtu.be/ZX5vwLTJ3g•http://youtu.be/6MqrCEgLjKE
A “Wake-Up Call”
Conference
With war raging between Israel and Hamas (“Operation
Protective Edge”), participants from all over the world
gathered in July for the 14 th International Counter
Terrorism Conference in Israel. An annual summit,
it is organized by the International Institute for
Counter-Terrorism (ICT), an academic institute, at
the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya that facilitates
cooperation in the global struggle against terrorism.
Jonathan Davis, a former member of the Telfed staff
and today head of the IDC Herzliya International
School, moderated many of the panel discussions.
There was nothing “too academic about this
conference for Israelis,” lamented participant Harris
Green, treasurer of Telfed. With missiles from Gaza
raining down on Israel’s civilian population and
concerns about Syria turning into the world’s new
‘Mecca’ for global terrorism, “the conference was a
microcosm of what was unfolding on our doorstep.”
Making sense of an imploding Arab world and its
ramifications globally was the daily diet for four days
of conference.
It was tough to ‘digest’ it all, remarked Judy Berman,
Director of the SAZF, Cape Town branch as she exited
a workshop on terror in Africa. “Cape Town may be
the ‘last stop’ down the continent of Africa but that
does not mean it’s immune from the terror creeping
down from the north. We need to be vigilant.” Too
true when one learns what the Jewish communities
in South Africa have to fork up each year from their
tight budgets to provide security for their communal
institutions!
It was interesting to hear intimate perspectives about
In Broad Daylight. Judy Berman, Director of the SAZF
(Cape Town) conversing with Dr. Sedi Minachi from
Vancouver (right) who as a teenager escaped from Iran
after the revolution in 1979 and who lost many close
friends who were murdered by the Ayatollah’s militia.
“It’s a disgrace how the world looked away when the
people cried for support,” said Dr. Minachi.
Hearing Horror.
Telfed editor David
Kaplan (left) with
Mirza Dinnayi, a
senior Yazidi leader
who warned that
“Islamic State
has thousands of
suicide bombers
that can attack anywhere in the world.”
terror from conference delegates from outside of Israel.
Married and living today in Vancouver, Dr. Sedi Minachi
was a 14 year-old girl living in northern Iran when the
1979 revolution broke out. “It was hell,” she told Telfed
Magazine. “Most the people wanted freedom from the
Shah but not the religious fundamentalism that viciously
took over. My friends and I were in the protest movement.
So many lost their lives either mowed down or arrested
and simply disappeared.” Sedi escaped from Iran crossing
the border into Turkey.
She despairs that too few in the outside world are aware
“or even care” of how many children have over the years
“been murdered” by the regime. “One day when Iran is
free, the world will be exposed to the truth when the
mass graves across the country will be opened.” Sedi is
disappointed with a world that “has failed to support
the Iranian people that have at such personal cost tried
repeatedly to throw off the yoke of brutal oppression.”
One of the most memorable addresses at the summit was
delivered by Mirza Dinnayi, a senior Yazidi leader and a
former adviser on minority affairs to the Iraqi president.
He arrived to the conference in a wheelchair, having left
hospital a week before with a broken leg, connected to
trying to save his people fleeing Islamic State (IS). He
felt he had to attend the conference “because the people
who will truly understand the genocide of my people are
here in the Jewish State. You have it in your history; you
know what it is like for a parent to loose a child and a
child to lose a parent and you will not dispute the details
of the unfolding horror because some journalists 200
kilometres from the terror disputes it. You know the truth
because you have seen it all in your history.”
The Yazidis are a monotheistic Kurdish ethno-religious
community living primarily in northern
Iraq and were targeted by IS in its campaign
to “purify” the region of non-Islamic
influences. Yazidi wives and daughters,
forcibly held by Islamic militants, are being
given a choice: Convert to Islam and marry
jihadists — or else. Many were raped.
Dinnayi’s account of the horrors and the
brutality were hair-raising. Three thousand
people slaughtered and 5,000 women and
children taken captive - all in a single day.
Heart-wrenching to hear was how Dinnayi
helped pull a frantic woman into a rescue helicopter
amongst a mass of Yaziris fleeing the approaching IS.
“We pulled her into the helicopter and then, when we
tried to grab her husband, he could not hold on and he
fell to the ground.” The helicopter then soured into the
air, “and we had to restrain her from jumping out.” Her
screaming - “I want to be with my husband” - will forever
haunt Mirza. Staring at the slide on the screen of the back
of the hysterical wife in the helicopter with the mass of
outstretched hands below on the ground produced a loud
collective sigh from the audience. What became of her or
her husband will not even appear as a footnote in the sad
unfolding history of the region.
The Conference was opened by former President Shimon
Peres who set the tone by saying, “Terror is a system that
needs to be addressed religiously, militarily, nationally and
financially. The world needs to join together to fight terror
and Israel must be a part of that.”
R
Where have
our Valu es Gone?
eminiscent of the sixties classic, “Where have all the
flowers gone?” the recent gathering of a group of former
members of South African Habonim in Ramat Aviv posed
the question: “Where have all our values gone?”
“I dare anyone to challenge me that there is anyone more
Zionist and in love with this country than I,” expressed
Stanley Perlman who began the evening like an opening
batman bent on a mission. He was.
An accountant, Stanley is also Chairman of the ICA (Israel
Cricket Association) as well as representing Israel on the
ICC (International Cricket Association. Under Stanley’s
chairmanship, the ICA has received endless accolades and
continued on next page
33
People
gether - however small our number - was not solving
but identifying the issues and to begin a conversation
instead of pretending they don’t exist.” Maurice Ostroff
added an encouraging note that some of the most momentous changes in the world “began not with large
numbers but with small gatherings like this.”
It was interesting to note that all the attendees were involved in grassroots activity working for “a better Israel”
- that could lead beyond being economically and militarily strong - but also being “strong” on values, living up to its vision of “being a light unto the nations.”
The gathering might have been only “a small step,”
but for someone like Stanley who was known as a resolute batsman who stood his ground at the crease, this
Concerned Citizens. Gathering in Ramat Aviv are (l-r) Jonathan Zausmer,
could be the beginning of a long and momentous innings.
Ros Herscovitz, Maurice Ostroff, Les Abelsohn, Hilton Sher, Gail Lustig,
Gill Sher, Vera Wallerstein, Stanley Perlman and Rhona Sheer (front).
Howzat! •
prizes for its peace work within Israel; notably for bringing
together Jews, Bedouin and Arabs together under the umbrella of ‘Cricket for Change’.
“Change is precisely what is needed in our society” was
Following Adele Samuelson’s 100th birthday in October,
the message of the evening.
it was off to Berlin for a week’s holiday. This was hardly
His co-organiser was Dr. Gail Loon-Lustig, a specialist in
surprising. For her 95th birthday, she went up in an ulfamily and geriatric medicine. Recently elected Chairperson
tra-light plane.
of Beth Protea, Gail spoke no less passionately of the values
At her birthday bash in Mikhmoret last October, Adele
inculcated from “our Zionist upbringing in South Africa
had
over 150 guests although that number was hardly difand which we brought with us to Israel,’ and expressed
ficult
to reach when you have over fifty great-grandchilbeing saddened at the ethically rudderless direction Israeli
dren! This impressive contribution to ‘internal Aliyah’ came
society was moving in.
from her two daughters Ilana Gorfil and Gail Drutman.
While deliberately avoiding hardcore political hurdles Included in the family and friends who came from abroad,
although all agreed “Everything boils down to politics” was a youngster - her 92-year-old sister from South Africa.
issues of concern listed were the increase in racist attitudes,
During the party, Adele was called away to take a call from
corruption amongst the business and political elites, the
a well-wisher she had not met. “MAZEL TOV” bellowed the
increasing disparity between rich and poor, the difficulties
affable Reuven Rivlin,
faced by the Ethiopian community, “as evidenced by the
Israel’s State President.
high number of suicides,” the plight of the African refugees
in Israel, the general increase of violence in Israeli society,
the ‘I-factor’ of our youth, and “the eroding efcontinued on next page
fect on our value system after four decades of
unwelcome rule over the Palestinians.”
Adele Samuelson
It was a smart and passionate group of people
who gathered and who all had a lot to express.
“This is our country and we care about it. We
Party Girl: After her
also care about who we are, and what we stand
party (left), Adele flew
for.” There was no downplaying the difficulties
off to Berlin for a week.
This was clearly in
in resolving all or any of these problems. Stanley
keeping with her ‘flighty’
concluded that “the purpose of our coming to-
Oh! What a Girl
34
personality. (above): For
her 95th birthday, she
took off in an ultra-light
aircraft.
A Colourful Centurion
In 1943, Adele and her fiancé Ezikiel (Skea) decided to
make Aliyah. It was during the British Mandate period,
“and I secured a precious legal entry permit. The plan was
as soon as Skea received his permit, he would join me.”
Fate intervened.
Travelling with three friends, “we set sail from Durban
on a Polish ship, the ‘Katyushka’, which carried 1000
Italian prisoners of war that were being repatriated back
to Europe. We arrived in Port Said, virtually penniless
after having been swindled and were met by representatives from the Irgun. We then took a train that travelled
through El Arish and Gaza en route to Haifa.”
After Hachshara (preparation) at Binyamina, Adele joined a
fledgling kibbutz situated in the eastern Galilee on the edge
of the malaria infested Hula valley. “My time on Kibbutz
Kfar Blum was an adventure and experience never to be
forgotten. I made lifelong friends and fitted into my new
surroundings. I felt privileged of be part of the effort of reestablishing a Jewish state after 2000 years of dispersion.”
As fate had it, Skea’s mother in South Africa took ill
making it impossible for him to join Adele. After a year
on kibbutz, she returned to South Africa where she married Skea at the end of 1945. In 1979, thirty five years
later, their dream to be together in Israel was realized. “We
made Aliyah joining our two daughters and their families.”
Before retiring, Adele worked for 18 years at Tel Aviv
University (TAU) as the English secretary to the Presidents
and Rectors of the University and for the Legal Department.
Today she has a fulltime job as matriarch of a rapidly
expanding clan.
continued on next page
35
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Barbara Liebgott. Sol served as Chairman of the SAZF
(1969-1972), and as of 2014, Telfed awards bursaries in
his name. Bernard and Ziona were members of the first
garin of twelve families to Alon Shvut.
However it was Bernard’s pursuit of both passions – medicine and Zionism - that has provided his compass in life.
Right patient, right medicine, right dosage and right
guy for top award! What’s left to say about this medical
man but – LaBriut! (To health) •
People
Professor Bernard Lerer.
Its Personal
Would teenagers buy the same clothes as their
grandparents? Unlikely; so why when they are sick are
they likely to receive just about the same treatment
and drug choices? That’s because even the world’s
best scientists and doctors had limited knowledge
of how different people respond to different treatments. The result was a “one size fits all” but this
approach is changing, explained Prof. Bernard Lerer of
Alon Shvut in Gush Etzion who was awarded the 2014 inaugural Werner Kalow Prize for Personalized Medicine.
A former Capetonian, Bernard is professor of psychiatry and Director of the Biological Psychiatry Laboratory,
Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem.
Pioneered by the late Prof. Werner Kalow, Personalized
Medicine is steering researchers closer to more precise,
predictable and powerful medicines that will be customized for the individual patient. “Our growing understanding of genetics is allowing us to provide better diagnoses,
36
safer drug prescriptions, and more effective treatments of the diseases and conditions that have affected us throughout history,” says Bernard.
“Today we are learning how to tailor health
care to a person’s unique genetic makeup
which is the idea behind personalized medicine.” Bernard’s contribution, for which he
was awarded the Prize was his use of genetic markers “in predicting responses to antipsychotic medication in people with psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia.”
Following extensive research, the findings of Bernard’s
group are currently being used to develop diagnostic kits
that will eventually be marketed.
It’s been a long and exciting journey for this former lad
from Parow (near Cape Town). Bernard graduated from
UCT Medical School, was Chairman of Cape Town Bnei
Akiva and served on the WPZC Youth Council. “In those
days medicine was a pastime while the Movement was the
most important thing in my life. When I found the time,
I attended medical school.”
Bernard is married to Ziona, the daughter of Sol and
An Israel-SA
Partnership made in
Heaven
Yeshiva of Cape Town Celebrates 20 years
When G-d created Cape Town he was in a good mood,”
expressed Ze’ev Schwartz, Director General of Torah
Mi’Tzion, in welcoming the audience of over 300 who
gathered on Friday the 18th October in Givat Shmuel.
However, it was not Cape Town’s physical but spiritual
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attributes that they gathered to celebrate!
“We have come to toast 20 years of the enormous contribution to Yiddishkeit in South Africa’s
Mother City by Yeshiva of Cape Town - Torah
Mi’Tzion, the brainchild of Rabbi Jonny Glass”
said event organizer Schwartz, a former member
of the Telfed Executive. Representing Telfed at
the reunion was CEO Dorron Kline, Treasurer
Harris Green and former Chairman and Telfed
Magazine Editor, David Kaplan.
continued on next page
Beaminig with Pride. (starting from 3rd from the left)
Dubi Rabinowitz, Telfed Editor David Kaplan, Jonny
Glass, the founder of the programme, Telfed CEO Dorron
Kline, Mickey Glass and Owen Futeran and grandson.
37
Riveting Recollections.
Originally from Camps
Bay, where his father
was rabbi, Hillel Maizels
(Bachur 1999-2000) is
seen here (left) with
reunion organizer, Ze’ev
Schwartz, Director General
of Torah Mi’Tzion
Jonny, now living in Johannesburg attended as did his
father, Mickey Glass an iconic religious leader in the
Cape Town community. Making up the vast number
of guests were supporters of the Yeshiva School; former
members of South African Bnei Akiva and the Bachurim
from Israel (22 year old post-army Hesder Yeshiva graduates), some of them already in their forties, who spent a
year in Cape Town bringing Judaism and Zionism to all
ages in the community.
The atmosphere was festive and what proved most moving was hearing the names announced of all those who
had met their future spouses through the programme.
The ‘fruits’ of their labour were enjoying the kiddies playground that was set up behind the hall.
Owen Futeran from Cape Town and a member of the
Yeshiva of Cape Town committee told Telfed Magazine
that “the programme’s impact remains enormous particularly because of its Zionist flavor. All my three daughters
as well as myself learnt with the Bachurim.”
Over 20 years, a total of some 160 Bachurim from Israel
were welcomed by the Cape Town Jewish community. They
were invited into homes for Shabbatot and Chagim and
quite literally brought Israel into the homes of Capetonians.
For those not fortunate enough to visit Israel, Israel was
visiting them and enriching their lives.
Nothing breeds success like success as was evident when
the programme was replicated in Johannesburg, followed
by Jewish communities elsewhere in the world.
One of the programme’s veteran supporters is Dubi
Rabinowitz from Jerusalem. “When I first heard the idea
from Jonny over twenty years ago, I knew this would be
a win for the community. The impact has been immeasurable and if I have any criticism it is only one – I feel
it deserves greater support from the local communities in
South Africa. After all, who would they be investing in if
not for themselves?”
Who would disagree!
In an age where Zionism globally is under attack, the
Cape Town Yeshiva remains a model of promoting religious Zionism and inculcating ‘the centrality of Israel’
under the shadow of Table Mountain.
38
Bureaucracy can be a
Blessing
A step on the “Red Carpet”, led to a ‘walk up the aisle’
When Daniel Chai from South Africa arrived on Aliyah
from South Africa on the
Jewish Agency’s ‘Operation
Red Carpet’, The Loving Couple:
little did he Daniel and Meirav
k n ow h i s
first steps
were leadTelfed attended the launch of the
ing him diopening of the new Aliyah Global
rectly to the
Center. Jewish Agency Chairman,
Chuppah.
Natan Sharansky (ctr).
There to
help him at the Jewish Agency’s Global Aliyah Center
was Meirav Abromovitz working as a national service
volunteer to assist new Olim. “I don’t know how to explain this, but it seems to me that it was destiny. Daniel
had been planning to make Aliyah months earlier, but
then faced some bureaucratic hurdles so he delayed his
flight and arrived exactly at the time that I was on duty.”
Soon Meirav and Daniel were dating and after two years
were married.
When Natan Sharansky, Chairman of the Jewish Agency,
dedicated the new Global Aliyah Centre at Kiryat Moriah in
Jerusalem, he spoke about Daniel and Meirav’s Love Story.
“The Global Aliyah Center symbolizes, above all, the universality of the Jewish Agency that provides an answer to
any Jew anywhere in the world, and makes anything possible. A Jew can call at any given moment and receive information on Aliyah and life in Israel.”
In Daniel’s case it changed his life forever.
Succot with a Difference
“A Succah has no doors, no windows and no secure roof.
It derives its strength from the people who are seated inside,” expressed the IDF’s Chief Military Rabbi, Brigadier
General Raphael Perez before a gathering of Machalniks in
the Succa of Israel’s Minister of Defense, Moshe (Boogie)
Ya’alon. (‘Machal’ is the acronym for Mitnadvei Hutz
LaAretz - Volunteers from Abroad)
Perez was using the Succah‑ as a metaphor for the State
of Israel whose strength and sustainability is derived from
that same indomitable spirit that inspired the people seat-
ed before him. There were those - many of them former
South Africans - who volunteered in 1947-48 and in 1956
putting their lives on
hold - careers, studies, marriages - to
the young Machal
volunteers of today
like the young paratrooper from the
USA who chillingly
related how his unit
during “Operation
Protective Edge,”
Soldiers in the Succah: Dod die Gordon and h a d c o n f r o n t Minister Moshe Ya’alon at Ya’alon’s succah. ed Hamas troops
emerging from an underground tunnel on a kibbutz,
close to the Gazan border.
The recognition of the contribution of the Machalniks
during Israel’s War of Independence was embodied in
the words of David Ben Gurion read by Smoky Simon,
Chairman of World Machal: “The Machal forces were the
Diaspora’s most important contribution to the survival of
the State of Israel”.
Thanking Machal of all generations, “for giving up the
comforts of your homes and families to come to Israel
and volunteer in the I.D.F.”, Israel’s Minister of Defense
stated that “while there are strong walls, fences and “Iron
Domes” around the state of Israel to protect it, it is the
succah where Israel derives its strength - from the ruach
(spirit) of its citizens from within.”
Machal veteran Doddie Gordon from Kibbutz HaSolelim contributed to this article.
bayonet practice and parachute jumping.”
On October 29th, Mivtza Kadesh - the Sinai Campaign commenced. “We heard that five Machal-Nachal pararoopers
had parachuted with Raful [Rafael “Raful” Eitan] in the
battle for the Mitla Pass. Together with the Nachal platoon
at Kibbutz Hasolelim, I and another twelve Machalnicks
were transported to the Sinai and took up positions opposite the Gaza strip
near Dir-El Balach
and Khan Yunis. It
was exciting and also
a little scary as we engaged in destroying
enemy installations.”
After completing
his Machal service,
Doddie returned to
Kibbutz Hasolelim
where he became a
member and raised a
family.
Go Jump. Doddie Gordon (4th left) at a training exercise with Machal
1956, following in
footsteps of 1948
During the early fifties, Doddie had
been mesmerised listening to the Shlichim
from Israel relate stories of the heroic
Machal Volunteers of 1948 at his weekly Bnei Zion youth movement meetings
in Mayfair, Johannesburg.
His opportunity to follow in their brave
footsteps occurred with Israel’s call for help
in 1956. In April, at the age of twenty, he
was part of the second group that boarded a flight to Israel. “No sooner had we
landed, we were absorbed into a Nachal
Battalion where our training included
volunteers at Tel Nof. “I did five daytime jumps and two at night.”
39
In Memoriam
40
through his enriching association with
Telfed over many decades.
Telfed chairman Dave Bloom, members
An anti-apartheid activist, Mervyn
was
the prime protagonist at the SA
of the Directorate, Executive Council and
Jewish Board of Deputies’ (SAJBOD)
all staff express heartfelt condolences to
national conference in 1985 in the
families whose loved ones (listed below)
passing of the historic resolution conhave passed away in recent months:
demning apartheid. Shortly before
Mervyn’s passing, his family received
on his behalf from the leader of the
Democratic Alliance, Helen Zille, an
Alan Montlake (Raanana)
award for his ‘Lifetime Contribution
Mervyn Smith (Cape Town)
to Democracy in South Africa’.
Avril Ostrin (Raanana)
President of the South African Jewish
Dalya Lemkus (Tekoa)
Congress, Mervyn was also a vice presDavid Slasky (Tel Mond)
ident of the World Jewish Congress
Denise Jankelowitz (Jerusalem)
and an honorary life vice president
of the SAJBOD, the organization
Hilda Garrun (Raanana)
he had served earlier as its national
Jack Stander (Tzur Yigal)
chairman. His concern for his fellow
Jeanette Stander (Tzur Yigal)
Jews extended to the Jewish commuIke Gilinsky (Tel Mond)
nities - large and small - of sub-SaJospa Greenberg (Jerusalem)
haran Africa, serving as President of
Linda Sackstein (Tel Mond)
the African Jewish Congress.
Shlomit Odes Barth
An erudite scholar on anti-SemiToby Jacobs (Jerusalem)
tism and the Shoah, Smith served as
Toni Calo (Sde Nitsan)
Chairman of the Board of the South
African Holocaust Foundation.
Arthur Wolff (Kfar Saba)
Joe Simon (Jerusalem)
In the field of culture, Mervyn served
as Chairman of the Performing Arts
Paul Katz (New York)
Council of South Africa, the Cape
Harold Resnik (Johannesburg)
Performing Arts Board, and the Cape
Rochelle Swil (Neve Daniel)
Town City Ballet. On being asked
how he managed to take on so much
voluntary work and
Mervyn Smith
still run a busy legal
His hometown was Cape
practice - where
Town but his enriching inhe further distinfluence spread far beyond
guished
himself
the giant shadow cast by
serving
as
Chairman
Table Mountain. Within
of the Cape Law
hours of the sad news, the
Society, and later as
global ‘family’ of Southern
President of the Law
African Jews was lamentSociety of South
ing the passing of this exCommunity Leader Mervyn
Africa – he replied:
emplary communal leader.
Smith (rt) seen here with
“I have always manMervyn left his mark on
President Nelson Mandela
aged to master time
most major Jewish organwell.”
izations in South Africa
A Lexus Lifetime Achiever Award
as well as endearing himself to the
Southern Africa community in Israel
recipient, Mervyn used his time to
the fullest in the service of society and the Jewish communities of
Southern Africa.
Condolences to children Paul,
Deborah, Raphael, Abigail and families.
Dalya Lemkus
Telfed joins the Southern African
community in mourning the tragic
passing of former South African, 26
year old Dalya Lemkus of Tekoa. A
young woman, loved by all, Dalya was
murdered in a terrorist attack at the entrance to Alon Shvut in Gush Etzion.
Born in Johannesburg, Dalya came
on Aliyah at the
age of six with her
parents Norman
( Na c h u m ) a n d
Brenda Lemkus.
One of six chilDalya Lemkus
dren, Dalya worked
as an occupational
therapist for kindergarten children
and volunteered for the Yad Sarah
organization.
“The Lemkus family is unique in
their passionate drive to volunteer,”
expressed a Tekoa resident. Quite literally, her father, “who volunteers for
Magen David Adom, jumps at any assignment like a devil.” Following his
example, Dalya opened the Yad Sarah
branch in Tekoa “and was so dedicated that even at night, after closing time, she would stay and help.
For her, there was no ‘closing time’,
she was there for people at any hour
of the day.”
Telfed was represented at the funeral
on Tekoa by its CEO Dorron Kline.
Telfed extends heartfelt condolences to the Lemkus family.
A full tribute to Joe Simon, former Chairman of
the South Africa Zionist Federation in South Africa,
will appear in the next issue of Telfed.
Tributes by David Kaplan
41