- SA Jewish Report

PERCY BANESHIK
MEMORIAL CONCERT / 12
PHILIP MILLER PUTS HUMAN
FACE ON KENTRIDGE / 13
BOOKS:
SWEEPING
UP GLASS
/ 13
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Friday, 13 November 2009 / 26 Cheshvan 5770
Volume 13 Number 43
Obama shifts into Israel’s
corner, tries not to show it
Budlender report
vindicates
Limmud actions
at Wits / 3
Helena Glaser cometh the hour,
cometh the
woman / 4
Habib decries all
fundamentalists
at Interfaith
lecture / 8
DAVIS: Let’s base
argument on
principle, fact / 11
SUSSER: Abbas
threat to resign
sparks fears / 10
Russian-Jewish
Nobel laureate in
physics, Vitaly
Ginzburg dies / 2
RAHM EMANUEL: JEWISH
SETTLEMENTS SHOULD NOT
PREVENT NEGOTIATIONS
YOUTH TALK / 18-19
SPORTS / 24
LETTERS / 14
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel addresses
delegates at the annual General Assembly of the
Jewish Federations of North America in Washington,
November 10. (Robert A Cumins / Jewish Federations
of North America) SEE PAGE 11
CROSSWORD & BRIDGE / 20
Veteran swimmer
Yach aims at
29,5km around
Robben Island / 9
COMMUNITY BUZZ / 7
WHAT’S ON / 20
2
SA JEWISH REPORT
13 - 20 November 2009
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Honourable Abe Abrahamson (Hon. Life
President), Stan Kaplan (Chairman)
Issie Kirsh (Deputy Chairman), Marlene
Bethlehem, Russell Gaddin, Norman
Lowenthal, Bertie Lubner, Benjy Porter,
Herby Rosenberg, Howard
Sackstein, Jason Valkin.
Mr Justice Meyer Joffe
(Chair, editorial comm)
KASHRUT
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advertisements and/or advertising features to indicate whether or not they are
kosher. Where no Kashrut mark appears
on an advert, the Jewish Report
assumes no responsibility for the
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Where no symbols appear, consult the
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outside sources do not neccessarily reflect
the views of the editors and staff.
Light up the world
THE GREENSTEINS were somewhat traditional Jews, certainly
by suburban American standards, and wanted to give their
five-year-old daughter a good
education. They had heard glowing reports about the local
Chabad pre-school and enrolled
their daughter. Jessica loved her
new school and especially
enjoyed the mock Shabbat table
each Friday morning.
A few months into the school
year, Jessica arrived home and
announced to her mother that
she wanted to start lighting
Shabbat candles. Mom dismissed Jessica’s suggestion
with a curt “we don’t do that”.
Jessica broached the subject on
the following Friday and persisted for the next few weeks.
Mom’s response remained negative.
Jessica was determined. One
Friday while her mother was at
work, she convinced the au pair
to walk her to a nearby grocery
store. There she asked the shop
owner if she could buy a
PARSHAT
CHAYEI
SARAH
Rabbi Ari Shishler
Chabad of Strathavon
“Jewish” candle. Not knowing
what to make of her request, the
proprietor sold her a yahrtzeit
candle.
Mom, getting home at dusk,
was taken aback to find a lit
yahrtzeit candle on the mantelpiece. Walking in just behind
her, Jessica proudly announced:
“I lit it for you, Mommy!”
Mrs Greenstein hasn’t missed
lighting Shabbat candles since.
Parshat
Chayei
Sarah
describes the marriage of Isaac
and Rebecca. Isaac had just lost
his mother, the pious Sarah,
whose home exuded spirituality
and inspiration. He was not simply looking for a wife; he wanted
a worthy successor to his illus-
trious mother.
The Torah details how Rebecca
arrived in Israel to meet her husband-to-be. Isaac waited and
watched to see if she would fill
the void left by his mother’s
death.
“And Yitzchak brought her to
the tent, Sarah his mother. He
took Rivkah, she became his wife
and he loved her.”
Notice that the Torah does not
tell us that he took her into his
mother’s tent. Instead, it says
that he took her to the tent and
then simply adds “Sarah his
mother”. Our Sages discern here
that Isaac saw his righteous
mother in his new wife.
Sarah’s home was full of miracles: Her Challah remained fresh
for days, the tent had a constant
aura of holiness and her candles
would miraculously burn from
Friday to Friday. After Sarah’s
death, these miracles ceased and
when Rebecca moved in, they
returned.
The Torah emphasises that
Isaac waited to observe whether
Rebecca could rekindle these
miraculous factors and only then
married her. This indicates that
November 13/26 Cheshvan
November 14/27 Cheshvan
Chayei Sarah
Starts
18:15
17:59
18:10
18:15
18:00
18:15
the firing squad.
The Soviet H-bomb project was ultimately a success through a series of
fortuitous circumstances. In 1948, it
was clear that the Soviet Union would
acquire the atom bomb to compete
with the United States. Some sources
had indicated that America was also
working on a hydrogen bomb, and the
Soviets decided they should make a
similar effort - although it was not initially considered a high priority.
One of the original team members
was physicist Igor Tamm, head of the
theory department at the Lebedev
Physical Institute in Moscow. Tamm
proposed bringing in his deputy,
Ginzburg, but was initially turned
down.
Eventually,
however,
Ginzburg’s scientific pedigree outweighed his Jewish background and
his wife’s exile, and he was accepted.
Physicist Andrei Sakharov was
placed on the team because he and his
wife had a young child and no place to
live. Project members were given
housing, in this case a single room in a
communal flat
Their inclusion was fortuitous
because the team had little idea how to
proceed. Sakharov suggested using
alternating layers of uranium and fuel
in the bomb. Ginzburg suggested
using lithium-6 as fuel because, when
hit by neutrons, it would release tritium and helium nuclei and significant amounts of energy.
“I do not think that either of these
ideas was terribly bright,” Ginzburg
said in a recent interview with the
American Institute of Physics, “but
together they made it possible to create the H-bomb.”
Once it was decided to use these two
ideas, the work was moved from
Moscow to what is now the city of
Sarov. Ginzburg, who had been tarred
as a “homeless, stateless cosmopoli-
Johannesburg
Cape Town
Durban
Bloemfontein
Port Elizabeth
East London
Rebecca lit Shabbat candles
while she was still single,
implying that single women
should do so too. In fact,
Rebecca was all of three years
old when she met Isaac, so it
makes sense to train young
girls to light Shabbat candles
too.
Shabbat candles are one of
Judaism’s oldest traditions.
Even when they don’t physically burn for a week as Sarah’s
and Rebecca’s did, they leave
an aura of tranquillity in your
home for the week. And we
could all do with more light
and warmth in our frenetic
lives.
Shabbat Shalom.
Nobel laureate Vitaly
Ginzburg dies at age 93
VITALY GINZBURG, the Russian
physicist who played a key role in the
Soviet Union’s development of the
hydrogen bomb and who later won a
Nobel Prize for his work on the theoretical underpinnings of superconductivity, died in Moscow late Sunday
of cardiac arrest. He was 93 and had
been in ill health for some time.
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in
2003 for his work on the theoretical
underpinnings of superconductivity.
A pioneering theoretical physicist
who often deprecated his own abilities
in mathematics, Ginzburg made seminal contributions in a number of
areas of physics, including quantum
theory, astrophysics and radioastronomy.
A confirmed atheist despite his
Jewish heritage, he was outspoken
against anti-Semitism and firm in supporting the state of Israel. In his later
years, he was highly vocal about what
he and other scientists considered the
“clericalisation” of the Russian state.
In a telegram to Ginzburg’s family,
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
called him “a remarkable and purpose-driven man who has left us, one
of the greatest physicists of our times,
whose discoveries had a huge impact
on the development of science in our
country and around the world, and
whose professional career and personal life are examples of a citizen’s service to his homeland”.
That statement seems somewhat
ironic
because
Ginzburg
was
ostracised and refused high-level
clearances throughout most of his
career and was unable to travel
abroad until late in his life because his
wife had been erroneously accused of
participating in a plot to assassinate
Josef Stalin. He often said that it was
only his participation in the
H-bomb project that saved him from
Ends
19:07
20:11
19:03
19:21
19:35
19:23
AROUND
THE
WORLD
NEWS IN BRIEF
ISRAELI ARMY CHIEF:
IRAN RADICAL BUT
NOT IRRATIONAL
Nobel Prizewinner Vitaly Ginzburg
has died, age 93.
tan”, was not allowed to move to Sarov
and stayed behind in Moscow to do
thermonuclear calculations. Eventually, he lost clearance to do that as
well.
Ginzburg next turned his attention
to superconductivity, the ability of
some materials to carry electricity
without any losses due to friction.
Early work on superconductivity had
yielded few practical results because
even weak magnetic fields interfered
with a material’s ability to conduct
electricity.
With another Russian physicist, Lev
Landau, Ginzburg worked out a series
of equations that correctly predicted a
superconductor’s tolerance for a magnetic field and its conductive ability.
Based on Ginzburg and Landau’s
work, physicist Alexei A Abrikosov
developed ways to achieve superconductivity despite the presence of high
magnetic fields. That work paved the
way for a wide variety of uses, such as
in medical imaging.
In recognition of their work,
Ginzburg and Abrikosov shared the
2003 Nobel Prize in Physics with
Anthony J Leggett, who explained
why helium became a superfluid
when placed in a magnetic field at low
temperatures. Landau, who had
received a Nobel for other work, did
not share in the prize because he had
died and Nobels are not given posthumously.
JERUSALEM - Iran
could change the direction of its nuclear programme, the Israeli
army's chief of staff
says.
"Iran is very radical on
one hand, but on the
other hand you can't say
that it is an irrational
country," Gabi Ashkenazi told the Knesset's
Foreign Affairs and
Defence Committee on
Tuesday.
Ashkenazi also told
the committee that
Hezbollah was armed
with thousands of missiles that had a range of
about 320 kilometres and
can reach to the southern city of Dimona.
Ashkenazi also confirmed that the Israel
Defence Forces was carrying out several investigations into the actions
of its soldiers during the
Gaza war and would look
into any other complaints against its soldiers.
"I invite all Palestinians to testify if they
have complaints," he
said. "As of now, 60
Palestinians have delivered their testimonies."
(JTA)
13 - 20 November 2009
SA JEWISH REPORT
3
Budlender’s report
vindicates Limmud’s
actions at Wits
campus conference
“child killers”. However, following an
approach from the SAJBD calling for the
THE INVESTIGATION instituted by Wits inquiry to investigate all aspects of the conUniversity into the events that took place troversy, the inquiry’s terms of reference did
on campus during the Limmud event on include a reference to alleged “inflammatory
August 9 this year, has rejected allegations slurs”.
While Budlender found that at least some
that Limmud’s security marshals carried out
“racial profiling” against students of colour differential treatment of the various people
on campus took place, this was not due to the
and academics in the course of their duties.
In a report that overwhelmingly vindicated Limmud organisers having “a policy of treatLimmud, Advocate Geoff Budlender SC did, ing members of different racial groups in a
however, say that Limmud marshals over- different manner”, but to other factors related
stepped their authority and appeared “heavy- to the particular circumstances of the prehanded”. But he found no male fides on their vailing situation.
While a number of the submissions made,
part.
His 13-page report found that Limmud par- sought to deny any untoward behaviour on
ticipants were subjected to offensive slurs the part of protesters outside the university
and intimidation by those protesting outside gates, he confirmed that these had indeed
the university. The controversy centred “engaged in inflammatory and offensive slurs
around the participation on the programme of people who were attending the conferof Lt-Colonel David Benjamin of the Israeli ence”.
Budlender took cognisance of the point
Defence Forces, labelled as a “war criminal”
by pro-Palestinian factions on and off cam- made by Limmud in its written submission
that the “vehemence” of the protest and the
pus.
Budlender based his conclusions on more charged nature of the atmosphere on the day,
than 70 written submissions received from had given rise to legitimate concerns that the
those who were present on the day and indi- Limmud conference might be disrupted.
While rejecting the racial profiling accusavidual interviews with some of the latter
whose testimony was regarded as particular- tion, Budlender nevertheless found that the
ly significant. These included senior mem- Limmud marshals had gone beyond their
bers of the Wits administration, Limmud, function solely of identifying Limmud particSAUJS, the SAJBD and the Palestinian ipants and taken on an enlarged “security”
function. They were not trained to
Solidarity Committee.
carry out such a function in a situaThe SAJBD has welcomed
tion so highly charged, and were by
Budlender’s findings, saying that the
their very nature too obviously partifindings had vindicated all the
san to be able to effectively keep the
essential points it had made in its
peace between the disputing parties.
own submission. SAJBD National
In addition to over-reaching the
Director Wendy Kahn, called the
bounds of their authority, moreover,
report balanced and thorough, and
several marshals had come across as
felt that Budlender had done “an
heavy-handed in the way they dealt
excellent job” in getting to the heart
with the public. Budlender concludof what had happened, without
Geoff
ed that in general the marshals “do
being swayed by people’s political
Budlender
not appear to have appreciated the
agendas.
consequences of the manner in
“We were very disturbed that
which they performed their functhose protesting against Limmud
tions”.
resorted to baseless charges of racial
Late in the afternoon of Saturday,
profiling in order to smear our comAugust 8, the Palestinian Solidarity
munity. Fortunately, a thorough and
Committee informed the administranon-partisan investigation has
tion that it would be holding a protest
revealed these to be false,” she said.
demonstration on campus the followWhen the racial profiling allegaing day. Because of the late notice,
tions were first made, Wits ViceActing Vice-Chancellor Professor
Chancellor
Professor
Loyiso Wendy Kahn
Belinda Bozzoli refused to grant perNongxa, reacted with outrage. In a
mission for this, but the PSC went
letter to the Wits Community (on
ahead anyway.
August 13), he hastened to apologise
A large part of Budlender’s 13to those who felt so targeted even
page report addressed the question
before the investigation into what
of what the university’s policy was
had actually happened, had been
regarding protest gatherings on caminstituted.
pus. He concluded that there were
His letter made no mention of the
“grey areas” which were easily
counter-allegations - subsequently
exploited, or which resulted in conconfirmed - that Limmud particiflict because of different understandpants had been abused and insulted, David
ings of what the rules were.
including being called “Nazis” and Benjamin
DAVID SAKS
Participants in a Limmud session. (PHOTOGRAPH: JOE YUDELOWITZ)
Protestors at the
entrance to the
Limmud conference.
PHOTOGRAPH:
JOE YUDELOWITZ)
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[email protected]
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4
SA JEWISH REPORT
13 - 20 November 2009
Cometh the hour, cometh the woman
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY
RITA LEWIS
THE VISIT to South Africa of the
president of World WIZO, Helena
Glaser, will prove to be an ongoing source of inspiration to all
the women involved with, or
working for WIZO South Africa.
This dynamic woman has a
wealth of experience and contribution to make on many fronts
concerning women’s issues and
WIZO’s work in Israel and
abroad.
Glaser was in South Africa to
attend WIZO’s three-day conference on Sunday, Monday and
Tuesday in Johannesburg (see
article below).
From her first words, it is obvious that Glaser loves, lives and
breaths WIZO.
She described the many and
varied projects run by the organisation in Israel, a lot of which
centred around children’s day
care centres and places of refuge
for abused women.
Generally it would seem that
WIZO Israel is a well-oiled
machine and its prestige is such
that it was awarded the tender to
maintain the national hotline for
domestic
violence,
battered
women, single mothers and girls
in distress.
Glaser said the country was
working on a new confidential
project on adoption. This would
be for babies, with another project for children aged four to
eight, all of whom, for various
reasons, will never be able to go
back to their parental homes.
Glaser said it was not just in
Israel that WIZO was a strong
entity.
“It lobbies in the international
arena as an NGO and we feel that
all organisations should join
together to give greater power to
the lobby.”
She related incidents and
issues, quoting names of leaders,
workers and projects undertaken
in WIZO federations she had visited in such countries as
Argentine, Australia, Brazil,
Chile, Costa Rica, Columbia, the
US as well as numerous cities in
Europe - some of which she has
visited twice.
Travelling overseas so much is
no easy task as her workload is
enormous.
In Israel alone there are some
800 projects/services running
with over 5 000 fulltime employees. There are also 2 500 paid
workers in a huge network of day
care centres throughout the
country - and these too need (and
get) much of her attention.
WIZO also enjoys “Status of
Women”
representation
at
Unicef.
Romanian born Glaser started
her political life with WIZO Israel
in the mid-70s when she became
the chairman of the fundraising
department (a position she held
for some seven years, taking the
annual income from $600 000 to
$1 500 000).
In 1991 she was elected chairman of WIZO Israel. During her
time as chairman (she was elected for a second term in 1995), she
initiated and advanced pro-
grammes, activities and newly
proposed laws to the Knesset on
the advancement of the “Status of
Women” - incorporating her
belief
in
gender
equality,
women’s human rights, etc.
Discussing the growing antiIsrael and anti-Semitic feelings
worldwide, Glaser said she was
involved in a committee that
“deals with anti-Semitism all
over the world” and is also connected to the Foreign Office (in
Israel) “and we get reports from
communities all over the world.
“Unfortunately things are not
getting any better,” she said.
“Some communities don’t like to
talk about it and just try to pacify
themselves by saying an incident
is a local issue and not an antiSemitic attack, while others are
afraid to wear kippot, etc.
This was a sad time in Israeli
and Jewish life, she remarked.
Sadly the two components are
always lumped together - “which
they are”.
Glaser said the threat of economic boycotts had become far
more real since the Goldstone
Report was published.
“As a women’s Zionist movement we have to work very hard
in different communities to present the other side of Israel,” she
said.
She gave one example of the
work of the first Israeli Nobel
Prize-winner, Ada Yonath, and
another of Jewish women in
Switzerland who have developed
new ways of working with autistic
children while the children are
very young.
President of World WIZO, Helena Glaser, with WIZO SA’s outgoing
chairman, Lorraine Rosmarin and Rolene Marks (behind).
Their methods are so successful that the Swiss health department has taken on the idea while
the European Union is interested
in instituting the same method in
some of its member countries.
Glaser spoke of other Israeli
innovations and discoveries and
described how the arts and film
industry had taken off.
There was, however, a long way
to go, as being a very democratic
country, “we do not just let things
that happen, go by”.
She said many people and
organisations were working
towards showing Israel as the
beautiful, forward-looking country that it was.
Glaser who is married and lives
in Israel, firmly believes that
WIZO should not only work
“within itself ” but should get
together with other women’s
organisations to exchange ideas.
Together they would have far
more clout, especially on the subject of women’s issues, which
concerned everyone.
She felt they should also be in
touch with women of other religions, as irrespective of one’s
beliefs, backgrounds and religiosity, matters which concern
women, concern all women.
WIZO was first started in the
late 1910s by Rebecca Sieff and
came to South Africa some two
years later, and is one of the most
dynamic and successful organisations in Israel, the Diaspora
and especially South Africa.
A common theme ‘linked’ an exciting WIZO Conference
invocation given by Rabbi Robert
Jacobs of Bet David.
The day included the “Communal Link” by Mina Sable,
national chairman of the Co-ordinating Council of Women’s
Organisations, The President’s
report (by Rosmarin) and the
Treasurer’s report by (Brenda
Levin and Sandra Mindel, cotreasurers), followed.
The “Business Link” also
included the adoption of the various reports. Under the chairmanship of Marcia Parness, honorary
life vice-president of WIZO SA, a
discussion on “Constitution and
Resolutions” was held, which
included “Additional Resolutions”.
Under the “Money Link”
chaired by Barbara Flax, the
chairman of Bnoth Zion, Rabbi
Dovid Masinter spoke about
“Fundraising and Imaging”.
After lunch, under the “Info
Link”, three sessions were held.
Durban’s Lyn Foster chaired
Hasbarah: “How the media deals
with Israel”, facilitated by Bev
Goldman.
“Our Link to the Land” was
chaired by Mushie Kirsh, honorary life president of WIZO SA,
educational officer and fundraiser
of the JNF, Laura Siegel, spoke on
tree planting and promoting the
work of the JNF.
Ofer Dahan director of Programmes Marketing Division,
Aliyah and Absorption Department at the Jewish Agency, spoke
on aliyah.
Cape Town gets its own Friendship Forum
shared the story of his late mother’s experiences when she was
deported from Rhode Island.
In his address, the ambassador
speaking both in his official capacity and as a child of survivors,
commented on the poignancy of
the occasion. As a child, his family
had been reluctant to discuss their
experiences and only in later years
had they spoken more openly.
Danielle Kowen, a third generation survivor, said the Holocaust
had become part of her life from
her teen years.
Miriam Lichterman read out an
inspiring letter she had written to
the head of the Springfield
Convent SRC after she had
addressed learners at the school.
The guests were entertained by
the Herzlia Ensemble led by
Cantor Ivor Joffe. Beautiful songs
by four generations of one family Holocaust survivor Santa Pelham,
her daughter, granddaughter and
grandchildren - were a highlight of
the event.
The Friendship Forum in Cape
Town will hold its first meeting on
Sunday February 14 next year.
RITA LEWIS
The 33rd Triennial Conference
held by WIZO was a well-attended
three-day event and included Chief
Rabbi Warren Goldstein as well as
other rabbis, dignitaries and members of the public. It was a stimulating conference with enough substance to provide “nourishment for
the soul”. The consensus among
delegates was that it was time well
spent.
The theme of the event was
“Linking the Past - Shaping the
Future”. Interesting talks and discussions were given by guest
speakers and others on the subject
as well as on issues, changes and
developments related to the work
covered by WIZO and its dedicated
ON SUNDAY November 8, more
than 200 people attended the
launch of the newly-established
Friendship Forum in Cape Town.
The Forum is based on AMCHA,
an Israeli organisation catering for
volunteers and staff on South
Africa, Israel and around the world
were covered.
The opening session was held
last Sunday, where the chairman
of WIZO Johannesburg, Zee
Bergman welcomed the gathering
and introduced the guest speaker,
Helena Glaser president of World
WIZO.
After her address, Ruth Lewis,
chairman of Aviv Reshet spoke on
“The Vital Link” and WIZO’s
younger members from Bnoth
Zion, WIZO Johannesburg and
WIZO Durban, spoke of the beneficiaries in Israel of their projects,
Ichpat, Beit Halochem, Neve
Amiel, P2K, JNF, Day Care centres
and Neve WIZO.
Bergman then gave her report,
the needs of the ageing Holocaust
survivor and European refugee
community, providing psychological support and a social network for
their children and grandchildren
(second and third generation).
Miriam Lichterman, Israel’s Ambassador to South Africa
Dov Segev-Steinberg and Tracey Farber who trained the
psychologists and social workers to provide support for
the Friendship Forum.
“The Future Link”.
After lunch Nava Gonen, vicechairman of WIZO Johannesburg
introduced Maisie Rayman (WIZO
Johannesburg) who had written a
poem on “The Weakest Link” and
inspirational speaker, writer and
thinker on the “New Leadership”,
Debbie Edelstein spoke on
“Strengthening the Link”.
A group of delegates then
embarked on a tour of Constitution
Hill under the guidance of Marlene
Bethlehem, past deputy chairman
of the CRL Commission, and introduced by Yvonne Jawitz.
The following day the plenary
session was held under the banner
of “The Business Link” and was
chaired by Lee Joffe, immediate
past president of WIZO SA and the
Sixteen social workers from the
Cape Town community have volunteered their services in this
regard, the Friendship Forum said
in a media release.
Guest speakers included Israel’s
Ambassador to South Africa Dov
Segev-Steinberg, Tracey Farber,
psychologist and founder of the
Friendship
Forum
in
Johannesburg, and second generation survivor Isaac Habib who
Naomi Jaff, Miriam Lichterman, Israel’s Ambassador to South Africa Dov
Segev-Steinberg, Cantor Ivor Joffe, Ella Blumenthal and Richard Freedman,
director: Cape Town Holocaust Centre.
13 - 20 November 2009
SA JEWISH REPORT
Mendle retrospective fulfilment of a dream
MOIRA SCHNEIDER
CAPE TOWN
PHOTOGRAPH: MIGUEL
A RETROSPECTIVE exhibition of
the work of the late Israeli sculptor Jossi Mendle is to be held in
fulfilment of a dream that he was
unable to realise during his lifetime. Consisting of 25 bronzes, it
has been put together by his
widow, Irene.
Born in Germany in 1921,
Mendle immigrated to Israel in
1934, graduating some 10 years
later from the Bezalel School of
Arts and Crafts in Jerusalem.
He was a founder member of
the Israeli artists’ village Ein Hod
and it was there that he met his
Dutch wife in the late 1970s. After
marrying in 1980, they decided to
come to South Africa, settling in
Cape Town.
The pair had been encouraged
by a school friend of Jossi’s who
had served here in the diplomatic
corps. “He said ‘Oh, South
Africa’s a beautiful country, it’s
all going to be fine, they will need
artists’,” Irene recalls.
She says that once here, Jossi
received many commissions for
both private collections and public spaces, including several large
outdoor works for social housing
developments in Strandfontein
Village and Summer Greens. His
works feature in private collections around the world.
The couple spent the years
until he passed away in 2002 aged
Israeli sculptor Jossi Mendle’s first commissioned work in Cape Town,
Tender Relationship (1982), which is situated in a private garden in
Bishopscourt.
80, commuting between South
Africa and Israel. “He got such a
lot of work here, but his heart
was actually still in Israel,” she
explains.
According to his website
(www.mendle.co.za), Mendle described his work as follows: “I am
interested in environmental
sculpture
involving
various
media and bringing forth a har-
monious interplay between environment and created object.”
This is the first solo exhibition
of his work. The sculptures will
be on sale.
• The exhibition runs from
November 20 for three weeks at
the third floor, The Spearhead
Building (next to Investec), 42
Hans Strijdom Avenue, Foreshore, Cape Town.
ORT SA showcases the
Bidvest Alexandra project
ORT SOUTH Africa and Bidvest last month
celebrated the third year into their
Numeracy Foundation Phase project with
the Alexandra community. The aim of the
afternoon of celebrations was to showcase
the project in various ways.
Over 2009, grade two teachers have been
working with ORT SA in a series of workshops and classroom-based support with
the provision of textbooks to enhance the
teaching and learning of numeracy.
In order to showcase the project, all
grade two teachers from the 12 primary
schools, produced colourful displays of
numeracy lessons, ORT SA said in a media
release.
The event was attended by various
Gauteng Department of Education representatives as well as the director of District
9, Babsy Matabane and representatives
from Bidvest, the project sponsor.
Matabane said this project addressed
various issues, the first one being to ensure
that Gauteng had effective schools and
learning institutions, by giving classroombased support to teachers. The second one
was to “strengthen partnerships with all
stakeholders in the private and government sector, resulting in education becoming a priority”.
Matabane said he was proud to be part of
this ORT SA-Bidvest project and thanked
them for making such positive changes to
education in South Africa. He commended
the teachers for their hard work and commitment and predicted that through their
contribution, “Alexandra will produce the
mathematicians, scientists and engineers
of the future”.
Sabelo Mahlalela, Bidvest’s group commercial executive, said Bidvest took this
initiative very seriously. He added that it
was not so much the imparting of mathematics and science knowledge to the educators, but the impact that the use of the system would have in the debate of the future
education system in South Africa, that we
should implement.
“Our learners are our greatest assets
and the foundation today lays the path to
the future,” he said.
He pledged Bidvest’s continued support
and commitment to this project from 2010
through to 2014.
The guests where treated to singing and
dancing from four of the participating
schools in the project.
Fifty three grade two teachers who have
completed the second year of the project,
received certificates.
Learners from the
Dr Knak Primary
school who entertained the guests
with; Sabelo
Mahlalela
Bidvest, Babsy
Matabane
Gauteng
Department of
Education and
Michael Sieff,
national director
of ORT SA.
5
6
SA JEWISH REPORT
13 - 20 November 2009
SOCIAL SCENE
Rita Lewis [email protected]
Laughter
coaching in
action.
Laugh and the whole
world laughs with you...
RITA LEWIS
PHOTOGRAPHS BY QUENTIN QUEIT
BELIEVING IN the adage that “laughter is the
best medicine”, members of the Yocheved
branch of the Union of Jewish Women recently hosted a special “laughter-filled fun event” at
the Hebrew Order of David in Johannesburg,
to raise money for Camp Kesher.
Camp Kesher, which runs in December, is situated at Muizenberg in the Cape. It gives those
Jewish children, who for various reasons cannot or will not attend the other summer camps,
the opportunity to spend their summer holidays at the sea under special supervision.
The camp provides everything they need. It
also organises fun activities so that they are
able to interact with others of their own ilk,
instead of being left behind at home while their
siblings and other children attend the “big”
camps.
Functions are held for a variety of reasons
and many Jewish ones are organised specifically as fundraisers, with the proceeds given to
various charities.
This event, however, was different as not
only were the proceeds donated to Camp
Kesher, but they were done so in the name of
Natanel Ben Shimon Feigenbaum and as an
Sivan Admon and Dovi Lichtenstein
dressing it up at the photo booth.
aliyah for his neshomah.
Feigenbaum zt”l was a young Johannesburg
schoolboy from Yeshiva College who was tragically killed in a car accident recently.
As there seems to be so much stress and sadness around, the six member committee decided to make the theme of the evening laughter.
UJW Yocheved group’s chairman, Kelly
Nathan said the goal of the function was to add
simcha through laughter and those who attended the function were certainly spoilt for fun and
laughter.
The evening was basically held under the
direction of “laughter coach” Shareen Richter,
who feels that finding inner joy and stress-relief
through laughter makes you do things you
wouldn’t normally do.
Part of her modus operandi is to get people to
do ridiculous things together so that each could
laugh at the other. This gets rid of inhibitions
and lightens the atmosphere - for even more
laughter.
Added to the fun, a photo booth was supplied
together with various costumes for everyone to
dress up. Guests could have four different photographs in different costumes to take home for free
Vocalist Ryan Peimer entertained the guests
with some relaxing songs. Guests went home
leaving their stresses and strains behind, knowing that a whole group of kids would be benefiting and might (hopefully) be making their own
laughter during their time at the camp.
The evening was an enormous success, with
substantial proceeds being handed over to
Camp Kesher.
Members of the Yocheved branch of the Union of Jewish Women: Cheri Admon,
Lezanne Gochin, Kelly Nathan, Taryn Milner, Leanne Duek, Thea Gafin (MC from
Bikkur Cholim), Joy Gafin (Bikkur Cholim office ddministrator), with Sharon
Froom. Absent: Lisa Jasve.
Ayala Raichlin, Adi Kay, Dani Nerwich, Sarit
Sifris, Dana Slasky and Nicole Landau.
Practising shaking hands are Hugh Raichlin and Shaun Wingren.
The Demby
girls having a
good laugh.
Laughter coach, Shareen Richter.
Cheri Admon, Taryn Davis, Kelly Nathan and Lezanne
Gochin handing out the prizes.
13 - 20 November 2009
COMMUNITY BUZZ
LIONEL SLIER
082-444-9832, fax: 011-440-0448,
[email protected]
JOHANNESBURG
ChaiFM101.9 has arrived
Last week’s Jewish Report carried a
quarter page advert about ChaiFM,
the radio station that is making its
mark among Jewish radio listeners,
not only in Gauteng but also in many
countries.
According to the advert it offers
news and schmooze, (which is about
what is happening around the corner,
in Johannesburg, in South Africa, in
the Middle East and all over the
world); there is a focus on Israel,
sport, Gauteng traffic, social critics
(the acerbic Menachem X), movie
reviews, tech news, Ian Fife on property, many laughs, plenty of music,
(the excellent) Alan Swerdlow and his
Boker Tov Breakfast Team and much,
much more throughout the day.
Kathy Kaler, the founder, and guiding light, told the Jewish Report how
the station began.
“In April 2005 while driving with
my mother, she related to me that she
had a dream in which she heard me
on the radio. There were three very
significant things about this conversation. Firstly, my mother never
recalls her dreams, secondly she
explained that she “had” to tell me
her dream with an unusual sense of
urgency and lastly I knew (then) what
my personal reason was for being
born.”
The station is now five years old
and Kaler remarked: “People all over
the world can listen to ChaiFM on our
website (Chaifm.com) and in fact we
have had e-mails and even phone calls
from places as diverse as Mauritius,
the Philippines, England, Chile and
others and also, strangely enough,
Israel.”
Obviously it can be heard everywhere in South Africa too.
Kathy Kaler is living her mother’s
dream.
To be continued.
PRETORIA
From Sylvia Shapshak:
“Pretoria before and after the (Second
World) War had a large Jewish community.
“The main shul was the one in Paul
Kruger Street - the cafe on the corner
across the road did a thriving trade in
soda water after Yom Kippur. The
Reform Shul was in Proes Street.
SA JEWISH REPORT
“The rabbi (Rabbi Wolf Hirsch) had
a house provided by the congregation,
adjacent to the shul - it was an oldfashioned building and probably not
very comfortable, as later he moved to
a house in Beatrix Street, Arcadia,
near the Memorial Hall.
“The Memorial Hall and the nextdoor building, The Miriam Marks
School, was the focal point for all occasions. The hall was used as a shul on
Friday nights and also as an overflow
on all the High Festivals. It was ‘the
venue’ for weddings and barmitzvahs
- my brother had his there in 1944.
“During the war the ladies committees had afternoon tea parties for soldiers and as there were cigarettes on
each table, we children collected the
silver paper from the boxes for taking
to school as part of the ‘war effort’.
“Fetes for fundraising were held
there and I remember that there was
much competition for the best stall.
All the ‘workers’ wore white aprons
with a blue ribbon Magen Dovid and
the stalls were filled with hand-made
goods and baking. There was always a
raffle.
“The Miriam Marks School was for
teaching cheder and the children who
were not taught at school, went in the
afternoons. I remember having lessons there. It was also the place where
teenagers had socials and as I became
older I went to many there - the Yom
Kippur social was usually a super
affair.
“Some of the names of the youth
committee that I remember were:
Victor Lapidus, Ralph Lanesman,
Percy Sher, Norman Skolnik, Phyllis
Hack and me, Sylvia Siskind (that
was).
“About 1948 - 1949 a new synagogue
was built in Arcadia; the architect
was Oscar Hurwitz and it was much
grander then the ‘old’ one in Paul
Kruger Street. That shul was deconsecrated and was later used for the
Treason Trial. The ‘old’ shul was a
rectangular building with pillars
holding up the ladies gallery.
“The ‘new’ shul had a dome which
had properties similar to the whispering gallery.
“Rabbi Hirsch bought a house in
Park Street, near the shul. It was an
unusual house and had a fishpond in
the hall. It was decorated with lots of
Chinese hangings and art.
“Rabbi Hirsch had been a rabbi in
Shanghai. It was very different from
the usual Jewish Pretoria house and
his congregants didn’t understand or
like it much.”
KIMBERLEY
From Ada Gamsu:
The family of Maryasal Muler Thal
are looking for the descendants of
her brother Srol Berell Muler who
was known in South Africa as Jacob
Miller in Kimberley.
His older brother Nosan-Velva or
Nathan Miller, also came to South
Africa and settled in Cape Town,
but died in 1918 during the flu pandemic.
Jacob Miller was married to Rose
and they had four children between
1917 - 1921 in Kimberley: Sadie,
Hettie, Willie Nathan and Issie
Miller.
It is these children or their descendants who the family are looking for.
Please contact Ann Rabinowitz,
[email protected], if you have
any information.
WALVIS BAY
Hyman Jocum continues:
“To service the ship trading along
the South West African coast, Aaron
de Pass built the first patent slipway
in Simonstown in 1860.
“Daniel de Pass was responsible
for persuading the Cape governor to
annex the various islands off the
South West African coast. In 1878
Walvis Bay was formally declared
part of the Cape of Good Hope and
until 1990 the islands were internationally recognised as part of the
Republic of South Africa.
“Daniel de Pass returned to
England where he spent his last
years in the seaside resort of
Worthing. His son, Alfred, continued
to live in Cape Town and passed
away at a very ripe old age in 1952.
He spent the last years of his life
acquiring
art
treasures
and
antiques.
“In his will he left most of these to
the South African National Gallery
and the antiques to the South
African Museum.
“After the settlement’s formal
inclusion into the Cape of Good
Hope, another British Jew, Joseph
Harries opened offices as a shipping
agent in the centre of the town and
the firm of J Harries was still functioning as recently as 1973. For several decades John Harries was mayor
of Walvis Bay.”
NEW ZEALAND
From Rabbi Benjamin Blech, (New
York) 2004:
“Yet with its inauspicious beginnings, New Zealand has been able to
grow to a community of 5 000 Jews
with six synagogues, two in
Auckland, two in Wellington, one in
Dunedin and one - would you believe
it? - in Christchurch.”
AROUND
THE WORLD
NEWS IN BRIEF
REPORT: ABBAS TO RESIGN HIS
PLO, FATAH POSTS
JERUSALEM - Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas may
resign as head of the PLO and the
Fatah Party, a Palestinian news service reported on Tuesday.
Abbas is considering resigning his
posts on the Palestine Liberation
Organisation executive committee
and the Fatah Central Committee,
Palestinian officials said on Tuesday,
according to the Ma'an news agency.
Abbas announced last week that he
would not run for re-election as president of the Palestinian Authority.
Palestinian elections are scheduled
for January 24.
The sources told Ma'an that Abbas
would wait for the right moment to
announce his resignations.
In a speech last week, Abbas said he
would make "the right decisions at
the right moments".
Facilities - Single rooms or suites with
kitchenettes, all with own bathrooms.
Highly qualified medical and nursing
staff. Permanent or temporary frail-care
section for post-operative or acute care.
Entertainment to suit all - Discussion
groups, video evenings, musical appreciation, cultural activities, bridge, rummy,
scrabble and other card games,
Other conveniences: Library, Small
Shop, Banking Facilities, Beautician,
Hairdresser, Manicurist, Podiatrist, all
available on the premises.
Healthcare: Social Worker, Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist with
daily programmes and classes.
Transport available for outings to
theatres, shopping malls and/or medical
needs. Parking facilities available.
Friday night - Orthodox Shul service on
the premises. Progressive Congregation
within walking distance.
We look forward to meeting you and
offering you a personal tour of Jaffa
(DVD available on request)
7
8
SA JEWISH REPORT
Habib stresses the
commonality of the
3 monotheistic religions
LIONEL SLIER
FUNDAMENTALISM (in all forms)
was not natural and had to be fought.
It thrived under threat, Professor
Adam Habib, Vice Chancellor for
Research, Innovation and Advancement at the University of Johannesburg, said when he delivered the
Sixth Annual Franz Auerbach
Memorial Lecture this week.
But a ray of light was that the
world was becoming increasingly
cosmopolitan. In this context he did
not see a two-state solution for
“Palestine” as viable in the long
term.
Speaking at Bet Emanuel in
Habib: “What makes 19 men fly airplanes into
Rosebank, Habib, a Muslim, told a
packed-out audience he had spoken buildings and kill over 3 000 people, strangers?”
in all kinds of forums, but never
before in a synagogue. His lecture
was entitled “Religion and the
Fundamentalist Identities in the
Post 9/11 World”.
About conflict he said: “The 9/11
attacks were barbaric. My religion
does not condone such attacks, but I
think that the response was also barbaric. The right wing administration
in the United States was advancing
its own political agenda.”
Adam Habib.
Franz Auerbach.
He pointed out what he saw as
“dangers”. One was the assumption
“You see Hindus burning a train,
that Islam was against the JudeoAmerican soldiers in Iraq and Somalia
Christian civilisation; secondly the
laying bare houses; Israeli soldiers
response (to 9/11) condoned torture, illethreatening children. From extreme
gal prisons camps, the abandonment of
polarity you get extreme threats. That is
humanistic rules in conducting the war,
the political aspect.
etc.
“You get it in economic situations
“Thirdly, I believe that they wanted to
where some earn millions that they can
maintain their energy supplies and this
never ever spend, while others nearby
polarised the Middle East and the West
struggle to put bread on the table. Then
and it spawned more terrorism and
there is a cultural element where you get
greater fundamentalism.”
secular arrogance against spirituality. A
Habib spoke about the belief in a
religious person is condemned as still liv“People Chosen” and everyone else as
ing in the Middle Ages.”
“unchosen”.
Habib said globalisation created possiHe added: “Sometimes even within relibilities for a more cosmopolitan world.
gious communities there are differences
That was the way the world was moving.
and they even take up arms, attack
Europe would become more Muslim
women and butcher others.
while the Middle East would become
“Is fundamentalism an Islamic probmore Europeanised.
lem?” he asked. “How else can one
“Therefore a two state solution is not
describe the destruction of the Buddha
viable in the long term for Palestine. The
statues in Afghanistan? How else to disLatinos will be greater in the US and the
cuss al-Qaida?” But then he took a broadAmericans will increase in South
er view: “How else to describe Hindus
America. We will have to address all comburning Christian churches in India? Or
munities who feel isolated in large parts
Jews arriving in the Holy Land and being
of the world and our religion will be a
struck down? Or Israeli settlers in the
humanistic one.
West Bank who claim the land is theirs?
“We must stand up and say that ecoOr the Palestinians firing rockets on
nomic and political persecution is not
Israel and saying the Jews have no right
acceptable and ethnic identity of the
to be there?
extreme kind is not acceptable. We must
“The question is: How do we criticise
object to people in our own social circle
one side and remain silent about the othwho have racist opinions.
ers? We should all start talking about fun“Our religions are meant to unite us.
damentalism. Fundamentalism is not natThey are religions of humanity and that
ural.”
G-d is love. We are all parts of the same
He referred to a book by Karen
goal and that goal is spirituality.”
Armstrong called The Battle for G-d. In it
The eminent Franz Auerbach who died
“she writes from a sympathetic perspecsome years ago, came to South Africa as
tive. She said that a spiritual component
a refugee from Nazi Germany and
is crucial to human existence. Yet why is
became a legendary educator and camit, she asks, that our religions can become
paigner against discrimination and
so ungodly and so driven by hate? How is
injustice in the apartheid years and the
it that three major religions, Judaism,
memorial lectures in his name reflect his
Islam and Christianity existed with each
life’s work.
other for centuries, then afterwards
Adam Habib said of the theme of the
began killing, raping and plundering?
lecture: “I am a devout Muslim but my
“How is it that a man can cradle his
commonality is beyond race. For me relichild and then kill another child in the
gion is not meant to divide; it is meant to
name of G-d?
engage with a spiritual existence. “
“In her book on Jerusalem, she asks
Habib spoke about his early religious
how the Muslims and Jews lived peacefullife, how until the age of 18 he had been
ly together but then also destroyed each
“very religious”, later “moving on” to
other at another time?
agnosticism and then after what he
“Fundamentalism thrives when under
thought was a heart attack - at the age of
threat,” explained Habib, “ and in condi35 - he had made “a trade-off” with G-d.
tions of extreme polarity. That is what
“If you see me right, I said to Him, I
you see now happening in the Middle
will change my perspective. I then
East. What makes 19 men fly airplanes
returned to spirituality, but on my terms.
into buildings and kill over 3 000 people,
I came to the realisation that we all are
strangers,” he asked about the World
praying to the same Being but our instruTrade Centre suicide attacks.
ments are different.”
13 - 20 November 2009
AROUND THE WORLD
NEWS IN BRIEF
OBAMA, BIBI MEET BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama
and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, on Monday met behind closed
doors, discussing US-Israel ties, Iran and
Mideast peace talks, according to a White
House statement.
Obama's meeting at the White House with
Netanyahu was closed to reporters, even
omitting the standard photo opportunity
and handshake.
The White House statement following the
meeting was unusually terse: "The President
and Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed a
number of issues in the US-Israel bilateral
relationship.
"The President reaffirmed our strong commitment to Israel's security, and discussed
security co-operation on a range of issues.
The President and Prime Minister also discussed Iran and how to move forward on
Middle East peace."
White House officials have expressed frustration with the impasse in IsraeliPalestinian peace talks.
Earlier on Monday, Netanyahu had called
for an immediate resumption of talks, in a
speech to the Jewish Federations of North
America's General Assembly.
Obama met with some of the Jewish leaders at a White House reception. He praised
the federations umbrella for its charitable
work and called for support for massive
healthcare reform currently under consideration in Congress. (JTA)
JEWISH FEDERATIONS LEADERS MEET WITH OBAMA
WASHINGTON - Leaders of The Jewish
Federations of North America met with
President Barack Obama and other top
administration officials at the White House.
Monday afternoon's hour-long reception,
scheduled after Obama had to cancel his
Tuesday speech to the group's General
Assembly because he was attending a
memorial service for those killed at Fort
Hood last week, featured short remarks from
Obama. Mostly, though, attendees had a
chance to talk one on one with the president
and White House senior staff.
Obama, who dropped by for about 30 minutes, said that The Jewish Federations of
North America "perform every day of every
week selfless acts of tzedakah", according to
a person present at the meeting, and spoke
about his experience with Chicago's Jewish
federation.
He also made a pitch for healthcare
reform, talking about the importance of
passing it and stating that he could "see the
light at the end of the tunnel".
White House staff at the meeting included
Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who spoke at
the GA on Tuesday instead of Obama.
"We were thankful to have an opportunity
to directly discuss a number of our concerns
with the administration's senior team and
look forward to continuing to reach out to
them in the future to ensure the voice of the
Jewish community is heard loud and far in
Washington," said Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of The Jewish Federations of
North America, in a statement. (JTA)
FRENCH FM: ISRAEL'S DESIRE FOR PEACE HAS 'VANISHED'
JERUSALEM - Israel's desire for peace
seems to have "completely vanished",
France's foreign minister has said.
"What really hurts me, and this shocks
us, is that before there used to be a great
peace movement in Israel," Bernard
Kouchner told France Inter radio on
Tuesday. "There was a left that made itself
heard and a real desire for peace.
"It seems to me, and I hope that I am completely wrong, that this desire has completely vanished, as though people no
longer believe in it."
Kouchner made his statements ahead of a
scheduled meeting between Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French
President Nicolas Sarkozy which took place
on Wednesday.
The meeting came immediately after a
sit-down between Netanyahu and President
Barack Obama in Washington on Monday,
at which no major breakthroughs were
announced.
Kouchner also said there was "a real difference of political opinion" between
Sarkozy and Netanyahu, concerning
whether or not to freeze settlement activity.
"We still think that the settlement freeze,
that is to say, no settling during (peace)
talks, is absolutely essential," said
Kouchner.
France has continued to demand that
Israel halt all construction in the West
Bank, which the Palestinians say is a precondition to restarting peace talks. US
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently
called Israel's restraint in settlement construction "unprecedented".
Kouchner also said on Tuesday that he
would visit the Middle East "in the coming
days" and encourage Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas to run for reelection in January. Abbas has said he will
not run. (JTA)
ALLEGED JEWISH TERRORIST TO BE CHARGED WITH MURDER
JERUSALEM - An alleged Jewish terrorist
will be charged for murdering two
Palestinians.
During a hearing on Tuesday, a Jerusalem
district prosecutor said Yaakov Teitel would
be indicted for the two murders later this
week. He also will be charged with incitement to racism, unlawful possession of
explosives and weapons and sabotage,
according to reports.
Teitel, 37, was arrested on October 7 in a
joint police-Shin Bet operation. Along with
allegedly killing the two Palestinians, he also
allegedly assembled a package bomb that
seriously injured the son of a messianist Jew
and set up a pipe bomb near the home of
prominent professor Ze'ev Sternhell.
A Florida native, Teitel made aliyah in
2000 and is a resident of the Shvut Rachel
outpost in the northern West Bank. He has
four young children.
Teitel is reported to have confessed to the
two murders. A court-appointed psychiatrist
has found him fit to stand trial, according to
reports.
During Tuesday's hearing, Teitel's attorney said his client was handcuffed to his
bed 24 hours a day and not treated the same
as other inmates, according to reports.
(JTA)
HEZBOLLAH LEADS NEW LEBANESE GOVT OPPOSITION
BEIRUT - Lebanon has formed a new government in which Hezbollah leads the opposition.
The new government was presented to
President Michel Suleiman on Monday, five
months after parliamentary elections were
held in the country on Israel's northern border.
The new Cabinet includes 15 seats for the
American-backed majority led by Prime
Minister Saad Hariri, 10 for the Hezbollah-
led opposition and five for Suleiman.
Israel last week seized a ship from Iran
headed for Lebanon that was carrying more
than 300 tons of concealed weapons which
Israel said were on their way to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah denies the charge.
Israel and Hezbollah fought a war in 2006,
and a recent increase in rocket attacks from
Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon into
northern Israel have led some to believe
another war could erupt. (JTA)
ISRAEL SIGNS $1,1 BILLION DEFENCE DEAL WITH INDIA
JERUSALEM - Israel will supply an upgraded air defence system to India.
Israel signed the $1,1 billion contract on
Monday during a visit to Israel by the head
of India's army, General Deepak Kapoor,
Reuters reported.
The state-owned Israel Aerospace
Industries Ltd has promised to deliver the
Barak-8 tactical air defence system to India
by 2017. Israel is India's largest defence supplier.
In August, the Indian cabinet approved a
$1 billion deal with the Israeli governmentowned Rafael Advanced Defence System
under which the company will provide 18 of
its SPYDER air defence system, which can
intercept missiles in a 40 km radius, by 2012.
(JTA)
13 - 20 November 2009
SA JEWISH REPORT
Yach to attempt grueling Three
Anchor Bay, Robben Island swim
MOIRA SCHNEIDER
CAPE TOWN
VETERAN
LONG-DISTANCE,
cold-water swimmer Theodore
Yach, holds the record for the
highest number of Robben Island
crossings - 54. Now he’s preparing
to set another record as the first
individual to complete the gruelling day-long swim from Three
Anchor Bay around the island and
back - a distance of 29,5 km.
I ask him what motivates him to
undertake what could be a lifethreatening exercise; there is the
danger of hypothermia from the
icy water as well as the possibility
of sharks. His body temperature
needs to be constantly monitored:
if it drops below 35 degrees, he
could “drop to the bottom of the
Atlantic Ocean”, according to
sports scientist Tim Noakes.
“I think I’ve analysed the risk.”
the 51-year-old begins. “I’ve done
longer than this distance before
(the English Channel) in a lot
more difficult conditions.
“The sharks are an issue, but
I’ve got a fantastic boat crew who
will hopefully look after that,” he
says, stressing that its role is
“absolutely crucial”, adding:
“Without a crew who know what
they’re doing, I wouldn’t get into
the water - I depend on them 100
per cent.”
Yach follows the English
Channel rules, which state that
swimmers are permitted to wear a
swimming cap, goggles and a
speedo-type costume, so any
ideas of a wetsuit to protect
against the cold, are out.
The object of the exercise is
to raise funds for the Cadiz
Open
Water
Swimming
Development Trust which
promotes swimming in disadvantaged communities.
Aside from training five
days a week, other preparations include “a crash diet to
try and keep my weight up” we should all have that problem!- “a lot” of stretching and
spirulina supplement which
he says stabilises his fatigue
levels through the day. He
maintains, though, that one’s
mental attitude is “70 per
cent” of the battle.
And does he ever feel that
he just can’t carry on while
attempting one of his longdistance swims? “Often,” he
shoots back. “You’ve just got
to work through it.”
Yach’s involvement in the
Jewish community is extensive. “Our family has the
largest private foundation in Long-distance swimmer Theodore Yach
Cape Town (The Mauer- after completing his 50th Robben Island
berger
Foundation),”
of crossing in 2007. (PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED)
which he serves as a director
and was also chairman of
who was an international swimHighlands House home for the
ming legend in terms of what he
Jewish aged for many years.
did at Springbok and Maccabi
Something that saddens him,
level,” he says referring to his
though, is that his father, Solly,
father’s participation in the 1952
did not receive due recognition for
Olympics and the 1950 and 1953
his sporting achievements from
Maccabi Games.
the community. “This was a guy
“There was very little recogni-
tion when you compare it to
(that received by) guys like
(tennis player) Abe Segal
and
(weightlifter)
Issy
Bloomberg at the time.
Maybe because Maccabi was
dominated from Johannesburg and Cape Town was a
bit of a backwater in their
minds,” he suggests.
Yach is a well-known businessman in the city and is
chairman of the Central
City Improvement District,
having been one of its
founders in the mid-1990s.
Swimming is definitely “in
the family”, he comments,
with the tradition now
extending to four generations. In addition to his
father’s achievements, his
younger son, Daniel (17), is
carrying on the family tradition as a provincial waterpolo player.
His older brother Derek
was acknowledged as the
best long-distance swimmer
in the country in the 1980s.
But that is not all.
“Apparently my zaida,
my father’s father, swam
down the rivers in Russia.
So there must be something
in the genes.
“Also,” he laughs, “when we
were growing up it was almost
taken for granted: Solly threw us
in the pool and we swam, simple
as that. It wasn’t as if we had a
choice.”
9
AROUND
THE WORLD
NEWS IN BRIEF
JEWISH GROUPS OPPOSE
ABORTION AMENDMENT
WASHINGTON - Two Jewish
organisations are opposing an
amendment to House healthcare
legislation restricting federal
funding of abortion.
The National Council of
Jewish Women and the Religious
Action Centre of Reform
Judaism, say the provision
should be taken out of the bill.
The amendment bans any government funds from going
toward abortion except in the
cases of rape, incest and when
the mother's life is in danger. It
prohibits anyone who receives a
government subsidy to buy
insurance, from purchasing a
plan that includes abortion.
NCJW said the bill "does not
fully meet women's healthcare
needs" because of the "draconian" provision, which it called an
"egregious assault on the rights
of women and an enormous step
backward for those who believe
in the separation of religion and
state".
The Religious Action Centre
was much more praiseworthy of
the healthcare bill as a whole,
saying it is "a crucial step toward
affordable, accessible and quality healthcare for all Americans,"
but said it could not ignore the
abortion provisions.
The group said it was "an
attack on the rights enshrined in
Roe vs Wade". (JTA)
10
SA JEWISH REPORT
13 - 20 November 2009
OPINION AND ANALYSIS
FORUM FOR DIVERSE VIEWS
When the
walls come
tumbling down
THE CONSEQUENCES for South Africans and
Israelis of the Berlin Wall’s fall in 1989 cannot
compete in dramatic spectacle with the scenes of
ecstatic crowds hacking away at the concrete
and flooding across it to join East and West. But
they were no less significant.
Monday’s celebrations at the site of the Wall 20 years after East Germany’s communist rulers
opened it - were moving, as younger Germans
toppled 1 000 eight-foot-high dominoes laid on
the line where the barrier had split their capital.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew
up in the communist East, was one of those who
streamed across the Wall on November 9, 1989.
The collapse of the Soviet Union’s communist
empire made change in South Africa - the end of
apartheid - more possible by removing the
bogeyman of a “red under every bed”.
Mandela’s release in 1990 and the 1994 democratic elections, swept the ANC into power as
the first post-apartheid government. Thrown
into a capitalist system demanding continuation
of existing broad economic policy if the country
was not to collapse, its flirtation with communism dissipated.
The government realised it could not make a
complete left turn. In a sense, it had to be “business as usual” - which is what saved the country.
Even though the SACP still wields influence,
the ANC’s economic policy today remains largely capitalistic and will likely continue in that
vein.
Communism’s collapse, however, catapulted
the world towards the opposite extreme - to the
Reagan and Thatcher visions, where the “market” was attributed with innate wisdom that
would always produce the best results through
checks and balances.
In the last two years, this belief in unbridled
free-market capitalism has been shaken to the
core. In a sense, capitalism’s own “wall of invincibility” has fallen. The world will probably
move closer to a form of social democracy - a
hybrid of the extremes.
Today, the biggest challenge to the capitalist
system in South Africa is the gigantic, everwidening gap between the rich and poor, a result
of apartheid. The gap is one of the worst in the
world. If it is not remedied, it could threaten the
country’s stability.
In Israel, with the unmasking of communism
as a flawed ideology, the socialist dream of
many Israelis also took a knock. Some of those
who built the kibbutzim, for example, had
believed human nature could be changed
through communism - that people would be
happy and productive under the slogan: “From
each according to his abilities; to each according
to his needs.” But this took away the personal
incentive - call it self-interest or even greed - that
drives much of human development. It could
not work in the long run. Indeed, most kibbutzim have now changed into capitalist enterprises.
Israel has its own walls. An obvious physical
one is the contentious “security barrier” built to
combat terrorism. Called the “apartheid wall”
by its critics and enemies, it is really a manifestation of a more sinister wall - the barrier of
hatred and rejectionism against Israel maintained by the Arab bloc, much as the USSR sustained the Berlin Wall through its hatred of the
West.
Our dream must be that just as the Berlin Wall
fell because people on both sides wanted that
monstrosity to disappear, so the “wall” between
Israel and the Arab world will eventually be
torn down by people on both sides who want it to
disappear. But serious changes in attitude and
sentiment must happen for this to be possible.
Once the Berlin Wall had fallen, the entire
Soviet Union collapsed faster than anyone could
have imagined. When the Middle East walls fall,
hopefully positive things might fall rapidly into
place there too.
Perhaps Israelis and Palestinians might combine talents and energies to build something
together, rather than squandering them on warfare.
Abbas’ threat to
resign sparks fears
LESLIE SUSSER
JERUSALEM
JUST AS he hoped it would, Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’
threat to resign has concentrated the
minds.
Both Israel’s prime minister and the US
president are considering new ways to
kick-start the stalled Israeli-Palestinian
peace process in a bid to keep the two-state
vision alive. Benjamin Netanyahu and
President Barack Obama both fear that
Abbas’ departure could lead to instability,
chaos and even violence in the Palestinianpopulated territories.
With the process deadlocked ever since
Israel went into a new election cycle more
than a year ago, an element of desperate
brinkmanship is in the air. Abbas threatening to resign is aimed at pressuring the
United States and Israel to come back with
a serious offer.
Abbas, 74, announced last week that he
would not seek re-election in a ballot
scheduled for January. One of the main
reasons he gave was a profound sense of
betrayal by the US administration after
Obama dialled back the pressure on Israel
for a full settlement freeze.
“We had high hopes in President Obama
– they had a very clear attitude on settlements -but it turned out that the American
administration favoured Israel,” Abbas
declared.
Abbas had understood from Obama that
he would force Israel to stop all settlement
construction and then launch peace talks.
The Palestinian leader believed the policy
would push Netanyahu into a corner and
possibly even topple his Likud-led government for one more likely to cut a deal with
the Palestinians.
Taking his cue from Obama, Abbas
made a full freeze of settlement construction a precondition for talks.
But when the Americans backed down
several months later after Netanyahu
offered a slowdown but not a freeze, Abbas
was left high and dry. He held to a condition he could not abandon without losing
face among his people, but he could not
approach the negotiating table so long as
he stuck to it.
The last straw was US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton’s statement early last week
aligning herself with the Israeli view of
the settlement issue. Clinton backed
Israel’s claim that the Palestinians had
never before made a settlement freeze a
condition for talks before, and she praised
Netanyahu’s agreement to restrictions on
settlement building in the West Bank as
“unprecedented”.
Clinton’s forthright language stunned
the Palestinians. For Abbas it meant his
gamble on a settlement freeze had failed. A
few days later he announced his intention
to step down.
While insisting that his decision was not
a tactical ploy, he raised the spectre of the
two-state solution for which he had worked
so hard slipping away.
Abbas also finds himself in a no-win situation with regard to Hamas. If he backs
down on settlements, the fundamentalists
will accuse him of being an IsraeliAmerican lackey. If he resigns, they will
say his resignation is proof of their thesis
that negotiations with the Zionist enemy
can only lead to grief.
Abbas had hoped through Egyptian
mediation to reach a national reconciliation deal with Hamas. That would have
been the basis for truly representative
national elections in the West Bank and
Hamas-controlled Gaza. But now Hamas
says it will not contest elections in the West
Bank and will prevent balloting in Gaza.
For Abbas, who had hoped to regain
legitimacy as leader of all the Palestinian
people through the ballot box, this is
another source of deep frustration.
A third source of frustration is
Netanyahu’s refusal to recognise the
progress Abbas made with the previous
Israeli government under Ehud Olmert.
Abbas says he was very close to an
agreement with Olmert: On borders, he
says, they were already reviewing detailed
maps, and on the thorny question of the
right of return to Israel for Palestinian
refugees, Abbas says the differences were
only over numbers.
Abbas would like to continue negotiations from the point Olmert left off. But by
insisting
on
“no
preconditions”,
Netanyahu seems to be indicating that he
wants to start from scratch.
To break the impasse, PA Prime Minister
Salam Fayyad is considering declaring
independence unilaterally if the United
States agrees to back a self-declared
Palestinian state along the 1967 borders.
Palestinian Authority President
Mahmoud Abbas, shown speaking in
Ramallah on October 24, is insisting
that his decision to resign is not a tactical ploy. (PHOTOGRAPH: ISSAM RIMAWI /
FLASH 90 / JTA)
But other voices in the Palestinian camp
are talking about a return to armed struggle and a new intifada.
What makes the situation even more
volatile is the lack of an obvious successor to Abbas if he goes through with his
threat to stand down. The front-runner is
the jailed former leader of the young
Fatah
military
cadres,
Marwan
Barghouti, who would likely take a more
militant line toward Israel - if he’s even
able to compete.
Abbas’ move has forced early decision
time on the main players: Obama must
decide whether to work with Netanyahu
to appease Abbas - by, for example, getting the Israelis to release Fatah prisoners and make a serious peace offer - to disengage altogether until both parties are
ready to talk business, or to shake things
up by putting a detailed American peace
plan on the table.
Netanyahu must decide whether to
seize the moment to launch a major peace
initiative or face the consequences of a
resignation by Abbas that could spark
chaos on the Palestinian side. If he really
wants to convince Abbas to stay, he will
have to make a far-reaching offer on settlements or on substance.
Although there has been no hard evidence yet, confidants say he is ready to go
much further than most people expect.
The next few weeks could be crucial.
(JTA)
JNF aims to turn Israel diamonds from rough to ready
RACHEL TEPPER
JERUSALEM
PEOPLE HISTORICALLY have associated the Jewish National
Fund with planting trees in Israel. Now the century-old charity
is also working to make sure that Israelis will have decent
places to put good wood on the ball.
The organisation’s latest venture, Project Baseball,
aims to develop baseball facilities in Israel for the country’s nearly 2 300 amateur players.
Baseball has seen a rise in popularity in Israel, but
inadequate and unmaintained facilities have hampered
its progress.
“People really love it,” said JNF spokeswoman Jodi
Bodner, who described baseball as “great team sport”
and credited its recent spike in popularity to the fact
that it offers Israelis “a different kind of recreation.”
With funds raised by Project Baseball, JNF has
helped refurbish several fields across the country. Work
is under way on a state-of-the-art sports park in Kibbutz
Gezer, not too far north of Jerusalem.
JNF also recently completed work on Sportek Field
just outside of Tel Aviv, which hosted the 2009
Maccabiah Games baseball competition.
Baseball was introduced to Israel in 1927, when the
governess of a Jerusalem orphanage tried to engage
her children in a game. According to popular accounts,
the sport was so alien to the children that they dropped
the baseballs to the ground and kicked them like soccer
balls.
In 2005, the Israel Association of Baseball hosted a
clinic for 80 Israeli-Arab and Jewish students, teaching
them the game’s basics and then having a game on a Tel
Aviv field. According to JNF’s website, “the setting of a
baseball field gave them a rare opportunity to interact and work
together”.
Instances of cooperation and unity, JNF says, are what make
baseball a unique fit for the land of Israel.
Bodner says there is a need for the diamond game there. “We
see a need,” she said of JNF, “and we try to go fill it.” (JTA)
Israeli children play baseball, a game
becoming increasingly popular in their
country, on JNF fields. (PHOTOGRAPH: JNF)
13 - 20 November 2009
SA JEWISH REPORT
11
OPINION AND ANALYSIS
FORUM FOR DIVERSE VIEWS
Let’s base argument on Obama shifts into Israel’s
corner, tries not to show it
principle and fact
THE PAST month has been a truly troubling
period for South Africans who hold dear the
principle of deliberation and debate.
(Former Minister) Kader Asmal is told to go
to a cemetery and die for comments he made
about proposals of the Deputy Minister of
Safety and Security to militarise the police
force.
(University of Free State rector) Jonathan
Jansen is subjected to a similar attack for his
decision to reinstate the Reitz 4 to the university.
That there were strong disagreements
about Asmal’s views and Jansen’s decision,
is understandable but when public discourse
descends to such violent denigration, the
very possibility of freedom of speech is jeopardised. In turn, the democratic fabric of
society is rendered even more fragile.
The Jewish tradition is one of debate and
dissent. The very principle of lashon harah
is designed to preserve the dignity of all and
to ensure that speech is exercised for the
sake of principle and not to demean or
destroy members of the community.
For this reason alone, I have read with
ever-increasing distress the bile to which Mr
Justice Richard Goldstone has been subjected. Reading letters and columns in this
newspaper alone, the resemblance between
the treatment to which Jansen and Asmal
have been subjected and the bitter and personal attacks against Goldstone, is striking.
The former should die.
Goldstone is considered to be a traitor to
his people and has acted solely out of personal ambition or animus (as yet the motivation of his ambition remains unspecified in
the accusations that I have read).
It is probably necessary within this climate to again state the obvious: the
Goldstone Report is deserving of searching
criticism and should, as in any democratic
society, be debated and, if justified, condemned by critics.
However, save for a few exceptions (the
best for me, ironically in that it was not written for popular publication, being a 26 page
letter penned by a former South African
lawyer, whose towering intellect has been
lost to South Africa and gained by New
York), almost all the criticism against the
report engages in no analysis of the almost
600 pages that constitute the report.
Almost all the feet of newspaper and internet space devoted to the report is particularly noteworthy for the striking absence of
engagement with the specific reasoning of
the report’s many findings.
It is surely not good enough to do what
almost all columnists and letter writers do,
that is mount a criticism which almost
invariably follows the same lines: the report
was based on skewed evidence because
Israel refused to participate, the report was
commissioned by the notorious UN Human
THE JURY IS
OUT
Dennis Davis
Rights Council, it had as a member someone
who had already condemned Israel,
Goldstone was a “useful idiot” in the hands
of those who have launched a total ideological onslaught against Israel, thus the report
is complete rubbish and should be ignored.
Even if some of these claims are true, the
absence of engagement with a dense 600
page text trivialises the problem. Oddly, it
was this kind of argument which was much
used by the National Party during the 1980s
under guise of the “total onslaught”.
A careful analysis conducted by anyone
prepared to read the Goldstone Report and
acquaint themselves with basic principles of
international law, would produce the kind of
critique that can be justified both politically
and intellectually.
For example, the report deals at length
with the leaflet and SMS campaign of the
IDF prior to the operation in Gaza. The
report finds this campaign did not pass
muster in terms of international law obligations to protect civilians.
But, whatever, the merits of this finding
on technical legal grounds, the report fails
to take account that this was probably the
most determined campaign by any military
operation to warn civilians. In turn this raises the question as to whether Israel was
being held to a standard which is far higher
than any other army faced with a similar
problem.
The point is simply that the report
deserves a careful examination for its flaws
and findings that require further attention.
Whatever its flaws, it makes a number of
findings which may constitute prima facie
charges concerning killings that appear to
be unjustified as well as the destruction of
infrastructure.
These conclusions should be subjected to
an independent enquiry of a kind recommended by Goldstone and favoured by
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Those who like the prime minister favour
the benefit of an independent enquiry,
should not be subjected to the condemnation that they are enemies of Israel.
Xenophobic patriotism is not the only way
to support Israel. We should respect the
principle of dignity of difference by debating this vexed issue, vigorously, but based
upon principle and fact.
In this way, we may shine a light for deliberation as a key social principle for South
Africa.
URIEL HEILMAN
WASHINGTON
WHEN THE White House chief of staff took
to the podium at the federations’ General
Assembly to call for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations without preconditions, he sounded
almost exactly like Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu a day earlier.
“All issues should be resolved through
negotiations,” Rahm Emanuel said on
Tuesday to delegates at the Jewish
Federations of North America’s annual
meeting. “No one should allow the issue of
settlements to distract from the overarching
goal of lasting peace.”
On Monday, Netanyahu used the GA podium to appeal to Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas to return to the
negotiating table.
“Let us seize the moment to reach an historic agreement; let us begin talks immediately,” Netanyahu said.
Palestinian Authority leaders say they will
not negotiate unless Israel commits to a full
settlement freeze. To some extent, the
Obama administration is to blame for the
intransigence; the Palestinians adopted that
position only once the Obama administration insisted earlier this year that Israel commit to a full freeze.
US administration officials have since tempered their position, praising the concessions Netanyahu is willing to make on
Jewish settlement construction in the West
Bank.
“No Israeli government has been so willing to restrain settlement activity,” Emanuel
said on Tuesday.
The US position shift, which Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton also expressed last
week in Jerusalem, has angered many in the
Arab world and left the Palestinian leadership in a difficult spot. If Palestinian leaders
give up their insistence for a full settlement
freeze before returning to negotiations, they
will be seen as betraying the cause. If they
hold firm, peace talks will remain stalled.
The convergence of the Israeli and US
positions on Israeli-Palestinian negotiations
comes amid some concern about the ObamaNetanyahu relationship.
Their meeting on Monday night was under
unusual circumstances, taking place well
past the time Netanyahu could exploit a
handshake with Barack Obama for Israel’s
evening news back home - and there wasn’t
even a public handshake. In a rare move, the
White House skipped both the standard
quick photo op before the meeting and the
post-meeting Q & A session with reporters.
Few specifics emerged from the meeting.
Obama and Netanyahu spoke alone for an
hour of the 100-minute meeting, and afterward Netanyahu uncharacteristically cancelled his traditional briefing for the Israeli
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
addressing the GA. (PHOTOGRAPH: PHOTOGRAPH: ROBERT A CUMINS / JEWISH FEDERATIONS
OF NORTH AMERICA
press corps. Emanuel called the meeting
“positive” but offered little elaboration.
The unusual circumstances of the meeting
reflect the predicament faced by both sides.
It would have been unseemly for
Netanyahu, who was going to be in
Washington for the General Assembly, to
swing through town without having an audience with the US president. But with the
Obama administration trying to downplay
its shift toward the Israeli position on IsraeliPalestinian peace talks - Clinton was forced
to make an unscheduled trip to Cairo last
week to allay Arab fears that Washington
was easing the pressure on Israel - a highprofile meeting with the Israeli leader followed by a joint news conference could only
do harm.
Thus, in his GA speech, Emanuel at once
tried to assure the Jewish audience that the
bond between the US and Israeli administrations remained strong while still making
clear that the United States is pressing Israel
to make concessions to the Palestinians.
“Unilateral actions should be avoided and
cannot dictate the outcome,” Emanuel said.
He added that “negotiations must address
permanent-status issues: borders, refugees
and Jerusalem.”
Israeli officials do not want to negotiate
over Jerusalem and the right of return to
Israel of Palestinian refugees.
The cancellation of Obama’s planned GA
speech on Tuesday did not appear to be part
of any calculated strategy; the president
changed his plans to attend a memorial service on Tuesday in Texas for victims of the
Fort Hood shooting rampage.
Once the scheduling change was made, the
White House put together a reception for
Jewish leaders on Monday evening. Obama
came but he did not talk foreign policy.
Instead, he gave a 20-minute discursion on
Jewish values of charity and the importance
of healthcare reform. (JTA)
Bureau chief Ron Kampeas and staff writer
Eric Fingerhut contributed to this report from
Washington.
12
SA JEWISH REPORT
13 - 20 November 2009
TAPESTRY
ART, BOOKS, DANCE, FILM, THEATRE
ARTS MATTERS
COMPILED BY
ROBYN SASSEN
Call 084-319-7844 or
[email protected] at
least one week prior to
publication
Everard Read Gallery, Rosebank: “Penelope and the
Cosmos”, by Karel Nel and
Willem Boshoff, celebrating
the opening of Circa, Everard
Read’s new space, on Jan
Smuts Avenue, until February
2010 (011) 788-4805.
Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein: In the Nelson Mandela,
“Pinocchio”, Janice Honeyman’s annual pantomime,
until January 3. In the Fringe,
“Happy Shabalala” with Harry
Sideropoulos, until November
29, (011) 877-6800. In the
People’s Theatre, “The Little
Mermaid”, until December 24,
(011) 403-1563.
Linder Auditorium, Parktown: Johannesburg Musical
Society hosts its Annual Percy
Baneshik Memorial Concert,
featuring Ben Schoeman performing Beethoven’s Sonata in
D Major, Rachmaninov’s
Variations on a Theme of
Corelli and Brahms’ Sonata No
3, November 21, (011) 728-5492.
Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef
City, Ormonde: “Knights of
Music”,
co-produced
by
Richard Loring and Bryan
Schimmel, extended until
November 15, by popular
demand, (011) 248-5168.
Market Theatre, Newtown:
In the Laager, “Brer Rabbit”
directed by Gina Shmukler,
until December 20, (011)
832-1641.
Montecasino Theatre, Fourways: In the Pieter Toerien,
Alan Swerdlow directs “G-d of
Carnage”, until November 15;
in the Studio, “It Takes 2”, with
Rocco de Villiers and Robert
Mitchley until November 22; in
Teatro, “Cats”, until November
22 (011) 511-1988.
National Children’s Theatre, Parktown: Joyce Levinsohn directs “Seussical Jr”,
until December 24, (011) 4841584.
Ninth Street, Parkhurst: On
November 22, Stanley Peskin
repeats his opera evening with
Renée Fleming, 072-240-2997.
Old Mutual Theatre on the
Square, Sandton: “Beauty
and the BEE”, until November
21. On November 13, Ginger
Neff, Dorota Swart, Andrea
Erasmus and Morne van
Heerden perform Brahms’
Clarinet Quintet at lunchtime;
on November 20, pianists
Kristel Birkholtz and Michael
Watt perform, (011) 883-8606.
RCHCC, Oaklands: “Works
by Men”, until November 15.
On November 22, an exhibition
of work by Jeff Kodesh opens,
(011) 728-8088.
Standard Bank Gallery, Johannesburg: “Alexis Preller:
Africa, the sun and shadows”,
curated by Karel Nel and Esmé
Berman, until December 5,
(011) 631-1889.
Honeyman excels with Pinocchio pantomime
Show: Pinocchio (Nelson Mandela Theatre,
Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein, (011) 877-6800
Writer: Carlo Collodi (adapted for pantomime by
Janice Honeyman)
Director: Janice Honeyman
Musical director: Heidi Edeling
Cast: Terence Bridgett, Fiona Coyne, Tobie
Cronjé and Sibu Radebe, with a 60-strong support cast and special guest stars: Idols star
Jacques Terre’blanche and 30 dancers from The
South African Ballet Theatre.
Design: Timothy le Roux/Iain MacDonald (choreography)
Until: January 3
REVIEWED BY CHRISTINA KENNEDY
IT’S NEARING the end of the year, there’s an
alluring whiff of the holidays in the air... and
that means that it’s time for Janice Honeyman’s
annual pantomime. And many captivated audience members are already declaring that
Pinocchio is her best panto yet.
Pinocchio is, quite simply, a blast from start to
finish. It is so chock-a-block with entertainment
that adults and children won’t be bored for a single second.
Tongue-in-cheek Italian references abound from food to music - as we are introduced to an
array of characters from the beloved fairytalecum-cautionary tale, complemented by exquisite sets and the usual gimmicks, novelties, gags
and surprises.
This year’s double Naledi Award-winner Sibu
Radebe plays Pinocchio, a wooden marionette
who is promised by Bella Bouboulina, the Blue
Fairy (Fiona Ramsay, resplendent in a turquoise
wig), that he can become a real boy if he is good.
Of course, obstacles are placed in his way - by
the cunning Il Fortunato the fox (Terence
Bridgett) and Pussy Galore the cat (Fiona
Coyne), a wonderfully villainous pairing if ever
there was. The bitch in black from The Weakest
Link and the morally conflicted ex-con from
Isidingo are deliciously nasty, and their misanthropy is rewarded by a chorus of “boos” from
the audience.
Taking a break from damely duties, panto
stalwart Tobie Cronjé plays Geppetto, the kindly but slightly deaf toymaker who crafts
Pinocchio and sets out to track him down when
he strays from the straight and narrow.
Choreographer Timothy le Roux camps it up
marvellously as Dame Arletti Spaghetti - his
athleticism and wicked sense of humour
shining through.
Highlights abound in this fast-paced, chuckle-a-minute romp that scores full marks for
sheer entertainment value. You’ll see a scooter
on stage and even a Metro bus, not to mention
a luminescent underwater scene with a neon
green octopus, an inflatable whale, a flurry
of bubbles and a foefie slide.
As usual, Honeyman skilfully balances
traditional elements with hip, modern
references; naughty adult innuendo
with child-friendly high jinks and
pratfalls.
Never mind the Candyland
Express - there is eye candy
galore in the form of performers
such as Idols star Jacques
Terre’blanche, who turns up the
heat with miniskirt-clad lasses in
one of the numbers. Then there’s
the utterly electrifying and ingeniously conceived marionette dancing
sequence to a Michael Jackson medley, not to mention a line dance, the
usual daft but fun singalong and some
seriously groovy township jiving.
The dancing is rounded out by the
accomplished dancers from the SA
Ballet Theatre, who add a sprinkling of
enchantment to the show.
The performances by cast and company
are great, with the nimble and likeable
Radebe emphatically cementing his reputation as one of our hottest young stars. James
van Helsdingen proves his versatility in a
number of roles, Dolly Louw is a bona fide
living doll as Pinocchio’s girlfriend, Matt
Counihan does a great job as Jiminy Cricket
and newcomer Jesse Christelis impresses as
Lampwick.
By giving the tried-and-trusted panto template a new lease on life, Janice Honeyman and
her team have outdone themselves on
Pinocchio, which - and one does not say
this lightly - is a masterful production.
You’d have to be made out of wood not
to enjoy it...
The no-goodniks who give spice to
Pinocchio’s moral challenges: Il Fortunato the
fox (Terence Bridgett)
and Pussy Galore the
cat (Fiona Coyne).
(PHOTOGRAPH BY
ROBERT HAMBLIN)
Award-winning pianist Ben Schoeman
for Baneshik Memorial Concert
PAUL BOEKKOOI
ONCE A year, during their final concert, the
Johannesburg Musical Society presents the Percy
Baneshik Memorial Concert in honour of one of
the greatest and most versatile arts journalists of
his time. He was a stalwart who initially worked in
radio and later became the pre-eminent arts figure
in the print media with his work for The Rand
Daily Mail and The Star, among others.
It is due to the sponsorship of the Percy
Baneshik Trust that the JMS can for the eighth
time present their year-end concert in honour of
one of South Africa’s most knowledgeable, inspiring and original arts writers who had a deeply felt
love for classical music.
The concert will take place in the Linder
Auditorium, Parktown, on Saturday evening,
November 21, at 20:00.
After memorable Baneshik Memorial Concerts
given in recent years by violinists Philippe Quint
and Benjamin Schmid (to name just two), one is
FELDMAN
ON FILM
Peter Feldman
Pick of the Week
Julie and Julia
Cast: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci,
Chris Messina, Linda Emond
Director: Nora Ephron
Meryl Streep and Amy Adams are gifted actresses who bring a special ingredient to the screen.
Their recipe for success has been constantly
good performances in various roles and they
make a meal out of this sunny script.
Nimbly directed by Nora Ephron, ‘Julie and
Julia’ is based on two true stories which intertwine the lives of two women who, though separated by time and space, are both at loose ends -
positive about the fact that Percy would have been
proud to welcome the first ever South African
winner of our Unisa International Piano
Competitions, Ben Schoeman, on the JMS stage.
He’ll perform three great keyboard works from
the Classical, Romantic and Late-Romantic eras,
opening with one of the most eloquent of
Beethoven’s early sonatas - the Sonata no 7 in D
major, Opus 10 no 3 - and continuing with
Rachmaninov’s Variations on a Theme of Corelli,
Opus 42, in which the composer does not transcribe, but transmutes his subject: The theme
known as “La folia” which Corelli used in his
Violin Sonata, Opus 5 no 12.
In the second half the early, but already majestic five-movement Sonata no 3 for Piano in F
minor, Opus 5 by Brahms will be heard, after
which the entire audience is invited to an afterconcert party.
• Bookings: Computicket, or at the Linder box
office from 19:00 on the evening. Please note:
There are no credit card facilities at the Linder.
until they discover that with the right combination of passion, fearlessness and butter, anything
is possible.
Julia Child was a famous, larger-than-life
American personality who was imbued with a
self-deprecating wit, an infectious laugh and a
genuine love for creating mouth-watering dishes.
Her TV programmes were charming and
informative and ensnared millions of viewers
who hung onto her every word. Her off-screen life,
though, was quite ordinary, and not the usual sort
of thing that would merit screen treatment of this
magnitude.
That, perhaps, explains why writer/director
Nora Ephron decided to merge Julia’s story with
that of a 2002 blogger, Julie Powell, who spent her
time cooking her way through all of Julia’s 524
recipes in her book Mastering the Art of French
Cooking.
Though the film suffers from some structural
problems and lacks true dramatic thrust, the sublime acting of the two leads elevates the production to majestic heights.
Meryl Streep’s visualisation of the iconic chef
Percy Baneshik . (PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED)
is creepy, but in a wonderful sort of way,
because she nails the personality with a spot-on
interpretation that, if you didn’t know any better, you would swear that the real Julia Child
was on screen. There is no mimicry here. And
that voice is something to hear.
The adorable Amy Adams, given a shorter
hairstyle than we have seen in a long time,
shares the honours with Streep, carving her
character with deft strokes.
Adams, whose character is a self-confessed
“bitch”, brings weight to her role of Julie Powell
who sets about the testing task of making each
one of Julia’s dishes over a period of one year.
She then writes a blog each day about the success or failure of her culinary endeavours.
Stanley Tucci and Chris Messina, as the
respective husbands of Julia and Julie, provide
strong support systems.
Intercutting scenes detail the lives of both personalities, from Julia’s Paris sojourn in 1949 and
the start of her torrid love affair with French
cooking, to Julie’s own culinary challenges. It all
makes for delicious viewing.
13 - 20 November 2009
SA JEWISH REPORT
TAPESTRY
ART, BOOKS, DANCE, FILM, THEATRE
Good read - and then the
plot fizzles out...
Sweeping up Glass by Carolyn
Wall (Serpent’s Tail, R194)
REVIEWED BY GWEN PODBREY
WELL, TARNATION. Here we are
on the verge of 2010, almost nine
decades after the Rosewood massacre, yet echoes of America’s foul,
fetid segregationist era continue to
haunt us - and warn that history has
a habit of repeating itself.
For South Africans, of course,
such whispers have a special malevolence, and the literature exploring
those years is uncomfortably close
to home.
In this novel, set among the
impoverished Cracker community
of Kentucky’s mountains during the
Depression, Olivia Harker is being
raised by her adored father, Tate,
whose passion is healing animals.
While the family runs a grocery
store of sorts, it brings in very little;
Harker makes ends meet by acting
as a veterinarian for the community.
While the girl’s life is both difficult and filled with privations, she is
happy. Besides, she has close friends
among the local black community.
One, in particular, Love Alice - an
illiterate, but warm-hearted young
woman - has become an indispensable presence in Olivia’s life.
Blessed with the gift of second
sight, Love Alice is known for the
accuracy of her predictions. Since
Olivia’s mother, Ida, has long been
incarcerated in a mental hospital in
a neighbouring town, it is Love Alice
who dispenses guidance and wisdom to Olivia in her stead, including
a crash course in the facts of life.
The girls’ friendship does little to
endear either of them to their neighbours - and gains Olivia Harker a
reputation as a trouble-maker.
Disaster, however, strikes when
Ida finally returns. The woman may
have been pronounced fit to re-enter
mainstream life; her essential
meanness, vanity and selfishness
remain. Added to these qualities is
her intense dislike of her ungainly,
tomboyish daughter. Disrupting the
close bond between Olivia and her
father, Ida brings intense misery
and tension to the household.
And a second tragedy
then befalls Olivia, when
she and Tate are involved
in a road accident which
leaves her so severely
injured that she spends a
year in hospital. Her
father, she is told, was
killed - and buried by Ida
in the family yard.
Thus begins a desperate and reckless adolescence for Olivia. Unable
to bear Ida’s continual gibes, she
seeks comfort in the company of
Wing Harris - the son of a comparatively wealthy family - and falls
deeply in love with him. The relationship, however, seems unlikely to
last and Olivia embarks on a life of
promiscuity, whoring at the local
tavern.
Soon she falls pregnant and bears
a daughter. The girl, named Pauline,
grows up rebellious and wilful.
“There was no handling her,” Olivia
tells us. “Without love, there is only
a great empty space that we fill with
whatever’s handy.”
In due course - like her mother
and grandmother before her - bears
an illegitimate child: Will’m.
Unwilling to look after him, she
entrusts him to Olivia and sets off
for Los Angeles with a gang of
equally shiftless friends.
Thus Olivia Harker is left to look
after her despised mother, raise her
daughter’s child and support the
family as best she can. There is one
consolation, though: her grandson,
whom she comes to love deeply. And
there are two orphaned wolf cubs,
rescued by Will’m and being nurtured in the family kitchen. The animals’ mother has been shot by
poachers on the Harker land; tracking them down will lead Olivia into a
web of violence, vengeance and bitterness she never thought possible.
Among the revelations she will
have to confront is the existence of
the “Red Cottoners” - a claque of
racists so vicious and so bent on tormenting Negroes (and Jews) that
even the Klan has ousted them from
its midst.
Having established secret headquarters in the town, they seek not
only black victims, but also Olivia
Miller puts a human face
on William Kentridge
ROBYN SASSEN
“FROM KENTRIDGE I’ve learnt
about trust, playfulness and craziness,” said composer Philip Miller
recently in a talk at the Rabbi Cyril
Harris Community Centre.
It was a revealing focus on
Kentridge in which Miller brought
him from the pedestal on which the
artworld has placed him, showing
him as a generous collaborator and
one capable of erring, laughing and
eating with abandon.
Miller, who began his adult life in
law, shifted to music under the guidance of Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph and
created the music for runaway successes like “Yizo-Yizo” screened on
SABC 2 a few years ago, and
“Rewind: The TRC Cantata”.
“I first met William in 1993. I lived
in Helvetia Court, in bohemian
Yeoville.” Kentridge wanted Miller
to compose music for “Felix in
Exile”, one of his first charcoal
drawing films.
“William told me he’d experimented with Dvorák’s String
Quartet, as a guide that worked
‘pretty well’. My heart sank. I wrote
the music on an old upright piano,
with a pencil, an eraser and musical
manuscript paper. It took four
weeks.
“With editor Catherine Meyburgh
and
mezzo-soprano
Sibongile
Khumalo, my work was torn to
shreds and put together again. It
was sacrilege! I was stunned! I
thought I was a serious composer.
As ‘Felix in Exile’ entered the public
realm, I understood I’d succeeded. A
dialogue had happened; its essential
ingredient? Instability.
“Kentridge is a clown: a regular
Buster Keaton. Working with
Deborah Bell and Robert Hodgins in
1999, we blended excellent food with
conversation and created “Hot-El”, a
hand-made film about anti-pasta
and stream of consciousness.
“We love to eat! But it’s not only
about gluttony. Our meals provoke
generous and creative intimacy.
“To make its music, I went to the
Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town
and recorded the sounds of bed-
Harker, firstly because
of her close friendship
with Love Alice, and secondly, in order to exact
revenge for a grievance
they hold against her
father. Their harassment of her slowly escalates into outright violence, fuelled by the
crazed vindictiveness of
impotent poor whites.
The closing chapters
are disappointing, with the plot
deterioriating into a weak (and predictable) thriller, and the narrative
losing much of its initial vibrancy.
This is doubly regrettable since
until that point, it makes compulsive reading, filled with poignant
insights and written in the authentic patois of the Cracker community.
The book skilfully traces painful
contrasts: three generations of
women, all doomed to repeat - and
reap - each other’s tragedies. Yet,
within the cycles of abuse, ignorance and anger revolve and regenerate, there are human connections
which transcend race and class.
The character of Olivia Harker,
battling the demons of poverty,
loneliness and intractable prejudice, is not original: mutations of
this archetype have often appeared
in American literature from this
period, and in frontier novels based
on pioneering families.
However, Carolyn Wall has given
her an appeal which is hard to
resist. Hardened and humiliated she
may be, but coarsened she is not.
Her honesty, courage and stubbornness, however, work as much
against her as for her, hastening her
downfall and incensing her enemies.
Ultimately, the book exposes the
cheap, sordid milieu of rural
America at a time when economic
instability had eroded moral fibre,
reawakened supremacist hysteria
and left the nation’s most indigent
communities heartless, helpless and hopeless.
It is an unlovely tale, but Carolyn
Wall reminds us that even in that
dark period, there were dazzling
moments of redemption.
Philip Miller.
PHOTOGRAPH
COURTESY
WWW.MIO.CO.ZA
springs and lifts, the noises you hear
in a hotel. I used a ‘prepared piano’ an idea made famous by American
composer John Cage - using prestik,
keys and coins in the piano’s hammers, messing with its sound.
And the rest is Kentridgean history. Known to have coined art ideas at
exactly the right moment for the
industry, Kentridge’s work began
skyrocketing in value from 1995.
Miller spoke of the first time his
work was in Venice, courtesy
Kentridge. “The memory is very
clear of being in the opera house and
hearing my music swirling around
me. I could not believe this was happening to me.”
Miller is currently working on a
collaborative project entitled “Where
is Kovno?”, which aims to get today’s
Lithuanian youth to consider their
history, through art and music; and
an opera on Sara Baartman’s life
story for Massachusetts’ Museum of
Modern Art.
13
14
SA JEWISH REPORT
13 - 20 November 2009
LETTERS
The Editor, Suite 175, Postnet X10039, Randburg, 2125 email: [email protected]
Disclaimer
The letters page is intended to provide opportunity for a range of
views on any given topic to be expressed. Opinions articulated in
the letters are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the
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be edited or shortened.
GERMANY SHOULD NEVER AGAIN BE
‘CENTRAL HUB OF JEWISH LIFE’
“THE REBIRTH of Jewish communities in Europe is cause
for great celebration”. These words in last week’s editorial
made me sick to my stomach. Literally. Especially when
applied to Germany.
Germany has no business being a central hub of Jewish life
again. Germany (and Europe) had its chance to a Jewish hub
for the past 1 900 years, and blew it big time.
To strengthen Judaism in Germany by putting their trust
in the Jewish future in Germany is a colossal error.
(Chabad have erected a 100 sq. metre replica of the Kotel in
Berlin, using 19 tons of Jerusalem stone at a cost of millions
of dollars).
There is no future for a Jewish Germany... that era is done!
Those Jews who think that a Jewish community in Germany
is sweet revenge against the Nazi era, are sadly mistaken.
A Jewish community in Germany is Hitler’s revenge on us,
because once again we choose exile over our real home, and
thereby learn no lessons of the Holocaust.
For the first time in nearly 2 000 years, Israel is getting the
shot at being the Jewish hub, and we need to strengthen Eretz
Yisrael, not Europe.
It is Halachically forbidden for a Jew to derive any benefit
from a place where the Jewish people were persecuted. Sanhedrin 45b,and Rambam, Hilchot Sanhedrin 15;9.
Choni Davidowitz
Golden Acres, Johannesburg
LOOKING AT STATISTICS ON ANTI-SEMITISM IN
PERSPECTIVE
IN THE Jewish Report of November 6, on page 16 an article
appears under the heading “Anti-Semitism at a low point”. It
provides up-to-date statistics of the percentages of antiSemitism in the US in respect of various population groups.
Twelve per cent of Americans are anti-Semites, that is one in
eight. Twenty nine per cent of Americans believe that Jews
are responsible for the death of Christ - that is almost one in
every three.
I am sure that if such a survey were conducted in Eastern
Europe, let alone in Muslim countries, the figures would be
much higher.
These statistics ought not to surprise us. According to
Jonathan Goldhagen in his book A Moral Reckoning, there
are 450 anti-Semitic statements in the four gospels and the
acts of the apostles alone.
I have verified them, and so it is not surprising that
Christians were, and many still are, imbued with hatred that
manifested itself in auto-da-fés, pogroms and eventually in
the Holocaust. Hitler may have been just the spark.
This venom is spread from the pulpit and so from generation to generation. It may be difficult to change the ingredients of a mother’s milk and yet I believe that logically something can be done about this.
If one out of three persons believes in the deicide, the
killing of Jesus by Jews, then sooner or later a Jew will come
across this accusation and it behoves him or her to know how
to respond.
Strangely enough, its refutation lies in the gospel of
Matthew. Chapter 8 verse 1 speaks of “great multitudes following Jesus” to hear him preach. The same chapter
describes how he healed the sick, cast out devils and that
“great multitudes” surrounded him.
Chapter 9 also describes “multitudes” seeing and “marvelling” at these miraculous healings. Chapter 13 mentions
“multitudes” coming to hear Jesus preach.
Now we come to the tachlis, the nub of the argument.
According to chapter 14 Jesus performs a miracle and provides loaves and fishes for some “5 000 men besides women
and children”. Fast forward to chapter 15 and now 4 000 men
besides women and children have been fed.
Add these figures and multitudes and one might well reach
a sum well in excess of 10 000. One may assume that none of
these inspired, well-fed Jews wanted Jesus dead, why should
they?
Now those of us familiar with the Old City of Jerusalem
know that the streets there are narrow. And even if the city in
Roman times may well lie many feet below what we see today,
there is no reason to assume much difference in its layout.
So when Pontius Pilate looks at the multitude of Jews outside his palace who are condemning Jesus, he is not looking
at the Champs Elysées. How much is a multitude in those narrow streets? And how representative are they when compared
to our aforementioned figure of at least 10 000 admirers?
I don’t think that Jews have to say “Al Chet” as far as Jesus’
crucifixion is concerned. And in any case during the past
2 000 years, have we not been more sinned against than sinning?
Don Krausz
Killarney, Johannesburg
Real estate in Israel is a
sound investment
LIONEL SLIER
A MAJOR Israeli real estate company sounds a positive note that Israel
will recover from the recent world
economic meltdown much faster
than the Western countries, with a
turnaround date as soon as next
year mooted.
Shlomo Grofman, joint chairman
of First American Israel Real Estate
(Faire) Fund, was in South Africa
recently promoting his company’s
extensive property holdings to
prospective South African buyers.
He stressed the good returns South
African buyers had consistently
received on their Israeli property
investments.
South African associates of Faire
Fund are equally upbeat about the
property market in Israel.
Alan Heyman of Landmark
Capital, a local property company
associated with Faire Fund, opening the presentation of the Israeli
apartments available through Faire
Fund for purchase, said: “There
have been interesting developments
in Israel and the expectation is that
Israel will recover from the recession and the downturn in property
sales much faster than the West and
certainly by 2010.
“There were currently 30 000
apartments being built annually in
Israel, mostly in the medium price
range,” he said.
In the presentation apartment
blocks were shown in Givat Tayim,
Kiryat Ono, Petah Tikva, Ra’anana,
Ramat Gan, Hod Hasharon, Tel
Aviv and Jerusalem, among others.
Said Grofman: “We are tightening
our ties with South Africa even
more. I have just returned from the
United States and you can really
feel the economic atmosphere there.
“How does this climate affect
Israel?” he asked rhetorically.
“Well, all those who invested in real
estate (there) have seen very real
and attractive returns and this is in
all sectors.”
Grofman considered South Africa
as a “second home. “I come four or
five times a year to report to shareholders and every one is happy and
most have made a fortune.
“Those who invested know how
much property in Israel has gone
up. In 2009 in Tel Aviv, property
appreciated by 24 per cent and in
places like Hadera and central
Israel the increase has been even
greater. People from this country
have wanted a ‘second home’ in
Israel and their foothold has
increased.”
Menachem Liv of the Mizrachi
Bank told those at the presentation
that the bank was willing to give 60
per cent mortgages in any major
currency at a fixed rate for 20 to 30
years. Furthermore it would be a
floating loan and there was no
penalty if the loan was settled earlier.
“People are saying that prices will
come down,” Heyman said. “I have
been with Faire Fund for four years
and people have always been saying
that. But I can say that if you buy a
Faire Fund home it would be the
most reassuring thing that you can
do.”
Ra’anana
centre
Currently demand was exceeding
supply due to the high rate of immigration and the natural growth of
the population. He warned that
property was not going to get cheaper and that consumer confidence
continued to grow.
Heyman talked about Ra’anana
which is of particular interest to
South Africans. It is the biggest
English-speaking city in Israel (with
80 000 people) and known as
‘Ra’ananafontein because of the
large South African expatriate population there.
Denese Zaslansky of Firzt Realty
Company, a South African associate
of Faire Fund, detailed the buying
process of property in Israel. Both
the buyer and the seller pay commission to the real estate agents
(usually two per cent each). There
are also lawyers’ fees of between
one and two per cent, as well as purchase tax of usually 3,5 to 4,5 per
cent of the purchase price.
Zaslansky pointed out that property prices in Israel were 5,5 per
cent higher this year than in the corresponding quarter of last year.
According to “Global Property
Guide” Israel had the best performing housing market in the first three
months of 2009 among the international markets surveyed. Israel’s
real estate market was one of only
five that expanded in this year’s
first quarter, the others being
Switzerland, Thailand, Austria and
China.
Petah Tikva seems to be the upand-coming city for property buyers. Proximity to Tel Aviv and many
new property developments, have
made Petah Tikva the fastest growing real estate market in Israel this
year. The current price of a 4-room
apartment there is 1,2 million
shekels (up 30 per cent).
Says an upbeat Zaslansky: “There
is a wonderful opportunity for people to have an investment that will
appreciate in dollar terms. If you
can pay 40 per cent down, you can
get a bond of 60 per cent for non-residents at an interest rate of 3 to 5
per cent.
“If you buy and rent out, then the
tenants pay the rates, taxes, lights
and water and generally the rental
received covers the bond repayments. In my opinion people who
live in Israel, remain in Israel. They
are not going anywhere. They have
no fear about the future.”
Herschel
Jawitz
of
Jawitz
Property Company said the Israeli
property market did not seem to be
as hard hit as other South African
investments, but it was not as
important as investments in the UK
or the US. Also, the demand from
here had been hit by the local economy. People here had less money
now and they were hedging their
bets.
He added that Israel crossed a
divide for investors. Many people
invested there for emotional reasons but the appetite had diminished. Israel properties were not
cheap by international standards
and interest had tapered off, but it
should change once global markets
settled down. People would look
again at investing there.
Chris Immelman of Pam Golding
Estates said from Cape Town that
they had very few requests for property in Israel and in any case international business had virtually
stopped.
FOR THE RECORD
Ehmke photographed
the white lion cubs
Gluckman’s husband also an active
parent
Mark Banks and not
Mel Miller
THE PHOTO on page 18 in the youth section of the
issue of November 6 accompanying the article
“Lots of oohs and aahs for
Stevie
and
Passion”
should be credited to Rod
Ehmke.
IN THE article “Gluckman a worthy ‘cancer
ambassador’” that appeared in the edition of
October 30, the description of Carla Gluckman as
a “single parent” may have created the impression that she is raising her sons without her former husband’s help. This is not so. In fact,
Gluckman points out that the two co-parent successfully and have a “very amicable set-up”.
IN THE Social Page of last
week’s paper (November 6)
the photo labelled Dan Levin,
Ros Basserabie and Mark
Banks was incorrect. It
should have read Dan Levin,
Ros Basserabie and Mel
Miller.
13 - 20 November 2009
COMMUNITY COLUMNS
ABOVE
BOARD
Zev Krengel,
National Chairman
A column of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies
Limmud and
its marshals
exonerated
THIS WEEK saw the release of Advocate
Geoff Budlender’s report on the events
leading up to and taking place during the
Limmud seminar on Wits University campus in August. In terms of his brief, Adv
Budlender was tasked with investigating,
inter alia, allegations of “racial profiling”
on the part of the Limmud marshals,
inflammatory slurs by those protesting
against the participation of IDF Lt-Colonel
David Benjamin and whether the university had denied the protesters their right to
freedom of expression.
Even before instituting the investigation,
Wits Vice-Chancellor Loyiso Nongxa effectively endorsed the “racial profiling”
charge when, in an open letter to the Wits
community, he apologised to those who felt
they had been targeted in this way. His letter made no mention of the abuse and
intimidation directed at Limmud participants, despite the SAJBD having very
clearly brought this to his attention.
Our follow-up letter to him pointed out
this discrepancy and called for the investigation he intended instituting to be a balanced one, encompassing all relevant
aspects of the affair. Ultimately, the terms
of reference of the enquiry were sufficiently broadened for this purpose.
Our National Director Wendy Kahn was
one of those who provided a detailed submission of what transpired to Adv
Budlender, in the course of which she
strenuously refuted the racial profiling
charge, detailed the nature of the antiSemitic abuse she witnessed and personally experienced and described her close
interaction prior to and during the event
with the Wits administration. Another
SAJBD staff member, Charisse Zeifert, also
made a submission reiterating these points.
We can confidently assert that the findings in the report have upheld our contentions on all relevant counts. It dismissed
the racial profiling allegations and found
that “inflammatory and offensive slurs”
were indeed made by certain protesters.
It further noted that a protest gathering
on the campus itself by the Palestinian
Solidarity Committee had gone ahead in
defiance of permission having been explicitly denied by the university authorities.
We are naturally pleased that a thorough
and impartial investigation has now vindicated our stance. Hopefully, the university
itself will draw the appropriate lessons
from these carefully considered findings
and recommendations.
This would include recognising that allegations of racism cannot always be taken at
face value but may be a politically motivated strategy to discredit those who hold
opposing points of view.
A further lesson is that all too often, antiIsrael protests exceed the boundaries of
acceptable behaviour, resulting in Jewish
rights to dignity and freedom of opinion
being violated.
From our point of view, there are also
appropriate lessons we should take to
heart. While the Limmud marshals were
not guilty of racial profiling, an awareness of the sensitivities of the circumstances in which they found themselves
was clearly lacking. This in turn resulted
in perceptions - real or imagined - of
heavy-handedness on their part that left a
number of people feeling genuinely
offended.
In light of Adv Budlender’s measured
observations in this regard, we will be
addressing the issue so as to avoid such
misunderstandings in the future
This column is paid for by the SAJBD
SA JEWISH REPORT
15
Horror of Kristallnacht is relived
in faraway Johannesburg
LIONEL SLIER
FOR JEWS November 9 is a day
of mourning, a trigger for the
brutality
and
murder
of
Germany’s Jews. By 1938 the
marginalised and vilified Jewish
population had almost halved
since the rise of the Nazis in
1933.
In October 1938 the Germans
expelled 18 000 Jews living in
the border region between
Poland and Germany. These
Jews had been living in
Germany since 1918.
One of the Polish Jews
expelled was Zindel Grynzpan. Burning synagogue of Siegen during Kristallnacht of
He wrote to his son, Hirsch, November 9, 1938.
who was studying in Paris,
Survivors, organised by Sandra Goldberg
about the terrible conditions under which
and Tali Nates of the Holocaust Centre.
they were now living in “pigsties”.
A witness to the events of November 9
Hirsch, in Paris, was so enraged that,
1938, Hans Lowenberg (born in Bremen in
on November 7 he went into the German
1920) told of his experiences. “The SS and
Embassy and shot dead Ernst von Rath,
the Gestapo organised everything,” he
the first German officer he encountered
said. “Fire brigades were ordered not to
there.
save the burning synagogues, but in fact
When news of Von Rath’s death
they poured petrol onto the flames.
reached Germany, under Hitler’s orders a
“The Jewish men who were rounded
terrible vengeance was unleashed on the
up, were transported in cattle trains to
300 000 Jews still living in Germany. Jews
the camps. My father had died when I was
were attacked in the streets and in their
a year old but my uncle was taken away.
homes, synagogues were set alight, shops
An aunt in America saved us and we
robbed and trashed, Jewish homes pilreached there in April 1939. My mom and
laged and destroyed, women attacked and
I eventually got to Cape Town. We had a
men arrested.
lucky escape.”
The next day after the night of terror
Attiah Lieberman, then a little girl, told
and death, the streets of German cities
how she remembered that night in her
and towns were covered with broken
home in Lithuania. “My mother was cryglass, thus the name, “The Night of the
ing and my father was extremely worried
Broken Glass”, but known in Germany as
and tense. My father’s shop windows
Kristallnacht. Some 30 000 Jewish men
were smashed and rocks were thrown at
were rounded up and sent to concentraour house by Lithuanian hooligans, one
tion camps.
nearly hitting my sister who was asleep.
This was a brutal wake-up call to the
“We were all very frightened but we did
Jewish community. Despite the antinot know then of the terrible time that
Jewish Nuremberg Laws and the
was still to come.”
encroaching loss of civil rights and liberDon Krausz, a regular speaker at
ties that Jews were subjected to after
Holocaust remembrance events, said he
1933, some still clung to the hope that
was a boy living in Holland at that time
“that little man with the funny mousand he only found out about the terror of
tache” was a passing, if unpleasant,
November 1938 after the war. He himself,
phase in Germany and that it (soon)
had spent time in a German concentrawould be back to the old, pleasant comtion camp.
fortable lifestyle. But, alas, Kristallnacht
Krausz, giving a historical overview of
changed all that.
the events of that period, quoted from
In Johannesburg Kristallnacht was
Never Again by the English historian, Sir
remembered with a gathering at
Martin Gilbert. “Goering, speaking about
Sandringham Gardens home for the aged
Kristallnacht, had said that he would not
by the Friendship Forum for Holocaust
Don Krausz.
Tali Nates.
have liked to have been a Jew in
Germany at that time.”
About the conference held in Evian in
France in 1938, called to discuss the
plight of European Jewry, Krausz said no
European country had been willing to
take in Jewish refugees and this had led
Hitler to comment: “You do not want
Jews and neither do we, so stop criticising us.”
Dr Jonathon Salitan gave a recital of
Yiddish songs, accompanied on the piano
by Jonathon Rees.
In the evening another Kristallnacht
remembrance ceremony was held,
attended by Austria’s deputy ambassador, Aloisis Woergetter.
Katerina von Ruckteschell of the
Goethe-Institut said she was very happy
to be a partner in this Holocaust presentation. “It was a horrible day in
Germany, with synagogues on fire, Jews
fleeing; we should never forget and never
let this happen again.”
Nates gave a brief summary of the
events of the time and the casualties,
which were much higher than the official
figures. “This was the first time that men
were arrested, not for opposing the
regime but simply because they were
Jewish.”
A film, “And G-d Does Not Believe”, the
first part of a Holocaust trilogy by the
Austrian filmmaker, Axel Conti, was
screened. This was about the start of the
Second World War, seen through the eyes
of a Jewish boy, Ferry Toubin. It starts in
November 1938 and continues through to
the German occupation of France.
16
SA JEWISH REPORT
13 - 20 November 2009
A Super-gran waiting to wing her way to Oz
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY
RITA LEWIS
WITH BOBBAS and zaidas being
very much in the spotlight recently, it is not surprising that another
organisation should have held a
competition for bobbas and zaidas.
In this case it was the Union of
Jewish Women’s contest and their
search for the most deserving
South African bobba or zaida. The
prize for the chosen person would
be a paid ticket to visit their children and/or family oversees.
This year the lucky winner was
Ruth Super who cried tears of joy
when her name was announced at
a recent function entitled “Divas”
held by the UJW at the Sandton
Shul hall.
Super, who has not seen her children and grandchildren for some
eight and a half years, said she was
“over the moon with excitement
and shock”.
She said she just could not
believe it and had to be helped onto
the stage when the announcement
was made.
She was also speechless when
told that not only had she won a
ticket to go to see her family, but
the prize also included luggage,
R10 000 spending money, a pair of
Slickers shoes, a hairdo and a basket of flowers.
The family that she has not seen
are her son Kevin, his wife Cheryl
and their two children Ricky (21)
and Samantha (17). They have lived
in Perth, Australia for some 12
years.
Super who lives at Sandringham
Gardens, planned to leave South
Africa on December 3 for a sixweek stay with her family in
Australia, travelling there via
Singapore.
However, her passport had
expired some time ago and she had
not bothered to renew it as she had
had no immediate plans to travel
abroad.
After hearing of her win, things
suddenly changed. Together with
the Union of Jewish Women’s
chairman, Elaine Katz, Super went
to collect her ticket and then it was
on to Home Affairs to renew her
passport.
Things, however, are not always
as simple as they sound. Super
said: “They took my fingerprints,
looked at my ID, told me it generally takes between 10 days and two
weeks to get the passport renewed,
but then told me the dreadful news
that they had discovered that I ‘was
not on the system’. I was shattered.”
Super who attended Observatory
Girls and Athlone Girls High, had
completed a commercial matric at
Harvard College, specialising in
shorthand and typing. She had
worked most of her life for different firms - so she should definitely
have “been on the system”.
She married Emanuel Berman
in 1956 but he died in 1984 leaving
her with three children to support.
Shortly afterwards, she married
Boris Glassman.
She said she had, and still has, a
wonder relationship with her
stepchildren Michael and Leslie
Glassman.
Super now has two children as
she regrettably lost a son, Julian
Ruth Super, winner of this year’s
UJW’s Bobba/Zaida of the Year
Competition hugs Chairman
Elaine Katz.
Berman, many years ago.
Her daughter, Marlene Heller
was let into the secret some weeks
prior to the announcement that her
mother had won the contest. She
relayed the information to her
brother Kevin in Australia but the
two were sworn to secrecy - and
Jewish women always a mainstay
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY
JULIA COOK
OFTEN PEOPLE hold the belief
that Judaism and the Torah are
unequal in the way in which they
portray the roles of men and
women, often feeling that the Torah
is neutral towards the role of
women at best and fairly negative
and sexist at worst.
Disproving such beliefs is what
distinguished the talk entitled
“Being a Jewish Leader” recently
given by renowned author, Lori
Palatnik who is also an international speaker and rebbetzen of the
Aish
Hatorah
branch
in
Washington DC. Palatnik was
recently hosted by Aish Hatorah
South Africa at a ladies only breakfast.
Palatnik explained: “In the
Torah, the Jewish people were
enslaved in Egypt hundreds of
years and it was in the merit of the
Jewish women that the Jewish people were redeemed. Initially, thanks
to stargazers, Pharaoh was aware
that there would one day be a baby
boy born to the Jewish people who
would eventually lead the Jews out
of Egypt in an Exodus.
the continuity of the
“The Jews, however,
Jewish people. The men
are not allowed to believe
had given up at this
in such things, nor are we
point, but the women
allowed to seek out somenever did. Soon after the
one who can see the
Jews left Egypt, Pharaoh
future. Based on this
realised that they were
prophecy, Pharaoh denot coming back and
clared that all boys born
sent his men to bring
to the Jewish people
them back. By this time
should be killed. This led
the Jews had reached the
to the Jewish men choos- Rebbetzen Lori
Dead Sea and there were
ing to leave their wives, as Palatnik.
four actions decided
they did not wish for their
upon by different groups
children to be killed.
of men, namely either i) commit“Miriam, sister of Moses,
ting suicide by jumping into the sea,
realised, however, that by doing so
ii) going back to Egypt, iii) praying,
the men were making a worse
or iv) fighting back.
proclamation, as it was not only the
None of these options found
male babies that were being prefavour with Hashem; then Nashom
vented from living by this separaben Minadav had shown faith in
tion, but the female babies as well.
Hashem and waded into the sea.
Therefore, she and the rest of the
While we are not usually permitwomen beautified themselves and
ted to rely on miracles and put our
went out into the fields to entice
lives at risk, when the entire Jewish
their husbands home.”
nation is at risk, miracles will
This act found such favour with
occur. After the Jews had crossed
Hashem, that when the Jews were
the Dead Sea, Miriam took out her
in the desert later, He decided that
tambourine, and she and the other
the basin for the tabernacle should
women made music and danced to
be made from the copper mirrors
thank Hashem.
that the women had used to ensure
Posing the question as to where
the women got these instruments
from, Palatnik said it had to be
Egypt, which meant that the
women, who were so rushed that
they did not even have time for the
bread to rise, had enough faith in
G-d to know that they would need
instruments at some point to sing
to him in gratitude.
Later at Har Sinai, the woman
once again proved their strength
and faith, when the men miscounted the amount of time when Moses
was to return. The men built an
idol; they had to forcefully take the
jewellery from the women.
While some would argue that the
women simply did not want to part
with their jewellery, this was disproved when the women later willingly gave their jewellery to be
used in the Mishkan. When it is for
a holy purpose, the Jewish women
are the first to give, but when it is
not, the men had to rip their jewellery from their necks.
We learn in the Torah, that
Moses was told to first teach the
Torah to “Beis Yaacov”, which
refers to the women. This is not
only because the women merited
this, but also because Hashem
Aish Hatorah raises money at a gala dinner
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY
JULIA COOK
IN LIGHT of the drastic increases
in assimilation and intermarriage
among Jews across the world, it is
becoming imperative to reconnect
Jews to their roots.
One such organisation whose
objective this is, is Aish Hatorah,
which has 35 branches all over the
world, including South Africa.
The South African branch
recently held its annual gala dinner to raise funds for the annual
December Aish Israel Fellowship
Trips that take a number of people
to Israel to enable them to establish
a deeper connection with the Holy
Land. This dinner, therefore, provided an opportunity for everyone
to participate in the mitzvah of
contributing towards bringing
Jewish youth back to Judaism.
The night also honoured two philanthropists whose generous donations towards the various kiruv
(bringing Jews back to Judaism)
organisations over the years have
helped to realise this objective.
They are the twins Abe and Solly
Krok, responsible for the introduc-
Guest of honour Solly Krok (middle), with niece Elana Pincus (left)
and grandson Devon Krok (right).
tion of Aish Hatorah to South
Africa.
After Rabbi Chaim Willis, the
executive director of Aish Hatorah
South Africa, originally came to the
country to start the Israel
Fellowships programme in 1994, he
soon realised the necessity to start a
branch in South Africa if the
Fellowships were to succeed.
During his visit, Rabbi Willis met
Solly Krok who was going to Israel
and who agreed to meet with the
late Rabbi Noah Weinberg, founder
and dean of Aish Hatorah, to discuss ways of making this idea come
true.
Solly and Abe donated the funds
needed to lay the foundation for this
project; this resulted in Rabbi
Yaacov Couzens and Rabbi Yitzhak
Sandler immigrating to South
Africa in 1996 to be rabbis of the
Cyrildene Shul in Johannesburg.
After two years, Rabbi Couzens
returned to Philadelphia, and Rabbi
Willis, who was at the time living in
Israel, moved to South Africa to
become the executive director of
Aish Hatorah.
Since then, thanks to the efforts
of the Krok brothers as well as
many others, the organisation has
grown to include five rabbis and
their families, and has affected the
lives of thousands of Jewish youth
between the ages of 18 - 29, who
have been involved with Aish
either through the Israel Fellowship programmes or through the
Earn and Learn programmes.
The twins have not only helped
Aish Hatorah, but have also supported Ohr Somayach and Chabad,
also involved in kiruv.
The Aish Gala dinner was held at
the Sandton Shul Hall and was
attended by some 400 guests. The
room was lit by a multitude of candelabras on each table.
Rabbi Willis then detailed the
necessity of organisations such as
Aish, as well as highlighting the
role that the Krok brothers have
played in the organisation’s growing success in South Africa.
Special guest speaker, Rebbetzen
Lori Palatnik, a renowned Jewish
educator and author, then shared
her personal experience as she told
of how she gave a part of herself to
a complete stranger, namely one of
her kidneys. Rebbetzen Palatnik is
also heavily involved in outreach
kept their knowledge to themselves.
Apart from having the two
grandchildren in Australia, Super
has one in South Africa, Marlene’s
daughter Loren, and Carly, the
daughter of Julian zt”l who lives in
Israel with her grandparents.
She said she was still so excited
but she was worried that things
would not go according to plan.
It would seem that the date of the
ticket itself is not exchangeable or
refundable and at the time of our
going to press Super had heard
nothing yet about the passport
renewal and still has to apply for a
visa.
Without the passport she can
neither get a visa nor leave the
country.
Super is planning to give a variety concert at Sandringham
Gardens the day before she is due
to leave. She, with pianist Jeff
Klein, have for some time, made it
their business to go around to
Johannesburg’s different residential homes entertaining the old
folks there.
knew that the only way that the
Torah could have any hope of succeeding among the Jewish people,
was if the women accepted it first.
“There are exceptions, but generally in my work with Aish Hatorah,
we see that there is usually one
member of the couple who are more
into Judaism than the other. If we
find that the man is more into it,
then we worry, but if it is the
woman, then we know it is okay.
This is because women are better at
social interactions and at introducing new ideas.”
Time and again, the only thing
that saved the Jewish people was
their faith in G-d - something the
women have always had. “This trust
is based on our knowledge of G-d, as
we have seen Him come through for
us on numerous occasions.”
She added: “Our mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers and
so on, lived, and sometimes died to
be Jewish. We are part of an incredible chain of tradition. While this
chain has decreased, we are here to
attest that we are going on the right
path, and we are only as strong as
our weakest link.
“We need to remember that time
and again, the Jews were saved on
the merit of the women, and so too,
the ultimate redemption will also
come through their merit.”
programmes and is married to the
executive director of Aish’s
Washington branch, Rabbi Yaacov
Palatnik.
Rabbi Yisrael Ziskin, Aish’s educational director, then introduced a
raffle aimed at raising more money
to send youth to Israel, with prizes
ranging from two El Al tickets to
Israel, to product hampers and a
mystery gift, with Martin Laurence
winning first prize.
Rabbi Ziskin expressed the
importance of outreach organisations in terms of a parable which
likened the excitement of the secular world to that of a fish that is
thrashing about when it is taken
out of the water. While there is
much movement, this wildness is
that of death convulsions. However, the tranquillity that can be
witnessed when looking at fish in a
tank can be likened to Torah study
that sooths and gives life to the
soul.
The Kroks were presented with
awards to commemorate their 80th
year, as well as all of their generous contributions that they have
made over the years to the community. Unfortunately, Abe was in
hospital on the evening and so his
daughter, Elana Pincus accepted
the award on his behalf.
13 - 20 November 2009
Focusing on your pet
SA JEWISH REPORT
17
Compiled by Manuela Bernstein. Contact (011) 886-0162, Cell 082-951-3838 or e-mail: [email protected]
The pros of animal
sterilisation spelt out
THE SPCA MOVEMENT is governed by statute: Act 169 of 1993. In terms of this national
law, all animals adopted from SPCAs must be
sterilised. There are good reasons for this, all in
the interest of the welfare of animals.
It is imperative that pet owners prevent the
birth of more puppies and kittens. Spaying and
neutering are low-risk surgeries performed by a
veterinarian under general anaesthetic. The primary reason for sterilisation is, of course, reducing the pet overpopulation but there are other
very good reasons why you should ensure that
all your pets are sterilised:
• Spaying or neutering makes animals better,
more affectionate pets. It has no effect on a
dog’s alertness or natural protective instincts.
• Unneutered males try to control and expand
their territories, which leads to roaming and
fighting - habits that can get your pet injured,
lost or killed.
• Unneutered males also spray and mark. But,
having them neutered reduces or eliminates
these types of unsociable habits.
• Unneutered males are prone to prostate problems and testicular cancer. Having them neutered reduces the risk of these health prob-
lems which mean a longer life for the animal
and fewer and lower veterinary bills for you.
• Spaying a female before her first heat cycle
reduces the risk of mammary gland tumours
by 99 per cent.
i eliminates
li i t h
l and
d th
i k off
•S
Spaying
heatt cycles
the risk
ovarian and uterine cancer.
A quick few words on the subject: With improved technology and a greater understanding of animal biology, veterinary experts endorse
“early age sterilisation” - as does the SPCA
movement in South Africa.
This involves sterilising an animal as young as
eight weeks. Most vets are willing and able to
sterilise an animal from the age of eight weeks,
or at least before the onset of the first heat cycle
for females and the spraying/marking behaviour
in males. Both of these can occur around the
age of four months.
A veterinary hospital
with all mod-cons
THE ORANGE GROVE Veterinary Hospital was
established in 1947. The three partners have
many years’ veterinary experience between
them. The hospital complies with the strict
standards for veterinary hospitals, as determined
by the South African Veterinary Council, and has
been awarded hospital accreditation status by
the South African Veterinary Association.
The hospital utilises the most modern equipment and technology and is an officially approved teaching facility for veterinary students.
The hospital is equipped to perform many types
of surgical and diagnostic procedures, including routine laboratory diagnostic services, X-ray
and ECG examinations.
Our clients can expect to receive help and
information on any topic concerning their pets’
health. Preventative medicine is the cornerstone
of modern veterinary medicine and our practice
caters for routine annual health checks, vaccinations, heart and kidney assessment, dental
and oral health evaluations and special treatments with the needs of the older pet particularly in mind.
The professional healthcare team as well as
the lay staff, are all committed to satisfying the
needs and requests of both owners and their
pets. Visit our website for further information,
monthly newsletters, interesting articles and
specials. www.orangegrovevet.co.za
Pampered Pets Grooming Parlour
The Pampered Pets Grooming Parlour is situated at the Orange Grove Vet Hospital. All
breeds are groomed by professionally trained
groomers.
Apart from the standard bathing; specialised
cuts, teeth brushing and medicated baths are
also offered. A collection and delivery service, is
also available for clients’ convenience.
For further information or to make an appointment, please speak to Michelle or Nicola who
will gladly assist you.
Vets Pantry Vet Shops for all pets’ needs
The Vets Pantry Vet Shops boast friendly staff
who are trained to answer any food and overthe-counter related questions.
We stock all premium pet foods, pet accessories, specialised bird food and kennels. We
also deliver. The four shops are situated in the
Bedford Centre, Norwood Mall, The Mall of
Rosebank, and Greenstone Shopping Centre in
Edenvale.
18
SA JEWISH REPORT
13 - 20 November 2009
YOUTH TALK
Alison Goldberg [email protected]
Teaching gemillut
chesed at KD with a
hands-on approach
RENE POZNIAK
PHOTOGRAPHS BY:
JODI STARKOWITZ
TA grade 3s celebrate
Ellie Joffe’s birthday
OWN CORRESPONDENT
PHOTOGRAPH: HARRY JOFFE
GRADE 3 boys from Torah Academy
Primary School had a special treat to celebrate the birthday of their classmate
Ellie Joffe (second row, second from
right) - a visit to the Wanderers Stadium.
They were accompanied by their coach
Tim Moyo and conducted a tour of the
facilities at the Wanderers - an exciting
dream for these youngsters to experience close-up this hallowed cricket
ground.
Power of the ‘beautiful
game’ for change next year
ALISON GOLDBERG
PHOTOGRAPH: COURTESY OF
STREETFOOTBALLWORLD
A JOINT Israeli Palestinian football team
called the Peace Team will participate in a
Football for Hope Festival in 2010 during the
final week of the Fifa World Cup where 32
teams from around the world will represent
the power of the game for social change.
In a specially constructed stadium in the
heart of Alexandra Township in Johannesburg, the mixed teams of boys and girls
aged 15 to 18, will compete on July 10 in a
fast-paced tournament to be crowned
Football for Hope World Champions.
Festival 2010 is much more than just a
football tournament. Each delegation is
selected not for their skills on the pitch, but
for their contribution to social change in disadvantaged communities around the world.
According to Fifa President Sepp Blatter,
“the Football for Hope Festival will be a
unique opportunity for organisations using
football as a tool for social development in
every part of the world, to interact with each
other and showcase their programmes on
football’s biggest stage - the 2010 Fifa World
Cup. We look forward to welcoming them to
South Africa.”
The two-week festival will also include a
programme of cultural celebration between
the international delegations and their
South African hosts, the City of
Johannesburg, which will organise the festival along with Fifa, streetfootballworld and
the 2010 World Cup Organising Committee.
The all-important dates are June 27, the
expected date of arrival: June 28 - July 3, the
participants’ programme, co-ordinators’
workshops and cultural activities; July 4 - 10,
Fifa President Sepp Blatter announcing
the Football For Hope Festival.
official opening ceremony, Fair Play
Football tournament, closing ceremony:
July 11, final of the 2010 Fifa World Cup: July
12, expected date of departure.
The goals of Festival 2010 are to stage an
internationally renowned, enjoyable and
fully participatory event; to celebrate the
power of football in creating positive social
change; showcase and promote best practice
in the field of development through football;
promote exchange and dialogue between
participating delegations and create longterm benefits for the host community, participating organizations and individuals.
Teams include Dads Against Drugs
(England); Sport Against Racism Ireland
(Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland); and
Football Friends (Bosnia and Herzegovina/Serbia/Montenegro).
South Africans will be represented in four
teams: Grassroot Soccer (Zimbabwe,
Zambia, South Africa); Altus Sport
Vuma/WhizzKids United (South Africa);
Special Olympics (Botswana, Mauritius,
Namibia, South Africa) and Alexandra Hope
Team (South Africa). There is also a team
from Rwanda called Esperance.
Gan Aviv alive and
well and living in CT
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY JOS HORWITZ
GAN AVIV Herzlia Pre-Primary is growing and expanding due to a huge demand for children from ages three to
six in the City Bowl for 2010.
We are most grateful to our partners, Highlands
House and the Jewish community who have made the
building of the two new classrooms possible to be ready
for January next year.
Our children laid their own bricks as an investment
into their schooling. It was a special time as Martin the
builder, patiently assisted 55 five-year-old kids who
cemented and placed bricks to build their own classroom.
Martin the builder with Omer
Amin-Zada, Ben Norval and
Francis Bruwer.
THE CHALLENGE to any educational process lies not only in teaching our learners to read and write exam results are only a small part of
a learner’s education.
Creating an awareness of the society around them and then encouraging them to be socially and morally
responsible human beings, is equally important. Being a mensch is a
non-negotiable demand of Judaism performing acts of kindness
towards your fellowman, no matter
who they are or where they come
from.
The challenge for us in the Jewish
studies department (at King David Dani Rachman and Meira Friedland presenting
Linksfield) is to make what we teach their account of their time at the Bees Aftercare.
in the classroom relevant to the lives
of our pupils, to make the connecyou to say that what is going on around is
tion between theory and practice.
not your concern. Judaism demands action.
In the area of ethics and morality, this is
If you are only for yourself, you will never
particularly difficult as these values are not
feel fulfilled. In reaching out to others, you
always seen as “cool”, so we isolated one of
will discover who you are. Helping others
these values, that of gemillut chesed and
feels good!
teach it with a hands-on approach.
United Nations and World Bank statistics
The late Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris z”l once
reveal that South Africa is one of the countold this community that Jewish South
tries with the biggest discrepancies between
Africans had a “great historical mission - to
the “haves” and the “have-nots”. We are all
make a meaningful contribution to alleviatfaced with the awesome responsibility of
ing deprivation in the country”.
how to tackle this problem.
This is a challenge that is posed by our
We don’t live in a Jewish world only; we
sacred literature. The famous saying of
should not seal ourselves off from society.
Hillel applies: “If I am for myself alone, then
That is not Judaism. Our function is to build
what am I?”
bridges with our non-Jewish neighbours.
If you are only for yourself, then you
The Talmud prioritised the giving of
become a bystander. Judaism does not allow
charity to “our own family and the poor of
our own city first”. But this was not exclusive, because to give to the Jewish poor
only, is un-Jewish. Charity begins at home
but does not end there! The grade 10s have
shown that they understand this challenge.
They have been involved with the elderly
and the mentally disabled. They have helped
at day care centres where both parents work
till late; they have given great pleasure to
severely ill children by fulfilling their
dreams; they have interacted with children
in orphanages.
They have done this with tremendous
enthusiasm and goodwill, and we commend
them on the way they have conducted themselves. They have brought credit to both the
A grade 10 pupil hands a child her dream
school and themselves, and it has been a
privilege to work with them.
of a doll, a doll’s pram and more.
KDL’s Pre-Primary has
a new entrance
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY
MIRIAM SCHIFF
KING DAVID Pre Primary
School, Linksfield has undergone an extensive make-over in
their entrance.
Photographer Nicky Kaplan
visited the school for two days
and took hundreds of photographs of the children at work
and play. With the help of
Nicole Cimring, they chose
appropriate photographs, illustrating the key words from the
SA Board of Jewish Education’s Nicky Kaplan with the mounted posters in the
entrance hall.
“Purpose Statement”.
These words and photos were
digitally put together and printand welcoming. The walls have special
ed out into huge posters that have been
frames for the children’s’ works of art
mounted on the walls behind protective
which are changed periodically.
sheets of Perspex.
The entrance hall now has lingering
New furniture has also been acquired
groups of parents and children, admiring
and the entrance is user-friendly, bright
and discussing the photos.
13 - 20 November 2009
SA JEWISH REPORT
19
YOUTH TALK Alison Goldberg [email protected]
Grandparents take kids
down memory lane
RUTH ISAACSON
PHOTOGRAPHS: SHARON FAIT
KING DAVID Junior Linksfield celebrated “Grandparents’ Day” on
Wednesday October 28. Grandparents
were treated to tea and a concert
directed by Helen Heldenmuth, which
included Yiddish, Afrikaans, Shakespearean English and Zulu.
A guest speaker, therapist Julienne
Sackstein, discussed how to use that
relationship to enrich relationships in
the family. After tea, the grandparents
were invited into the grandchild’s
classroom where a project tracing the
family roots was displayed.
Part of the preparation of this project was to interview the grandparent/s
to find out what life was when they
were children - the games they played,
memories of school, Shabbat, Yomtov
etc.
It was a morning of nachas and
brought joy to both grandchildren and
their grandparents.
TA boys get awarded with
a trip for their diligence
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY
RABBI MOTTI HADAR
Above: Ethan
Benjamin,
Adam Harth,
Daniel Martin
and
Johnathan
Wohlman.
Left: Alan
Dave,
Gabriella
Dave and Abe
Fait - the two
grandfathers
in Gabi’s
class.
Young dancers gladden old hearts
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY MARLENE MILLER
THE GRADE 3 and 4 Israeli dancers from King
David Sandton Primary had the residents of
Sandringham Gardens up on their feet
and joining them for a dance session during their recent performance of Israeli
folk dancing.
THE MESIVTA Shiur Beis class of Torah
Academy Boys’ High School, went on a
Shabbaton to the North-West Province
recently - a reward for relearning an
entire chapter of Gemorra (Masechta
Megilla, Perek Beis) and being tested on
this.
Rabbi Dovid Wineberg and the shluchim
from the school were the driving forces
behind this initiative.
Pictured are, back: Yaakov Blecher,
Darren Gien and Moshe Wilshansky.
Middle row: Shloimie Kesselman, Yisroel
Abraham,
Mendy
Wineberg,
Levi
Deutsch, Yitzchok Bacher, Mendel Bacher,
Eliyohu Elyavics and Danny Gniwisch,
with Boruch Liberow in the front.
At Yiddish
Folk they’re
‘forever
blowing
bubbles...’
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY
PRINCIPAL SHEVA MESSIAS.
HAVING FUN and experimenting
with bubbles is just one of the lovely
water activities that children are
enjoying at Yiddish Folk as the weather warms up.
Keryn Mansur and Jake Milner.
These kids are deft
hands with a needle
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY
STACY FLEISHMAN
EVERY WEEK at King David Victory
Park Primary School, pupils stay after
school to attend needlework. Pictured are
the grade 2 needlework class proudly
showing off their challah covers.
Back: Dana Tabak, Chad Rayd,
Tamar Moross, Abigail Klug and
Michaela Klug. Seated: Nadia Bartal,
Tzippy Damelin, Nicole Kantor. Front:
Tanna Rock, Megan Kantor and Alexis
van Eeghem.
20
SA JEWISH REPORT
13 - 20 November 2009
WHAT’S ON
NOTE: Deadline for all entries is 12:00 on the Friday
prior to publication.
Key to organisations, venues, contact
details and cost:
• Beyachad Resource Centre/Library, 2 Elray St,
Raedene, 2192. Norma Shulman (011) 645-2567. email:[email protected]
• Bikkur Cholim - Jewish Society for Visiting the Sick,
7A Chester Road, Greenside East, Johannesburg. Joy
Gafin (011) 447-6689.
• CAJE - College of Adult Jewish Education, Sydenham
Highlands North Shul (011)640-5021.
• CSO - Emergency phone number 086 18 000 18.
• FFHS - Friendship Forum for Holocaust Survivors,
Second Generation and Members of the Community
Affected by the Holocaust. Presentations held at the
Gerald Horwitz Lounge, Golden Acres, 85 George
Ave, Sandringham
• HOD - Hebrew Order of David International. HOD
Centre Oaklands Road, Orchards. Office (011) 640
3017 - [email protected]
• JAFFA - Jewish Accomodation for Fellow Aged. (012)
346-2007/8.
• KDSF - King David Schools’ Foundation. King David
Alumni [email protected] (011) 480-4723.
• Nechama Bereavement Counselling Centre - Room
A304, 3rd Floor, Hospital Wing, Sandringham
Gardens, 85 George Avenue, Sandringham, 2192.
Contact (011) 640-1322.
• New Friendship Ladies’ Group - A group for single
women - contact Lucille (011) 791-5226 or 082-9275786.
• ORT and ORTJET South Africa - 44 Central Street,
Cnr 10th Ave, Houghton. Contact (011) 728-7154.
• Preview Theatre - 9 Valerie Crescent, Bagleyston,
(011) 640-1061.
• Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre (RCHCC) and
Great Park Shul, Johannesburg. Contact Hazel, (011)
728-8088 or Rene Sidley (011) 728-8378. Cost usually R50, including refreshments.
• SAIJE - Sandton Adult Institute of Jewish Education,
Sandton Shul. E-mail: [email protected].
(011) 883-4210.
• Second Innings, Johannesburg - Jewish Community
Services - Donald Gordon Centre, 85 George Avenue
Sandringham. Their group meets at the Gerald
Horwitz Lounge, Golden Acres, 85 George Avenue
Sandringham every Sunday morning for tea at 10h00
followed by the meeting at 10h30. Contact Grecia
Gabriel (011) 532-9718 for information.
• Society of Israel Philately (SIP) - [email protected].
Contact Maurice (011) 485-2293.
• South African Jewish Board of Deputies
(Johannesburg) - Beyachad, 2 Elray Street, Raedene.
Contact (011) 645-2500 or (011) 645-2523.
• South African Zionist Federation (SAZF),
Johannesburg - Beyachad, 2 Elray Street, Raedene.
Contact Froma, (011) 645-2505.
• The Israel Centre. Contact Debbie (011) 645-2560.
• The Jewish National Fund (JNF) Choir, Beyachad, 2
Elray St, Raedene. Contact Crystal Kaplan. 083-3765999.
• The Jewish Outlook Team. Contact Ryan Cane. Support
line: 27 76 215 8600; e-mail [email protected];
website www.jewishoutlook.org.za
• The Jewish Women’s Benevolent Society (JWBS) Sandringham Gardens, 85 George Avenue Sandringham
2192. Contact Carolyn Sabbagh. (011) 485-5232.
• The Simcha Friendship and Cultural Circle (SFCC),
Johannesburg - Sandton Shul. Contact Sylvia Shull,
(011) 783-5600.
• The United Sisterhood, 38 Oxford Road
Parktown. Contact Marian (011) 646-2409. website:
www.unitedsisterhood.co.za
• Tiyulim (Jewish Outdoor Club) - Contact Martin 082965-7419 or Greg 082-959-9026
• Union of Jewish Women (UJW), Johannesburg - 1 Oak
Street Houghton. Contact (011) 648-1053. Cost R15 for
the Friendship Luncheon Club and a R20 donation for
lectures unless otherwise stated.
• Union of Jewish Women (UJW), Cape Town - (021)
434-9555, e-mail: [email protected].
• UJW Cape Town AED Programme - Venue: Stonehaven.
Time: 10:00 for 10:30. Entrance: R15.00 (incl refreshments).
• United Zionist Luncheon Club (UZLC), Johannesburg Our Parents Home. Contact Gloria, (011) 485-4851 or
072-127-9421.
• UOS- Union of Orthodox Synagogues (011) 485-4865.
E-mail: [email protected]. Fax 086-610-3442
• WIZO Johannesburg - Beyachad, 2 Elray Street
Raedene. Contact Joyce Chodos (011) 645-2548 or
Sandy Kramer (011) 645-2515. wizopublicrelations
@beyachad.co.za
South
1H
4H
North
1D
4C
All pass
Opening lead: SJ
North's 4C was a splinter, showing
the values for a 4H bid, but with a
shortage in clubs, usually a singleton.
South had no slam interest and signed
off in 4H.
On a hand like, you would hope to
make 11 tricks if the trumps split 3-2.
Two high spades, two trumps, five diamonds, one club, and either a spade
ruff in hand or a club ruff in dummy.
• SFCC presents Barbara Holtmann on “Breaking the
Cycle of Violence for a Safe South Africa” at Sandton
Shul at 10:00.
• UZLC presents Ian Scher, head of SA Search and
Rescue Unit, on “Rescue SA, Earthquakes and
Responses”.
Sunday (November 15)
• Beyachad Libraries and The Yiddish Academy present
“150 Years of Sholem Aleichem”. Cedric Ginsberg will
give insights into his life. R30 per session includes
refreshments. Phone Norma (011) 645-2567 to reserve
a place.
• RCHCC is screening “Turn Left at the End of the World”
at 19:30.
Monday (November 16)
• UJW Johannesburg presents DA Councillor
Marcelle Ravid who will speak on the trials and
tribulations of being a ward councillor. Time: 09:30.
• UJW Johannesburg House & Garden Circle at 1, 5th
Street Orange Grove. Time: 09:45. Visitors welcome.
Phone: (011) 648-1053.
Wednesday (November 18)
Owl Sanctuary. Meet the bus at 09:00 at Oxford Shul
parking. Cost: R140 per person, incl. entry to park, tour,
bus, lunch and a drink. Enquiries: Joy Lipman (011)
608-4216.
• RCHCC is screening “Waltz with Bashir” at 19:30.
• RCHCC End-of-Year bridge party. Tournament will be
run by Jeff Sapire followed by lunch. Time: 09:45. Cost:
R150. RSVP Hazel or René (011) 728-8088/8378 for
• SAZF is screening “The Miracle of Israel - 1945 to catering purposes.
1948” with an address by Rabbi Berel Wein at
19:30. Cost R100. Contact Miriam Garb on (011) • UJW Johannesburg presents Dr Lorraine Chaskalson
on “Modern Poetry”. Time: 09:30. Donation: R20.
654-2505.
Thursday (November 19)
• YAD - (Young Adults Division) presents Mark Banks • JWBS is having a book sale at the Pick ’n Pay
in an evening of comedy. Time: 19:30 for 20:00. Cost: Hypermarket, Norwood Mall from 09:30.
R180 includes eats and shooters. Venue: Simon
Kuper Hall. RSVP Paula on (011) 645-2525 or e-mail • UJW Cape Town presents Phillipa Cheifitz who will
discuss the story behind her latest book South Africa
[email protected]
Eats.
Sunday (November 22)
• Second Innings presents
“Celebrating Haydn”.
Estelle
Thursday (November 26)
Sher
on
• RCHCC presents Hugh Raichlin on “The Jews of India”
at 19:30.
• Our Parents Home is holding a mini-market from
Friday (November 29)
10:00 to 13:00. Articles from our own workshop,
books and second hand clothes will be on sale - as
• UZLC presents Bev Goldman from the Media Centre at
will delicious tea and cake.
Beyachad on “Dissecting Goldstone”.
• RCHCC is hosting an art exhibition with works by Jeff
Sunday (November 29)
Kodesh at 18:00.
• Second Innings presents Sue Brandon on “Alzheimer’s
- Past, Present and Future”.
• RCHCC is screening “Shiva” at 19:30.
Today Friday (November 13)
Monday (November 23)
• UJW Johannesburg presents Dr Dora Whychank on
“Ritual or Shackle? Obsessive Behaviour among
Observant Jews”. Donation: R20.
• RCHCC is screening a documentary on Philip Glass at
19:30.
Monday (November 30)
• UJW Johannesburg presents “Voices that Care” featuring Selwyn Klass and the Klass Act Ensemble at 09:30.
Donation: R65 includes a tea. Book on (011) 648-1053.
Tuesday (November 24)
• “What are the Trends for 2010?” Internationally
acclaimed interior decorator, Stephen Falcke, fashion
Tuesday (December 1)
designer, Shirley Lab and Nicky Breger of Nicci
Boutique, will be presenting a fashion workshop for • Chazzonis Club presents a feast of food and song to
everyone. Venue: Simon Kuper Hall at 09:30. Cost: celebrate their 10th anniversary. Venue: Gerald Horwitz
R150. Booking essential. Call Sandy on (011) Lounge, Golden Acres. Time: 19:00 for 19:30. Cost
545-2515.
R190. Phone: 078-633-9323 or (011) 485-2631.
• UJW Johannesburg hosts Estelle Sher on “From
Wednesday (December 2)
Sarasate to Stravinsky”. Venue: 301 Eton Place.
Time: 09:45 for 10:00. Donation: R30.
• SFCC year-end party at the home of Sylvia Shull,
4a Harris Road, Morningside at 10:30. Entertainment
• The IUA-UCF will be launching the Women’s UCF at by The Russell Singers.
the TAC, 10:00. R180 per person will include a mentalist, and fabulous entertainment. Guest speaker on • WIZO Etgar and Tzabar branches present “Rocking all
“Hereditary Disease”. To book contact Bev (011) over the World!” at the Barnyard in Cresta. Doors
open at 18:30. Cost: R150. Bookings - Marion 083645-2554.
326-3791.
Wednesday (November 25)
• UJW Cape Town presents Alan Swerdlow on
“Directions on the Stage”.
THE BRIDGE LOUNGE by Jeff Sapire
Trump control is something that
one just has to understand and appreciate in order to be a good dummy
player. Take a look at today's hand and
see if you would know how to deal
with it.
North dealer, both vul
NORTH
AK3
A432
AK987
5
WEST
EAST
J1092
Q876
KQJ10
9
43
652
876
KQJ109
SOUTH
54
8765
QJ10
A432
Barry Bilewitz [email protected]
But if you don't pay careful attention
to the hand, you could easily go down.
One declarer took the spade lead
and played ace and another club, ruffing in dummy. Then he played ace and
another heart, and the roof fell in.
West draw all the trumps and the
defence ran the club suit, for three
down!
Note that if you start trumps first,
playing ace and another heart, before
ruffing a club, it will still be one down.
And if you elect to ruff a spade in
hand first, it will be the same result if
you then release control of the
trumps by playing ace and another
heart.
As you always have to lose two
trump tricks even if they divide
favourably, all you must do to keep
control is lose a trump early, before
releasing the ace of hearts. At trick
two duck a trump and win the spade
or club return.
Now cash the ace of hearts and
when you see the bad break, you can
run the diamonds and still ruff a
black loser in either hand. West can
ruff in whenever he wants, making
only his three trump tricks.
Every Tuesday (players of 3 or so
years' experience) and Wednesday
(intermediate to advanced) at 10:00,
I run bridge workshops at the
Great Park Shul, off Glenhove
Road. For more information, call me
on 082-551-2526 or e-mail me at
[email protected]
• Second Innings outing to the Lory Park Animal and
• JWBS is having a book sale at the Benmore Shopping
Centre from 09:30.
CROSSWORD NO 142
BY LEAH SIMON
ACROSS:
1. The degree, by the way, yields breadrolls (4)
3. Ed and mud about to get something extra (8)
8. A hundred in an argument over the bird (4)
9. Motivates in steeple-tops (8)
11. These Germans are on a roll! (12)
13. Price in the east for cooking instructions (6)
14. Carpet rollers conceal fuel (6)
17. At which the high-minded get a ringside
seat? (6, 6)
20. One last drink for the big match! (3, 5)
21. You French exist in a cylinder! (4)
22. Make Mandy tie up the explosive
1
2
(8)
23. Got an eye infection in last year (4)
DOWN:
8
1. Support the shooting - but it could
rebound (4, 4)
2. Crop is a bit confused - and
unimaginative (7)
11
4. Seed in kumquats hides the genuine Australian (6)
5. I return, and am pitiful - but able
13
to feel others’ distress (10)
6. Somehow rude, but has the right
to the painter (5)
7. Mother makes two points about
Catholic service (4)
10. Miss pickets, upset by lack of
19
faith (10)
12. An unnatural spectacle? It’d have 20
to be, or you couldn’t see through
it! (5, 3)
15. Add up again - and tell about it (7)
16. The hag has temerity, and con- 22
ceals feeling horrified (6)
18. Student above, in flower species (5)
19. Any way the dice rolls, it’s chilly (4)
SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD NO 141
ACROSS: 1. Pest; 3. High rise; 8. Dead; 9.
Idealist; 11. Confidential; 13. Renege; 14. Scrawl;
17. Indiscretion; 20. Brothers; 21. Dodi; 22.
Theories; 23. Berg.
DOWN: 1. Pedicure; 2. Shannon; 4. In fact; 5.
Heart aches; 6. Irina; 7. Eats; 10. Kingfisher; 12.
Glancing; 15. Adipose; 16. Scarce; 18. Noose; 19.
Abet.
3
4
6
5
7
9
10
12
14
15
16
17
18
21
23
13 - 20 November 2009
SA JEWISH REPORT
Solar technologies from Israel
that could change our planet
KARIN KLOOSTERMAN
PHOTOGRAPH: CHEN LEOPOLD/FLASH90
SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES create a cleaner
environment and break our dependence on
oil. Israel21c takes a look at the top seven
solar technologies being developed in Israel.
They’re on investors’ hit lists and the green
tech media is keen to monitor their
progress. Environmentalists and key policy
makers from the United States urge them
on.
Israeli solar technology innovators are
channelling and shaping the sun’s energy
and breaking America’s dependence on oil.
With organisations like the Cleantech
Forum, an international business development company that’s listing Israel in a
league of its own, world rankings show that
Israel is no small player in solar energy
innovation.
A recent survey released by the Guardian
newspaper in the UK and the Cleantech
Forum, chose five Israeli-based and two
Israeli-developed companies among a global
listing of 100. That’s a significant number,
considering that Israel is about the size of a
small American state.
Over the years Israel21c has brought you
many reports about home-grown Israeli
solar energy technologies that are making
our world a better place. We’d like to present
you with a summary of seven of our
favourites:
BrightSource Energy
BrightSource Energy (formerly Luz) is
building solar power plants for utility and
industrial companies around the world.
Combining decades of experience in designing, building and operating some of the
world’s largest solar power plants,
BrightSource is contracted to generate 2,6
gigawatts of power using its solar thermal
technology.
BrightSource and Southern California
Edison signed the world’s largest solar energy deal in February this year. Founded by
Arnold J Goldman, the company’s mission
is to minimise its impact on the environment and to help customers reduce their
dependence on fossil fuels.
With more than $160 million in financing,
key investors and clients include Google,
PG&E, Chevron, Morgan Stanley and
Vantage Point Venture Partners.
ZenithSolar
Zenith Solar develops solar energy power
plants based on the technology of Prof
David Faimon of Ben-Gurion University in
the Negev. The core technology is a large
optical dish upon which multiple flat mirrors are mounted.
The company says that the system will
harvest more than 70 per cent of incoming
solar energy (compared to industry averages of 10 per cent to 40 per cent).
ZenithSolar already has a solar farm on
Kibbutz Yavne that is supplying energy and
hot water to 250 families. Investors include
private business people from the US and
Israel.
AORA
AORA (formerly EDIG) has based its tech-
nology on the shape of a flower. Alarmingly
beautiful, the company focuses heliostats
into the “petals” of its massive solar collector, which was revealed recently at the pilot
plant in Israel’s Negev Desert.
The world’s first solar thermal gas-turbine power station is based on the research
of Prof Jacob Karni, director of the Centre
for Energy Research at the Weizmann
Institute in Rehovot, Israel, and has been
funded by EZKlein.
21
AORA’s “flowers”.
Spain, and a 553-megawatt project, the
Mojave Solar Park 1, in California’s Mojave
Desert. Major investors and clients include
PG&E, Ecofin and private Belgian investors.
Tigo Energy
Tigo Energy aims to take a stab at squeezing
more power from existing power plants. The
company has developed a box that renders
these plants more efficient. Tigo Energy’s
technology includes a real-time, always on
monitoring system that it has devised so
that power plant operators can receive constant updates on the performance of individual photovoltaic panels.
Investors include Matrix Partners, OVP
Venture Partners, and the IDB Group. Sales
of the Maximizer technology are expected
to begin within the next few months.
DiSP
Distributed Solar Power holds promise for
industrial rooftops. Based on the technology of Prof Avi Kribus from Tel Aviv
University, the DiSP solar collectors are
small, but pack a lot of punch.
According to their estimates, they will be
able to collect up to 75 per cent of the sun’s
power and convert it to electricity. The technology is novel because it combines both a
micro-sized solar concentrator and a heat
transfer system, meaning that the sunlight
can be used to heat water thermally, while
also providing electricity to turn on your
air-con.
In 2006, Israel21c featured DiSP as the
first in a series of articles about alternative
energy solutions from Israel.
Solel Solar
Solel is one of Israel’s most talked about
solar energy companies, up there with
BrightSource and ZenithSolar.
Building solar thermal power plants in
Spain and the US, Solel has invested 14
years’ worth of R&D to improve the annual
electrical output of solar fields. German
electronics giant Siemens has just purchased Solel for $418 million.
Solel is currently building plants in
Enstorage
Based on the research of Prof Emanuel
Peled at Tel Aviv University, Enstorage
develops low-cost energy storage systems
for solar and wind-powered plants.
While the way the sun shines throughout
the day is variable, Enstorage’s technology
helps generate an even flow transmission
back to the grid. Current investors include
Siemens, Wellington Partners, Canaan
Partners and Greylock Partners. (Israel21c)
Can Jewish tenets be a model for an eco-friendly world?
that the Jewish tradition of shmita is
inherently green, as it helps prevent
overuse of arable land, which may
HAVE JEWS been “green” for millenlead to erosion and poorer harvests.
nia without knowing it?
The conference, hosted by Prince
A Jewish delegation made the case
Philip, took place a month ahead of
this week to a climate-change conferthe UN Climate Change Conference in
ence in Britain, arguing for eco-friendCopenhagen and was aimed at
ly measures based on the Jewish tenets
increasing pressure on world leaders
of Shabbat, kashrut and shmita, the
to reach an agreement on greenhouse
injunction to let land lie fallow every
gas emissions when they meet in the
seventh year.
Danish capital.
Titled “Many Heavens, One Earth”,
“The challenges that the world
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, far right, and Prince
the conference at Windsor Palace in
faces today are considerable, and this
Britain invited representatives of nine Philip of Britain, second from right, meet with two repreconference gave a renewed sense of
religions from around the world to offer sentatives of the Jewish delegation to the “Many Heavens, hope for what is possible,” said Nigel
their perspectives on climate change One Earth” environmental conference at Windsor Palace,
Savage, founder of the Jewish enviand the environment.
ronmental group Hazon and one of
on November 4. (PHOTOGRAPH: ARC/RICHARD STONEHOUSE)
The proposal of the Jewish delegathe Jewish delegates to the conferresident in a major city chose one day of the
tion, which included members from Israel,
ence.
week to refrain from driving, there would be
North America and Europe, stressed the
“It is clear that a significant point has
immediate improvement to the city’s conenvironmental benefits of Shabbat, arguing
been reached in the commitment of the comgestion, air quality and carbon emissions.”
that non-Jewish communities can adopt the
munities to make a difference on climate
The proposal also included ways that Jews
principle of a day of rest to help cut down on
change in the next seven years.”
can be more environmentally conscious. For
pollution.
On November 19, Hazon plans to launch a
instance, the document urged observant
“For the broader global community, the
coast-to-coast, “topsy-turvy” tour of a bus
Jews to consider ways of consuming more
model of Shabbat is useful in demonstrating
powered by vegetable oil. Starting in New
locally produced kosher food instead of
how to live, if only for one day a week, withYork, the tour aims to spread Hazon’s mesproducts transported from afar. It also noted
out consuming,” the proposal said. “If every
sage of environmentalism across the United
GIL SHEFLER
NEW YORK
States.
Savage said the gathering at Windsor represented a unique occasion for religious leaders and activists to come together peacefully
to address a burning environmental issue.
Other attendees included UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-Moon and Egypt’s grand
mufti, Ali Gomaa. Among the Jewish delegates were Rabbi Zalman SchachterShalomi, former Israeli minister Rabbi
Michael Melchior and Jerusalem Deputy
Mayor Naomi Tsur.
Perhaps the most ambitious goal included
in the Jewish proposal was to “turn Israel
into the first nation predominantly powered
by renewable energy sources”.
“The state is presently 70 per cent powered
by coal,” said Yosef Abramowitz, president of
the Arava Power Company, which is building
Israel’s first commercial solar field in the
Negev desert. “Our recommendation is to go
from 10 per cent to 30 per cent use of solar
power, and we have a very specific way to get
there.
“Everybody has not just to green their
churches, synagogues and mosques, but to
seal the deal at Copenhagen,” he said.
“Otherwise we’re all complicit morally.”
(JTA)
13 - 20 November 2009
22 SA JEWISH REPORT
NOTICES
THE JEWISH REPORT
RUNS ADVERTS IN THE
CLASSIFIED SECTION IN
GOOD FAITH, HOWEVER
WE WOULD LIKE OUR
READERS TO KNOW WE
CANNOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUALITY
OF SERVICES OFFERED
AND CLAIMS MADE.
CONSECRATIONS
CAPE TOWN
MONUMENTAL ART
Est. 1949
TOMBSTONES
REPAIRS
QUALITY SERVICE
ALL CEMETERY
REQUIREMENTS
Contact: Cantor
Ian Camissar
Tel: (021) 434-5664
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[email protected]
COMMUNITY NOTICES
IF YOU ARE A GOLFER
AND WILL BE IN PLETT
IN DECEMBER
PLEASE JOIN IN THE PLETT
SHUL FUNDRAISING GOLF
TOURNAMENT
To book your classified notice contact:
Tel (011) 886-0162 Fax (011) 886-4202
email: [email protected]
PERSONAL
SOULMATES
(Countrywide)
WHY DONT YOU MEET
YOUR SOULMATE?
BEAUTIFUL/HANDSOME SINGLES SEEK MATCHES
Beautiful blonde attorney 25yr;
handsome CA 29yr; advocates
31, 45, 58yrs; pretty blonde
receptionist 57; good looking
plumber (own business) 46 yr;
handsome attorney 66; pretty
blonde architect 28yr; charismatic goodlooking CA (own business) 40yr; beautiful pharmacist
32yr; elegant petite hairdresser
38yr; good looking engineer
45yr; beautiful architect 45yr;
handsome exec 46yr; pretty
financial consultant 48yr; handsome CA (SA) masters 31yr;
good looking grad BSc (phar)
53yr; pretty jewellery mnfg 50yr;
pretty grad 29yr; charismastic
handsome prof man 68yr;
stunnning doctors 28, 36, 43, 49,
58 62yr; handsome attorneys
29, 38, 46, 56yr etc, etc.
MANY OTHER
PRETTY/HANDSOME
PROF/EXEC/BUSINESS
SINGLES ARE WAITING
TO MEET YOU! SANDY
(011) 485-4034/
082-357-3616
DERECH CHESED
Visitors wanted for
old Jewish Russian man in jail.
A big Chesed & great Mitzvah
to visit him.
Details: Asher:
Cell: 072-270-0460
[email protected]
SERVICES
AIRPORT SHUTTLE
JHB
Reliable,
Reasonable Rates!
Contact Arnold,
082-447-0185
011-454-1193
LIFTS
LIFTS
PROFESSIONAL & BUSINESS
EX ISRAELI SERVICEMAN
offers safe and secure lifts.
24-hrs. Airport lifts from R170
also appointments, malls, courier etc from R60.
Call Neil 072-050-9927
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
SERVICE OFFERED FROM
HOME
Incl: bookkeeping, typing,
invoicing, banking, etc. MBA
degree. Let me look after your
office admin while you concentrate on growing & developing
your business.
Reasonable rates.
Freda (011) 882-8204
Experienced, reliable driver
available to lift you
anywhere/anytime. 24 hrs.
Call Paul
083-542-6480
LIFTS
PERSONAL
FRIDAY, 25TH DECEMBER
FOR ENTRY DETAILS
PLEASE CONTACT
DESIREE COHEN
[email protected]
Phone: (044) 533-0120
Cell: 082-923-7626
COMPUTERS
HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED ADVERT:
1. Only adverts sent via email to [email protected] will be accepted. 2. You will be advised on cost & payment details. 3. Payment is prior to the
advert appearing. 4. DEADLINE for BOOKING and PAYMENT is Tuesday 12pm. If deadline is missed the advert will appear (when payment is
received) in the next edition. Our banking details: SA Jewish Report, Nedbank Randburg, Account Number: 1984 514 865, Branch Code: 198405
A-TAXI SERVICE
Let Warren Pogorelsky chauffeur
you to your destination in
Jo’burg and back only R100
round trip.
Tel: 082-399-6187
AIRPORT SHUTTLE
HOLIDAY SPECIAL
----- R150 ---From N/E Suburbs.
(Until December 31st)
Reasonable prices from
all other areas.
SAM (011) 728-5219
083-627-8516
AL’S LIFT SERVICE
Safe, Reliable, Reasonable
ANYWHERE – ANYTIME
To: Schools, Shops, Doctors,
Appointments, Airports etc.
Alan 082-879-8111 or
(011) 442-6404
CAPE TOWN
HOWIE'S SHUTTLE
Airport transfers
General lifting
Scenic drives
Day trips
Driver for hire.
Full passenger liability cover.
Phone Howard
082-711-4616
CAPE TOWN
SHUTTLE
COMING TO
CAPE TOWN?
AFFORDABLE
RATES.
AIRPORT
TRANSFERS
FROM R160
NEW
COMFORTABLE
VEHICLE
PHONE ANDY
082-336-9780
IRENE'S SCHLEP
SERVICE
I will take you anywhere:
School, Shops, Doctor, Friends
and Airport. Honest and
trustworthy. Schlepped by Irene
072-356-0282
Not on Shabbat
GENERAL
GLENHAZEL
Close to Ohr
Somayach, large
n/f one bed flats
with balcony.
Avail. Dec & Jan
from R4000 pm.
Call Debbie
082-300-5656
HOME SERVICES
GLENHAZEL AREA
New cottage to rent
1st December.
Call 084-9111-855.
GENERAL
HANDY GRAMPS
Household, general repairs and
maintenance.
MITCH 072-196-1939
LIFTS AVAILABLE
For all age groups and to all
areas in JHB, Sandton and
Airport.
Contact Johnny
082-328-3070 or
082-876-9042
ACCOMMODATION TO LET/SHARE
HAZELWOOD
Sunny 2-bed GARDEN unit,
R6 500pm.
Avail: Dec ‘09/Jan 2010
(011) 640-4287
072-225-5576
SECURITY
HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION
Holiday Home to
Rent - Dover Heights,
Sydney.
ABSOLUTELY ALL
Home repairs,
General maintenance
and electrical,
24 hours
Call Mendel
084 559 7923
(011) 640-1429
Pensioners 10% discount
PROPERTY
Avail Dec ‘09 - Jan ‘10
Modern, spacious,
sun-filled, 4 bed - 1
king w ensuite. 1
Queen, 2 King singles
Swimming pool, close
to public transport,
Walking distance to
Bondi Beach
$6500/w or $1000/d
[email protected]
RAYMOND K'S LIFTS
A reliable lift service.
Specialising in lifts to & from airports, shops, appointments,
companion.
Call Raymond
076-481-1495
SMILE-LEE'S LIFTS
A reliable lift service.
Specialising in lifts to and from
airports, shops, appointments,
casinos and courier.
Call Charna 083-391-6612
SEA POINT BEACHFRONT
Apartment in secure central
block with best views of coastline. Main bed suite with spa
bath & dresing room. Second
bed with own bath. Seafront
views from every room.
Avail now - Dec 27th. Rent neg
depending on length of stay.
Phone 083-411-1010
/or (011) 726-7934 for
more details & a picture
portfolio of apartment.
13 - 20 November 2009
SA JEWISH REPORT 23
HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION
VACANCIES
ZIMBALI LUXURY
ACCOMODATION
Dec/Jan. 3 bedrooms all ensuite. 2 Lounges. Ducted airconditioning. On golf course with
own golf cart. Beautifully furnished. R3 800.00 per day.
Phone 083-254-4820
AVAILABLE
TIMESHARE
KWA MARITANE
TIMESHARE
14-21 Dec and or
21-28/12/2009
Rental 8 sleeper
Private Heated Pool
Overlooks Pilanesberg Reserve
Hailey 083-273-7950
PROPERTY FOR SALE
MUIZENBERG
CINNABAR
Stunning views – 3 beds, 2
baths. Also one bed –
breathtaking views!
ARLINGTON COURT
Lake and sea views. 4 spacious rooms & maid’s room.
THE TIDES
3 beds, 2 baths. Sea views.
EMPIRE
3 beds 2 baths, guest cloak,
spacious. Lounge/d.room,
open-plan kitchen. Superior
finishes! Wooden deck with
sea views.
Call Jean Tockar
072-342-0510
DOMESTIC WORKER
WANTED
In Edenvale. Must be honest,
reliable, able to cook and have
contactable references. Sleep
in/out and preferably older.
Contact Colin/Caron
083-469-4876
ATHOLL AREA
Maid required, live out, good
cook and excellent child minder.
Min 5 year experience. Good
refs required.
Tel: 083-601-2237
EARN EXTRA
MONEY DURING
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS (SUMMER,
WINTER, PESACH,
ETC)
by working as a
Beth Din mashgiach!
We regularly need
persons to fill in for
our mashgichim who
take annual leave.
For more
information and
to receive an
application,
please contact
Gila Jacobson at
(011) 485-4865,
ext 220.
AVAILABLE
TEACHING STAFF
REQUIRED
We are looking for the
following Grade 8
teachers:
Maths – 3.5 hrs p/ week
English – 3 hrs p/week
Afrikaans – 2 hrs p/week
Natural Science – 3.5 hrs
p/week
Technology – 1hr p/week
All positions are for
between 1 and 4pm,
Monday to Friday
Salary is negotiable.
Please contact David on
083-415-4849 during
office hours
The Green and
Sea Point Hebrew
Congregation
Are looking for an
Administration
Manager
who has at least
3-5 years of office
administration and
management
experience.
Please forward all
CV’s to
[email protected]
GRADE 6
SECULAR
TEACHING POST
Contact Karen (011) 532-9612
RETIRED CA
Qualified CA with experience in manufacturing, service industries
and retail environments. Proficient in Word, Excel, Accpac,
Pastel and Cispro. Open to a part time or general bookkeeping
position.
Ref 4912
SALES (BRIAN KOZINSKY)
Well presented, capable male with 20 years experience in sales
industry. Has dealt with marketing, sourcing new clients and
servicing key accounts.
Ref 905
MANAGER
Gent with specific experience in the restaurant and corporate
toner and stationery supply fields. Hard working and not a
“clock watcher”. Commended for his ability run a business.
Ref 5444
A vacancy exists at
Torah Academy
Primary School for a
Grade 6 secular
teacher.
To commence on
January 2010.
Please e-mail CV to
Pam Yachad at
yachad@
torahacademy.co.za
Only short-listed
candidates will be
contacted.
VEHICLES
WANTED
ARE YOU
IMMIGRATING
OVERSEAS AND
WANT TO SELL
YOUR VEHICLE?
Please Contact
Solly Kramer
082-922-3597
anytime
Can German Jewry sustain boost
from Russian immigrants?
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY
TOBY AXELROD
BERLIN
ONE OF the most remarkable transformations in Europe since the fall
of communism, is the return of
Jewish life in the country that generated the Holocaust.
Until the fall of the Berlin Wall 20
years ago last week, postwar Jewish
life in Germany was “more a museum piece than something living”,
said Kuf Kaufmann, who emigrated
here from Russia in 1990 and now
heads the Jewish community in
Leipzig. “Today it is very lively socially, religiously and culturally.”
In 1989, Germany had only about
30 000 Jews. Then the doors to the
east opened and about 220 000 people
of Jewish lineage from the former
Soviet republics, poured in, about
half of whom were Jewish by matrilineal descent, according to a new
report by the Central Council of
Jews in Germany. The immigrants
sought economic opportunities and
an escape from anti-Semitism, and
they chose Germany over Israel.
In all, about 90 000 of the immigrants registered as members of
Germany’s Jewish communities,
quadrupling the country’s pre-1989
Jewish population.
Lala Suesskind, president of
Berlin’s Jewish community, sees in
the immigrants parallels to her parents’ experience as refugees from the
Soviet interior in 1947.
“At first they did not feel great
because they did not speak the language. And then they got jobs, and
then they joined the Jewish community, and then their children decided:
‘This is my town’,” Suesskind said.
“It is the same with our people
arriving today,” she said. The older
generations may have trouble adjusting, but their children and grandchildren “are all part of our Jewish life
in Berlin”.
The influx of immigrants ended in
2005, when Germany adopted new
rules on immigration that made it
more difficult for would-be immigrants. The move came in part due to
pressure from Israel, which saw
Germany as a competitor for immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
While the immigration has transformed Germany’s Jewish community, it also has brought with it the
need for more rabbis, outreach to
Kuf Kaufmann, head of the Leipzig Jewish community, centre, at a Torah dedication ceremony
there in 2005.
unaffiliated Jews and questions
about how to deal with Russian
immigrants who are not Jewish
according to halachah, but want to
be part of the Jewish community.
In Germany, as in most of Europe,
even Reform congregations adhere
to Orthodox halachah when it comes
to the question of who is a Jew.
“We have to learn from them, to
better understand them,” Rabbi Joel
Berger, the former chief rabbi of
Wurttemberg, said in the report
issued by Germany’s Jewish
umbrella group. “We have to work
together actively to preserve our traditions. There’s no room for passivity and pessimism.”
Some worry that Germany’s
Jewish institutions are failing to
ensure that the numeric boost to the
Jewish community will be enough to
ensure a future threatened by assimilation.
“Cultural identity cannot last
more than one generation,” said
Julia Itin, 24, who came to
Dortmund from Odessa, Ukraine in
2000, after first going to Israel. “They
have to add in a bit of religion, in any
form,” she says, otherwise many
“will be lost to the Jewish people.”
Itin, now a university researcher
and teacher, has become involved
with Jewish causes, volunteering for
the Limmud Jewish educational festival in Germany.
Similarly, Renat Fischbach, 28,
who arrived from Czernowitz,
Ukraine in 1990, discovered a Jewish
youth centre and later founded a
debating club for Jewish youth
called Jewbating.
Fischbach said he “always felt
more aligned with the smart
Renat Fischbach,
outside the Jewish
community centre
in West Berlin.
Russian kids than with the established German families. And in 10
years, these are going to be the
minds who lead the community.”
Sipping black currant tea at the
Baku cafe in Berlin, Svetlana
Agronik, who co-ordinates Russian
social and educational programmes
for Berlin’s Jewish community,
recalls how she came here in 1991.
“Life had been good in Russia, but
suddenly there was no bread,” she
said. “We took a vacation to visit
friends and I did not return to
Russia for 12 years.”
Once here, Agronick said she
asked herself: “Am I really lucky?
These Germans killed so many
Jews. But for my daughter Marina, I
had to do it.”
Nevertheless, Agronick admits
some disappointment. Marina, has
little connection to Judaism, and
Marina’s boyfriend, who is the
father of her child, is a German nonJew. When he belatedly learned that
Marina was Jewish, he told her he
was glad because he had heard that
all Jews are rich.
Boris Vainrub also has mixed feelings about Germany. His first preference was to live in Israel, where he
landed a good job after emigrating
from Russia in 1990. But then the
Gulf War broke out and Iraqi Scud
missiles were raining down on
Ramat Gan.
Vainrib said his family fled to
Germany, where they were among
300 Israelis given refugee status in
Germany at the time.
Vainrib, now the owner of an electronics store, said he felt “morally
better in Israel. But Germany is
calmer.” (JTA)
Connection between depression
and osteoporosis detailed
JERUSALEM - Research carried
out among thousands of people, has
shown a clear connection between
depression and a loss of bone mass,
leading to osteoporosis and fractures.
This was revealed by Hebrew
University of Jerusalem researchers, Prof Raz Yirmiya, head
of the Brain and Behaviour
Laboratory, and Prof Itai Bab, head
of the Bone Laboratory. They further revealed that the relationship
between depression and bone loss
is particularly strong among young
women.
Osteoporosis is the most widespread degenerative disease in the
developed world, afflicting one in
three women and one in five over
50. Sufferers experience decrease in
bone density, which often leads to
bone fractures. In many cases,
these fractures cause severe disability and even death.
Despite the accumulating evidence for a connection between
depression and decreased bone
density, official authorities, such as
the US National Institutes of
Health and the World Health
Organisation, have not yet
bone (osteoclasts).
acknowledged depression
Yirmiya and Bab found
as a risk factor for osteothat the association
porosis, due to the lack of
between depression and
studies in large samples.
bone loss was stronger in
To remedy this, the
women than men, espeHebrew University recially young women
searchers assembled the
before the end of their
data from all studies on
monthly period. This
the subject conducted to
connection was especialdate, and analysed them
ly strong in women with
using a special statistical
clinical depression diagapproach called meta- Professor Raz
nosed by a psychiatrist,
analysis.
but not in community
Yirmiya.
The results were recentstudies, in which women
ly reported in the journal subjectively identified themselves
Biological Psychiatry. In the article, as being depressed, using self-ratthe Hebrew University scientists ing questionnaires.
assessed data from 23 research
Based on the present findings,
projects conducted in eight coun- Yirmiya and Bab propose that “all
tries, comparing bone density individuals psychiatrically diagamong 2 327 people suffering from nosed with major depression are at
depression against 21 141 non- risk for developing osteoporosis,
depressed individuals.
with depressed young women
The results, say the researchers, showing the highest risk.
show clearly that depressed indi“These patients should be periodviduals have a substantially lower ically evaluated for progression of
bone density than non-depressed bone loss and signs of osteoporosis,
people and that depression is asso- allowing the use of anti-osteoporotciated with a markedly elevated ic prophylactic and therapeutic
activity of cells that break down treatments.”
24
SA JEWISH REPORT
13 - 20 November 2009
Singular honour for Redman tops boards
SA’s Jody Scheckter in rain-hit Q-School
JACK MILNER
JACK MILNER
FORMER FORMULA 1 world champion
Jody Schekter has been named as one of the
10 all-time great Jewish sportsmen on a
website called Great Jews.net.
The son of a Renault dealer, Scheckter
grew up in the Eastern Cape and dreamt of
becoming a racing star at an early age. He
raced for Europe at 20, eventually joining
Enzo Ferrari’s Grand Prix team.
“As a driver, Scheckter was known as
difficult
and
distant,”
says
The
Washington Post. Anything that did not
directly relate to his goal of winning races
was shut out. “He didn’t win popularity,
but he did win races.”
In all, Scheckter drove 112 times in the
Grand Prix, ending in the world championship in 1979. Soon after, he retired.
Following a successful business career,
Scheckter became a “gentleman farmer” in
the UK.
It is interesting to note the full Top 10
Jewish sportsmen and women. Of
course, this is an American site so there
is not much about cricket and rugby. But
other than Scheckter, here are the other
nine.
Benny Leonard (Benjamin Leiner)
(born 1896, New York, NY, USA; died 1947,
New York, NY, USA)
He was one of the greatest lightweight boxers of all time and world titleholder from
1917 until he retired, undefeated, in 1925.
After losing all his money in the 1929 stock
market crash, he made a brief comeback as
a welterweight at the age of 35.
He served as a lieutenant commander in
the US Maritime Service in the Second
World War and in 1943 returned to boxing as
a referee. He was made a member of the
Boxing Hall of Fame and the Jewish Sports
Hall of Fame.
Harold (Maurice) Abrahams
(born 1889, Bedford, England, UK; died 1978,
London, England, UK)
This athlete won gold in the 100m dash at
the 1924 Paris Olympics. Born into an athletic family, he started racing as a boy and
continued as a student at Cambridge, where
he became president of the university’s
Athletics Club.
The film “Chariots of Fire” (1981) portrayed his rivalry with the Scottish sprinter Eric Liddell. In later life he became
president of the Amateur Athletics
Association as well as a respected writer
and broadcaster.
Mark Spitz
(born 1950, Modesto, California, USA)
This swimming phenomenon won bronze
and silver medals and two team gold medals
at the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. He
went on to compete at the 1972 Munich
Olympics, where he became the first athlete
to win seven gold medals at one Games,
including four for individual events. He set
23 swimming world records in his five year
career.
Daniel Mendoza
(born 1764, London, England, died 1836)
This bareknuckle pugilist became the first
Jewish champion fighter. Billed as
“Mendoza the Jew”, his boxing success and
popularity gained him social acceptance
and helped to ease the position of the
Jewish community in England.
He introduced a style using footwork and
defence rather than brute force and is considered the father of scientific boxing. He
was inducted into the International Jewish
Sports Hall of Fame in 1981.
Jody Scheckter has been named as one of
the top 10 Jewish sportsman of all time.
Hank Greenberg
(Henry Benjamin Greenberg)
(born 1911, New York, NY, USA; died 1986,
Beverly Hills, California, USA)
He was an all-round athlete at school, who
became a major league baseball player and
was one of the dominant players in the game
in the 1930s and ‘40s. In 1938 he challenged
Babe Ruth’s 60 home run record but fell short
at 58. He was the first Jewish ballplayer to be
elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and in
2006 was included in a set of US postage
stamps featuring baseball hitters.
Eva Szekely (Gyarmati)
(born 1927, Budapest, Hungary)
This champion swimmer competed in three
Olympic Games, winning a gold medal in the
200-metre breaststroke in Helsinki in 1952
and silver in Melbourne in 1956.
During her career she broke 10 world
records and five Olympic records. In 2004 she
was elected Sportswoman of the Nation in
Hungary and in 2006 was awarded the Jean
Borotra Trophy by the World Olympians
Association.
Fanny “Bobbie” Rosenfeld
(born 1904, Katrinaslov, Russia; died 1969,
Toronto, Canada)
This talented Canadian track and field athlete set national records in the long jump,
shot put, javelin and discus. She also played
basketball, hockey, softball, and tennis.
In 1925 she equalled the world record in the
100-yard dash, and at the 1928 Olympics in
Amsterdam she won a gold medal as lead-off
leg of the 100-metre relay team that set a
world record of 48,4 seconds. In 1950 the
Canadian Press named her as Canada’s
Female Athlete of the Half-Century.
Benjamin “Benny” Friedman
(born 1905, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; died 1982,
New York, NY, USA)
He was a collegiate and professional footballer, and considered the game’s first great
passer. Between 1927 and 1931 he quarterbacked the Cleveland, Detroit and New York
Giants football teams.
He ended his professional career with the
Brooklyn Dodgers, retiring in 1934 to take up
coaching. He was inducted into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
Viktor Barna
(born 1911 in Budapest, Hungary; died 1972,
Lima, Peru)
He was a brilliant table tennis player who
was five times World Singles Champion
between 1930 and 1935. In all he won 22 world
championship gold medals and was a member of the Hungarian National Team that
won seven Swaythling Cups.
He served in the British army during the
Second World War and afterwards settled
in London. In 1993 he was elected a charter
member of the International Table Tennis
Hall of Fame, and in his native Hungary
he was honoured as “the most successful
Hungarian sportsman of the twentieth
century”.
JAKE REDMAN is fast turning out to be one
of South Africa’s most promising golfers and
he showed his prowess this past week by winning the Sunshine Tour 2010 Qualifying
School on the Vaal De Grace course near
Parys on the Vaal River.
The 22-year-old amateur not only won the
event, he pulverised the opposition by an
amazing five shots. Jake’s four magnificent
rounds of 65, 69, 69, 69 saw him finish on 16under-par 272, to give him a five-stroke margin over second-placed Andrew Georgiou,
and a further three clear of Grant Veenstra
and Justin Harding.
It was his opening 65 which set the
Fancourt-based player on his way, and he
was never headed during a week of waiting
because of frequent weather disruptions.
There were better scores than his three
consecutive 69s, but that kind of consistency
is exactly what is needed in a tough tournament like a qualifying school.
The Qualifying School is normally played
over five rounds but owing to the extreme
weather conditions experienced at this year’s
event, only four rounds of golf were played.
Interestingly Jake still played as an amateur but he has now laid the foundation for
turning professional.
Currently ranked seven in South Africa
and 80 on the world amateur ranking list,
Jake also played at the Maccabiah this year.
He also was a member of the South African
team that participated in the Africa Golf
Team Championship at the Dreamland Golf
and Tennis Resort in Cairo from September
29 to October 2.
Jake was the senior player in the team.
Having had some experience overseas this
year, including playing the Barrett Amateur
Championship, the Fancourt and Southern
Cape player was expected to play an important role in the team.
Ironically the South African team won but
Jake did not do that
well. But it may not
have been entirely
to blame as his luggage had failed to
arrive.
Golfer Jake Redman
earned his Sunshine
Tour card for 2010
after winning the
Tour School by five
shots.