April 2016 Volume 20. No 7

Hashalom
April 2016
Established 1923
Volume 20. No 7
March 2014
█
HASHALOM 1
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Celebrate
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Wishing you and your family happiness, peace
and all the joys of Passover.
Chag Sameach.
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CONTENTS
Editorial
Out of Perspective
Israel
EDITORIAL
03
04
05
Israel to launch one of the most advanced
05
Sinai Today: Nation Of Heroes
06
missile defence systems in the world, with U.S. help
Time to let a robot park your car
07
Jewish World
08
10
Renaissance regions that didn’t expel Jews reap the benefit today 08
Haggadah through the centuries…
Community News
09
Bubkes09
Past Tense
12
Umhlanga Jewish Centre
13
Akiva College
14
Talmud Torah
15
Eden College
17
Young Israel Centre
17
Limmud
18
Durban Progressive Jewish Congregation
19
Sisterhood of Temple David
19
Divote20
Union of Jewish Women
21
KwaZulu Natal Zionist Council
22
Wotsup Wizo 24
South African Friends of Israel
25
Beth Shalom
26
Durban Holocaust Centre 28
Above Board
29
Cooking with Judy and Linda
29
Social and Personal
30
Diary of Events
30
The views expressed in the pages of Hashalom are not necessarily those of the
Editorial Board or any other organisation or religious body unless otherwise
individual.
Hashalom Editorial Board:
Editor: Prof Antony Arkin
Editorial Board: Mrs Mikki Norton, Mrs Michelle Shapira
Commitee: Dr Issy Fisher, Ms Diane McColl, Mrs Lauren Shapiro, Mr Colin Plen
Production Manager: Mrs Robyn Bradley
Notice to Organisations/Contributors:
All material to be submitted by email to
[email protected]
DEADLINE FOR THE MAY ISSUE: 8 April 2016
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Hashalom is published under the auspices of the Council of KwaZulu-Natal
Jewry, the KwaZulu-Natal Zionist Council and the Durban Jewish Club.
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TWISTING THE KNIFE
Prof Antony Arkin
Obsessive hostility towards Israel has spiked into hatred not merely
to the Jewish State but against the local Jewish community and
anti-Semitism worldwide. Led by the Deputy Secretary-General
Jessie Duarte, the ANC has made it clear it supports the aims of
the hate-fest of Israel Apartheid Week. Its National Executive
committee members crisscrossed the country to speak at antiIsrael events. Jan Cronje in the Weekend Argus reminded his readers
of her previous racist remarks. In 2014, she was criticized by Chief
Rabbi Warren Goldstein after she said that Israel had “turned the
occupied territories of Palestine into permanent death camps”.
Goldstein labelled her statement a “hate-filled out burst”.
But the international media too has ramped up these blatantly
racist, anti-Semitic attacks. Five months since the start of the
“Lone-Wolves Intifada” began in Israel, the near daily stabbings,
car-ramming’s and stonings have resulted in Palestinian terrorists
killing over thirty Israelis and injuring hundreds of others. But as
Eylon Aslan-Levy wrote in the Telegraph on too many occasions,
headlines totally ignore the acts of terrorism themselves. Instead
they lead with the deaths of the terrorists neutralised in the course
of committing these crimes. Palestinian terrorists are routinely
presented as innocents rather than murderers.
On the night of 3 October 2015 in Jerusalem’s Old City, a Palestinian
terrorist stabbed four Israelis including a two year old infant,
killing two. He then opened fire at police officers and was shot in
response. The BBC ran the galling headline “Palestinian shot dead
after Jerusalem attack kills two”. The BBC neglected to indicate that
it was the same Palestinian and not the disembodied “Jerusalem
attack” that had in fact murdered two people. After subsequent
complaints the headline was finally changed to the more accurate
“Jerusalem: Palestinian kills two Israelis in the Old City”.
This incident sparked a persistent trend in extremely poor newspaper
headlines. When Palestinian terrorists stabbed two Israeli women
in a mini-market and were shot dead before they could stab more,
the Guardian ran “Two Palestinians Shot Dead After Knife Attack
in West Bank Shop”. Some of these headlines draw false moral
equivalence between terrorist and victim. The Irish Times ran the
scandalous “3 Palestinians, 1 Israeli Die in West Bank Incidents”. The
three Palestinians had stabbed Israelis and were killed committing
terrorist attacks and the “one Israeli” woman had been killed as a
murder victim. Last month, two Palestinians opened fire on Israeli
soldiers and were killed in return fire. Another lunged at a border
police officer with a knife and was killed. The Guardian abased itself
with the headline “Three Palestinian Teenagers Shot Dead on West
Bank”.
A new low as the CBS headline reading “3 Palestinians killed as
daily violence grinds on”. The three Palestinians, armed with knives,
explosives and firearms had just killed a 19 year old border police
woman and wounded another. They were then shot dead by police
before they could perpetrate a bigger attack.
The framing of Palestinian terror attacks as malicious Israeli executions
has been so ludicrous as to be blood libelous. We have witnessed both
the ANC and the newspapers forcing the story into a pre-conceived
narrative of “bad” Israelis versus “good” Palestinians. Hatred towards
Israel spills over to hostility towards Jews. Grossly misleading headlines
create an unjust, negative image of Israel, demonising the Jewish State
and perpetuating anti-Jewish animosity.
April 2016
HASHALOM 3
Out of Perspective
The humble ski-resort of Pan
By David Arkin
Now I don’t perceive myself as underprivileged, and I don’t ski. But if I
did, and I was on a budget, not wanting to dosh out loads of cash on
flights and fancy resorts in Europe, there is only one slope to consider
locally: Mount Hermon. Situated in the North-East corner of the Golan,
Israel’s highest peak is a hugely popular destination in the winter,
especially on weekends, and if and when it snows. So in the last week in
February, with my boss out of sight and out of mind (and with no mobile
connection nor wi-fi cruising in the Southern Indian Ocean) I decided to
sneak out of office for a mid-week break with the family and drive up to
the Golan. There had been a decent snowfall the week before, but the
current Israeli winter has been characterised by hard rainfall/snowfall
over a cold spell, followed by a chamsin (a dry, hot sandy wind). So by
the time we arrived at the Hermon late morning on a Wednesday, not
only was it not crowded, but there was no snow to be seen. Not a drop.
It was still chilly 2800 plus metres above sea-level after a ride in the ski
lift, not helped by the fact that I left my beanie and scarf in the car. At
least I had presence of mind to wear closed-shoes. At the top there were
breath-taking views of the Golan, and a 50m slope for sledding. Here
there was snow, but it was only much later that I realised it was artificial.
After 30 minutes of sledding and building a rather anemic-looking
midget snowman, I came to the conclusion that playing in artificial snow
does make your hands rather numb (even wearing gloves). It was time
to retire to the café for hot chocolate and coffee, but not before I visited
a memorial to 4 Golani soldiers who fell whilst defending the Hermon
from Syrian advances in the 1973 Yom Kippur war. The army base at the
top is a reminder of the type of unfriendly neighbours we have nearby.
To be fair, the Golan is renowned for its hiking and walking trails, nature
viewing and beautiful scenery, and not budget skiing. And so the balance
of the trip was spent at the Banias and Tel Dan national parks. When the
snow on the Hermon melts, it finds its way down the slopes into the
Banias and Dan River catchments (which are tributaries of the Jordan).
Whilst the Hermon is a bit of a weekend wonder after seasonal snow, the
Banias is an all-round best-seller, come rain or shine, week or weekend.
We arrived, sharing the site with loads of tour busses carting tourists
from the Far East and USA, as well as local groups of Ethiopian school
girls, Israeli-Arab high school students, Jewish students, couples, as well
as the odd family like ourselves. The reason for all the tourist activity
is that there have been huge archaeological excavations there, showcasing the history and settlement of the Golan by the Greeks, Romans,
early Christians, Crusaders and Muslims, Ottoman Empire and Syrians
(to name but a few). Big settlements do not develop randomly, neither
do they continue to prosper without some underlying economic activity.
In this case, the Banias settlement was on a strategic route on the
crossroads between the ports of Sidon and Tyre in southern Lebanon,
and Damascus in Syria, important centres of trade back in their heyday.
So it was a gateway of sorts for commerce and business into the Israeli
kingdom. But the first one to settle on the Banias river, at the foothills
of the Hermon, was Pan, the Ancient Greek god of nature. This fluteplaying part man and part goat creature no doubt frolicked in the river
in the summer, and in the winter enjoyed whizzing down the ski-slope
on the mountain. The big Panaeon cave and temple unearthed here was
a hotspot for pagan worship. On the other side of the nature reserve is
the Banias waterfall. At the height of 10m, it’s not exactly the Vic falls or
Niagara, but it is “Made in Israel” and we are very proud of it. There is a
suspended trail, where one may walk through a narrow basalt canyon,
above the rushing river where the 125 million m³ of water flow annually.
4 HASHALOM
April 2016
Nearby is the Tel Dan Park. Older than the Banias settlement, and with
the Dan River running through it, there are also many archaeological
sites scattered around the nature reserve. The origins of ancient Dan
can be traced back to the Tribe of Dan, who came up north because of
difficulties dealing with their quarrelsome neighbours, the Philistines (or
maybe because the weather was more pleasant, and not as humid as
in the south?) Whatever the reason, their move up north is chronicled
in the Book of Judges. There are about seventy of these national parks
around Israel, mixing nature and antiquity, making good day trips out
for a family or tour group. These parks convey a deeper purpose, starkly
illustrated by a corner tower ruin in the Banias compound. A crusader
tower is built upon a Roman-originating base. The Ottomans in turn built
upon the Crusader ruin, and the Syrians built a two-story house over the
Ottoman structure. The four different demarcations in the ruins can be
clearly seen thanks to Israeli preservation of heritage: layers of history
being conserved for this generation and the next.
ISRAEL
Israel to launch one of the most
advanced missile defence systems
in the world, with U.S. help
By Ruth Eglash and William Booth - The Washington Post
TEL AVIV - A joint exercise now being conducted between thousands of Israeli
troops and the U.S. European Command represents a final test before Israel begins
to deploy one of the most sophisticated missile defence systems in the world.
When it is complete, Israel’s multibillion-dollar rocket and missile air defence
system will be far superior to anything in the Middle East and will likely rival, and
in some ways surpass, in speed and targeting, air defences deployed by Europe
and the United States, its developers say.
The United States has provided more than $3.3 billion over the past 10 years to
support the defensive system, which will be able to knock down not only ballistic
missiles but also orbiting satellites.
Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Obama have
had a strained relationship, rubbed raw by their deep disagreement over the
Iran nuclear deal, U.S. ¬spending on Israel’s air defences has soared in the past
decade, from $133 million in 2006 to $619 million in 2015.
The Israeli defence establishment and its American partners have designed
a layered system that will allow the Jewish state to respond to simultaneous
attacks from multiple fronts - the relatively crude homemade rockets lobbed by
Hamas from the Gaza Strip, the midrange rockets and missiles fired by the Shiite
militants of Hezbollah from Lebanon, and the long-range ballistic missiles being
developed by Iran that could carry conventional or chemical warheads.
In addition, Israel’s new X-Band radar will allow its forces to detect incoming
missiles 500 or 600 miles out, vs. 100 miles, the current limit of their radar tracking
systems, according to summaries of the systems provided to Congress.
“I define the system as pioneering,” said Uzi Rubin, former head director of Israel’s
missile defence program. “Even the United States doesn’t have anything as complex,
as sophisticated.”
The system will also be able to prioritize incoming rockets and missiles by calculating
their trajectories. Some missiles may not be intercepted, if their targets are fields
and farms, but projectiles that would hit populated areas or important infrastructure
- such as military bases, oil refineries and nuclear facilities - would be stopped.
The Israeli missile defence system is being built in partnership with U.S. defence
contractors, including Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
The Israelis are planning to start deploying their coordinated system of radars,
launchers and interceptors over the coming months, though there have been delays
in the past, they warn.
In December, Israel and the U.S. Missile Defence Agency celebrated successful tests
of two new ballistic missile defence systems - David’s Sling, which is designed to
intercept short- and medium-range threats, and ¬Arrow-3, which is intended
to stop long-range attacks and knock out enemy targets in space by deploying
“kamikaze satellites,” or “kill vehicles,” that track their targets.
David’s Sling and Arrow-3 will join Iron Dome and the existing Arrow-2 in coming
months.
The Iron Dome batteries were responsible for intercepting 90 percent of their
targets during Israel’s war with Hamas in the summer of 2014, according to the
Israel Defence Forces, when Hamas fired 4,000 rockets and mortar rounds at Israel
from the adjacent Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday, the Defence Ministry announced that major components of the David’s
Sling defence system will be delivered to the Israeli air force “over the course of
several weeks.”
A photograph provided by the Israeli Ministry of Defence shows a launch
of the David’s Sling missile defence system. (Israeli Ministry of Defence/
Associated Press)
Israel called David’s Sling “the world’s most revolutionary
innovation in the family of interceptor systems.” The system is
designed primarily to handle the kinds of rockets and missiles,
built by Iran and Russia, that are now in the possession of the
Hezbollah militia in Lebanon and the Syrian regime of Bashar
al-Assad.
Beyond the threat posed by the splintering of Syria, Israel is
worried that Syrian missiles could be transferred to Hezbollah
or acquired by the Islamic State or al-Qaeda.
In a recent speech, Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah
threatened that his militia’s missiles could strike ammonia
storage tanks in Israel’s Haifa port in a future showdown with
Israel, warning that the damage would be equivalent to an
atomic bomb and could kill 800,000 people.
Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon, the ¬Israel Defence Forces head of
operations, said Hezbollah could have upward of 100,000
rockets and missiles stored in Lebanon.
In 2006, before the deployment of Iron Dome, Hezbollah fired
about 4,000 projectiles at Israel’s northern cities, causing
some 40 civilian deaths and significant damage.
Israel’s military leaders warn civilians that no air defence
¬system is perfect - or even close to it.
“There is no hermetic defence or total security that will
intercept everything fired at Israel. In the next real war, rockets
will fall on the State of Israel,” said Brig. Gen. Zvika Haimovich,
commander of the Israeli air force’s Aerial Defence Division.
Haimovich briefed reporters last week in the middle of
“Juniper Cobra,” a biennial U.S.-Israel air defence drill, which is
scheduled to end Thursday.
More than 1,700 U.S. soldiers and sailors, alongside American
civilians and contractors, are taking part in the exercise, which
¬is focused on computer simulations of coordinated and
sustained air attacks on Israel from multiple fronts.
In such a scenario, U.S. air defence probably would come into
play, and the drill is designed not only to test Israel’s soon-tobe-deployed systems but also to improve how well U.S. and
Israeli assets can communicate and coordinate their response.
“The purpose of this exercise is to improve interoperability
of our air defence forces and our combined ability to defend
against air and missile attack,” said Lt. Gen. Timothy Ray, U.S
3rd Air Force commander.
“And just as important,” Ray said, “it signals our resolve to
support Israel and strive for peace in the Middle East.”
April 2016
HASHALOM 5
ISRAEL
S I N A I TO DAY:
N AT I O N O F H E RO E S
By The Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein - Jerusalem Post
Since September there have been 307 attacks or attempted attacks in 170 days, in which
33 people have been killed and 360 injured.
The Israeli people are heroes. They have
endured an onslaught of terrorist attacks
that would have crippled any other nation on
earth. Since September there have been 307
attacks or attempted attacks in 170 days, in
which 33 people have been killed and 360
injured. There have been 192 stabbings, 76
shootings and 39 vehicular attacks.
An extended onslaught of this nature would
break the morale and ability to function of
any society. And yet Israelis go about their
daily lives in fortitude and bravery. Children
go to school, people go to work and society
continues to function at a very high level,
shaking off the constant threat of danger
with remarkable resilience.
Jews in the Diaspora watch from afar in awe
and admiration, and in unwavering support.
The words of King David from the Book of
Psalms come to mind: “May G-d bless His
angels, mighty heroes who...listen to the call
of His word.”
The people of Israel are the brave angels
of G-d Himself. The Talmud says that this
verse refers to those farmers who observe
the Sabbatical year, when farmers do not
cultivate or harvest their fields: “It is the
normal way of the world for a person to be
able to do a mitzva for one day, one week or
one month, but for an entire year?! And this
farmer sees his field lying desolate and he sits
silently. Is there any greater hero than this?”
The Talmud sees such personal discipline
and commitment to doing the right thing, as
heroic and brave, indeed, even angelic and
super-human.
Certainly the same can be said of the brave
people of Israel today. To apply the thinking
of the Talmud to the current situation one
could say: It is the normal way of the world
for people to endure terrorist attacks, for one
day or one week; but the Israeli people have
endured terrorist attacks on their streets now
for months, and yet they face these challenges
with enormous bravery. Are there any greater
heroes? Indeed the verse “May G-d bless His
angels the mighty heroes” applies directly to
each and every man, women and child of the
Israeli people, who have with such fortitude
endured such an onslaught.
And the onslaught of recent months is just
the latest mutation of an ongoing war to
destroy Israel, one which began at the birth
of the Jewish state, and even before, and has
taken the form of seven conventional wars
and many waves of terrorism.
For decades without respite generations
of Israelis have fought with remarkable
heroism and bravery in the armed forces of
their country, to defend their homes and
cities from murderous attacks. All the while,
they have created, with G-d’s blessings, a
flourishing society,
which has absorbed
millions of refugees,
establishing
a
haven of freedom
and prosperity in a
region of hatred and
oppression.
April 2016
And indeed, all decent people in every civilized
country should be grateful to the Israeli
people for standing so resolutely on the front
lines of the war against the forces of radical
Islam, which seek to assault and destroy
freedom, life and dignity. The Israeli response
of little children attending nursery school,
or teenagers high school, or the countless
Israelis walking to synagogue on Shabbat,
and who go to their businesses and places
of work each and every single day with a
positivity and determination, is the greatest
answer to the forces of evil that seek to
destroy civilization based on the values of life,
dignity and freedom – values which our Torah
gave to the world. And it is for the defense of
these sacred values that we pay humble and
grateful tribute to the heroes of Israel, and
we pray, “May G-d bless His angels, mighty
heroes.”
Audit • Tax • Advisory
And they have done
so for all these years
with positive energy
and even optimism.
Israeli society is
filled with a joy for
life and with a will
to celebrate every
part of it. This is the
greatest
answer
to the terrorists,
who seek to bring
destruction
and
death to the world.
Jews around the
world are so deeply
grateful to the
people of Israel
because it is this
Wishing you and your family
a Chag Pesach Sameach
www.grantthornton.co.za
+27 31 576 5500
Border Policemen check a Palestinian youth at the
Damascus Gate, the scene of multiple terror attacks
in Jerusalem’s Old City. (photo credit : REUTERS)
6 HASHALOM
bravery and the refusal to bow in submission
before evil violence that ensures that the
freedom and independence of Israel to
function as a Jewish state in the Middle East
is protected.
hashalom_Pesach_95x120_mar16.indd 1
15/03/2016 17:02:59
ISRAEL
Time to let a robot park your car
Unitronics is expanding its hold on the US automated parking market, offering a
game-changing solution for cheaper, greener, more efficient carparks.
By Abigail Klein Leichman - ISRAEL21c
Conventional parking garages are an environmental failure, taking up
lots of land and resources to build and maintain, not to mention the
gasoline wasted as waiting cars idle and then troll for a vacant spot
and maneuver into and out of it.
Jersey. The seventh is expected to be a very large $24 million project in
Calgary, Canada, for which Unitronics signed a binding letter of intent
and will begin once a building permit is secured.
Unitronics Group reimagined the whole scenario to look like this:
Drive your car into a 20-by-20 foot entry bay, turn off the engine, lock
up, take a ticket and go on your way. The rest of the process is fully
automated.
Unitronics founder and CEO Haim Shani tells ISRAEL21c that while
mechanical parking is not a new idea, the Israeli solution does not
require any devices or systems aside from the robot and offers
revolutionary financial and ecological benefits.
After you leave the bay, a Unitronics robot scoots under the car,
engages the wheels and lifts the vehicle using a combination of radar,
optical sensors and cameras. It transports your car to the destination
spot and positions it perfectly with no chance of a fender scrape or
space-hogging poor parking.
“Our solution is unique and can change the whole game. The
developer not only enjoys high density parking but also lower cost,”
says Shani.
To begin with, Unitronics parking facilities use only one-third of the
space of a conventional normal parking lot –storing three times more
cars in the same space – thereby saving on real-estate, excavation,
development and maintenance costs.
“It’s a green solution, too,” says Shani. “The car is turned off after the
driver leaves it in the entry bay, so there is no waste of fuel and no
emissions in the building. Since it’s a robotic system, there is no need
for lighting or ventilation inside the parking garage, which consume
much more energy than does our robot.”
The robots use automated elevators to bring cars to available spots
While conventional parking garages pose personal and theft risks,
Unitronics’ automated facility lessens the likelihood of injury to
car owners and car theft, thus also reducing insurance costs for
entrepreneurs.
To activate retrieval, you enter the bay and either pay the fee via
computer or (for registered monthly users) swipe a coin-like RF card
on your keychain. A computer screen tells you the number of the room
in which your car will be waiting, faced outward for quick exit, and
shows your vehicle’s progress as one of the robots brings it to the
room within two or three minutes.
This is no startup dream.
Established in 1989, Unitronics develops industrial automation
products, smart warehouses and automated parking solutions for
global clients including Danone and BP in Belgium and Coca-Cola in
Holland.
It built 47 projects in Israel and runs an international network of 165
distributors and sales offices in Europe, the United States, Israel and
the Far East.
Unitronics’ US subsidiary recently completed four new-generation
automated parking garages in the United States – three in Hoboken,
New Jersey, and one at City Hall in West Hollywood, California – plus
another in Mexico.
The sixth project, a 300-space, $4.5 million carpark, is planned to
open in late 2017 in a luxury apartment complex in Cliffside Park, New
The Unitronics robot
And finally, the automated, remote-managed system saves on
manpower costs. “We don’t actually need any employees at the
parking garage but normally one person is on duty during rush hours
to serve customers,” says Shani.
The Unitronics Group, based in Airport City, went public in 1999 and
is listed on the Brussels and Tel Aviv stock exchanges. Employees
number about 250 in Israel and almost 50 in the United States.
“The company is profitable but we expect significant growth so we are
raising money through the stock exchange,” says Shani.
April 2016
HASHALOM 7
JEWISH WORLD
Renaissance regions that didn’t expel Jews reap
the benefit today
By: Dr. Ruchama Weiss & Rabbi Levi Brackman - Ynetnews.com
New study published in MIT’s The Review of Economics and Statistics
shows that Jews, who became moneylenders in the 16th century,
established the first banks, leading to better economies today.
Over half a millennium may have passed, but regions that did not expel
Jews during the Renaissance era have measurably better economies
than those that did.
Throughout Europe, regions expelled Jewish communities from
medieval times and into the Renaissance. In a new study published in
MIT’s The Review of Economics and Statistics, Professor Luigi Pascali
found that cities that permitted Jewish communities to thrive have
GDPs of up to 10 percent higher than those that expelled them.
In the 16th century, the Catholic Church forbade its adherents from
moneylending, and Jews established what became, the first banks.
Spain, which expelled its Jews under the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand
and Isabella in 1492, would enjoy a seven-percent-higher GDP today
if they had allowed their Jewish communities to remain, concludes the
researcher.
Pascali expounded that he would expect similar economic differences
based on expulsion or tolerance of Jews throughout Europe.
“I argue that cities, in which the local Jewish community in 1500
caused an early development of the banking sector, have more banks
today and, because of this, are more developed today,” said Pascalian economist at Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, Pompeu
Fabra University, and Warwick University-in an interview with the
Daily Mail, which first reported the study.
“By the beginning of the 15th century, the geographic expansion of
Jewish lending was complete and had become a general economic
phenomenon in all parts of Italy,” said the researcher.
Pascali compares the economies of southern and northern Italy.
Under Spanish control in 1503, a large part of southern Italy expelled
its Jews. Jews in northern Italy, which was mostly independent cities
or under French control, were permitted to remain.
The economist explains that northern Italy’s 10-percent-higher
income could be correlated to the Jewish factor.
8 HASHALOM
April 2016
BUBKES
SINK OR SWIM
BY LAUREN SHAPIRO
“It’s the love from
our families that
translates swimming
lessons into the life
lessons that Talmud
intended them to be”
This Pesach we’ll be teaching our children
about their past, but we must also
remember to prepare them for their future.
According to the Talmud (Kiddushin 29a,
for those of you that are going to check),
a father is obligated to teach his son the
Torah, a trade, and how to swim. It’s a
curious set of instructions coming from
the days before domestic swimming pools
and the status of the first swim team.
Nevertheless, for a paranoid Jewish mother
living at the coast in a country where many
people have swimming pools in their back
gardens, the latter was high on my to do list
as a safety precaution anyway.
Let’s assume for the sake of this politically
correct and ever-so-slightly feminist
column that our Sages were simply using
the universal masculine to refer to all our
children. But in the case of this particular
anecdote, I actually will discuss teaching
my son to swim.
My five-year-old is a little cautious by
nature. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
He has not yet somersaulted backwards
down the stairs or catapulted off his bike at
a million miles per hour as his fearless older
brother has. But it’s frustrating because
he is not usually keen to try new things,
like (you saw this one coming, didn’t you?)
swimming.
I’ve been schlepping Shai to professional
lessons for several months. His teacher has
taught him the basic skills like kicking and
arm strokes, blowing bubbles and fetching
colourful toys from the bottom step. But
when it comes to actually patching all these
tricks together in an approximation of
movement, he rather resembles a drunken
elephant ransacking the punch bowl. The
problem is he’s scared, and he’s fighting the
water instead of working with it.
Then one afternoon we visited my folks,
and Saba got into the pool with the kids to
play throwing and catching and splashing
games (the latter is the reason I do not join
in these aquatic capers. I wish I could say I
was sipping my mimosa from a respectable
distance, but in truth I was hovering around
the perimeter of the pool, far enough to stay
relatively dry but close enough to intervene
if necessary).
Saba decided to put Shai’s ability to the
test. Standing about one metre from the
step where his grandson stood playing, he
called out, “Shai, swim to me. Just to here.”
Shai is a sharp kid, and I’m sure he predicted
as well as you just have, that Saba would
inch backward at precisely the pace that
Shai moved forward, forcing Shai to swim
further than the proposed distance. But
Shai also trusts his Saba inherently, so with
only a passing shadow of skepticism on his
handsome little face, he took the leap. Once
he started, of course, he didn’t really have
much choice but to keep going, as each
time he wanted to give up, Saba’s rescuing
arms glided just out of reach. They made it
almost across the width of the pool before
I stepped forward like an angry lioness and
Saba scooped a spluttering Shai out of the
water.
“Look at that!” Saba laughed, turning
Shai around so he could see the distant
step. “Look how far you swam!” Shai’s
countenance was a pick-and-mix of
suspicion and delight, distrust and pride.
“Come on, let’s do it again,” Saba continued.
“No,” said Shai flatly.
“You can do it!”
“I don’t want to.”
“Please? For me?”
“Okay… but only if you promise you won’t
move.”
“No. I will move, but I will always stay
close enough to catch you.” Shai eyed Saba
guardedly. Saba grinned at him: “Now, and
when you’re older.”
Laaaaaaah! [Cue parting clouds and angels
singing].
Suddenly the Talmudic instruction made
sense. For isn’t that what parents (and
grandparents, when blessing allows) do?
They promise to catch us, even when
we know they won’t: when we move to
far-away cities or countries; when we
get ourselves into stupidly ill-advised
situations they couldn’t possibly bail us
out of; when they’ve moved on to the next
world. It’s not about literally pulling us out
of the water (or hot water, as the case
may be). It’s about their love giving us the
confidence to do it ourselves.
It makes sense to literally teach our
children to swim, as it can be a matter of
life and death. But metaphorically, we’re
teaching them to keep their heads above
water in life; to keep afloat when things
seem difficult.
My parents taught me to swim (well, a
hired coach and my dad did; my mom’s
also more of a mimosa-at-the-poolside
kind of gal). Yet I’m not just talking
about in the pool. Paid professionals can
certainly teach our children breaststroke,
backstroke, butterfly and freestyle, but it’s
the love that comes from our own families
that translates swimming lessons into
the life lessons that the Talmud intended
them to be.
Fast-forward a few weeks: Shai shimmies
through the water and raises his head on
the other side of the pool, a huge grin on
his face. He may never be the next Chad
le Clos, but his confidence has grown and
he feels he can conquer the world (or at
least the deep-end of the swimming pool).
I now know that whatever life chucks at
him, he won’t sink, but swim. For a parent,
there’s no better feeling.
To return to our Talmudic obligation:
through shul and school and family and
home, we are teaching our little man Torah
to give him a spiritual foundation in life. In
time, we will help him learn a trade so he’ll
be able to support himself and (please G-d
by you but no pressure) his family. But at
least now we can tick one thing off the list:
teaching him to swim.
Until next time.
April 2016
HASHALOM 9
JEWISH WORLD
Haggadah through the centuries…
Compiled from the following sources: jewishmuseum.cz, richardmcbee.com; jewishpress.com; haggadah.ba; jewishagency.org; seforim.blogspot.com
The Haggadah, together with the Mahzor and the Siddur, is among the
most popular liturgical books of Judaism and is the most printed books
of Jewish culture. Unlike the Mahzor and the Siddur, however, the
visual appearance of the Haggadah has substantially changed in the
course of more than ten centuries. While prayer books usually contain
a simple text without illustrations, the Haggadah has, since the early
manuscripts and printed versions, been adorned with illustrations
that reflect the events of the narrated story in various forms and
manifestations. The illustrations are intended to provide vivid lessons
and to keep the attention of those partaking of the Pesah meal –
especially children, who often found the celebration overly long. This
is why modern editions of Haggadot often resemble children’s picture
books, and even Haggadah comics have been produced. More than
2,700 various Haggadot have been published since the first printed
edition.
longest siege in the history of modern warfare). To quell rumors that
the government had sold the Haggadah in order to buy weapons, the
president of Bosnia presented the manuscript at a community Seder
in 1995.
Afterwards, the manuscript was restored through a special campaign
financed by the United Nations and the Bosnian Jewish community in
2001, and went on permanent display at the museum in December
2002.
Birds head Haggadah
The Sarajevo Haggadah
One of the oldest surviving Ashkenazi illuminated manuscripts, the
Bird’s Head Haggadah, was created in southern Germany, c. 1300.
The book’s illustrations depict the crossing of the Red Sea, Moses
receiving the Tablets of the Torah, and the preparation of Passover
matzah. In this Haggadah, many of the human figures have bird heads.
Adult bird-men are shown with conical hats, officially required Jewish
clothing in some parts of Germany throughout the Middle Ages.
The Sarajevo Haggadah is one of the oldest Sephardic Haggadahs
in the world, originating in Barcelona around 1350. The Sarajevo
Haggadah is handwritten on bleached calfskin and illuminated in
copper and gold. It opens with 34 pages of illustrations of key scenes
in the Bible from creation through the death of Moses. Its pages are
stained with wine, evidence that it was used at many Passover Seders.
The Sarajevo Haggadah has survived many close calls with destruction.
Historians believe that it was taken out of Spain by Spanish Jews who
were expelled by the Alhambra Decree in 1492. Notes in the margins
of the Haggadah indicate that it surfaced in Italy in the 16th century. It
was sold to the National Museum in Sarajevo in 1894 by a man named
Joseph Kohen. During World War II, the manuscript was hidden from
the Nazis and Ustashe by the Museum’s chief librarian, Derviš Korkut,
who at risk to his own life, smuggled the Haggadah out of Sarajevo.
Korkut gave it to a Muslim cleric in Zenica, where it was hidden under
the floorboards of either a mosque or a Muslim home. In 1957, a
facsimile of the Haggadah was published by Sándor Scheiber, director
of the Rabbinical Seminary in Budapest. In 1992 during the Bosnian
War, the Haggadah manuscript survived a museum break-in and it
was discovered on the floor during the police investigation by a local
Inspector, Fahrudin Čebo, with many other items thieves believed
were not valuable. It survived in an underground bank vault during
the siege of Sarajevo by Bosnian Serb forces (Siege of Sarajevo – the
10 HASHALOM
April 2016
While the depiction of humans with animal heads was widespread
in thirteenth and fourteenth-century Germany and France, the exact
meaning remains unclear. Many scholars believe that the bird heads
reflect medieval Jews’ literal interpretation of the second biblical
commandment against representational art depicting humans.
The Rylands Haggadah
The Rylands Haggadah, created
in Catalonia Spain sometime
around 1330, is a towering
masterpiece of Jewish Art. In
addition to pages of piyutim
surrounded by ornate decorative
and figurative micrography,
richly decorated Haggadah text
and blessings, there is a 13 page
miniature cycle depicting the
Exodus story from Moses at the
Burning Bush to the Crossing of
the Red Sea.
A page in the Rylands Haggadah, where the Israelites are crossing the Red
Sea. Printed with gold, ink on parchment.
The ‘Golden’ Haggadah
The Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out
your hand over the waters of Egypt - over its rivers, its canals, and its
ponds, and all its pools of water - so that they may become blood; and
there shall be blood throughout the whole land of Egypt, even in vessels
of wood and in vessels of stone.’“
The Prague Haggadah
The Prague Haggadah was the first Passover Haggadah book to be
printed in Central Europe after the Jews were expelled from Spain
(1492 ). As the first printed illustrated Haggadah book in Central
Europe it was used as prototype for many illustrated editions of the
Passover Haggadah printed afterwards in Europe.
The extravagant use of gold-leaf in the backgrounds of its 56
miniature paintings earned this magnificent manuscript its name: the
‘Golden Haggadah’. It was made around 1320, in or near Barcelona,
for the use of a wealthy Jewish family. The holy text is written on
vellum pages in Hebrew script, reading from right to left. Its stunning
miniatures illustrate stories from the biblical books of ‘Genesis’ and
‘Exodus’ and scenes of Jewish ritual.
This image shows several scenes from Passover. On the right in a domed
room, the angel of death is swinging his sword at a man in bed. On the
left the Pharaoh and Queen are mourning the death of their first born
son. Below is a funeral scene with six men carrying a firstborn’s coffin.
In 1998, a colorized facsimile edition of Prague 1526 was published.
Although the publishers took great pains to provide color where
before there was black and white, they also altered this border.
The Prague Haggadah is the first illustrated Haggadah to be
preserved in its entirety, and till nowadays it is considered as one of
the most beautiful editions of the Passover Haggadah books.
Although not the first illustrated Haggadah, it is no doubt the first
to have been executed with a care for aesthetic taste and feeling,
apparent not only in the attractive woodcuts but also in the fine
lettering, splendid initials and the general layout.
Printers in different Jewish centers began to produce Haggadah
books of their own and drew on the Prague Haggadah in style.
The Prague Haggadah of 1526 set the tone for many future printed
Haggadah books. It was described by one authority as “among
the finest productions of the 16th century printing press in any
language” .
The original from Haggadah edition
of Prague 1526
A colorised facsimile edition of
Prague 1526 (On our Cover)
April 2016
HASHALOM 11
PAST TENSE
PAST TENSE
HASHOLOM - April 1941 - Extracts
Editorial contained a description of the activities of the Ossewa
Brandwag and a serious warning to be on guard against the dangers of
its cultural aims and policies.
•
THE BOYS SAY “THANK YOU” contained a number of letters
thanking the Club for its canteen’s hospitality signed by authors whose
names, in the main, had no Jewish overtones.
•
WE LAUGH AT OURSELVES was a page described as “Jewish
Anecdote and Humour.” All the jokes are at least 75 years old, so
there’s no point in quoting any of them now.
UNDER THE HEEL which described the plight of Jews in Nazioccupied countries, is old hat today to a generation which thinks it
knows all about the Holocaust, but the sentence “Jews of Polish origin
have been rounded up in occupied France and deported in railway
trucks to Poland” must for example, have created a sense of great shock
in 1941.
IN TOWN AND OUT
Congratulated:
•
•
•
•
Miss Bessie Wolk and Mr. P. Rubenstein, and Miss Joie Wartski and
Mr. H. Kahn on their respective recent engagements
Mr. and Mrs. W. Simon on the occasion of the Barmitzvah of their
son, Bernard
Miss Ada Said and Mr. Max Stein and Dr. Sophie Kaplan and Mr.
Mendy Jackson on their recent marriages
Mrs. H. L. Magid on what it described as “her huge success” at the
Johannesburg Music Festival in the past month.
HASHALOM – April 1966 – Extracts.
Editorial consisted of a quotation from a speech made by Levi Eshkol,
the Prime Minister of Israel on the occasion of the 18th Anniversary of
the foundation of the State. It was a kind of State of the Nation Address.
(Remember SONA 2016?)
IN TOWN AND OUT
Congratulated:
•
•
Said Mazeltov to the parents and the Barmitzvah boys:
Dan, son of Mr. and Mrs Taylor; Morris, son of Mr. and Mrs. I
12 HASHALOM
April 2016
by Pundit
Fisher; Ian, son of Mr. and Mrs Sack; and Philip, son of Dr. and Mrs.
M. Barnett.
Congratulated Eric John Braude, son of Mr. and Mrs. F. Braude of
Durban, who had been awarded a scholarship to the University
of Illinois, in Chicago, where he intends to study for his Ph.D. in
Mathematics.
Congratulated Dr. Rodwin Jackson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo
Jackson, who had been awarded a British Council Scholarship to
the Hammersmith Hospital, London.
The Youth Section Personality of the Month was introduced to
HASHALOM’S readers as “Peter Leslie Stange, known to everyone
as Peter” which Pundit regards as one of the most remarkable
statements of the obvious it has ever been his misfortune to read in
a not inconsiderable reading of HASHOLOM and HASHALOM over
the years. The article improved considerably when describing Peter’s
distinguished academic career and his considerable service to the Youth
Section of the DJC.
“ACCORDING TO THE TOIL IS THE REWARD”.
This quotation from the Ethics of the Fathers was the headline of what
was described as AN APPRECIATION of the life and achievements
of the late Mr Justice Edgar Samuel Henochsberg who had died very
recently. The author (“L.S.D.” – better known to older members of
the community as Louis Ditz) paid tribute to the achievements of the
learned Judge in his legal career as Advocate and Judge, to his communal
service to both the Jewish and the general communities and to his
military service in two World Wars.
“S.M.” (no doubt Sol Moshal) paid a more personal tribute and farewell
to Judge Henochsberg under the heading VALE EDGAR.
John Steinbeck, the famous novelist, had recently visited the young State
of Israel. The famous Israeli humourist, Ephraim Kishon, wrote a satire
on his visit entitled “THE EGGS OF WRATH”, which appeared in the
Jerusalem Post. So amused had the author of “The Grapes of Wrath”
been by Kishon’s piece that he wrote a humorous letter to the paper
which he entitled “Zorba the Yemenite”.
HASHALOM published both in this April 1966 issue. One day, when
the current editor has some excess space he wishes to fill, he could
do worse than following the example of his predecessor of 50 years
ago. Pundit laughed, as they say, like a drain. That should be enough
recommendation. But, come to think of it, has anyone ever seen a drain
laugh?
Pundit wishes all his readers a happy and healthy Pesach. Enjoy the
Seder and pay due respect to the kneidlach!
COMMUNITY NEWS
Umhlanga Jewish Centre
By Gilad Friedman
The UJC has seen a busy month. The DJY – Durban Jewish Youth,
attended a Shabbaton this month. A youth dinner was hosted by the
Friedman’s and a shul lunch was held on Saturday. The Shabbaton was
topped off with a beautiful musical havdala service.
We welcome Brett Hummel to the community, Brett has relocated from
Johannesburg. Welcome Brett!
Each Shabbat Bnei Akiva have started to run youth programs each week
with local madrichim.
New shiurim have begun at the UJC, a children’s parasha club each
Saturday, see ‘the connection’ for more details.
New fitness activities have begun including line dancing, with Mrs Carol
Behrman, all ladies are invited to attend on Wednesday evenings. Yoga
takes place twice a week once in the morning and once in the evening.
Rosh Chodesh Adar II celebrations
Rosh Chodesh Adar II celebrations
Akiva College at the UJC minyan
Rabbi Zekry and Rabbi Feldman
Rosh Chodesh Adar II celebrations
Yoga on the beach
April 2016
HASHALOM 13
COMMUNITY NEWS
Akiva College
By Various teachers of Akiva College
Our Umhlanga Jewish day school in Izinga
began 2016 with many changes. UJDS has been
officially named, Akiva College. The name
reflects the ethos of its namesake, the famous,
pious, Rabbi Akiva who taught the importance
of acquiring knowledge. The school’s motto,
“Veshinantum Levanecha” which comes from
the Shema, “You shall teach them thoroughly
to your children,” echoes this sentiment.
Under the leadership of Kerryn Feigenbaum,
along with her outstanding team of educators,
Akiva College aims to equip its pupils with an
excellent academic and Jewish education while
imparting yidishkeit and middos to our pupils.
This year also marks the start of an official
high school at Akiva College. The students are
studying the Cambridge Curriculum which will
provide them with a matric that is recognised
both nationally and internationally.
Akiva College students have been on a number
of outings this month. On Monday the 29th
of February, the Akiva College Pre-school
took a trip to People’s Park at Moses Mabida
Stadium. The morning was spent playing in the
beautiful Durban sunshine which suited our
summer theme perfectly. All the children took
advantage of the park’s wonderful jungle gyms
and climbing apparatus including giant spider
webs, challenging monkey bars and very high
slides before settling down in the shade of the
trees to enjoy a delicious picnic together. The
day out provided not only a change of scenery
and a different playground for our children,
but also a chance for our students to tackles
new challenges and to learn in a different
environment. Tremendous fun was had by all
and it was a wonderful and worthwhile day out.
Grades 5 – 7 had an informative, fun-filled
excursion to the Baynesfield Estate on Tuesday
1 March. They met Johannes, a Khoisan
gentleman who showed them how to make
a fire using two fire sticks and how to shoot
a bow and arrow. On attempting these tasks
themselves, the pupils found that they were not
as easy as Johannes made them look. We then
walked to a nearby forest where the pupils
worked as a group to complete an obstacle
course. It was wonderful to see how all the
pupils participated with enthusiasm and how
they encouraged and assisted their peers.
Megan Gering learning to shoot a bow and arrow.
The school was a buzz of excitement on
Thursday 3 March as we celebrated World
Book Day with dress up costume parades and
prizes. A wonderful array of characters visited
our school; Captain Hook; Fancy Nancy; Doc
Mac Stuffins; A Transformer; Wimpy Kid; Harry
Potter; Hornton hears a Who; Charlie Brown,
Lucy and Peanuts; Tweedledum, Tweedledee
and Alice; Witches and Vampires and even
some Superheros. The students then found a
quiet, cool spot and read aloud to each other
for half an hour. It was heart-warming to see
the older students reading so expressively to
the little ones. We all had a really fun morning
sharing our love of reading.
Naomi Levitan, Ester Kafel, Danielle Furman and
Jared Nel on the obstacle course.
Eithan Moss dressed as
Doc Macstuffins
The bushman demonstrating how to use a bow
and arrow.
Coby Pillamer as
Grandpa Joe
Sharing a yummy picnic at People’s Park.
Jesse Feigenbaum dressed as “Gangster Granny”
Playing on the jungle gyms at peoples park.
14 HASHALOM
April 2016
Naomi Goldblum as the who from Hortan hears
a Who, Gia and Demi Taitz as the witches.
Jesse Feigenbaum climbing the nets.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Talmud Torah
By Cheryl Unterslak
We are inviting all primary and high school students to come and learn
Mishna with our exciting, professional and informative material. This
takes place every Saturday evening after Shabbas at Chabad. Rabbi
Garber teaches the material in a fun and brilliant way and all the
students that attend love the lessons.
The lessons start at 7:20pm.
Every time you attend your names goes into the draw for two tickets
to Israel that is drawn at the end of the year.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS
OR WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND
PLEASE CONTACT ME ON
083 799 6440
Management and Staff
wish the Community a
Happy & Kosher
PESACH
April 2016
HASHALOM 15
16 HASHALOM
April 2016
COMMUNITY NEWS
Eden College
By Norma Bloch
Shalom
The Eden Rosh Chodesh Breakfast Club is the Judaica Department’s newest innovation.
Our first breakfast got off to an inspiring start with a few invited guests celebrating with us in morning prayers, which were enthusiastically led by the
Heads of Judaica. Shlomo then put up the rekoshered mezuzot in our beautifully revamped Centre.
Of course, breakfast wouldn’t be breakfast without food, and so we all enjoyed the fruits, yoghurt and buns served in honour of the end of the month
of Shevat. What a stimulating and positive way to welcome in the new month of Adar!
We had the most fascinating lesson with Rabbi Vegoda in which he helped students work out the numerical value of their Hebrew names. Each student
then eagerly waited for their individual ‘consultation’ with him, in which he explained how the value of their name correlated with a word found in
the Torah.
Of course Friday challah baking is always a huge success. I often think that our high school students enjoy it more than the younger ones. Do yourself
a favour - walk past the Judaica Department on a Friday simply to hear the laughter and chatter, and to feel the spirit of collaboration and community.
Lehitraot until next month.
Young Israel Centre
By Jessica Stout
On the Shabbat of the 20th of February, the Young Israel Centre hosted
a Young Adult Shabbat lunch. This was attended by 5 families who are
either newly married or have young children. The children spent the
afternoon playing beautifully together while the adults caught up and
spent a relaxed afternoon socialising. We look forward to having more of
these lunches with a few young families at a time.
As I write this we are busy organising a fantastic Shabbaton and youth
lunch and I look forward to reporting back on this for our next article.
Functions are being organised regularly at the Young Israel Centre but
unfortunately, a few have had to be cancelled, due to a lack of response.
I urge you all to take advantage of the wonderful functions that are being
planned and to RSVP as soon as possible once functions are advertised.
Cheder continues with children learning the Shma as well as Hebrew, and
Bat Mitzvah classes will be starting again soon with quite a few girls having
their Bat Mitzvah’s in the upcoming months.
Troy Schonken
www.djc.co.za
April 2016
HASHALOM 17
Yom Limmud Durban (a day event)
2nd of May 2016
Yom Limmud for the whole family,
10 sessions AND a fun Young Limmud for the children
Some of our exciting presenters
Jonathan Kaplan: the Durban born former international rugby union referee,
will share some of his exciting experiences as told in his recently released book
entitled “Calling it like it is”.
Hillel Avidan: Rabbi for a variety of congregations in Scotland, Wimbledon,
Johannesburg and Durban. He will talk about his clandestine visits behind the Iron
Curtain to teach the Jewish community who had been refused permission to leave
Russia (The Refuseniks), and how he smuggled forbidden books and avoided
detection by the KGB.
Rob Baum: Professor at the University of Zululand. She teaches African dance
ethnology and Women's Studies to dramatic and performance theory. She has
directed a theatre for people with cognitive and physical disabilities and has
worked as a dance/movement therapist. She will be presenting on Menchlikite.
Susan Abro: a well-known attorney. She will be speaking about the current legal
battles against local anti semitism.
Lauren Shapiro: a freelance journalist. She will speak about “What happens when
nice Jewish girls get Perinatal Depression?” From her personal experience Lauren
explains what PND actually is, and how it can be treated.
Pamela Tancsik: a professional puppeteer, stage director and theatre practitioner. She will be
presenting one of her puppet shows for the Young Limmudniks. Adults are also welcome.
Enthusiastic volunteers will go the extra mile
looking after, inspiring and entertaining
Young Limmudniks with games, crafts and
activities all day long in their very own
Young Limmud arena.
A Blessed and peaceful Pesach
to the Durban Community
Register at: www.limmud.org.za or contact Rivka at
[email protected] or 082 578 0466
COMMUNITY NEWS
By Diane McColl
After a sad farewell to 369 Ridge Road the congregation has settled in its
temporary home at the Durban Jewish Centre. The office is operational and
all the auxiliary bodies are functioning. Everyone has had to made significant
adjustments not least of all the Hebrew School children. A visit by Habonim
youth workers from Johannesburg got the children excited and lots of
outdoor activities created much laughter and noise.
Another special service was held on Friday, 4 March the DPJC when
the congregation celebrated Women’s World Day of Prayer with
a special service acknowledging the role of women in all spheres of
life. This worldwide initiative represents women of diverse national
and religious traditions who come together to observe a common
day of prayer each year, and who, in many countries, have an ongoing
relationship through prayer and social outreach programmes. It is
observed in more than 170 countries and regions.
There are at present 17 children enrolled in the DPJC Hebrew School
ranging in age from 10 to 16. The mission statement of the school reflects
the core values of Progressive Judaism. The school aims to provide a well
rounded, liberal Jewish education. We strive for a balanced program of
instruction in Jewish religious concepts, Hebrew and progressive religious
practices. In all our dealings with the children we emphasise that every Jew is
a link in the chain of Jewish connection between the past and the future and
By Marion Arkin
endeavour to instil in every learner a sense of belonging to our community
and the Jewish people.
The Sisterhood of Temple David held a Shabbat service for World
Women’s Day of Prayer on 4th March. The ladies who participated in
the Service enjoyed the equality of religious practice.
We were delighted to share our religious observance with several
women representing the various organizations in Durban: Colleen
Mervis of WIZO Durban, Arlene Abrahams representing the Union of
Jewish Women, Roseanne Rosen from the Council of KwaZulu Natal
Jewry, and Mary Kluk, Director of the Durban Holocaust Centre.
Sisterhood members effectively ran the Service.
Since arriving at the DJC the Durban Progressive Congregation has held
several special services. Recently the congregation held a special service to
honour their caretaker of 25 years, Mr John Zulu, who retired at the end of
February. In her address during the service, Mrs Lorna Harris, co-president
of the DPJC praised Mr Zulu and acknowledged his enormous contribution
to the wellbeing of the congregation over the past quarter century.
The congregation wishes Mr Zulu a peaceful and satisfying retirement.
Our guest speaker was Dr. Devi Rajab, who addressed us on the topic,
“Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine - challenges for universal sisterhood”. An
academic and spokesman for women’s rights, Devi is a well-known
personality in Durban. She spoke to us in a warm and humorous
manner on a really serious topic. She spoke of the discrimination faced
by women focusing on all forms of injustice. She insisted on the need
to uphold humanitarian value, both for children and adults. This is one
way to help revise history, which so often largely ignored women’s
contributions, and their equal place in society. We can all play a vital
role in making the world a happier place for all of us and will not be
deterred.
Congregational participation enhanced the service and made for a
warm atmosphere. Everyone enjoyed a brocha with us afterwards.
From left; Ruth & Rabbi Avidan, John Zulu and Lorna Harris
From Left; Marion Arkin, Dr Devi Rajab and Elizabeth Groot
April 2016
HASHALOM 19
COMMUNITY NEWS
Dedee with a few of the DIVOTE backpacks that
we are busy packing and sending to Israel now
By Cheryl Unterslak
DIVOTE has been receiving numerous
backpacks filled by the children at most of
the Jewish day schools in Johannesburg. The
children in the nursery schools, primary and
high are wonderful and enthusiastic supporters
of DIVOTE and are all so happy to be able to
do an act of chesed that will bring happiness
and comfort to so many children affected by
terrorism. All the bags are for children affected
in the last four months.
The children wrote such beautiful and
meaningful letters, and some were decorated
beautifully and had drawings. I have no doubt
that the letters will touch the children and give
them chizuk. I have loved meeting the children
at the schools and to see their enthusiasm to do
this chesed and to see such wonderful Jewish
day schools.
The ladies from the Union of Jewish women in
Port Elizabeth who filled backpacks for children in
Israel recently
In the photo is Dedee sitting amongst a small
portion of the bags that were all ready to be
packed into the boxes to go to Israel. I look
forward to delivering the bags around the whole
of Israel and to tell them about the South African
community and about how much they care. I will
report back on my return.
DIVOTE is a vehicle for everyone to be able
to participate in practical Zionism, and when
someone hears about the horrific attacks in Israel
and are sad about it, they can do something for
the children/families. Through all of the DIVOTE
projects everyone can make a difference.
A DIVOTE teddy bear was delivered to a little boy
whose father was stabbed to death recently
The Port Elizabeth Jewish and Christian
community has been extremely supportive and
I really appreciate their support as well as the
constant support of the amazing Oudtshoorn
community and the way that they embrace this
project.
This is a photo of the Hallelu Christian dance group of PE who filled backpacks recently
A batmitzvah girl receiving her batmitzvah gifts
from a girl in Johannesburg. The batmitzvah girl
lost both her parents in a shooting previously.
20 HASHALOM
April 2016
A woman who recently was affected by acts of
terrorism a few days before she gave birth to a son.
She had just received a baby bag from DIVOTE. The
gifts were donated by the the PE community
This lovely couple were very recently affected
by acts of terrorism. This photo was taken soon
after their wedding. The wedding box comes
from a wonderful woman in Pietermaritzburg.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Union of Jewish Women
FRIENDS IN DEEDS!!
The Union of Jewish Women is fortunate to have the support of “star knitters” at Beth Shalom, Barbara Daniels,
Rhoena Gafen, Elaine Goldberg, Helen Leibowitz, Leah Maserow, Gill Salakov, Lynette Sterling and Anne Wolf.
They help support the UJW by providing an endless supply of beanies for Israeli soldier
and kiddies with cancer, jerseys for children and baby blankets.
Unfortunately not all the ladies were present for the photo but each one of them is a
valued member of the group and their assistance greatly appreciated.
40 AND DOING WELL
Jeannette Landy has stitched together hundreds of squares knitted
by the Beth Shalom ladies to make 40 baby blankets. Thank you
Jeannette and keep going strong!
With Jeannette in the photo is Evelyn Cohen who is in her 40th
year of involvement with the Friendship Club.
Well done ladies, keep up the good work.
April 2016
HASHALOM 21
COMMUNITY NEWS
South African Friends of Israel hold
an outstanding conference
By Michelle Shapira
On Sunday 13 March, the South African Friends of Israel (SAFI), an
affiliate organisation of the South African Zionist Federation, held their
annual conference at Killarney Country Club in Johannesburg. Over
500 delegates attended the daylong conference which kicked off with
a welcome speech by the founder and Co-Chairman of SAFI (and also
the current Chairman of the SAZF), Mr. Ben Swartz. This was followed
by a very inspiring address by Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein, during
which he was lauded with a great deal of applause from the very diverse
audience.
The Israeli Ambassador to South Africa, HE Arthur Lenk, in his usual
entertaining manner, spoke of the relationships that Israel has with various
countries and the fact that Israel is not isolated as detractors would have
it. He enumerated the various ways in which South Africa and Israel
would benefit from closer ties.
The day included three keynote speakers: Mr Winton Steward, the
Director of Pro Israel Campus Outreach in historically Black Colleges and
Universities (HBCU’s) in the United States, Mr Shahar Azani, the Executive
Director of “Stand With Us”, kept the audience spellbound with his often
amusing account of Israeli culture, and Mr Zeev Ben Shachar. Zeev Ben
Shachar is the Director of Israel Education for an organisation called
Jerusalem U. Jerusalem U, among other things, conducts Israel activism
through educational movies and relevant curricula, and also runs gap
year programs for collage age Jews from abroad to develop community
leadership and Israel activism skills. Zeev spoke on activism in general and
also specifically related to combatting the BDS movement.
Also included in the program was a panel discussion during which the
attendees were fortunate to hear the likes of the charismatic Ms Olga
Meshoe, the CEO of DEISI, Mr Nicholas Selamolela, religious leader of
the Lemba tribe, Mr Bejani Chauke, political strategist and Mr Michael
Freeman, Deputy Head of Mission of the Israeli Embassy to South Africa.
22 HASHALOM
April 2016
The final hour of the conference was taken up with a choice of four
workshops: Mr Riad Hassoun, a well-known pro-Israel speaker and
prominent member of the Zionist-Druze Association and the former
city manager of Daliat El Carmel Municipality; Dr Lydia Meshoe, wife
of MP Reverend Kenneth Meshoe and Co-Founder of the Hope of
Glory Tabernacle Church; Mr Chris Eden, the National Director of
Bridges for Peace an organization and Mr Zeev Ben Shachar, one of the
aforementioned key note speakers.
Mark Hyman, the co-Chairman of the South African Friends of Israel
and conference convener, delivered a rousing closing speech to the
plenary of the organisation’s fourth annual Israel Advocacy Conference –
appropriate as the day was marked by one rousing event after the other
that left delegates inspired, empowered and exhausted after ten hours of
non-stop action.
Council of
KwaZulu-Natal Jewry
The Council of KwaZulu-Natal Jewry would like
to advise the Durban Jewish Community
that our name will be changing to
SAJBD KZN Council
(South African Jewish Board of Deputies
KwaZulu-Natal Council)
at our next AGM scheduled to take place
towards the end of 2016.
We feel aligning the brand with the national organization
is a positive step keeping in line with the other regions.
Kind regards
Ronnie Herr
President
April 2016
HASHALOM 23
COMMUNITY NEWS
URGENT CALL TO ACTION to all “Friends of Israel”
Dear Friends
In what seems to be a major shift in SA - Israel Relations - the SA Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DIRCO) met with the
Director General of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week - where they discussed collaboration in water,
food and technology.
Please take 5 minutes of your day to write to one of all of the officials at the Ministry encouraging them for taking
this bold step forward and noting how important this is for South Africa!!!
This would be so appreciated by the SAFI team.
Minister M E Nkoana-Mashabane
Email: [email protected]
Director General Ambassador JM Matjila
Email: [email protected]
Deputy Director General Public Diplomacy Mr T C Monyela
Email: [email protected]
& Co (Pty) Ltd
BOOKSELLERS AND STATIONERS
Wish all their Jewish customers and friends
A HAPPY PASSOVER
www.adamsbooks.co.za
April 2016
HASHALOM 25
COMMUNITY NEWS
By Sylvia Collins
Beth Shalom has had a very busy month with lots of
entertainment for our residents.
Children from Izinga
We were very blessed to have the children from Izinga School come
and entertain our residents and sing beautiful songs, in English, Hebrew
and Zulu. They were very talented children who thoroughly enjoyed
their morning sharing with our residents. Lots of in-house singing just
showed how much the residents enjoyed!
We were also very blessed to have the children from Tree Tops come
to read to our residents for International World Book Day. This was
so much fun and all the children dressed up in costume to depict the
character from their book.
Jeanette Landy enjoying her
student’s story
Gitta Rabins enjoying
the reading
Both were lovely mornings with the children. It fills our residents with
so much joy and delight, hearing the patter of little feet and the laughter
around the home.
On behalf of our President, Mr Stan Liansky, Management
Committee and Residents we would like to wish you all Chag
Pesach Kasher Vesameach.
Anybody who want’s to exchange a house near Jerusalem for
accommodation in Durban over Pesach period.
Please contact Rhona on 031-2015646.
Maizy Shandel and Elaine lange from Beth Shalom
Rabbi Zekry and Officials, The Chairman,
Gaboyim, Members of the Council & Staff
wish all congregants and friends
Chag Pesach Kasher
V’Sameach
26 HASHALOM
April 2016
April 2016
HASHALOM 27
COMMUNITY NEWS
#WhatElseMustFall
BY ALANA BARANOV
On Thursday March 3rd the DHC was
privileged to host a fascinating and topical
evening entitled #WhatElseMustFall.
State entitled “Monuments, Memorials and
Memory: what can South African Students
Leaders learn from the German experience?”
We were delighted that Thomas Hagspihl,
Headmaster of Durban Girls College, shared
his insightful impressions from a recent tour
of Germany and Poland with South African
university students.
Following his overview of the memorials
visited in Poland and Berlin – including
aspects such as the history on the Warsaw
Ghetto, Schindler’s factory, topography of
terror, Majdanek and other death camps, the
Berlin Wall, communism in Eastern Europe
etc. – Mr Hagspihl shared his observations
on the how the UFS SRC students reacted
to what they saw and how they see the
#RhodesMustFall
and
#FeesMustFall
campaigns, and how they see the future of
Hagspihl participated in a recent study tour
facilitated by the Johannesburg Holocaust
and Genocide Centre in conjunction with the
management and Student Representative
Council (SRC) of the University of the Free
Thomas with some of the
learners from Clifton College
Mary Kluk, Maureen Caminsky and
guest speaker Thomas Hagspihl
South Africa. Questions such as: Can there
be reconciliation without justice? How did it
work in Argentina where there was blanket
amnesty? Was the TRC enough? Mandela
sold us out? Land redistribution?
The powerful PowerPoint presentation was
then followed by Q&A and a lively discussion
on the current state of South African society
with students and parents of learners
present. We were also delighted to have
learners from both Clifton College and Kloof
High School with us on the evening, all of
whom thoroughly enjoyed the presentation
and discussion.
Mary Kluk and Thomas Hagspihl
like
DHC ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
School Programme
@ DbnHoloCent
like
www.facebook.com/dbnholocent
Check out our website at www.holocaust.org.za
VEC TO RBUT TO NS.CO M
28 HASHALOM
April 2016
Our schools programme for 2016 has begun with groups of learners
visiting our Centre almost every day to view our exhibition and
participate in our specialized workshop.
We recently hosted Kloof High School at our Centre where they
spent an illuminating morning with us.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Above Board
Mary Kluk,
National Chairman
A column of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies
Jewish Students stand firm against IAW hate and intimidation
“Israel Apartheid Week”, an annual anti-Israel hate fest masquerading
as human rights activism, has come and gone. The Board, as before,
combined with the SAZF, SAUJS and others in opposing it. As always,
the main battlegrounds were the universities. For Wits, the showdown
commenced a week early when the Wits Palestinian Solidarity
Committee booked a venue on the false pretext of representing the
orienteering society. Disciplinary action will be taken against those
responsible, which will be closely monitored by the Board.
SAUJS responded by mounting an effective silent counter-protest,
and also went ahead with its weekly learning session. Despite the
latter being a non-political Jewish study gathering, IAW supporters
interrupted proceedings and taunted participants. This revealed
again the true nature of IAW, which is not about promoting peace,
human rights or even Palestinians welfare, but about demonizing the
Jewish State and inciting hostility against the Jewish community. We
are extremely proud of our students for standing their ground in the
face of such lawlessness and abuse, and for doing so, moreover, in so
restrained and dignified a way. Our campuses are currently hot-beds
of tension, and matters could easily have spiraled out of control they
taken the proverbial bait. Throughout this period, the Board was in
constant consultation with the SAUJS leadership, providing logistical
assistance and advice whenever required.
For IAW, we brought out the distinguished Palestinian academic,
theologian and peace activist Prof. Mohammed Dajani, whose itinerary
included media interviews, meetings with journalists and speaking
engagements. Formerly of al Quds University, he is founder of the
Wasatia movement of moderate Islam and believes that both sides
need to be aware of one another’s aspirations, fears and narratives
if the conflict is to be resolved. Such voices urging moderation and
empathy are sorely needed in today’s troubled world.
Inspiring Address by Shimon Peres
An estimated 1500 people attended the address on 6 March by former
Israeli Prime Minister and President Shimon Peres, a living legend
amongst international statesmen who over the decades has been at
the centre of Israel’s efforts to achieve peace with its neighbours.
For us it was as much about showing solidarity with Israel and paying
tribute to one of her greatest sons as about hearing what he had to
say. Many religious and political leaders were also in attendance, and a
large media presence, which the Board was instrumental in arranging.
MATZO BREI
MAGIC!
FRENCH TOAST MATZO BREI
5 Eggs
Pinch of salt
5 Boards of Matzo
5 Tablespoons butter
½ Cup milk
Sugar and cinnamon mix
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
Maple syrup
½ Teaspoon cinnamon
Whisk the eggs, milk, brown sugar and cinnamon together with a pinch of salt
Break the matzo into pieces and let them soak in warm water until the
mixture softens
Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the mixture letting it set for about
a minute and then breaking it up with a spatula like you would do for
scrambled eggs
Let it cook another 5 minutes or so mixing every so often till it is fully cooked
Serve with sugar and cinnamon or maple syrup and butter
MATZO BREI WITH ROASTED PEPPERS, OLIVES AND PARSLEY
3 Eggs
Salt & pepper
Roasted pepper, thinly sliced
2 Matzo boards
1/3 Cup chopped pitted black olives Warm water
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
Oil
chopped finely
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add roasted peppers, olives and parsley,
and season with salt and pepper.
Soak matzo in warm water for 30 seconds. Drain the water and tear the
matzo into small pieces. Add to the egg mixture and combine.
Heat a non stick large frying pan or cast iron skillet over a medium heat
Add enough oil to cover the bottom and heat
Add the matzo/egg mixture and cook until eggs are set. Do NOT stir or
touch the matzo. You want it to settle to form a crust. Serve immediately.
SMOKED SALMON & DILL MATZO BREI
6 Tablespoons butter
2 Large onions, chopped
3 Matzo boards
6 Eggs
1 ½ cups smoked salmon
1/4 cup fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
Salt and pepper
Heat 4 Tablespoons of the butter in a large pan over medium heat
Add the onions and slowly cook for about 15 minutes until golden
Submerge matzo in warm water for 30 seconds – Remove
In a large bowl whisk the eggs
Break matzo into the egg mixture and add onions, smoked salmon, salt and
pepper the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium
heat. Add egg mixture and cook until eggs are just set (2 – 3 minutes)
Fold in dill and serve immediately
Shutting down debate, as we know, is a standard tactic by radical antiIsrael campaigners. We saw this again in the lead-up to the Peres visit,
with dire threats being made to have him arrested as a “war criminal”.
For this lobby, what Peres had to say was irrelevant – the very fact
that he was speaking was unacceptable. Nothing, predictably, came of
any of this, beyond a bedraggled handful of protestors trying to make
themselves heard and being largely ignored. South Africa remains a
robust democracy, and by and large, people do not appreciate being
told which views they are expected to endorse and which ones are
off limits.
April 2016
HASHALOM 29
COMMUNITY NEWS
BIRTHS
Belated mazaltov to John and Anna Moshal on the birth of a
granddaughter, a daughter for Martin and Ilana in London.
April 2016
Date Time
Event
Venue
Friendship Club – UJW
Beth Shalom
BAR/BATMITZVAHS
Mazaltov to Paul and Doreen Abelman on the Barmitzvah of
their grandson Eitan, son of Walter and Yaeli.
WEDDING
Mazaltov to Harry and Estelle Spain on the marriage of their
daughter Lisa to Kevin Fine; to Farrell and Dominique Perling
on their marriage.
ANNIVERSARIES
6
6
6.30pm
DHSA 52nd AGM
Eden
14
7.30pm
BGM- KNZC
DJCentre
20
9.30am
Friendship Club- Sisterhood
Beth Shalom
Event
Venue
The Butler Fundraiser - WIZO
DJCentre
Friendship Club - UJW
Beth Shalom
Yom Hashoah
DJCentre
Mazaltov to Leon and Edith Tuback on their 55th wedding
anniversary.
May 2016
BIRTHDAYS
Date Time
Mazaltov to Alan Gild on his 80th birthday; to Elaine Goldberg
on her 85th; to Eunice Kentridge on her 83rd birthday; to Alec
Vituli on his 83rd birthday.
3
CONDOLENCES
4
Our deepest condolences to Sandra Kravat on the passing of her
brother Jack Freedman in Melbourne; to David Unterslak and family
on the passing of his father Eric; to Warren Shapiro on the passing
on his father Leslie, to Shelly Harris on the death of her father.
8
9.30am
Wishing the community
Chag Pesach Kasher
V’sameach
SUSAN ABRO
ATTORNEY
FAMILY LAW AND GENERAL
LITIGATION SPECIALIST
031 – 312 6227
[email protected]
Hashalom is not responsible for errors and omissions. Please submit
your information
in writing to Durban
79 Churchill
Road, Morningside,
The Editor, PO Box 10797, Marine Parade 4056 or fax to (031) 3379600 or email [email protected].
Hashalom is not responsible for errors and omissions. Please submit your information in writing to
The Editor, PO Box 10797, Marine Parade 4056 or fax to (031) 3379600 or email [email protected].
April 2016
HASHALOM 31
32 HASHALOM
April 2016