Magic of Miracle Drive

April 4 2014 / 4 Nissan 5774
Volume 18 – Number 12
Jewish Report
south african
Communal
Pesach
Seders
(page 15)
Photo: Jason Crouse
www.sajr.co.za
Magic of Miracle Drive
Rotterdam-trained conductor Gerben Grooten leads the orchestra headlining entertainment at Monday’s Miracle Drive fundraising event at the Sandton
Convention Centre, a sumptuous evening hosted to celebrate the contribution made by Chabad to not only local Jewry, but the broader community at large.
In the foreground and still veiled, is the luxurious Nissan Infiniti X50, the first prize in the Miracle Drive draw, won by Peter Machlup. See story on page 8.
Radio 786 case settled at
last after 16 years
Enthusiastic B-JEN launch
in Johannesburg
‘Great Debate’ agrees on
two-state solution for ME
In the hope that SA and its
people and communities
will grow as a result of this
experience, both sides agreed
to proceed no further with the
matter.
No use complaining about bad
luck: if you complain, 60 per
cent of people didn’t care and
the other 40 per cent were
happy about it.
“South Africa has a lot of
experience in reaching a
peaceful resolution and we
should share our experience,”
said the ANC’s Paul Mashatile.
3
2
Does Adelson buying
another newspaper
imperil Israeli media?
A Human Being Died
That Night: emotionally
haunting must-see play
“The paper is the trumpet of one
man, the prime minister,” said
Israel’s Economy Minister Naftali
Bennett.
If you’re able to glance through
the crime and into the heart of
its perpetrator, are you absolving
him of his guilt?
6
7
12
-
Can you imagine walking to Shul for Pesach in 2016?
w
ShO pm
On y 1-5
a
d
Sun
ESTATE, OAKLANDS
Only 20 Luxury 3 Bedroom Apartments left!
IT’S HOME TIME
Exceptionally spacious - State-of-the-art interiors
Kitchens fitted with 9 SMEG Appliances
011 731 0300
www.firzt.co.za
Yours from R2 949 000 incl. VAT
Artist Impression
Benjy Pein 083 453 4156 | benjy@firzt.co.za
Artist Impression
2
Community
News
SA JEWISH R
REPORT
EPORT
01 -408
June
2012
– 11
April
2014
Enthusiastic B-JEN launch in Johannesburg
In March last year, the Cape Council of the SAJBD and the
SA Black Economic Forum (SABEF) embarked on a joint initiative that in due course became B-JEN - the Black-Jewish
Entrepreneurs Network.
Conceived as a forum through which black and Jewish
entrepreneurs could share their experiences and create networking opportunities, the venture, having gained the backing of Investec Bank, was an immediate success.
The stated mission of B-JEN, now formally constituted
as a nonprofit company, is to “promote, inspire and grow
entrepreneurship in South Africa, through four key objectives: entrepreneurship development, global connectivity,
transformation and business compliance”.
To date, it has brought together over 100 emerging and
established entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds, with
many having since either gone into business or started potential conversations with one another.
On March 27 this year, B-JEN, under the auspices of the
SAJBD Gauteng Council and SABEF, was also launched in
Johannesburg, at the premises of Investec.
Forty young black and Jewish entrepreneurs, along with
established members of the business community and other
interested parties, came together for an enthralling evening
of sharing ideas and experiences, exploring possible future
partnerships and benefiting from the expert advice of more
experienced business leaders.
There was a palpable sense of enthusiasm, goodwill and
shared optimism throughout the event. Each participant conveyed something of the pride and excitement he or she felt
in having established something new and original and then
nurturing it from rudimentary beginnings through successive
stages of development to the present levels of success.
The evening culminated in six up-and-coming entrepreneurs pitching their particular enterprises to a panel of four
eminent judges, who then chose which they considered to be
the best three.
Keynote speaker Sam Hackner, CEO and global head of Investec Property, shared some of the insights he had gained
Photo: Ashleigh Sacks
DAVID SAKS
Expert business panel of judges, Sid Wahi; Peter Vundla; Allon Raiz; and Marc Kahn.
during his more than 30 years in the property industry. To
be a successful entrepreneur, he said, you had “to have passion, to have guts and to back your intuition”.
This included sometimes having to take risks, but such
risk-taking also needed to be within realistic bounds. Metaphorically speaking, it was reasonable to risk losing one’s
little toe, but reckless if one might wind up a paraplegic if
things didn’t work out.
Hackner stressed the importance of maintaining one’s
good name in the business world. A person had only one
name and had to “protect it to the nth degree”; once lost, a
good name was all but impossible to regain.
It was also no use complaining about bad luck, since in his
experience, if you did complain, 60 per cent of people didn’t
care and the other 40 per cent were happy about it. In the
business realm, one made one’s own luck.
MC of the proceedings was SAJBD Diplomatic Liaison and
B-JEN Project Manager Aviva-Liora Moses. Opening messages were given by SABEF Executive Director Matsi Modise
and SAJBD Gauteng Council Chairman Jeff Katz.
A graduate of the Investec Internship Programme, Modise
described entrepreneurs as the “superheroes” of South Africa today, people whose innovative, creative business endeavours were the key to fostering a vibrant economy and
resolving such pressing socio-economic challenges as unemployment.
Katz expressed the hope that the evening’s launch heralded the start of what would be a very long-term project
through which black and Jewish entrepreneurs could forge
meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships.
Taking ownership of Pesach experience
Parshat Metzora
Rabbi Sholem Bacher
Craighall Blairgowrie
Hebrew Centre
The story of Pesach and the way we experience
it each year, contains vital lessons of education
and self growth. A general definition of education is the art of teaching people to stand on
their own; to be self-sufficient, reliable, kind
and compassionate, with good traits.
The original Geulah (redemption) of Pesach
was an extraordinary process that led to our
birth as a fledgling nation. The supernatural
powers of G-d were demonstrated in an immense spiritual revelation.
The rules of nature gave way as the miraculous 10 Plagues and other wonders were
carried out. There was nothing lacking; all the
stops were pulled out from above and below
to educate the world with knowledge and revealed experience of its Creator. The time had
come for G-d to launch his chosen people with
this redemption and to prepare us to receive
the gift and responsibility of his Torah.
Yet the most important element in this
whole chain of events was still lacking. We
as a nation had received one of the greatest
handouts that were ever given. Pesach was a
leap over protocols and boundaries and this
prevented us from sufficiently internalising
the experience.
We were given massive doses of credit as
Hashem performed miracles for us that we
did not yet have the opportunity to earn or
deserve. So we relied on the merit of our
patriarchs and matriarchs, our ancestors who
had sacrificed so much in their selfless love and
devotion. We were like children who are heirs
of immense wealth, beneficiaries of great blessings that were not originally our own.
So how do we rise to the challenge of
absorbing the magnitude of this event? To
achieve true growth and appreciation from an
experience that was served up to us on a silver
platter. This is accomplished through cel-
ebrating Pesach each year with its fascinating
educational customs. We experience Pesach as
a “do-it-yourself” event.
This theme begins this week with Rosh
Chodesh Nissan. The Torah instructs us to
take charge of the calendar itself and mark the
dawn of the first month, called Nissan.
During the first 12 days of Nissan there is
a custom to recite “The Nasi”. This pertains to
special gifts that were brought by the leaders
of each tribe in honour of the inauguration of
the Temple. The Nasi, as prince and leader of
each of the tribes of Israel, brought these gift
offerings as the representative of his tribe.
We commemorate this by reading the verses
describing the gifts brought each day. This
continues for 12 days with a portion describing
this ceremony for each Nasi. The gifts of each
Nasi were similar, yet the Torah repeats them
in detail.
This highlights that although these were
communal events, they had a unique individual component too. The gift of each Nasi was
significant in its own right; it was a vital part
of the overall inauguration of the Mishkan.
As Pesach draws closer, we are filled with
prayers for our people and for a troubled world.
We will soon celebrate as a community yet our
actions as individuals are vital. Each one of
us performs the mitzvoth of Pesach, such as
matzah, marror and the four cups of wine.
This creates a dynamic experience that is
self-made and relevant. Through our efforts
it becomes part and parcel of us. Let us take
ownership of the experience of Pesach and
make it our own. May Hashem respond to us
with abundant blessings and miracles.
See the Kashrut Alert on page 15
Shabbat Times
April 4 / 4 Nissan
April 5 / 5 Nissan
Parshat Metzora
17:45 18:33Johannesburg
18:15
19:10
Cape Town
17:32 18:21Durban
17:51
18:40 Bloemfontein
17:51
18:41
Port Elizabeth
17:43
18:32
East London
GENERAL MANAGER Karen Knowles - 082 855 2131 - karen@sajewishreport.co.za • EDITOR Geoff Sifrin - geoff@sajewishreport.co.za • Sub-editor Paul Maree • Ed Co-ordinator Sharon Greenblatt
- sharon@sajewishreport.co.za • Sports editor Jack Milner • Books editor Gwen Podbrey • Arts editor Robyn Sassen • Cape Town correspondent Moira Schneider: 021-794-4206 • Pretoria
correspondent Diane Wolfson: 082-707-9471 • Advertising: Adi Lew: adi@sajewishreport.co.zaa, Britt Landsman: 082-292-9520 - britt@sajewishreport.co.za, Marlene Bilewitz: marlene@
sajewishreport.co.za • Classified sales: Susan Walunda: jrclassified@global.co.za • Distribution manager Britt Landsman • Design and layout: Bryan Maron/Design Bandits – bryan@
designbandits.co.za • Website: Anthony Katz • Subscription enquiries: Avusa Publishing (Pty) Ltd. Tel: 0860-13-2652. Board of Directors: Howard Feldman (Chairman), Issie Kirsh (Deputy Chair), Marlene Bethlehem, Bertie Lubner, Benjy
Porter, Herby Rosenberg, Howard Sackstein, Elton Bondi, Michael Sieff, Steven Krawitz, Denese Bloch.
Jewish Report
South African
Advertisements and editorial copy from outside sources do not neccessarily reflect the views of the editors and staff. Tel: (011) 274-1400
News
4 – 11 April 2014
SA JEWISH REPORT
DAVID SAKS
What has possibly been the longest-running
legal battle in South African history came to
an end this week when the SAJBD and the
Islamic Unity Convention (IUC) reached a
settlement on the Board’s complaint of hate
speech against Radio 786.
In terms of the settlement the IUC, under
whose auspices Radio 786 fall, acknowledged
that the relevant broadcast had contained material that “may have been viewed as nonsensical, and anti-Semitic”.
It was recorded that the central point of
contention had been whether the programme
had been of such a nature as to have fallen
into the category of constitutionally prohibited advocacy of hatred based on race and that
it constituted incitement to cause harm.
The SAJBD’s contention was that it did,
while the IUC maintained that it did not and
therefore had been permissible in terms of the
right to freedom of expression.
However “in the spirit of ubuntu and in
the hope that South Africa and all its people
and communities will grow as a result of this
experience”, both sides had agreed to proceed
no further with the matter.
Thus, the Complaints Compliance Committee of the Independent Communications Authority of SA, would not be required to make a
ruling either way as to whether or not the 786
programme had amounted to prohibited hate
speech.
The matter goes back to a 786 programme
broadcast on May 8 1998, in which the interviewee, Dr Yakub Zaki, made a wide range of
anti-Jewish conspiracy allegations, including
that the Holocaust was a Jewish invention.
Photo: Supplied
Radio 786 case settled - in spirit of ubuntu
Gary Eisenberg, SAJBD Cape
Council chairman, and Ali
Chicktay, secretary of the IUC,
sign the declaration.
The substance of the interview and its antiSemitic nature was comprehensively dissected
and explained by Prof Milton Shain and UK
academic Dr David Hirsh at the first round of
hearings into the Board’s complaint, held in
December 2012.
The joint statement continued that Radio
786 recognised that the broadcast had “caused
offence and distress to members of the South
African Jewish community”. The SAJBD in
turn recognised that it had not been the intention of Radio 786 to cause any such offence or
distress.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment
to freedom of speech and a pluralistic society
in which the dignity and equality of all were
respected and protected.
In a media release, the SAJBD commented
that the resolution of the dispute could have
been achieved many years earlier had the IUC
agreed from the outset to the holding of a formal hearing into the Board’s complaint against
the radio station.
That being said, it was satisfied with the
outcome, which it said had “vindicated its decision to confront and expose what was a very
hateful and defamatory attack on the Jewish
people”.
Enquiry into
kosher chicken
prices attracts
mainstream
attention
Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein’s move
to investigate the price of kosher
chicken, has attracted interest in the
mainstream media, with the Sunday
Times last Sunday headlining a story:
“Chief Rabbi in a flap over price of
kosher chicken”.
Nando’s co-founder Robert Brozin,
at the Chief Rabbi’s behest leads
a task team to investigate the high
price of kosher chicken.
A spot check done by the paper in
Norwood in Johannesburg, showed
that Jews could expect to pay
between R15 and R40 more per kilogram for kosher chicken, compared
with a major supermarket’s freerange equivalent. Rabbi Goldstein is
quoted by the paper as saying: “People are suffering financially and we
have a moral and religious imperative
to alleviate their suffering.”
Brozin said it was still too early
to say where he would start the
investigation.
Mike Kingston, an independent
consultant in the poultry industry,
is quoted by the paper as saying
the disparity was owing to the strict
requirements for preparing kosher
chicken and the relatively low demand for it.
Touring the route the day before.
Unity Challenge team takes over the Old City
6am race day.
Congratulations to the Unity Challenge
runners who travelled to Israel to complete
the Jerusalem Marathon and Half Marathon on
March 21.The trip was a partnership between
ORT SA,The SAZF and Mizrachi SA and was
a massive success with all involved having an
unforgettable experience.
The runners enjoyed many unique
experiences such as meeting the Chief Rabbi of
Israel, Rabbi Lau; meeting Global entrepreneur,
Jon Medved and an unforgettable pre-race
dinner with SA lone soldiers serving in the
IDF and IDF soldiers who had been injured
SPONSORS
The Knesset at the start of the race:
touring the route the day before.
previously. The group also visited many famous
landmarks on the pre-race tour of the route,
adding another dimension to their run.
“I have travelled to Israel dozens of times
and this trip was without a doubt one of the
most challenging, yet exciting and fulfilling
experiences. Also running the first 15 ks of a
marathon with Bruce Fordyce is a once in a
lifetime chance that will stick with me forever,”
says Ben Swartz.
The setting for the post-race team Shabbos
dinner was spectacular.The runners dined
under the stars in an ancient ruin near the
3
Western Wall where running legend Bruce
Fordyce entertained the team with his many
humorous marathon experiences.
“It was a privilege to be part of such a unique
campaign, I really enjoyed working with Rabbi
Ramon Widmonte (Mizrachi) and Ben Swartz
(SAZF) on this project.Together we managed
to create a great experience and raise much
needed funds for the charities involved,” said
Nicci Raz.
Thank you to all the runners, the generous
corporate sponsors and individual donors who
helped make this campaign a massive success!
4
2
News
News
SA JEWISH R
REPORT
EPORT
01 -408
June
2012
– 11
April
2014
SA Lawyers for Israel is
constituted in Cape Town
ANT KATZ
“Cape Town lawyers are determined to tackle,
both proactively and reactively the protection
of public and private rights under threat in
South Africa by implementing the potentially
powerful weapon of lawfare,” says David Abel of
Likud-SA in Cape Town.
A group of 13 prominent law practitioners
have now formally constituted SA Lawyers for
Israel (SALFI) in Cape Town. Abel and Ben Levitas, SAZF Cape Council chairman, are driving
the project. A similar group is being formed in
Johannesburg by a senior jurist.
“Cape Town lawyers are determined to tackle,
proactively and reactively, the protection of
public and private rights under threat by implementing the potentially powerful weapon of
lawfare,” said Abel.
At a series of meetings, Levitas and Abel
brought together a strong group of local lawyers
who have set up SALFI in Cape Town.
SALFI Cape has become the newest forma-
tion of its kind, with similar organisations
already operating in the UK, US and Israel. UK
Lawyers for Israel have been operating successfully since 2011. UKLFI and their Israeli
counterparts are providing support to SALFI,
says Abel, as they realise South Africa, as the
land which gave birth to apartheid, was at the
epicentre of BDS’ worldwide campaign to brand
Israel as an apartheid state.
SALFI aims to marginalise BDS in general,
and will target public structures like government departments at all levels and universities
throughout the country, wherever and whenever required; as well as protect the private rights
of communities, businesses and individuals,
says Abel.
Pro-Israel lawyers in the US have succeeded
in getting North Eastern University to suspend
the entire SRC due to their anti-Israel behaviour, says Abel. Locally, SALFI lawyers are assisting Cape SAUJS Chairman Luigi Bonfig with
issues emanating from Israel Apartheid Week at
UCT recently.
Diplomat strike is still very
much under the radar
ANT KATZ
It is difficult to find a definitive answer in the Israeli media as to when the strike by Israeli diplomats actually started or when it may end.
Last Friday, March 28, Y-NET ran a headline claiming: “Israeli diplomats find diplomatic end to
strike”. Their story went on to say that the strike would “end by Sunday (March 30) barring lastminute surprises”.
On Monday (March 31), however, Public Radio International (PRI), proclaimed that the week-old
strike (which was in fact in its third week), was continuing. “If you need Israel’s consular services
right now, you’re out of luck,” wrote PRI’s Itamar Eichner.
The mainstream media in Israel seem not to be covering the story with much interest or facts.
On Monday Jewish Report spoke to a reliable source at Israel’s Embassy in SA, who asked not to
be named, and asked where things stood. The source confirmed that talks had begun last week but
that the SA-based diplomats had heard or read no news suggesting that there was any end in sight.
What’s on the web?
ANT KATZ
Why do as many as 2 600 people from 137 countries visit
www.sajr.co.za per day?
Why have they spent as
many as 26 192 minutes
(4 665 hours) on the website in
a single day? Why do over 6 000 people
receive our free weekly newsletter and epaper every Wednesday? Why do hundreds
of users engage in online conversations
every week?
Here are just some of what you can
read on our website right now:
• E xpat SA couple open first Chinese
media centre in MidEast - in Israel!
• Great Park Synagogue’s Pesach flashmob at PnP goes viral, passing 10k hits
in first week
• Rhodes (non-Jewish) student writes on
the hidden agenda of IAW
And, of course, you may be one of nearly
1 000 users we caught with our April Fool
story.
The verdict on Ehud Olmert for taking bribes
Now we know one thing for sure: Ehud Olmert (pictured) will never again be prime minister of Israel.
Olmert, who led Israel’s government from 2006 to 2009, was convicted on Monday of taking bribes
in the Holyland affair, a scandal involving the illegal construction of high-rise apartments in Jerusalem
when Olmert was the city’s mayor more than a decade ago.
It was a soap opera of a case, but what matters now is the bottom line: Olmert, 68, faces significant
jail time - not to mention a ban from politics.
Olmert resigned his premiership upon facing a corruption indictment. As recently as last year, though,
pundits and advisers floated his name as Israel’s next great centrist hope. He was the man who could
lead an assertive government into a peace deal with the Palestinians, they said, as long as his corruption
charges went away. Except they didn’t go away.
If Monday’s judgment has demolished Olmert’s personal reputation, his political legacy was already
in tatters. His once-mighty centrist Kadima party has hit its nadir. He’s going to prison, and the party he
once led has two seats in the Knesset, likely its last hurrah.
Kadima was founded by Ariel Sharon, the general-turned-politician, and the party’s appeal was in the
premise that Israel could take full control of its destiny independent of its adversaries. The state could
unilaterally set its borders, move its population and bomb its enemies as it saw fit - rewriting the rules to
secure Israel’s strategic needs.
That was the defining motif of Sharon’s career - from the Sinai to Lebanon to the Gaza
Disengagement. And it’s the approach Olmert adopted when he took the reins of Kadima - Hebrew for
“onward” - after Sharon’s 2006 stroke.
But the approach has yielded mixed results: Wars in Lebanon and Gaza left Israel with inconclusive
victories and fallout abroad. Olmert’s “Consolidation Plan”, a unilateral withdrawal from parts of the West
Bank, never got off the ground. And Israel’s next government was led not by Kadima but by the Likud of
Benjamin Netanyahu.
With Holyland, it seems, Olmert tried to rewrite the rulebook to suit his personal needs, disregarding
building regulations in Jerusalem for the right price. But that didn’t work out very well for him. (JTA)
63% of Israelis oppose
terrorist prisoner
release, poll says
JERUSALEM - About 63 per cent of Jewish Israelis
oppose going ahead with the fourth stage of the
Palestinian terrorist prisoner release in exchange
for an agreement by Palestinian Authority
President Mahmoud Abbas to extend the current
peace negotiations, a new Israel Hayom-New
Wave Research poll has found.
Slightly more than 15 per cent support the
release as long as it does not include Israeli Arabs,
while 13,2 per cent said they had no opinion. Only
8,3 per cent expressed support for the release.
During a meeting with Likud party ministers
on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said that there would be no deal to free
prisoners “without a clear benefit [for Israel] in
return”. (JNS.org)
Arab League vows to
never recognise Israel
as a Jewish state
KUWAIT CITY - At a summit in Kuwait last week,
Arab League leaders vowed to never recognise
Israel as a Jewish state - a key Israeli demand for
a peace agreement - while also squarely blaming
Israel for the lack of progress in Israeli-Palestinian
negotiations.
“We hold Israel entirely responsible for the lack
of progress in the peace process and continuing
tension in the Middle East,” an Arab League
communiqué said, according to The Associated
Press. “We express our absolute and decisive
rejection to recognising Israel as a Jewish state.”
(JNS.org)
Rolling Stones
performing in Israel on
June 4
JERUSALEM - It’s official: The Rolling Stones will give
a concert this summer at Tel Aviv’s Hayarkon Park.
“Today, the longest negotiation of my career is
coming to an end,” concert promoter Shuki Weiss
said at a press conference announcing the band’s
June 4 performance.
“I began this process before Israel’s 40th
Independence Day (in 1988) and it was completed
only in 2014,” Weiss added.
Tickets for the Rolling Stones will run from NIS
695 ($199) for a space on the lawn to NIS 2 850
($818) for a VIP ticket.
“It’s a big event, so expenses are high,” Weiss
said. (JNS.org)
TRULY KOSHER
S
E
R
F
R
B
H
T
E
K
IS
MOISHE’S
MEHADRIN
COMMISSION
FRESH
BRISKET
BRINGING YOU
THE BEST PESACH
RANGE FROM
AROUND THE
WORLD
11999
/kg
NORTHWINDS
GRADE 1
EXTRA
LARGE
EGGS
3499
2199
MOSMARKS
MATZOS
LARGE F
EO
RANG
FRUIT
DRIED UTS
&N
18’s
300g
LARGE F
EO
RANG S &
E
WIN ICES
JU
GRAPE
1l
TENDERCHICK
GRADE A
WHOLE
BIRD
Beth Din
39
GER’S
MANA
R
SUPEIAL
SPEgCpack
COKE &
COKE
LIGHT
99
9 99
DEBRAS
SCHMALTZ
/kg
VEGETABLE
SPREAD
each
2299
250g
68 0
- 100g
R5.45
GLICKS
POTATO
STARCH
FOR
BAKING &
COOKING
BACKSBERG
NATURAL
SWEET
RED
KIDDUSH
WINE
MEVUSHAL
54
3199
CHOCOLATE
TREE
COOKING
CHOCOLATE
99
750 ml
200g
GLICKS FINEST
PURE
COTTONSEED
OIL
6999
3699
1.4 l
680g
&
FROGSS
T
S
U
C
LO ALLOWS
M
MARSNHOW IN
STORE
SNOWSOFT
FACIAL
TISSUES
10
2-Ply white
tissues
LARGE RANGE OF
&
ASSORTED CAKES - PAREVE & GLUTEN FREE
99
200’S
2599
DE LA VI
SALTED
HERRINGS
350g
LIEBER’S FRUIT
JELLY
BEARS
& STARS
240g
4899
each
W
NE
INoE.za
NL
O
R
E
D
rl
R
o
O : www.kosherw d.c
it
Vis
1 LONG AVENUE, CORNER RIDGE AND SUMMERWAY, GLENHAZEL
CALL: 011 440 9517 | INFO@KOSHERWORLD.CO.ZA | WWW.KOSHERWORLD.CO.ZA
TRADING HOURS: MON-THURS 7AM - 10PM | FRI: 7AM-4PM | SAT: 1/2 HOUR AFTER SHABBOS - 10PM | SUN: 8AM-10PM
WHILE
STOCKS
LAST
Opinion and Analysis
SA JEWISH REPORT
Jewish Report
south african
Taking a bribe and
getting caught
Behind blaring headlines about the “peace process”,
missiles from Gaza, etc, it is nice to know ordinary life
in Israel goes on. And, cynically, an element of ordinary
life in almost any country is that politicians and public
officials take bribes.
Ehud Olmert did it. This scion of an esteemed Zionist
family, former Israeli prime minister, Jerusalem mayor
and key figure in the creation of the Kadima party, the
great hope of Israeli politics in 2006 when he took over
from an incapacitated Ariel Sharon, was on Monday
found guilty in a Tel Aviv court of accepting $161 000 in
bribes when he was mayor to enable the Holyland Park
residential project to go ahead, flouting building regulations. He was forced to resign in 2009 under charges of
corruption.
Hindsight is 20/20 vision, and today one wonders
why Israelis trusted him with the highest executive office in the land.
He was the one who sent Israeli soldiers into Lebanon
in the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and Operation Cast
Lead in Gaza in 2008. What would soldiers who died
have thought about their “commander-in-chief ”?
The flipside of this sad tale is satisfaction that in Israel, the principle that nobody is above the law seems to
be real. Olmert’s case has been going on since 2009 and,
despite all his efforts, he couldn’t slip away. He faces the
prospect of a long prison sentence.
Equality before the law goes to the top, including presidents. Not long ago, former Israeli President
Moshe Katsav was convicted of sexual offences and now
is serving a seven year prison sentence.
The sentencing of bigwigs sets the country’s tone. An
Israeli motorist caught going through a red traffic light
is unlikely to surreptitiously slip a few shekels to the
traffic officer to let him go. He might end up with far
more travails. If a cop indicates he might accept a bribe,
he risks his career and much more. That sort of thing
isn’t the norm there.
Corruption exists in Israel, as in all countries, often
well hidden. The difference is the treatment of perpetrators who are caught.
Would you bribe a Johannesburg traffic officer after
jumping a red light? It’s easy to slip a R100 note into
your ID book when handing it over so he’ll wave you on.
For the ordinary citizen trying to get to work or make
a living, it is often pragmatically more worthwhile paying a bribe than arguing your case in court, even if you
know right is on your side.
How many readers of this paper have done similar
acts? Probably quite a number.
The perception here is that corruption “isn’t so bad”.
A string of dishonest officials caught with their hands
in the cookie jar have had no action taken against them,
besides a mere slap on the wrist. When high officials,
politicians and businessmen get away with it, ordinary
citizens are more likely to do it.
Our own President’s chequered past, with sleazy
charges dropped against him before he assumed office,
and Shabir Shaik seemingly going to jail for his sake as
the “fall guy”, sets the tone.
The exceptional cases where top officials have gone
to jail, like former Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi,
doesn’t change it. If you cannot trust the police, who
can you trust? The cynical view is that every docket has
a price - pay enough and it can conveniently disappear.
Corruption kills the chances of this country becoming the jewel of Africa and makes it another banana republic. If the ANC won’t reject Zuma after the Nkandla
scandal, he should consider resigning, as would happen
in most Western countries, even before the legal process runs its course. It’s the best service he could do for
South Africa and whatever remains of his credibility.
It won’t bring all corrupt officials feeding at the public trough to book, but it would be a start. Hopefully, a
new generation of whistle-blowers will grow up in the
country.
– Geoff Sifrin, Editor
4 – 11 April 2014
‘Great debate’: SA political parties
unanimous on 2-state solution for ME
Photo: Michael Belling
6
Participants in SAJBD ‘Great Debate’: At the podium Raymond Goss of the SAJBD; Chairman Justice Malala; Arts and Culture Minister Paul
Mashatile (ANC); Mmusi Maimane, DA Premiership candidate in Gauteng; Cheryllyn Dudley, MP (ACDP); Sibongile Nkomo (IFP); and seated at
right in yellow scarf Lyndall Shope-Mafole (Cope).
MICHAEL BELLING
Leaders of five political parties indicated that they did not support anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) at the
Great Debate arranged by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies on
Tuesday.
Chaired by political commentator Justice Malala, the panel
comprised Cheryllyn Dudley, parliamentary leader of the African
Christian Democratic Party; Mmusi Maimane, Democratic Party
candidate for Gauteng premier; Paul Mashatile, Minister of Arts
and Culture in the ANC-led government; Sibongile Nkomo, secretary-general of the Inkatha Freedom Party; and Lyndall ShopeMafole, secretary-general of the Congress of the People.
Malala posed five questions to the panel, based on Facebook,
e-mail and Twitter submissions from members of the Jewish
community.
On Israel and BDS, Mashatile said the ANC had always supported a two-state solution and sought a peaceful resolution of
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“South Africa has a lot of experience in reaching a peaceful
resolution and we should share our experience,” he said.
With regard to BDS, the ANC had “not taken a position to go
in that direction”, although he acknowledged that some in the
ruling alliance (not the ANC itself) had done so.
Dudley was the most outspoken on the issue, pointing out that
the ACDP was the only party in Parliament earlier this year to oppose the (so-called) “Cape Town Declaration” that fully supported BDS and attacked Israel, using extremely radical terminology.
Maimane said the DA supported a two-state solution and also
supported the economic viability of countries in the Middle East.
Just as South Africa had negotiated a peaceful solution to its
situation, the same should apply to Israel and the Palestinians.
“I don’t feel that BDS is helpful to that process,” he said.
He added that the DA MP who had voted in favour of the Cape
Town Declaration was not going back to Parliament after the
May 7 elections.
Nkomo read out the IFP policy on the Middle East: “The IFP
stands by its conviction that the right of Israel to existence and
self-determination must be protected under international law;
so should the independence and self-determination of the Palestinian people.
“A two-state solution must be sought and realised; this is the
only way peace will return to the region.”
Shope-Mafole said Cope favoured assisting in a peaceful resolution to the conflict, “as we did in South Africa”. It was impor-
tant to encourage people on both sides to get together.
On the issue of crime and corruption, Mashatile said it was
necessary to deal with these issues. When someone like the Public Protector issued a report, the government had to make sure it
was considered. There was also more visible policing.
Maimane said the main question was how we dealt with accountability. Politicians had to restore their space as servants of
the public.
According to Dudley, corruption was “stealing our country’s
future”, while Nkomo felt corruption had to be stemmed at the
highest level, because that was where it was occurring. ShopeMafole said South Africans were too tolerant of wrongdoing and
corruption.
The parties were largely in agreement on the need for change
to improve labour relations, particularly after the Marikana killings. The opposition parties favoured an easing of the onerous
labour legislation to encourage job creation and foreign investment.
The first issue with regard to service delivery was lack of skills,
according to Shope-Mafole. In addition, a national liberation
movement was not a government, which also affected service
delivery.
Nkomo said the government was paralysed, especially through
corruption and people being in jobs where they could not deliver. Dudley echoed this: “We need competent and able people to
manage what needs to be managed.”
Maimane added that there had to be better accountability
among public servants and there was an increasing distance between politicians and the people.
There was nothing wrong with protests in a democracy, Mashatile said. The problem arose when they became violent.
The last question related to economic growth in South Africa.
Everyone agreed that the country was a better place than it had
been in 1994. Mashatile was positive about future growth prospects, but Shope-Mafole pointed to the lack of a sufficient skills
base, an inadequate quality of education and a lack of competitiveness, all leading to a lack of an environment that enabled
South Africa to compete globally.
It was necessary to strike a balance between job creation and
job protection, Nkomo said. Dudley said huge entrepreneurship
skills in the country had to be allowed to flourish - the country
needed less bureaucracy.
The structure of the economy favoured the few at the expense
of the many, Maimane said. We had to build a level of equity as
well as make it easier to do business.
Pollard ‘wouldn’t want to be freed for
Israeli concessions’
JERUSALEM - Jewish leaders say Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, currently in his 29th year in an
American jail, would not want to be freed as part of a deal to extract concessions from Israel.
A deal reportedly being considered by US Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, includes five elements: Pollard’s freedom before Pesach; extending current IsraeliPalestinian peace talks into 2015, with the Palestinians committing not to seek unilateral moves
at the UN; Israel proceeding with the fourth release of 26 Palestinian terrorist prisoners; Israel
releasing another 400 prisoners “without blood on their hands”, including women and minors; and
an Israeli settlement construction freeze.
Zionist Organisation of America President Morton A Klein, said Tuesday: “Over the course of
decades, I have personally spoken with Pollard over 50 times. He also urged me several times thus:
‘Mort, make it clear to the Israeli officials not to make any concessions, not of any land, or of freezing construction of Jewish homes in Judea/Samaria, in order to obtain my release’.” (JNS.org)
Opinion and Analysis
4 – 11 April 2014
SA JEWISH REPORT
7
Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Does Adelson buying another newspaper imperil Israeli media?
Sheldon Adelson (left) is escorted to his seat to listen to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
speak during the Republican Jewish Coalition spring leadership meeting in Las Vegas.
BEN SALES
TEL AVIV
What happens when one man controls three
major Israeli news outlets?
That’s the question Israeli media experts
are asking just days after Sheldon Adelson,
the American casino magnate and Republican
mega-donor, purchased the respected conservative weekly Makor Rishon for nearly $5 million.
On Sunday, a Jerusalem court approved
Adelson’s purchase of the paper, which had
acquired the now-defunct Maariv newspaper
and its website, NRG.co.il, in 2012. Adelson
already owned Israel Hayom, a free daily tabloid
he founded in 2007 that is Israel’s most widely
distributed paper.
With the new purchase, Adelson now has
control of Israel’s major rightwing media outlets, as well as two of the country’s four major
newspapers.
“Adelson’s purchase of Makor Rishon is sad,”
said Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, head of the Israel
Democracy Institute’s Media Reform Project. “It
consolidates the media market, which is bad for
content, but we shouldn’t mourn it. There are
opportunities we haven’t seen yet.”
Adelson’s increasing hold on Israeli media
has prompted concerns of increasing ideological conformity and less government criticism.
A staunch supporter of Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, Adelson is widely seen as
having used Israel Hayom to increase popular
support for the Israeli leader.
Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennett,
chairman of the pro-settler Jewish Home party,
likened Israel Hayom to Pravda, the state newspaper of the former Soviet Union.
“The paper is the trumpet of one man, the
prime minister,” Bennett told Galei Tzahal, the
Israel Defence Forces radio station.
“At every intersection, every point of friction
between the national interest and the prime
minister’s interest, it chooses the prime minister’s side. I hope Makor Rishon will maintain an
independent, nationalist position.”
The CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corp, with
a net worth of more than $28 billion - the 11th
richest American, according to Forbes magazine
- Adelson has never been shy about using his
wealth to advance his political interests.
In 2012, he was a generous supporter of the
failed presidential campaign of Newt Gingrich.
When Gingrich dropped out, Adelson threw his
support behind Mitt Romney, the Republican
nominee, donating $20 million to a Romneysupporting Super PAC.
Last week, a number of Republican presiden-
tial hopefuls gathered at Adelson’s Venetian hotel and casino in Las Vegas for what some were
calling the “Sheldon primary” in recognition
of the casino magnate’s power as a Republican
kingmaker.
In Israel, there is little expectation that Adelson’s latest deal will augur the death of Israel’s
free press. Israel’s other dailies - the centrist
Yediot Acharonot and the left-wing Haaretz
- are both critical of Netanyahu and remain
widely read. Maariv, once Israel’s most popular
paper, fell on hard times in recent years and
ceased publication in March.
Still, some worry that Adelson’s purchase may
narrow the parameters of public discussion.
Last month, in an effort to maintain competition in Israel’s media market, Knesset members
from seven parties - including the rightwing
Jewish Home - proposed a law that would
require readers to pay for Israel Hayom.
“There can be two rightwing papers that think
differently,” said Tamir Sheafer, a professor of
journalism at Hebrew University.
“There can be a rightwing paper that criticises the prime minister from the right. But
The ACDP supports
the right of Israel to
exist within safe and
secure borders and its
right to self-defence.
We have a proven track
record and are committed
to standing for Israel
and actively opposing
the Boycott, Divest and
Sanctions campaign (BDS),
both in South Africa and
internationally.
if Sheldon Adelson has a favourable attitude
toward Netanyahu, will Makor Rishon criticise
Netanyahu from the right?”
A Makor Rishon reporter who wished to
remain anonymous, acknowledged that political
correspondents were “a little worried”, but said
the Adelson deal would allow the staff to continue its in-depth reporting and analysis from a
rightwing perspective.
“For us journalists, it was reassuring to know
people like the paper and want to buy it,” the
reporter said. “They see the importance of
holding on to this type of paper. I would always
joke that if I wrote the same article for Maariv
and Makor Rishon, I would dumb it down for
Maariv.”
The closing of Maariv, along with financial
struggles at Haaretz and across Israel’s print
media landscape, raise the question of whether
a country of eight million people can sustain
four daily papers in the digital age.
“The market in Israel is small,” Altshuler
said. “Its ability to sustain three papers or
three TV stations, something people don’t pay
attention to. It was clear one needed to close.”
Altshuler sees a potential boon for Israeli
media in the growth of online journalism. But
Tal Schneider, who writes the Plog, a wellrespected Israeli political blog, says her work
cannot replace the staff of a large newspaper.
“On my blog, we are not 100 reporters - we
are a two-person business,” Schneider said.
“We cannot provide the [same] extent of coverage. I cannot replace Maariv or Makor Rishon.”
Despite the worry, few see Adelson’s growing
control of Israeli publications as an immediate
threat to the country’s free press. But should
the rise of digital media continue to erode the
viability of traditional publications, that could
change. (JTA)
4-STAR GUEST HOUSES
Est. 1994
53 Garden Road, Orchards
Johannesburg, 2192
CIAL
E
P
S
H
C
PESA
ACCOMMODATION
Standard Room/Studio
Sleep 2 per unit
R599.00 per day
Cottage/Apartment
Sleep 3/4 per unit
R899.00 per day
Subject to availability
Call (011) 485-3800
Friends of Israel
ACDP Presidential Couple,
Rev. Kenneth & Lydia Meshoe
at the Knesset
Support those who
support Israel
Banking Details
ACDP National Account
Standard Bank
Account 070126917
Branch Code 000909
8
Community
SA JEWISH REPORT
4 – 11 April 2014
Putting the miracle into Miracle Drive
ROBYN SASSEN
PHOTOGRAPHS BY JASON CROUSE
What drives success? Is it the courage to dream;
understanding that to be the best is to be hungry
to change the world? This is Chabad’s ethos, articulated in the 24th Miracle Drive last Monday.
Replete with black and silver brocade and
crystal table decorations, the Sandton Convention Centre was filled with some 1 800 guests.
Focused on Chabad’s intention to change the
world for good, the event celebrated Chabad’s
projects from libraries in informal settlements
and the shoe shine start-up initiative, to Gan
Israel Camp and the Seniors Programme.
Everyone who is anyone in the community
was there, supporting Chabad’s huge reach to
change lives, in the Jewish community, but also
in broader society. The evening featured a talk
by Ambassador Darius Degutis, Lithuania’s ambassador to Israel, as well as the drawing of the
18 prizes; with the traditional cherry on top:
the car, which this year was the luxurious Nissan Infiniti X50.
Comedian Nik Rabinowitz was MC of the
evening, ad-libbing his unique blend of selfdeprecating Jewish South African humour,
which got audiences howling with laughter.
With words from a number of Chabad’s sponsors, the underlying theme was one of miracles.
Chairman of Miracle Drive, Robbie Brozin, announced that the Miracle Drive initiative has
this year so far raised R17 million, 84 per cent
of which was raised in Johannesburg.
“It’s a new record: R1,4million was raised
in Cape Town; R880 000 in KwaZulu-Natal;
R410 000 by Invest in Futures, which goes
toward bursaries at Torah Academy; and
R14,3 million in Johannesburg.” He added
that their sights were set for the Big Chai R18 million - for next year.
Rabbi Mendel Lipskar, founder of Chabad in
SA, premised his talk on the Hebrew date of the
event. “Tonight, Rosh Chodesh Nissan, we usher in a month of miracles. In the early 1950s, a
group of young university students had an audience with the then newly-appointed Lubavitch
Rebbe. He said: ‘Every Jew is a miracle.’
“And what’s a miracle? It’s an extraordinary
act that defies the natural system. It’s something that flies in the face of ordinary, and produces incredible change.”
He spoke of the miracle of peaceful democracy in South Africa. “Experiencing something
like this has to inspire each one of us to do
something great with our own lives. Each of
us has to step out of the ordinary and become
a miracle maker; Miracle Drive is one of those
miracles.”
Keynote guests were Lithuania’s ambassador
to Israel and South Africa, Darius Degutis and
his wife Lineta Degutienė. Calling the assembled crowd “our Lithuanian brothers and sisters”, Degutis said: “When I was appointed five
years ago as ambassador to Israel, I had doubts
about the value of South Africa as part of my
The orchestral flash mob walking through the crowd
portfolio.
“I felt there are so many things going on in
Israel: Middle Eastern fears; a huge Lithuanian
Jewry in Israel. SA is 6 000 km away: what is the
incentive? But then, I paid my first visit, four
years ago. And I met you.
“We met hundreds of Litvaks. We travelled
together back to Lithuania, showed them
around, dug in the archives, looked for their
roots there. It’s been amazing.”
Not losing sight of history between Lithuania
and South African Jewry, he cited Israeli poet
Abba Kovner’s words: “Remember the past, live
the present, trust the future.”
“For 600 years, Lithuanian Jewry boomed,
before the tragedy in which many of my compatriots took part. It makes me and my generation ashamed to the core of our bones. Our late
president, Algirdas Brazauskas in 1995 went to
the Knesset, to ask forgiveness for what happened to Lithuanian Jewry.” He described Lithuania’s priorities in Holocaust education.
“We have passed laws opening up opportunities for second and third generation Lithuanian
Jews to reapply to restore their citizenship.
We passed a law for the compensation of Jewish communal and religious property. Under
government instruction, we restored the Vilna
Jewish Library, and the Great Vilna Synagogue.
“We do it not for you, but for Lithuania’s new
generation. Never forgetting or forgiving what
happened in the past, but trusting in the future,
and telling you, trust us too. It’s not just about
Frances and Natie Kirsh
Lithuanian
Ambassador
Darius Degutis
Rabbi Mendel Lipskar
Rabbi David Masinter,
the driving force
behind Miracle
Drive
Robbie Brozin,
Miracle Drive
Chairman
Peter Machlup
Ben Kruger and
Rabbi David
Masinter
passports and it’s not about whitewashing history. It’s about building bridges, closing circles.
“My government plans to open a fullyfledged embassy in South Africa by the end of
this year.”
Chairman of Chabad’s Young Drivers, Gregg
Cohen announced that this year’s programme
would be framed around the TedX model, with
great achievers sharing good ideas.
Rabbi David Masinter, head of Chabad Johannesburg and the driving force behind Miracle Drive, celebrated the supporters in the
Miracle Drive project, adding: “This year we’re
committed to open up a further 11 to 18 libraries in informal settlements, primarily aimed at
children, in memory of two great legends: Sheldon Cohen and Benny Slome.”
Bringing the evening to resounding closure
was an orchestra under the baton of Gerben
Grooten. Said watch guru Peter Machlup, on
winning the Infiniti X50, a new car from Nissan’s stable which launches in South Africa in
May: “It’s much sexier than the car I have, but I
think I will hand the car to a needier person or a
needier organisation than myself.”
Michael Whitfield, MD of Nissan SA,
summed it all up, speaking of the privilege of
being part of Miracle Drive, over 24 years. “We
are honoured to be a small part of something
that does so much. Miracle Drive’s yield has
grown from R300 000, to R17 million. Next
year we offer a Nissan Leaf, the world’s best
selling electric vehicle.”
Johnny Copelyn, Chairman
Tsogo Sun, who facilitated the venue
10
SA JEWISH REPORT
advertorial
4 – 11 April 2014
Community Talk
Homelys’ fantastic Pesach range
Tel: +27114855798
10 Bradfield Drive
Shop 7 Fairmount
Homelys has a fantastic and wide range
of products to choose from for Pesach and
throughout the year.
• Table covers/plastic for counters
• Tablecloth from R125
• Serviettes from R15
• Foil containers
• Plastic containers
• Fancy disposable crockery and cutlery
• Detergents
• And lots, lots more
Great savings happening now on a wide range
of products.
Kosher meat
restaurant - fine dining
A scrumptious menu
Delicious ribs, steaks, chicken, lamb,
hamburgers, fresh sushi, pastas, deli selection,
salads, herrings.
Great selection of fine wines and whiskies.
For bookings: (011) 656-3142/4915.
E-mail: info@thedelistore.co.za
or www.thedelistore.co.za
Both restaurants at the Morning Glen Shopping
Centre, corner Bowling & Kelvin Roads,
Gallo Manor. Shabbos menu. Sheva brochas.
Birthdays. Anniversaries. Special occasions.
Kosher chalav yisroel
milk restaurant
Montagu Dried Fruit & Nuts - perfect for Pesach
protein, minerals and antioxidant vitamins.
“Good quality dried fruit and nuts fit our
wish to serve the community, especially
those who have opted for a healthier lifestyle.
The delightfully packed MDF&N also make
wonderful gifts... there are products suited for
moms dads and kids,” concludes Back.
• F or your nearest store, visit www.
montagudriedfruit.co.za or find us on
Facebook/MontaguDriedFruitAndNuts.
The country’s leading brand of dried fruit and
nuts is the perfect choice for your Pesach
cooking, backing, gift hampers, or just to enjoy
as a snack with friends and family.
Montagu Dried Fruit & Nuts started as a
small family business in the Klein Karoo town
of Montagu two decades ago and now has
well over 70 branches in South Africa’s busiest
places. Its range of 120 products is available
countrywide and are also starting to go beyond
South Africa’s borders.
Joel Back from KosherWorld in Glenhazel,
says: “Montagu Dried Fruit & Nuts have an
exclusive range of the healthiest kosher dried
fruit and nuts available.”
Dried fruit and nuts are among nature’s
richest and healthiest foods and health experts
insist that nuts, dried fruits and seed, should be
eaten regularly, as they are major sources of
Delicious pizza. Assorted toppings. Pastas.
Mouth-watering salads. Freshly baked
muffins and rolls from our bakery.
For bookings: (011) 656-4002/6670.
info@thepizzastore.co.za or
www.thepizzastore.co.za
Birthdays. Anniversaries. Kids parties.
New Dee Jays Deli branch in Waverley
Opening specials up to and including April 13.
• Large Margarita pizza R39,95
• Small and large quiches less 10%.
• Cappuccino and free cinnamon bun.
• Case of grape juice (12 bottles) R540 - that’s
R45 a bottle!
Frangelicas now also in the pizza business
Pesach is coming and just in time Frangelicas is
now in the pizza business!
New pizza oven, pizza chef and a magic taste
sensation, made with love for you.
We will be open till 20:30 from Monday to
Thursday and Sunday (also motzei Shabbos
of April 12). Take home/eat in - full pie/by the
slice/salads and pasta too.
Tel: (011) 887-7675 or e-mail frangelicas@
mweb.co.za
With thanks, the Frangelicas team
New Dee Jays Deli branch, relocated from
Morningview Centre to Corner Knox & Scott
Street, Waverley. Telephone (011) 440-9910.
Every Wednesday 10% discount for senior
citizens.
Please note: These specials are available while
stocks last.
Dee Jays Waverley will be closing at 20:00 on
April 13 and will reopen on April 23.
Wishing all our customers a Chag Kasher
Vesamach
Most delicious way of getting out of Egypt…
Let us make Pesach easy for you!
Last chance to place your Pesach
orders… Just a few items from
Shelley’s Special Certified Pesach
kitchen.
Our amazing delicious menu includes:
Kneidlach; Potato kugel; Glazed roast
salmon; Delicious sticky ribs; Chicken
schnitzel; Chocolate mousse cake;
Lemon meringue ice cream!
“Pre-Pesach Special – Free carrot muffin
with every pizza”
Mi-Vami, Freezlands and Chop and Wok
will be open pre-Pesach for delicious meals.
Seattle Coffee Co will be open during Pesach
come share a cuppa with us...
Jewish Report
south african
Call or e-mail us for our full Pesach menu. Last chance to place your order.
Contact (011) 440-3882 or shelleygeffenyomtov@gmail.com
Get the community’s attention!
Advertise on our MOST talkedabout Community Talk page!
Community TALK
The Jewish Report has launched our new and exciting Community Talk, a value-added service to the community OPTION ONE
• You need to place six adverts within the year to get this
for those stories or information you would like to inform our readers about. By utilising this cost-effective
special. • In the edition in which your advert runs, it entitles
medium, you are ensured of your information being placed in the Jewish Report. This new service should
you to the special mentioned alongside, in the same edition
ideally be used in conjunction with your marketing plan, either with your contracts or at a nominal monthly fee.
OPTION TWO
• Twice a month R800 ex VAT • Three times a month R950 ex VAT • Every week R1
200 ex VAT (prices are per month) • To add extra words to your Community Talk
insert pricing is as follows: R300 per 100 words per week (max 300 words)
Te l : + 2 7 ( 0 ) 1 1 2 7 4 - 1 4 0 0 • a d v e r t i s i n g @ s a j e w i s h r e p o r t . c o . z a • w w w. s a j r. c o . z a
Letters
4 – 11 April 2014
Disclaimer The letters page is intended to provide opportunity for a range of views on any given topic to be
expressed. Opinions articulated in the letters are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
editor, staff or directors of the Jewish Report.
SA JEWISH REPORT
11
Guidelines for letters Letters up to 400 words get preference. Provide your full name, place of residence, and
daytime contact phone number. We do not publish letters under noms de plume. Letters should be e-mailed. Letters
may be edited or shortened.
The Editor, PO Box 84650, Greenside, 2034 email: sharon@sajewishreport.co.za
To try to change history and invert truth is not on
In 1973 Norman Mailer coined a new word a “factoid” - a fact that is actually not a fact,
but rather an untruth that has become a fact
as a result of repetition. “Israel’s presence in
the West Bank is illegal according to international law” is one of the many factoids that
have developed around the Israel/Palestine
conflict.
The Balfour Declaration of 1917 envisaged
a homeland for the Jewish people in the
whole of British Mandatory Palestine, both
sides of the Jordan River, but was in itself
not binding.
However, the Balfour Declaration was accepted in its entirety, in a resolution at the
San Remo Conference in 1920 (attended by
Great Britain, Italy, France, and Japan with
the United States as observer) and again ratified by all 51 member states of the League
of Nations in 1922. The League of Nations
was a precursor to the Security Council, thus
its decisions were binding.
To this day, neither the San Remo resolution, nor that of the League of Nations, has
been abrogated.
The areas of Judea and Samaria, renamed
the West Bank by Jordan who occupied the
area from 1948 to 1967, and Gaza, occupied
by Egypt from 1948 to 1967, formed part of
British Mandatory Palestine. As such they
were part of that that was promised to the
Jewish people.
But promised is an understatement. In
terms of the resolution passed at San Remo
and at the League of Nations, Britain was
obligated to reconstitute a Jewish homeland
in Palestine. Thus to term Israel’s presence
in the West Bank illegal is to distort facts
and ignore history.
So, while (Shereen) Usdin and (Allan)
Horwitz (of StopTheJNF) are free to debate
the wisdom of Israel’s presence in the West
Bank, they are not free to change history
and invert the truth.
If solving the conflict is indeed their
priority, then seeking and pursuing the truth
should be for them paramount. In refusing
to do so they do little but stoke the flames
of hatred.
Monessa Shapiro
Glenhazel, Johannesburg
Would the real StopTheJNF please stand up
It is hard to tell what the real policy positions of StopTheJNF (STF) are these days.
Only a short time ago STF members were
protesting outside Jewish shops and implying children were racists for planting trees
in Israel.
Now they expect the community to believe
that they are in favour of Israel’s right to
exist and want to be in involved with its
wellbeing. If STF has really changed its
stance, it is certainly welcome. However, on
this issue just as on any other, actions speak
louder than words.
If STF wants to be taken seriously it can
start by taking some concrete measures to
show that it means what it says. Here are a
couple suggestions:
Stop lamenting the creation of Israel in
your public statements.
Stop protesting outside Yom Ha’atzmaut
functions and trying to disrupt them.
Stop targeting Jewish community members for developing forests on land that
is Israeli sovereign property according to
international law.
Condemn BDS South Africa for its policy
of opposing the existence of the State of
Israel.
Condemn the general anti-Semitic atmosphere pervading BDS South Africa, including
its numerous anti-Jewish incidents and its
conviction of hate speech by the South African Human Rights Commission.
Cease supporting the BDS campaign,
which is not even supported by Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas, and damages the
academic freedom and freedom association
STF purport to uphold.
End your vilification of the millions of
Jews who put money in JNF blue boxes so
that land could be bought peacefully to create the State of Israel.
If STF is able to come to terms with these
most basic and uncontroversial of stances, it
will be able to show that it has indeed begun
to have a change of heart. If it can’t, it will
prove that it is the same Zionist-/Israelbashing organisation as always and should
avoid the hypocrisy of demanding space in
the community while simultaneously trying
to marginalise it.
Isla Feldman
Raedene, Johannesburg
Rabbi Dennis Isaacs remembered with much warmth
I read with shock of Rabbi Dr Dennis Isaacs’
passing. I share with you elements of a noble
soul, who has now been called into Eternity
Rabbi Isaacs was the most incredible
barmitzvah teacher; he accepted nothing but
exemplary results from those in his class.
His acumen as cantor meant that he went
the proverbial extra mile to record our lawportions on tape, so that we could learn
how to sing in perfect pitch. His amazing
patience and enduring tenacity, meant that
we acquired the necessary competence and
confidence for “The Big Day”.
His oratory skills and speeches on Shabbat
mornings, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur,
took us to spiritual heights, with his brilliant
mind precipitating an incandescent glow
Lisa part of ORT SA/SAZF/Mizrachi group
In our front page story of last week’s issue, owing to
space constraints, we omitted to mention that Lisa
Heilbron, who ran the Jerusalem Marathon, was
part of the ORT SA/SAZF/Mizrachi group, which was
trained by veteran marathon runner Bruce Fordyce.
to fill the Cyrildene-Observatory Hebrew
Congregation.
An era has now very sadly ended. I take it
upon myself to have the honour of being the
son he never had, by saying Kaddish every
year on the Chabad calendar, equivalent
Hebrew date of March 11, because of his
personal connection to my family.
Rabbi Isaacs and his wife Marcia attended
my barmitzvah and he was ceremony official
at the funeral of my grandmother and also
my parents.
May his dear soul rest in peace. He will forever remain one of my heroes.
Raymond Chait
Cape Town
Read the South African
Jewish Report online
www.sajewishreport.co.za
Your Blue Box is the best response
The recent letter from StopTheJNF ridiculously
claiming it does not seek the destruction of Israel, does not even bear debating. Their longstanding public opposition to creation of the State of
Israel through the media and protests, has been
well-documented. They have yet to even bother
distancing themselves from the BDS campaign
with its calls to “shoot the Jew”. It is therefore
not a surprise that they want to “Stop” the amazing work of the Jewish National Fund in greening
and developing Israel. Here are a few things that
they would like to prevent the JNF from doing:
The creation of the Yatir forest in the Negev
which is the largest man-made forest in a semidesertified region in the world. This programme
has made an immense difference to an otherwise
desert region.
It has, for instance, been a key part of sustainable grazing programmes for Bedouin herds which
provide livelihoods for the shepherds and reduce
fire hazards in the forests. Knowledge gained in
such forestry methods have proved useful the
world over, especially in Africa and become even
more relevant with current climate change.
The JNF water programmes which have built
240 reservoirs and create water security for all of
Israel’s citizens. By treating grey water, the JNF
and Israel once again made world records and
history, re-using 82 per cent of all its grey water.
This far outstrips any other country in the world.
JNF research and development stations
scattered throughout the region of Israel have
enabled tiny Israel to achieve the highest yield
per square metre of agricultural produce in the
world. JNF makes this scientific information
available to anyone in any country that wants
it absolutely free. This is key to assisting Third
World countries to achieve food security.
The claim that areas where JNF South Africa
operates, such as Yatir, the Carmel and the South
Africa Forest, are on Palestinian land are false
and can be easily rejected by using a standard
atlas found anywhere in the world.
I would encourage community members to
support the “Bringing Back the Blue Box Campaign” which aims to get more JNF blue box tins
in their homes. This is the best response to these
lying attempts to destroy the State of Israel. See
our website for more details www.jnf.co.za.
Amber Cummins, Admin Director,
JNF Johannesburg
A lovely walk down Memory Lane
A debt of gratitude is owed to the SA Jewish
Report for publishing that most interesting
photo of the 1974 members of the HOD in
Bloemfontein.
For me, as I am sure for many others, it was
a real walk down memory lane, for it brought
back so many memories of people that I knew
well so many years ago, some being personal
friends.
Sadly many are no longer with us, but they
are all of blessed memory.
Eric Rosendorff
Melrose North, Johannesburg
12
Tapestry
SA JEWISH REPORT
4 – 11 April 2014
Play leaves you haunted, emotionally breathless
REVIEWED BY ROBYN SASSEN
What is real evil and why are we,
individuals who are imperfect morally
because we’re human, drawn to know
more about it? This is the premise for A
Human Being Died That Night, an incisive and sophisticated play drawn by
Nicholas Wright from the eponymous
book by Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela,
contemplating a face-to-face conversation between the perpetrator of myriad
apartheid-related atrocities Eugene
de Kock - known as Prime Evil - and
Gobodo-Madikizela, a black woman
psychologist involved in the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission hearings.
First published in 2003 it’s an unputdownable lucid read, which will chill
you to the core and mess with your values: translated into a 90 minute stage
production, it loses not a beat - indeed
even in a static set with the drama
articulated through dialogue, it doesn’t
feel text heavy, but leaves you haunted
and emotionally breathless from the
moral flurry it creates.
In essence, the unequivocal brilliance
of Tom Fontana’s HBO extremely
violent television series Oz which ran
between 1997 and 2003, was the fine
sophistication of its writing and the
manner in which even the most noxious villain was cast in three dimensions, thus leaving the audience with
an inability to hate the man, and a perspective which forced you to consider
how his shoes would fit you.
A Human Being Died That Night
does something similar, and there lies
the rub, which can in many respects be
reflected through the history of and literature on Adolf Eichmann, written by
scholars of the ilk of Hannah Arendt,
who coined the controversial phrase
“the banality of evil” in 1963.
If you’re able to glance through the
crime and into the heart of its perpetrator, are you absolving him of his
guilt?
The play is tautly constructed within
an academic framework and impeccably performed. Produced by Eric
Abraham, it’s an all-British production,
featuring Noma Dumezweni as Gobodo-Madikizela and Matthew Marsh as
Eugene de Kock, whose South African
accent is so well-honed, you will do a
double take as you watch.
The season is very brief - it ends this
weekend - but the effort to see with
a sense of urgency will not leave you
intellectually disappointed.
The choice of jazz great and struggle
hero Vusi Mahlasela’s song “When you
come back” at the work’s closure, is the
coup de grace which will bring you to
your feet.
• Readers interested in Arendt may also
enjoy the screening, next Wednesday
evening, April 9, at the Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre in Oaklands, of
the 2013 award-winning film, Hannah
Arendt, directed by Margarethe von
Trotte. (011) 728-8088/8378.
Photo: Ruphin Coudyzer
Theatre: A Human Being Died That Night
directed by Jonathan Munby, Barney Simon Theatre, Market Theatre, Newtown:
(011) 832-1641.
Until: April 6.
Matthew Marsh plays Eugene de Kock.
Tight ship of a show - and it is highly satisfactory
REVIEWED BY ROBYN SASSEN
From the showtime-evocative energetic start
to the complex interracial love story which
brings it to closure, this play, written by Natal
University’s Pieter Scholtz in 1985 during the
thick of apartheid, sees light of day with a
freshly painted coat of rhetoric that sharpens
and refines political bluntness, hypes up the
entertainment factor and yields a production
completely devoid of weakness.
Director Theron, accompanied by a production team of heavyweights in the industry,
including set designer Stan Knight, choreographer Shelley Adriaanzen, lighting specialist
Jane Gosnell and costumier Sarah Roberts,
introduces a fabulous group of mostly new
talent, and the story is funny and friendly and
delightful without being too saccharine or scary.
The beauty of using a story without a European history of performance is that it retains
freshness that will hold even the grownups
enthralled.
The hilarity stakes are raised with the interjection of the “ant” prefix or suffix in the oddest of
places, which even the grade one learners with
whom I saw the play responded to beautifully:
Music-ant (JT Medupe) and his Assist-ant (Noni Mkhonto).
Photograph Supplied
Children’s Theatre: The Astounding Antics of Anthony Ant, directed by Francois Theron, National
Children’s Theatre, Parktown, (011) 484-1584
Until: May 4
Miscre-ant, Arrog-ant, Observ-ant, Assist-ant,
Ant-teek, Sybil-ant, are just some of the characters
populating the show. Handled with gentle authority, the play is given the credibility that it warrants
as a part of a serious theatre genre. From antennae to toe, it’s a tight ship of a show, from which
you come away with great satisfaction.
Featuring music ranging from contemporary
song Jika by Mi Casa, which gets the littlies
jiving before the action even begins, to a gentle
corruption of Bob Dylan’s “Mary Ann” (1973),
there’s true magic here.
Focused on the comings and goings of ant
life, which slur a bit from the truths of the biological dynamic of an ant colony, including the
presence of a queen and the gendered nature
of workers, we meet the eponymous Ant-hony
(Matthew Berry), who encounters an old ant, a
yellow ant, a mad aunty and several baddies in
the tale which is focused on saving the world,
eradicating evil and falling in love: all the good
stuff that makes it worthwhile.
And every performer in this cast of eight
deserves a special mention: but it’s the one
throwaway line in the racial tussle central to
the plot that encapsulates it all. While everyone
condemns Mary-Ant (Suzaan Helberg), the
tale’s romantic interest as a yellow ant, Anthony realises with true boyish charm that she’s
actually a girl, which is of far more weight than
the other prejudices.
• Other children’s productions on the boards these
holidays include Shooby Doob Shloimy’s musical journey through the Pesach seder, written
and directed by Helen Heldenmuth with music
by Mark Samowitz, at Eden College for two
performances on April 6: 083-272-8541); and
the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland at the
People’s Theatre in Braamfontein until April 21:
(011) 403-1563).
Arts Briefs
Mason’s ‘All About
Me’ in Milpark
If you love the stained glass windows
at the Great Park Synagogue, there’s an
opportunity to see more of the work of the
woman who created them. Veteran SA artist
Judith Mason, presents “It’s All About Me”
at Art on Paper Gallery in Milpark, until April
5. The exhibition confirms, according to a
media release, Mason’s “luminous, personal
iconography”, in self-portraits, many of them
from behind a mask. “The mask intimates
a continuous process of transformation and
regeneration. And so it is in the numerous
ways humans and animals are transformed
that one finds richness in her new work.”
(011) 726-2234 or www.artonpaper.co.za
Gogol’s ‘Government
Inspector’ at Wits’
Jessica Friedan directs “Government
Inspector”, a comedy by Nikolai Gogol
adapted by David Harrower, at Wits
Downstairs Theatre, April 22-30. “The news
that a government inspector is due to arrive
in a small Russian town, sends its corrupt
bureaucrats into a panicked frenzy,” a media
release describes the play. “The townspeople
believe a mere clerk is the much-feared
inspector, and this simple case of mistaken
identity exposes the hypocrisy and corruption
at the heart of the town, in this biting moral
satire.” It features Matthew Lotter opposite
veteran performer Peter Terry, and has a nounder-13s age restriction. (011) 717-1376 or
Catherine.pisanti@wits.ac.za
Youth
4 – 11 April 2014
KDVP’s 50th ‘one of
best-ever parties’
JESSICA KLEIN
congested town to be part of the festivities.
There was entertainment for all ages, including arcade games, go-karts, rainbow looms,
climbing walls, manicures and pedicures, paintball shooting, human bowling, a chill tent for
high school pupils, a parachute jump, draught
beer, a Battle of the Bands and performances by
Goldilox; Tee’s & Sea’s and Alright Goodnight.
There was delicious food, something for every
member of the family to enjoy, and over
R300 000 worth of prizes. An art auction, raffle
and stalls, added to the excitement.
Mark Sher headed up the organising of the
carnival at the request of the three campus PTA
heads. He was assisted by a dedicated team of
some 20 PTA members from all three Victory
Park campuses.
They spent months planning and organising the event. On the day, scores of parents
and staff assisted in all aspects of the carnival.
The weather held and King David Victory Park
was able to celebrate its 50 years of exceptional
achievement with a vibrant and spectacularly
successful event.
PRESENTS
Special guest speaker Piet Byleveld
Pre-Pesach Shabbat Dinner
Friday night 11 April at 6pm
Join us for an inspirational service with our
Rabbis, Chazzan and choir followed by
a dinner in the Samson Hall at 7pm
Brigadier Byleveld retired from the
SAPS at the end of June 2010, after
a long and outstanding career. He
was the longest serving murder
and robbery investigator in the
South African Police Services.
He is internationally recognised
for his expertise. The FBI, Scotland
Yard and the Mossad have
all seeked his guidance in the
investigation of serial killings.
Byleveld has solved many high
profile cases such as the Leigh
Mathews Abduction and Murder
(2004), the Hillbrow Serial Rapist (2003)
and the Kranskop Serial Killer (1996).
Booking essential. R190 per adult, R130 for kids under 12, no charge for
children under the age of 3, on (011)786-0437 or info@waverleyshul.co.za
Waverley Shul 20x4 010413.indd 1
2014/04/02 11:33 AM
Yeshiva College Managing Director Rabbi Laurence
Perez and the principals of the boys’ and girls’ high
schools at Yeshiva College, along with the director of
YiD, visited Alexandra High School and Iphuteng Primary School in Alexandra township.
Yeshiva College donated 300 desks to the respective schools. In both schools, the desks were being put
to good use and are a blessing for the learners.
The principal from Iphuteng Primary School, Mike
Thobejane, said: “Before Yeshiva donated the desks,
the learners were sitting on the floor.”
Even though so many desks were donated, in most
of the classrooms the desks were cramped with 55
learners per class. There were two to three learners
squashed per desk and there was little ventilation in
the classrooms.
Both schools have a system where the children get
breakfast and lunch at school. As we walked in we
saw 100s of little hungry faces waiting in lines to get
their meals - for many of them this is the only food that
they eat each day.
Despite the conditions that the children were learning in, they all looked smart in their school uniforms
and greeted us as we walked in with: “Good morning
honoured guests.” This touched our hearts and we felt
honoured to be there.
Yeshiva College will be getting more involved in
these two schools and will be donating more items
such as textbooks, uniforms and sports equipment in
the future.
This visit has really opened our eyes and made us
grateful for what we have. We cannot wait to become
more involved in the school and to get our learners
more involved in these schools.
Photo by Jessica Klein
Photo: Yael Gordon
King David Victory Park’s wonderful heritage
was celebrated on March 27 when the school
looked back at a glorious 50 years. Goodwill and
nostalgic memories abounded as the campus
opened its gates for one of its best parties ever.
Present and past learners and staff arrived to
commemorate the exceptional contribution
that the pre-primary, primary and high schools
have made to Jewish education.
The carnival exemplified everything that Victory Park is: a close-knit, fun-loving community,
mutually supportive, passionate, committed,
competent and focused on execution excellence.
The community came together to put on an
outstanding party. It was a massive joint effort
between corporate and individual donors, sponsors, parents, principals, teachers, learners, the
CSO and the entire Victory Park community.
ChaiFM covered the event and there was
huge support from the rest of the Jewish community, with many schlepping across the traffic-
13
Yeshiva College embarks on a
tangible outreach programme
Erin Blieden; Daniel Matheson; Brittany Lurie; Sarah Stratford;
Aaron Finkelstein; Yakira Shepherd; and Dina Rime.
OWN CORRESPONDENT (ON BEHALF OF
KDVP CARNIVAL COMMITTEE)
SA JEWISH REPORT
Grade 4 learners at Iphuteng Primary School sitting at desks donated by Yeshiva College.
14
Community
SA JEWISH REPORT
Great Park’s ‘kosher flash
mob’ goes viral
4 – 11 April 2014
ORT JET launches 2014
Eureka competition
ROBYN SASSEN
Photo: Zoom Photographyß
“We thought it would be a cute thing to do,” said Great Park Shul’s Rabbi Dovid Hazdan. “We
didn’t think it would turn viral.” He was speaking of a “kosher flash mob” organised by the shul,
flighted online last Saturday night.
Supported by Pick n Pay Norwood, the impromptu event featured the rabbi, his choir and three
violinists performing Vehi She’amda to the unsuspecting public. It moved some to tears and got
cashiers swaying to the melody.
By Wednesday, the YouTube video had had over 13 000 hits, and comments ranging from
expat homesickness, to incredulity this could happen these days, without anti-Semitic factions
muscling in. “In my training, whenever something works in the world, it should be used to relay
the Jewish message.
“The idea’s been percolating in my mind for a while. Promoting the kosher le Pesach range
made sense; I made enquiries through the hierarchy of Pick n Pay. Tens of thousands of dollars
were spent by the supermarket chain in co-ordinating sound and filming, editing and staging detail. There were cameras everywhere. We kept it secret from everyone, to maintain the surprise.”
It’s linked on the SAJR’s facebook page, www.sajr.co.za and https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=O4RoJ60wuH0&feature=youtube_gdata_player.
ORTJET’s Eureka judges: Rowan Swarta; Paul Bacher; Lara Rosmarin and Eldon Beinart.
“If you have a dream, an idea and a burning
desire to build your own business or product,
then this year’s ORT JET Eureka ‘Launch Your
Business Plan Competition’ is perfect for you,”
says Cindy Silberg, manager of the ORT JET
mentorship programme, in a media release.
ORT JET’s unique mentoring model for assisting small businesses is well-established and
continues to enhance self-sufficiency within the
Jewish community. The Eureka competition is an
extension of this and offers excitement, motivation, training and prizes valued at hundreds of
thousands of rands for those with an entrepreneurial spirit.
The basket of prizes include coaching and
training, office furniture, free advertising and
marketing skills, as well as interest-free loans for
the winners, courtesy of Project Natan.
Steven Braudo, deputy CEO of Liberty Holdings, confirmed their continued support of this
initiative early this year. He says, “Being part
of this panel is an opportunity for me to share
some of the knowledge I have learned along the
way.
“It is also in line with Liberty’s core values,
where we place enormous pride in changing
other people’s realities through knowledge and
guidance.”
The top 10 finalists will be selected by May this
year by a prestigious panel of judges including
Paul Bacher, Eldon Beinart, Lara Rosmarin and
Rowan Swartz. They will then have the opportunity to attend a “Start - up Business Boot Camp”
training session, facilitated by the Seed Institute
in order to prepare them for the final “pitching”
round of the competition
The final “pitch” will take place in July to a
panel of business leaders who will their advice and input to the budding entrepreneurs.
Panelists include Steven Braudo, Steven Kark,
Donna Rachelson and Jeff Miller.
Winners will be announced at a prize-giving
gala event on August 14.
Applicants who are not short-listed will be
invited to join the ORT JET mentoring programme.
“This is a wonderful platform and stepping
stone for people serious about starting a new
business and the ORT JET team is committed to
driving this process,” says Paul Bacher, CEO of
ORT JET.
• Enter online by May 15, to www.ortjet.org.za or
call (011) 728-7154 for more information.
Community Columns
A column of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies
Radio 786 – finality at last
Business decisions are rarely black and white. Dynamic organisations
know they need to apply both reason and instinct to decision making.
We are Grant Thornton and it’s what we do for our clients every day.
Contact us to help unlock your potential for growth.
www.gt.co.za
© 2014 Grant Thornton South Africa. All rights reserved. Grant Thornton South Africa is a member firm of
Grant Thornton International Ltd (‘Grant Thornton International’).
Jewish Report_book.indd 1
2014/03/27 2:49 PM
On Tuesday, the SAJBD
and Islamic Unity Convention (IUC) formally
agreed to a settlement
of the Board’s complaint of anti-Semitic
hate speech against
Radio 786. Both parties
signed a joint statement
in which inter alia Radio
Above Board 786 conceded that
parts of the offending
Mary Kluk
National Chairman programme had been
nonsensical and antiSemitic and that this had caused offence and
distress to members of our community.
The Board recognised that there had been no
intention on the part of the station to cause any
such offence or distress.
In this regard, it should be stressed that at no
stage during the nearly 16 years this matter has
lasted, has the IUC ever attempted to defend
or justify what was said on the programme.
Its consistent position has been that what was
broadcast was permissible in terms of the constitutional right to freedom of expression.
From our point of view, the settlement has
brought to a satisfactory conclusion what has
been an extraordinarily lengthy, complex and
arduous process. Ultimately, we have achieved
what we set out to: namely bringing our grievances before the broadcasting regulatory body,
to show why the programme was grossly offensive and to ensure that there was some acknowledgment by the broadcaster that this was so.
To even get to the stage when our complaint
could be heard, was extremely difficult since
the IUC lodged various objections on technical,
procedural and constitutional grounds aimed at
preventing its taking place at all.
This resulted in multiple court actions, two of
them before the Constitutional Court, but in the
end attempts to quash the complaint on those
grounds failed. In 2006, a formal hearing took
place before the Independent Communications
Authority of South Africa (ICASA), resulting in
the Board’s complaint being upheld. However,
the IUC was able to get the ruling set aside on
technical grounds, with the result that the entire
matter was heard anew in December 2012.
During that hearing, the Board led expert witnesses who exposed the factually baseless and
grossly anti-Semitic nature of the programme.
Once again, Radio 786 did not deny this was the
case, but argued that the programme had not
been of such a nature as to have contravened the
Broadcasting Code of Conduct.
In the end, Icasa was not required to adjudicate on this question as both parties mutually
agreed to pursue the matter no further. Our
only regret is that the IUC did not agree to a
hearing from the outset.
During this time, I was overseas attending the
meeting of the World Jewish Congress executive
committee. The discussions around the alarming rise of global anti-Semitism brought home
once again how vital it is for us to be vigilant
and to respond firmly and uncompromisingly
whenever anti-Semitism arises in our country.
This is why the Board never wavered in pursuing the 786 matter, despite the innumerable obstacles, delays and dead-ends that this involved.
Also at the WJC meeting was former SAJBD
president and current co-chairman of the WJC
Policy Council, Mervyn Smith, the driving force
behind the 786 case from the very outset.
Our community owes him a huge debt of gratitude, as it does to all of the Board’s legal team
- Peter Hodes, Tzi Brivik, David Simonsz, Johan
de Waal, Anton Katz and the late Ivan Levy.
This column paid for by SA Jewish Board of Deputies
Kashrut Alert
Classifieds
4 – 11 April 2014
To book your classified notice or advert contact: Tel (011) 274-1400, Fax 086-634-7935, email:
jrclassified@global.co.za IMPORTANT NOTICE - The Jewish Report runs adverts in the Classified section in
good faith, however we cannot be responsible for the quality of services offered and claims made.
PERSONALS
Active slim &
attractive widow
would like to meet
a man 65 - 75 with
a view to forming a
friendship.
PO Box 92156
Norwood,
2117
SERVICES
MEMORIALS
Hawley Marble and
Granite Works Est. 1948
Monumental masons. We
are proud to have served
the Johannesburg Jewish
community for many
decades. Your support is
much appreciated. Collen
Hawley Tel: (011) 8289010 Chaim Silver
(011) 485-3005
BEAUTY & HEALTH
AUDIOLOGIST
KELLY NATHAN
Manor Medical Centre
189 Kelvin Drive
Morningside Manor
Tel: 0861-266-563
(0861-Book Me)
www.knaudiology.co.za
INDIVIDUALISED
SERVICE FOR ALL YOUR
HEARING NEEDS
LIFTS OFFERED
LIFTS OFFERED
Lifts to and from
the airport or
wherever you
need to go.
Safe and
reliable, very
reasonable
rates.
Contact Gerald
082-907-5507 or
(011) 786-6580
Lift service
Doctors app, shopping,
OR Tambo, Pretoria.
Reasonable rates!
Ivan 082-962-5007
PROPERTY
RAANANA
Newly-renovated
apartment available
for holiday/shortterm rental.
3 bedrooms, 2
bathrooms, parking.
Walking distance to
all amenities.
E-mail
shai@e-clectus.com
reference AKIVA.
WANTED
Experienced lady,
caregiver with driver’s
licence.
Excellent references.
Always smiling.
Call 074-252-1993
HOME SERVICES
A TAXI SERVICE
Let Warren Pogorelsky
chauffeur you to your
destination in Johannesburg and back. Only R120
round trip for 20km. Tel:
082-399-6187 Sun City &
Game Reserve
AIRPORT SHUTTLE
SAM
(011) 728-5219
083-627-8516
To OR Tambo
from R170.
To Lanseria
from R220.
Reasonable rates to
all other areas.
WANTED
IF YOU WANT TO
BUY OR SELL
A VEHICLE
Appliance
Repairs on-site
Fridges, stoves,
washing machines,
tumble dryers and
dishwashers.
Free quotations.
Call Jason
082-401-8239/
076-210-6532
SILVER
REPAIR &
REPLATING
(011) 334 1102
082-473-6040
Deceased
estate house
clearances
Entire households
cleared,
professionally and
confidentially. I’ll
take the burden
off your shoulders
and pay you for it.
Please contact
Ladislav Miklas
079-810-8837
For a trusted and
professional service.
Also clear garages,
cellars, storage
rooms and storage
facilities.
FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP
Lithuanian / Polish /
German citizenship
Many South African Jews
are eligible for EU citizenship.If you are interested,
please contact me.
I specialise in obtaining
Lithuanian, Polish and
German citizenship. I
am able to obtain the
required documents from
archives in Europe.
Rael Cynkin CA (SA)
info@noborders.co.za
083-346-4627
When last were your
Mezuzahs checked?
A professional scribe with 30 years
experience (Rabbi Klein) will inspect
all Mezuzahs and Tefillin.
Supplier of new Scrolls and Tefillin
Charna
083-391-6612
Contact:
Solly Kramer
082-922-3597
The Beth Din’s Pesach guide:
This guide is now available on the Beth Din website.
In it you’ll find:
• Product/cosmetic/medicine lists
• Pet food list
• Laws of cooking on Shabbat and Yomtov
• Information on chametz, bedikat chametz, burning
of chametz
• Kitniyot, kitniyot derivatives, “egg matzah”
• Kashering instructions and practical A-Z applications
• Seder requirements
• Zmanim (times/dates) for Johannesburg, Cape
Town, Durban, East London, Plettenberg Bay
• Some laws of sefirat ha’omer with omer calendar
• Sale of chametz forms or online sale option
The actual hard copy of the guide will be made available in selected Pick n Pay stores.
Matzah not certified for Pesach
It has been found that there are a number of products
that are being sold as “matzah” which are not suitable for Pesach. Please check that the matzah that
you are buying has a reliable hechsher and is kosher
We will remove and refit your Mezuzah
Phone Ivor on
(011) 615-8738 or 082-682-3438
NB: Mezuzahs and Tefillin must be
checked twice every seven years
15
for Pesach.
The Beth Din certifies both Mosmarks and Rakusen’s matzah as kosher for Pesach.
Egg matzah
Chametz is only created by the fermentation of flour
from one of the five major grains in the presence
of water. Fermentation in the presence of all other
liquids - such as fruit juices, wine or eggs - cannot
become chametz.
The mixture commonly known as egg matzah
(although it is usually made today with apple or
grape juice) may therefore be eaten during Pesach
without any concerns of chametz as long as no
water is added. If even a drop of water is added to
the mixture or to any of its ingredients, the mixture
becomes chametz almost immediately.
It is for this reason that the custom among
Ashkenazim is to refrain from using egg matzah
during Pesach, unless it is absolutely necessary for
children or the elderly who would have difficulty
eating regular matzah; and even then they may not
fulfil the mitzvah of eating matzah at the seder with
egg matzah.
Imported products
Some imported products, especially from Israel, carry
a valid Pesach hechsher but contain kitniyot or kitniyot derivatives. The custom among Ashkenazim is
not to consume kitniyot. There are different opinions
regarding kitniyot derivatives. Please check labels
carefully and make your purchases in accordance
with your customs.
Products bearing the OU or Star-K hechsher which
are kosher for Pesach, will have the letter “P” adjacent to the logo. The “P” is for Pesach, not Parev.
What’s On
Today, Friday (April 4)
• UZLC is hosting Reeva Forman on
“Looking at Life - the Jewish Way!”.
Venue: Our Parents Home. Time:
12:45 - 14:00. Contact: Gloria, 072127- 9421 or (011) 485-4851.
Saturday evening (April 5)
• WIZO Tzabar hosts Pieter Toerien
and David Ian presenting Andrew
Lloyd Webber’s production of “The
Sound of Music”. Venue: Teatro
Montecasino Time: 20:00. Entrance:
R400 (best seats). Booking: Ayala
082-412-2269 or Graciela 082-9250924.
Sunday (April 6)
• RCHCC hosts the ‘Joburg Jewish Travel Festival’ - “The End of
Armchair Travel”. Speakers: Howard
Sackstein on “Planning off the
Beaten Track Travel for the Time
of Your Life” and Rainer Jenss, top
National Geographic blogger, on
“Family Travel”. Venue: Clive M Beck
Auditorium. Time: 17:00 - 21:00.
Refreshments will be available.
• Chevrah Kadisha’s Pesach food packing takes place at Chevrah Kadisha
(Long Avenue entrance), from 09:00
- 12:00. Everyone, from all ages including kids - welcome. Information: Tanya, (011) 532-9628.
• Shooby Doob Shloimy’s musical
journey through the Pesach seder
(for the entire family), written and
directed by Helen Heldenmuth with
music composed by Mark Samowitz,
takes place at Eden College, Lyndhurst. Two shows only: 15:30 and
17:30. Booking: House of Judaica,
(Norwood and Morningside) or
Kollel Book Shop, Glenhazel, or call
083-272-8541.
• Chevrah Kadisha Community Services hold a “Farewell and Tribute to
Grecia Gabriel”. Venue: The Gerald
Horwitz Lounge, Golden Acres.
Time: 10:00 for 10:30. Cost: R20
members, R40 visitors. Contact
Grecia Gabriel. (011) 532-9718.
• The “Wandering Jew Tourist
Guides” host an interesting and
informative morning with regard
to the Jewish interest at Liliesleaf
Farm in Rivonia, Johannesburg.
Time: 10:00. Cost: R100 and
entrance to Liliesleaf is R65 or R35
for pensioners. Booking: Lindsey,
083-557-3889 or e-mail lindsey@
kannstours.co.za or Merle, 082-5735447 or e-mail bizarre@icon.co.za
Wednesday (April 9)
• RCHCC is screening the award-winning film, “Hannah Arendt”. Venue:
Clive M Beck Auditorium. Time:
19:30. Donation: R70 (incl refreshments). Booking: Hazel or René
(011) 728-8088/8378, after hours
(011) 728-8378, or e-mail: rchcc@
telkomsa.net or rene.s@telkomsa.
net or www.greatpark.co.za
• JH&GC and Ditsong National Museum of Military History, host the
“20th Commemoration of the 1994
Genocide in Rwanda” with a documentary, “Defying Genocide Choices
that Changed Lives”. Venue: Ditsong
National Museum of Military History, Saxonwold, Johannesburg.
Time: 19:00 for 19:30. Admission
free but booking is essential. Contact: thuli@jhbholocaust.co.za or
(011) 640-3100.
• WIZO Etgar hosts Lance Levinrad
(psychologist, self-development
coach) on “Life is a Zebra: Joy
Creation. Why We Live in a World
of Dark and Light Forces (good and
bad experiences)”. Time: 09:45 for
10:00. Cost: R100 (incl refreshments). Venue and booking details:
Marion 083-326-3791.
Sunday (April 13)
• Second Innings hosts Patricia Glyn,
adventurer and broadcaster, on “An
Illustrated Presentation on her Twomonth Journey into the Kalahari
with a Family of Komani Bushmen”.
Venue: The Gerald Horwitz Lounge,
Golden Acres. Time: 10:00 for
10:30. Cost: R20 members, R40 visitors. Contact Grecia Gabriel. (011)
532-9718.
Pesach seders and open restaurants
Pesach is a time of year, filled with storytelling and rituals. It’s also the nightmare
festival of the year if you’re the chief cook
and bottle-washer of your household. To
make things easier, various communities
are hosting communal seders and supplying pre-packed meals.
SMILE-LEE’S LIFTS
A reliable lift service.
Specialising in
lifts to and from
airports, shops,
appointments, casinos and courier.
VEHICLES
FOR RENT
EMPLOYMENT
Experienced, reliable
driver able to lift you
anywhere / anytime
24 hours. Courier work
undertaken.
Please call Paul
083-542-6480
HOME SERVICES
Kosher for Passover shelves
The kashrut division of the Union of Orthodox Synagogues, brings to the attention of the community that
the “Pesach section” in retail stores is not under Beth
Din supervision and that the Beth Din’s certification
extends only to the products, “and we have no control
over how independent retailers pack their shelves.
Please check the labels very carefully to ensure that
the products are properly certified for Pesach”.
KosherWorld is certified by the kashrut division and
the Pesach shelves have been checked at this store.
SA JEWISH REPORT
BEIT EMANUEL, PARKTOWN hosts a
communal seder on April 14. The booking
form is in the foyer of the shul. (011)
784-7145.
CHEVRAH KADISHA offers sedorim on April
14 and April 15 at The Capri Hotel in Savoy,
Sandringham Gardens and Our Parents
Home. Adults: R160; Children under 10:
R80. (Reduced subsidised rates are available). Contact Avril (011) 532-9600. The
Chev also provides Pesachdik food parcels.
Contact Shirley (011) 532-9710.
GREENSIDE SHUL: A communal seder
on April 14. Adults: R320; Children under
13: R160; Children under 6: free. Contact
Nadine (011) 788-5036
PROTEA HOTEL PRESIDENT, CAPE TOWN,
will be Pesachdik throughout the chag.
Contact (021) 434-8111
SHALOM MASORTI CONGREGATION: A
congregational seder on Monday, April 14
led by David Grinker. Cost: Adults R200;
Children under 8: R100. Contact Esther:
(011) 485-5619 by April 7.
TEMPLE ISRAEL, HILLBROW: A communal
seder in the hall. Adults: R180; Children
under 12: R60. On April 14. Contact Renee
(011) 642-1514 or Reeva 083-228-7777.
RESTAURANTS OPEN DURING PESACH
INCLUDE: The Grill on Grant in Glenhazel:
(011) 440-3752; Avron’s Place in Cape
Town: (021) 439-7610.
Sport
4 – 11 April 2014
SA JEWISH REPORT
16
Marcus shows why top
Perfecting
of how not to lose
jockeys earnthe
bigart
bucks
20
Sport
SA JEWISH REPORT
WHERE: Polo Room Inanda Country Club
1 Forest Road, Inanda
WHEN:
TIME:
DRESS:
30 November – 7 December 201
11 JUNE 2014
18h00 for 18h30
Smart casual
R12 500 (INCL VAT)
PER TABLE OF 10
TO BOOK YOUR TABLE CONTACT HAYLEY
011 646 7340 or ha y l e y@ ms c s po r t s .c o .z a
game one needs to defend a lead. Howe
er, defence is seemingly quickly becomi
what South African sport is all about.
SASFIN QUIZ14-NEWSPAPER 50x98.indd 1
While the Boks held England2014/03/19
at bay
in the north, managing to cling to a one
ROCKING
ROCKINGTHE
THEBOAT
BOAT
point win, the Proteas looked to be hea
Jack
Milner
Jack Milner
ing for certain Test defeat Down Under
as they ended the fourth day under the
Being
involved
in the
horseracing
industry,
I do not
profess
to be
an authority
on
cosh at 77 for four wickets, chasing 430
Irugby.
have always
been
amazed
at
how
jockeys
During my time at school I actually
to win.
are
looked upon
with disdain
people
who
developed
a hatred
for the by
game
because
The match looked all over, with a wi
have no interest in the sport. But in a radio
it was continually jammed down our
for Australia certainty, but AB de Vilbroadcast Professor Tim Noakes spoke at how
throats.
liers, Jacques Kallis and especially Faf d
surprised he was by the fitness and strength
However, as I got older and became
Plessis, had other ideas. De Villiers kep
of jockeys.
more involved in the world of sport and
Du Plessis company for 68 overs and a
He pointed out that the average jockey
began to understand the nuts and bolts
nobbled Kallis for another 40 overs in
weighs around 55 kg and the average racethe searing Adelaide heat, as Du Plessis
of
the
game,
I
actually
began
to
enjoy
horse around 550kg. It takes a lot of strength,
tenaciously defied the Australian bowlin
it
very
much.
Whatever
I
might
think
I
fitness and courage to ride a horse running at
know,60
I will
bow
in other
admiration
to
attack for nearly eight hours.
about
kph always
with a 15
or 16
horses all
Cricketer Faf du Plessis is supported by his team as he pulls off a stunning save of the second
the likes
of It’s
commentator
Dan
who
Many people would have found the
around
you.
not an easy job
andRetief
with the
Test match against Australia in Adelaide.
has aspent
marvellous
ofdown
the
pushing and prodding mind-numbing to
time
trying tounderstanding
keep one’s weight
sport.
he took advantage of a lucky bounce of
in the final minute was one of the most
watch, but it takes a special kind of pro
on
a regular basis, it is not an easy life and
However,
I havethey
learned
the ball to score the only try - and furinane I have ever seen. That was total
ficiency and mental aptitude to stay ou
jockeys
deservewhat
the money
earn. during
myThere
tearshave
as abeen
sports
journalist
is how
to
thermore superb defence by the Boks.
capitulation, as if to say they were happy
there for seven hours and 46 minutes, i
many
more Jewish
jockeys
analysethan
a game.
Asmight
I saidimagine
last week,
I have
I have said for the past few years that
to lose by one point.
mainly 34 degrees heat and high humid
around
people
and there
always
tried
toamaintain
myAfrica
objectivthe Boks
arereacts
unable
towinning
play 80the
minutes
of Godolphin
OnMile
thatinsubject,
I was
the one
person
ity, with five different partners, one of
Marcus
after
$1 million
Dubai last
Saturday
night.
have
been
quite
few in South
over the Anton
ity and
not become
a “fan
withwas
a pen”.
attacking rugby. In the final 20 minutes
absolutely delighted by that decision
whom could barely run, to defy a vorayears.
Probably
the most
famous
Harry
Last Saturday
I only
managed
see the
of years
the game
theyAnton
wereand
probably
lucky
as I had
backed
2,5 Mike
cious
and tenacious
attack
de Kock,
sat second Australian
but all he saw
of An-an
around
the England
world andon
he aisminus
undoubtthe
but both
Basil not
onlyto trainers
“Cockey”
Feldman,
a South
Africantochampion
ton
and
Variety
Club
were
their
hindquarters.
edly
the
most
in-demand
jockey
in
South
shone
locally,
but
performed
well
overseas.
seven
times.
save a crucial match for his country.
second half of the Springboks versus Eng- have spent two of those minutes in the
spread and that whacky decision sealed
The other
had fallen intoeffort,
the trap
Africa.
Basil
rode in
Hong
Kong
for 12 years
was
Others
include
HerbieI sat
This jockeys
was a monumental
land
Testover
butthe
on years
Sunday
morning
England
half.
The
remaining
18 and
minutes
me my win.
of
giving
Anton
a
soft
lead
and
they
paidwritten
the
He
has
been
South
African
champion
jockey
champion
jockey
on
seven
occasions.
Lasker,
Dana
Siegenberg,
Rael
Zieve
and,
of
performed on debut and already
through the replay. Knowing the result,
was played somewhere on the Boks’ 22m
There is no doubt we have some
price.
“It
was
relatively
easy,
considering
what
on
five
occasions
and
is
always
in
contention
Anton
Marcus
is
in
a
league
of
his
own.
course
Basil
Marcus
and
Anton
Marcus.
into the folklore of South African cricke
I could put the excitement of a close
line.
wonderful players in our team, but one
expected,” said Anton. “I never envisforisthat
topcertain
spot. Some
27 which
per centgarden
of Anton’s
His work
ethic
has earned
theEngland,
respect of
It is difficult
to make
over
encounter
behind
andcomparisons
dispassionately
There
is little
doubthim
that
never
down
path I had
history.
aged
him
frontlack
as economically
rides
win
and
more
than
61
per
cent
of
his
interpret what I had watched.
when it comes to attacking, are equally
coach Heyneke Meyer is leading them.
So,getting
while to
wethe
might
the attackin
as
he
did.
rides
end
up
running
a
place.
He
is
also
one
After a little thought I came to the
inept and they certainly had enough
But coming back to defence: All sports prowess of a Genghis Khan, South Afri“Ican
wassport
alwayshas
going
to ride the
the race
accordthe made
most respected
jockeys
internationally
elevated
art of
defenc
following conclusion: In simple terms, all
chances. We kept conceding penalties in ofare
up of offence
and
defence. It is
ing
to
my
horse’s
needs.
What
the
other
jockand
has
been
invited
to
participate
in
a
numto another level. I suppose there is
an
that won us the game was an inspiration- the dying moments but one has to say
vital to have a balanced share of both. It
eys
did
was
totally
out
of
my
control.
I
think
ber
of
international
competitions,
including
advantage in playing not to lose...
al moment from Willem Alberts in which
that England’s decision to go for posts
is also an art to know at which point of a
What’s On
Sunday (December 2)
• RCHCC is rescreening the award-winning film, “The Debt”, directed by John
Madden and starring Helen Mirren,
Sam Worthington, Jessica Castain and
Tom Wilkinson. Venue: Clive M Beck
Auditorium. Time: 19:30. Donation:
R60. Booking: Hazel or René (011) 7288088/8378, after hours (011) 728-8378,
e-mail: rchcc@telkomsa.net or rene.s@
telkomsa.net or www.greatpark.co.za
• JJMC, with musical director Evelyn
Green presents a musical tribute to the
Doornfontein Hebrew Congregation
(Lions Shul), “Memories of Yesteryear”,
as a fundraiser for the shul. The repertoire will encompass traditional Jewish songs. Secure parking. Time: 15:00.
Tickets available from Darla at R200.
083-794-6358 darlabrook@hotmail.com
Monday (December 3)
• UJW is hosting Marcia Leveson, former
professor of English at Wits, on “Please
Sir, I Want Some More”, Charles Dickens and children in this his bicentenary
year. Time: 09:30. Contact: (011) 6481053, fax 086 273-3044. Donation:
R20. Join UJW for an informal tea after
the lecture.
Thursday (December 6)
• UJW CT adult education division hosts
Isaac Habib who will talk on “Jewish Life
in the Island of Rhodes – From Beginning to End”. Venue: Stonehaven. Time:
10:00 for 10:30. Entrance: R20 (incl
refreshments). Enquiries: (021) 4349555.
Friday (December 7)
• The United Sisterhood has its yearend book sale at the Benmore Gardens
Shopping Centre. Unwanted books and
magazine donations are gladly accepted.
Contact: Tel (011) 646-2409; fax (011)
646-4654.
the Shergar Cup in the UK.
Anton is the first jockey to owners Ingrid
and Markus Jooste and is paid a retainer
to ride for them. He has struck up a close
relationship with the Joostes and last Saturday he once again exhibited why he has the
respect of racing figures all over world.
Variety Club, voted Horse of the Year in
South Africa over the past two seasons, has
been moved overseas to continue his racing
career. Trained by Joey Ramsden in Cape
Town the Jooste-owned runner’s first port of
call was Dubai, to run on Dubai World Cup
night. He won his first race in Dubai earlier
this year and was beaten into second place in
a warm-up run last month.
On Saturday Variety Club, ridden by Anton,
lined up in the $1 million Godolphin Mile on
Dubai World Cup night, the richest race meeting of the year. He landed a shocking draw
of No 15 and after his defeat last time many
pundits believed he could not win. Anton may
have also had his doubts...
As the gates opened he flew out and in a
matter of strides was at the head of affairs
before they reached the first turn. Soft Falling
Rain, the favourite trained by South African
the racing gods were shining on us tonight.”
Anton has had many big wins. In fact, he
won the $5 million Dubai Duty Free on Jay
Peg a few years back. That was a horse trained
by brother Basil and owned in partnership by
another brother, Selwyn.
“I often get asked what winning a race like
this means to me. For me it doesn’t matter
whether you’re winning a maiden plate for 3
000 euros or a big race like this - every win
means a lot. But just to do it for Markus and
Ingrid, it has to rank up there as one of the
best – if not the best, within my relatively
short career.”
Variety Club has now been moved to Mike
de Kock and his next mission will be the
Hong Kong Mile on May 4, after which he
will travel to the UK and be housed at the
Newmarket stables owned by Mary Slack,
out of which De Kock trains. If possible,
they might even have a go at the Breeders’
Cup meeting in the US later in the year.
But wherever Variety Club travels, Anton
will be there, and a day or two later will be
back in South Africa to climb aboard those
mundane horses who might only ever win
one race.
World News in Brief
Jewish dialogue with mainline Protestant leaders
NEW YORK - The heads of several Jewish and Christian organisations and denominations met in New
York City last week Thursday in the first such gathering since October 2012, when the Jewish and
POPE CALLS FOR END TO PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS, NEW ME PEACE EFFORTS
Christian groups severed ties over mainline Protestant groups calling on Congress to investigate alleged
Israeli human rights abuses and end US aid to Israel.
ROME - At a gathering in Rome with Lebanon’s new cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI launched a new appeal
After the Thursday summit, participants issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to establish
for peace in Syria and the Middle East, the Associated Press reported.
a “national dialogue of Christian and Jewish leaders”.
“The church encourages all efforts for peace in the world and in the Middle East, a peace that will
The Jewish leaders - from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Anti-Defamation League, American
only be effective if it is based on authentic respect for other people,” Pope Benedict told the gathering,
Jewish Committee, B’nai B’rith International, Union of Reform Judaism, Rabbinical Assembly, United
which included several Lebanese pilgrims.
Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, and Religious Action Centre of Reform Judaism - met with the
He also spoke out concerning the plight of Christians from their traditional homelands throughout the heads of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church, and
Middle East, calling for them to be able to “live their faith freely”.
Presbyterian Church USA. (JNS.org)
Christian communities have come under assault by Muslims amid the upheaval related to the
“Arab Spring”. Tens of thousands of Syrian Christians have fled from the civil war there, while Egypt’s
Coptic Christian community fears the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood and the ultra-extremist Salafi
World News in Brief