1. religion and spirituality
2. judaism

February 13 2015 / 24 Shevet 5775
Volume 19 – Number 5
Jewish Report
south african
www.sajr.co.za
Photo: Ilan Ossendryver
Annabel Linder –
You can’t keep a
good entertainer
down.
Her new show
opens Saturday
night at Foxwood
page 14
By the company you keep...
Plane hijacker and terrorist Leila Khaled received a hero’s welcome when she arrived at Oliver Tambo Airport in Johannesburg last week Friday, as a
fundraising speaker for BDS-SA. The ANC quickly took her to heart and Cabinet ministers and other dignitaries basked in the limelight with her. Pictured
with Khaled (extreme left) is Winnie Ngwenya from the ANC Women’s League, with members of Umkhonto We Sizwe Military Veterans’ Association lending
a “military flavour” to the occasion. Khaled has been féted as a Palestinian “struggle hero” by the ANC, with nary a word of her terrorist activities being
mentioned. See story on page 4.
India’s Jewish Community
still going strong
We are guardians of the
flame of religion
Netanyahu’s US speech
exposes fault lines
SA Student leadership on
visit to Israel
Golfers Richard and
Warrick tee off
The Jewish Community numbers
just 5 000 out of a population of
1,2 billion.
‘Time and again in recent years
we have been reminded that
religion is a fire that warms and
burns.’
Pres Obama says he will not meet
with Netanyahu during his visit to
congress.
A group of student activists, in
January, did a trip to Israel and a
delegation of SA MPs is slated to
follow suit.
The pair have sought to create the
best full-time golf school in Africa.
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Community
2 SA JEWISH REPORT
Photo: Ilan Ossendryver
Symbiosis of the environment and
Israel during Tu B’Shvat
Amber Cummins, administrative director, Jewish National Fund of South Africa and Benji Shulman, JNF South Africa
Deputy Director Local Projects, plant a tree during last Sunday’s Tu B’Shvat celebration at Huddle Park in Johannesburg.
BENJI SHULMAN
The Jewish National Fund of South Africa capped an
energetic Tu B’Shvat celebration week with a family bike
ride and fun day at Huddle Park on Sunday. Groups took
advantage of the wonderful sunshine to walk, give dogs
a fun run and dust off the mountain bikes.
Afterwards many enjoyed the contents of the beer
tent, then delicious food on offer and even the chance
to sit with an anaconda! The previous seven days had
been marked with members of the community helping
to bring about a bit more of a “green” environment in
different ways.
In the Jewish primary schools the JNF worked with
classes of children helping them to grow herbs in a specially-designed JNF cup. When the herbs are fully grown,
they will be given away to those who are less fortunate.
For the high schools, the same kind of cups were used
to drink Fair Trade coffee from a roasting company. As
well as learning about environmental advancements in
Israel, the learners were able to literally taste first-hand
how coffee can be grown in a more sustainable manner
and how a simple act can make a big difference.
For many years now the JNF has joined forces with
Sean Hide from Grow-a-Tree who assisted at many
schools doing tree plantings and learning about the
environment. Sean has a dream to plant one million
trees before he dies and with the JNF having planted
160 million trees in the last 114 years, it is certainly an
excellent partnership.
One special event he assisted with involved the wives
of various ambassadors who came together to plant
trees at the JNF Walter Sisulu Environmental Centre
in Mamelodi near Pretoria. Ruth Lenk, wife of Israel’s
Ambassador to South Africa Arthur Lenk, representing
the State of Israel, explained the meaning of Tu B’Shvat,
while the group got to experience first hand the good
work that the JNF does for the youth of the area.
Other countries represented at the event included
Canada, Croatia, Seychelles, New Zealand, Trinidad,
Fuji, Slovakia, Jordan, Georgia, Pakistan and Suriname. The group, led by Sean then planted a variety of
indigenous trees that will be used in the future for the
“Greening Mamelodi” programme, which will create a
forest canopy for the area.
Although this year is a shmita year in Israel where
nothing is being planted by the JNF, in the Diaspora
such enthusiastic initiatives help bring the message of
the environment and Zionism to communities across
the spectrum.
More news on our website www.sajr.co.za
13 – 20 February 2015
Zayin Adar - honouring the
Chevrah Kadisha
RABBI JONATHAN FOX
Thursday, the 7th of Adar (corresponding to February 26) marks the yahrtzeit
of Moshe Rabbeinu.
In communities throughout the
world, the men and women of the
Chevrah Kadisha commemorate
Moshe’s yahrtzeit by fasting and
repenting as they recognise the great
responsibility that they have in dealing
with the departed.
It was Moshe himself who taught by
example the importance of ensuring the
honourable burial of the departed. When
the Jewish people left Egypt, all of the
Jews were busy gathering the riches
from the Egyptians - except for Moshe,
who was occupied with searching for the
hidden coffin of Yosef in order to transport it to the Land of Israel for burial.
Moshe sacrificed the opportunity
for great wealth in order to ensure
that Yosef would receive the burial he
deserved.
The people of the Chevrah Kadisha,
many of whom are volunteers, follow
the example of Moshe. With selflessness, they ensure that all the needs
of the departed are taken care of.
This includes collection of the body,
arranging the funeral, washing of the
body, purifying the body with water
(taharah), dressing the body in shrouds
and the burial itself.
Immediately after the fast, the
Chevrah Kadisha volunteers and
workers are treated to a dinner, and
are thanked by representatives of the
community for their holy work. This
coming together of the community
and the Chevrah Kadisha symbolises
our communal commemoration of the
yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu.
• If you would like to send a message of thanks to the people of the
Chevrah Kadisha who are involved in
the mitzvah of burial, please e-mail
jonathan@jhbchev.co.za. We will
try to convey your message at the
dinner.
World News in Brief
‘We should put you all on freight wagons’
BRUSSELS - A Brussels high school teacher was summoned to appear before a
local school board for telling a Jewish learner: “We should put you all on freight
wagons.”
The incident occurred at the Belgian capital’s Emile Jacqmain School and
involved a 16-year-old female learner and her mathematics teacher, the La
Derniere Heure magazine reported last week Friday.
The teacher, who was not identified, was summoned to appear before the board
following a complaint filed against him for inciting racism and anti-Semitic hatred.
The learner, according to the report, told the teacher that “one does not joke about
such subjects”.
Tens of thousands of Belgian Jews, along with countless other Jews from
across Europe, were transported by the Nazis to deaths in cattle and freight
wagons.
Moments earlier, the teacher reportedly told a pupil with a Polish-sounding
last name to “go back to Poland” while imitating a German accent.
Four days after the “freight wagons” incident, the teacher said publicly at
school: “I did not mean to say it, and I apologised to anyone shocked by it.”
But the pupil’s parents filed a complaint, which the school board processed
promptly, earning praises from Joel Rubinfeld, president of the Belgian League
Against Anti-Semitism, or LBCA. Rubinfeld told the RTL broadcaster that the
school’s action was exemplary.
“My feeling is that this teacher meant to say exactly what he said, and that
this is yet another example of the anti-Semitism that is making life increasingly
difficult for Belgian Jews here,” he told JTA on Monday. (JTA)
Laws and laws
Parshat Shekalim Mishpatim
Rabbi Yossi Chaikin
Oxford Synagogue
We all learnt in school to avoid starting
sentences with the word “and”. Yet this week’s
Parsha begins with the words “Ve’ele Hamishpatim” - And these are the commandments
that you shall set out before them.
“Mishpatim”, as the portion is called, covers
a wide range of financial laws. Topics include,
just to name a few: fair treatment of slaves;
laws of assault and kidnapping; negligence
and theft; responsibility for another person’s
possessions.
In this case, however, the opening conjunction serves a very important role. It connects
Jewish Report
South African
this Parsha with the previous one, Yitro,
which we read last week. Yitro deals with the
revelation at Sinai, the Giving of the Ten Commandments, which the entire Jewish nation
heard directly from G-d.
The word “and” links the two portions, Yitro
and Mishpatim. Just as the Ten Commandments came directly from G-d, likewise all the
laws we are about to read in this week’s portion also come from Sinai.
The laws may seem to be rational. They may
appear to come from the human mind. After
all it is logical that a society must set up a system of rules, that govern the way people must
act towards one another and that deal with
those who hurt others in one way or another.
The reason we observe the laws taught in
Mishpatim, is not because they are logical, it is
because they are Divine.
In that way, the Torah’s laws are different
from the laws established by countries around
the world. Those are man-made and reflect the
values of the place and of the time. The founding fathers of a nation sit down and draw up a
constitution for their land. As time passes and
circumstances change, so can the laws as long
as the citizens of that country can agree on the
new rules.
A good illustration of this principle is our
own country. A generation ago we lived under
the apartheid regime. Two decades later, that
same system, which was then accepted as the
statute of the land, is considered abhorrent. A
totally new constitution is now in place, giving
equality to all, and in many cases granting
special privilege to those who were previously
disadvantaged.
Man-made laws will change, because men
will change. One of the foundations of our
faith is that our Torah “lo tehe muchlefet”,
cannot and will not change. Because it comes
from Hashem, who does not change, its values
will remain eternal.
This applies not only to kashrut and Shabbat. It is also true of the civil and criminal
laws. It applies even to the rules that govern
neighbourly relations or damages caused by an
ox who has gone on the rampage.
Shabbat Shalom.
Shabbat Times
February 13 / 24 Shevat
February 14 / 25 Shevat
Parshat Shekalim Mishpatim
18:15
19:24 Johannesburg
18:18
20:15
Cape Town
18:15 19:11Durban
18:15 19:36Bloemfontein
18:15
19:47
Port Elizabeth
18:15
19:36
East London
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13 – 20 February 2015
Community
SA JEWISH REPORT 3
India’s Jewish community: Not going down without a fight
DAN BROTMAN
India was always a country I wanted to visit,
but I never seemed to find the right reason
to go. This changed recently when I was able
to participate on a first-ever trip to India for
15 Jewish young professionals from around
the world, organised by the American Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee.
The purpose of the trip was to spend a week
learning about and engaging with the Indian
Jewish community, which today numbers just
5 000 out of a country of 1,2 billion people.
The Indian Jewish community was at its
largest (about 30 000 members) around the
time that India received independence and
the State of Israel was founded. The vast majority of the community emigrated to Israel,
North America, the UK and Australia over the
next two decades.
The Malabari were the first Jews to settle in
India over 2 000 years ago and are descended
from the seven families who arrived in Kerala
following the destruction of the First Temple.
The next Jews to arrive were the Pardesi,
who were refugees fleeing the Inquisition in
Spain and Portugal.
The Bene Israel, who are the majority of the
community, arrived 900 years ago, but lost
most of their Jewish traditions and assimilated
into Indian life, remembering only the Shema
Israel prayer and basic kashrut. They were
brought back to traditional Judaism in the
1700s after coming into contact with Cochin’s
established Jewish community, and were fully
recognised as Jews by the Israeli Rabbinate in
1964.
The final Jews to arrive were the Baghdadis,
who migrated from Iraq in the 1800s for commercial reasons. The illustrious and fabulously
wealthy David Sassoon and his descendants
belong to this last group of migrants, and the
Sassoon dynasty has left an indelible mark on
Mumbai’s cultural and historic landmarks.
On Friday night our group attended services
at Mumbai’s Knesset Eliyahoo Synagogue,
which was built in 1885 by David Sassoon’s
son, Jacob Elias. The synagogue was built
during the height of the British Raj, and it was
easy for me to conjure up an image of wealthy
Baghdadi traders dressed in linen suits filling
its pews at the turn of the 20th century.
The 30 of us praying in its sanctuary, consisted of elderly local Jews, imported Chabad
rabbis and a sprinkle of Western tourists.
Services were followed by Shabbat dinner at
the Chabad House, which today resembles a
fortress following the 2008 terrorist attack
that killed its rabbi and rebbetzen.
In addition to post-army Israeli backpackers
and Western tourists, at dinner were a number
of Indian-born Jews living abroad on a roots
trip with their children and grandchildren.
While the Indian Jewish community is in
decline due to emigration and diminishing
demographics, I left sensing that despite all
the odds against them, this small community
will not go down without a fight.
I was very impressed with the “cradle to
grave” services the community offers, similar
to our own, ranging from Jewish schools
(albeit with few Jewish students), meals on
wheels, aged homes and youth group activities.
We spent our final day of the trip at Bayiti,
Mumbai’s only Jewish aged home. The major-
Visiting a local Jewish family in Mumbai.
ity of the residents either have no children
to care for them, were tragically duped out
of their savings (sometimes by relatives) and
were thus unable to look after themselves,
or have children who emigrated and who do
not provide for their parents. Prior to the
establishment of Bayiti, some of its elderly
Jewish residents were homeless or sleeping
under stairwells.
Our visit to Bayiti coincided with Republic Day, a national holiday commemorating
when India’s constitution came into force. We
celebrated this national holiday with Bayiti’s
residents by singing our respective national
anthems.
Following renditions of Jana Gana Mana,
The Star-Spangled Banner and God Save the
Queen, as the only “South African” member of the delegation (I am a US citizen), I
volunteered to sing a solo rendition of Nkosi
Sikelel’ iAfrika. As I did, I could not help but
feel sad that such an ancient Jewish community is doing everything in its power to carry
on, but realistically may no longer exist in my
lifetime.
Dan Brotman is the Executive Director of the
South Africa-Israel Forum and is based in Johannesburg. For more on JDC Entwine, visit www.
jdcentwine.org.
Community
4 SA JEWISH REPORT
13 – 20 February 2015
The fire of religion warms and burns
TALI FEINBERG
“Time and again in recent years we
have been reminded that religion is
not what the European Enlightenment thought it would become mute, marginal and mild. No, religion
is a fire and like a fire it warms and
also burns. And we are guardians of
the flame.”
These were the words of Mickey
Glass, founding member of the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum
and former executive director of the
United Orthodox Synagogues Cape
Council, who was speaking at a panel
discussion hosted by the Cape SA
Jewish Board of Deputies during UN
World Interfaith Harmony Week.
This was the third year in a row
that the Cape Board has created a
function to encourage dialogue and
create connections in South African
society, and thus panelists were asked
to address the topic. “The challenges
of interfaith in a world of hate: Can
we do more to promote ubuntu?”
In the face of overwhelming challenges, “we do not have to redeem
the world in one go”, continued Glass.
“We do it one day at a time, one
person at a time, one act at a time. A
single life, our sages teach us is like a
universe.
“Change a life and you change the
world. We call it tikkun olam, mending the world. After all, the Jewish
prophets introduced mankind to the
whole concept of human rights.”
Mickey Glass (former director, UOS Synagogues; Catholic Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town; Berry Gargan
(United Religious Initiative, SA); Muhittin Camlibel (Turquoise Harmony Institute); Rev Gordon Oliver (chairman, Cape
Town Interfaith Initiative); Gwynne Robins and Lester Hoffman, (both Cape SA Jewish Board of Deputies).
Catholic Archbishop of Cape Town
Stephen Brislin agreed that much of
the conflict worldwide was fuelled
by faith, and he put forward three
reasons why he thought this was so:
fear, secularism and an unwillingness
to speak out against injustice.
He said that all of these bred a
culture of mistrust and “othering”;
for example, a rise of secularism led
to the satirising of religion, which
in turn has led to an unjustified
backlash, as in the case of the Charlie
Hebdo attack.
He said it was crucial that religious
communities “denounce extremists
who breach the values of our faith”,
and also emphasised that they must
be courageous enough to critique
government if needed - “a prophet
or priest does not try to be king - our
role is to guide those in power”, he
said.
Berry Gargan of the United
Religions Initiative emphasised
that faith communities needed to
be creative in order to build bridges
in today’s world. Her organisation
brings people from different faith
groups together to tackle a problem
in their community.
“People of faith often share a space,
Hijacker Khaled feted by ANC on SA visit
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whether it is a home or city, and we
need to start with what we have in
common,” she said. Adding to Glass’
idea of religion as a flame, she said
that she saw these ”co-operation
circles” as “points of light, coming
together and igniting more points of
light in a dark world”.
Muhittin Camlibel, regional
director of the Turquoise Harmony
Institute, described the complexities of working in faith communities in places like Turkey, where the
society is both very religious and very
secular.
He commended the excellent inter-
faith work in Cape Town, a feat not
always repeated in other parts of the
country. Emphasising that “dialogue
is the goal”, he encouraged simple
gestures, like people eating a meal
together.
Reverend Gordon Oliver, chairman
of the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative,
shared the words of the late John
Oliver, who said the question should
not be “am I my brother’s keeper?”
but rather “am I my brother?”
He discussed a version of interfaith
that echoes the values of ubuntu,
which is the idea of ”I am who I am
because of you” and where “interfaith
can be a new spiritual path in an anxious, insecure world on a threatened
planet”. Quoting former UK Chief
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, he emphasised
that the value we should uphold is the
“dignity of difference”.
The audience included members of
the Ahmadi, Anglican, Baha’i, Brahma
Kumaris, Catholic, Dutch Reformed
Church, Jewish, Quaker, Shiite,
Spiritualist, Sunni and the Turkish
Muslim and Unitarian faith communities.
Interfaith organisations present
included the Western Cape Religious
Leaders Forum, Cape Town Interfaith
Initiative, United Religions Initiative,
Hizmet (”Service”) Movement of
Fethullah Gülen, the Korean Heavenly Culture, World Peace Restoration of
Light and its International Women’s
Peace Group and International Peace
Youth Group.
If you fit the above criteria,
then e-mail your resumé to
karen@sajewishreport.co.za
and let’s get talking.
Jewish Report
south african
Convicted plane hijacker and unrepentant terrorist
Leila Khaled, “revered guest of honour of SA Cabinet
ministers” and BDS-SA, has received red carpet
treatment during her fundraising whistle-stop tour of
the country. She will be in South Africa until this coming Monday. Khaled arrived at OR Tambo last Friday
to a hero’s welcome, with ANC dignitaries - including
ministers - prominent. Even Ronnie Kasrils vied for
some of the action.
With all eyes this week on President Jacob Zuma’s
State of the Nation address, Khaled received a special
invitation to the event.
BDS-SA said in a media release: “The Palestinian
freedom fighter and icon, Leila Khaled, will be attending the upcoming State of the Nation Address (Sona)
delivered by President Jacob Zuma as a guest of the
Presiding Officers.”
It added: “Leila Khaled’s presence at Sona should
be seen as a clear sign that South Africa is a friend
of Palestine and that no pro-Israeli lobby or interest
group can change this fact.”
To recapture Khaled’s “glory” of her 60s firebrand
years, is the BDS-SA invitation to announce her visit,
showing a young Khaled defiantly brandishing an
AK-47. But Khaled - now in her 70s - is so much
“yesterday’s terrorist”, say some observers; what
she has to offer to the complex Mideast problem, is
anybody’s guess.
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) who have been vocal in its rejection of Khaled’s
visit, have organised a demonstration against it on
Friday February 13, at 6 Spin Street, Cape Town
CBD at 08:30. Permission has been granted for 100
protesters.
In a media release, Mary Kluk, chairman of the SAJBD, refuted claims that the BDS is “non-violent” and
that Khaled and the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine (PFLP) “are peace loving”.
“We reject BDS’ attempts to import terrorism to
South Africa; we reject BDS’ attempts to glorify terrorism, especially now, when global terrorism poses
the greatest threat to freedom and peace the world
over; we reject BDS’ attempts to glorify violence (best
expressed by their use of Khaled lovingly wielding an
AK-47 as their poster picture); following on from that,
we reject the BDS claim that they stand for non-violence. Rather, we believe that by hosting Khaled (over
and above many other possible spokespeople who
believe in negotiations and peaceful co-existence
between Israelis and Palestinians), BDS is sending a
clear message to our country of what they stand for.”
The SAJBD in its release explained that “the PFLP
is a proscribed (banned) terror organisation in the
US, the EU and Canada. It has been responsible for
decades of terror activities.”
Khaled was refused entry to the UK for her terrorist
activities. She has repeatedly said that she rejects
negotiations and prefers violence. In 1972 in 972
magazine, she wrote: “Resistance doesn’t only happen through violence but violence is the mainstream.”
In a newspaper interview in Johannesburg last
week she said: “I am in the politburo of the Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), responsible for refugees and the right of return, and this
means I have to work on spreading and promoting
the culture of the right of return.
“Ask any Palestinian: ‘What’s your dream?’ And
they will say: ‘To go back’,” says Khaled who herself
lives in Jordan.
She decried the lack of official support from
Arab regimes for an independent Palestine. “They
just don’t say it verbally, but practically, it’s only the
masses who support the freedom of Palestinians.”
Khaled, who confirmed that she was still a
Marxist, said the PLO, which is part of the PFLP,
“calls for achieving the rights of Palestinans even
by armed struggle”.
BDS-SA this week in a media release said
Khaled “has had a wonderful South African trip
thus far, with huge support from the liberation
movement and ruling party, the ANC as well as
from the thousands of supporters across the
country...
“South African leaders have not succumbed to
pro-Israeli groups that have tried to influence leaders into rejecting comrade Leila Khaled.”
j report quarter pg ad.ai
13 – 20 February 2015
Community
SA JEWISH REPORT 5
Community Voices
Darren
Bergman,
DA MP: “In
our current
climate of moral
degeneration
it is important
that we speak out against
corruption and we fight
the values that allow for an
acceptance of corruption.
“Our country has leaders
who openly embrace known
global terrorists but then
condemn Boko Haram. We
find high-profile officials
guilty of corruption but then
see the images of celebration
and support when walking
into prison and then out of
prison on pardons. This culture
translates into everyday life
and then has no meaning when
politicians try and claw back on
value degeneration.
Marcelle
Ravid, DA
city councillor:
“Jackie Selebi
turned out to be
a really rotten
tomato. The Chief
Rabbi must have felt deeply
betrayed by the promises made
by President Thabo Mbeki at
the time and, seeing we still
have a free press, by all means,
let the Chief stand up for what
he believes.”
Steven
Kruger, DA
city councillor:
“I agree with
the Chief Rabbi.
We need moral
leadership and
he has a right
to comment when there are
any contraventions of the law.
Jewish Report
south african
19 – 26 February
Thursday 19 Feb, 7:45pm
Leaders need to be held to the
highest standards, displaying
ethics and morality, otherwise
how can we expect ordinary
citizens to do so when there is
corruption?”
C
M
Y
CM
Victor Gordon,
immediate past
chairman of
the Pretoria
Council of the
SA Jewish Board
of Deputies: “I
unequivocally
agree and support the Chief
Rabbi in what he says. He has
my unqualified admiration,
being the only leader with the
courage and moral fortitude to
say what so obviously should
have been said by other leaders
as well.”
MY
CY
CMY
K
Joy Coplan,
ANC PR
councillor for
Ward 90. “I
trust Rabbi
Goldstein’s
judgment,
but in talking
to Comrades who were
contemporaries of Selebi in
the liberation struggle and
who were with him in Lusaka
in 1967, I have learnt that
they had great regard and
respect for him as a leader,
and in their view, he made
an enormous contribution to
end the apartheid regime.”
February
10, 2006
What made the news
Kiev synagogue attacked
in act of anti-Semitism
KIEV - With Ukraine at present riven by civil
war, seemingly instigated by Russia’s territorial ambitions, it is interesting to look at a news
item which appeared in Jewish Report some
nine years ago: Jewish leaders in Ukraine have
blamed Ukrainian authorities, law enforcement
and societal attitudes for an attempted attack on
Kiev’s central synagogue last Friday night.
A man stormed into a Kiev synagogue and
disturbed the Sabbath service by shouting antiSemitic threats.
The incident took place when the Central
Brodsky Synagogue in downtown Kiev was full
of worshippers.
The man, whom police later identified as
Georgy Dobryansky, 53, burst into the synagogue
and demanded he be brought to a rabbi. The
guard stopped him at the entrance.
7:57 PM
LEARNING LAUNCH 2015
Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein recently came out strongly - both in an article in The
Star and other Independent newspapers and in an e-mail - against convicted former
Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi being elevated to hero status by the ANC, after
his death. Rabbi Goldstein contended that Selebi had betrayed our democracy and
that he didn’t deserve acclaim. The SA Jewish Report asked several leaders in the
community the following questions: “Do you agree with Rabbi Goldstein’s stance?”
And: “Should he have commented on the issue at all?”
“I support Rabbi Goldstein
and his fight against
corruption and standing up
against wrong. There is always
a measure that one must
take in accommodating how
much risk one takes in terms
of how much benefit one can
derive from such a letter or
statement. Knowing that
Selebi had a productive past in
the Struggle can be celebrated
by the ANC, but erasing a huge
pimple and trying to hide it can
have ripple effects in future
fights against corruption.”
2015/02/02
CAJE ANNUAL
Chief Rabbi’s Selebi article
Michael
Bagraim,
DA MP: “It
is the Chief
Rabbi’s right to
comment. In
fact, we expect
him to have his say as the voice
and the morality of the Jewish
community.
“We praise Rabbi Goldstein
for what he did. I think we,
as fully-fledged members
of our democracy, need to
be more vocal when we see
wrongdoings such as this.”
4
The attacker shouted that he came to desecrate the synagogue and that he hated Jews
and wanted to act on their holy day of the week.
Some witnesses reported that a large knife
was found on the floor near the entrance. The
man is now in police custody. Jewish leaders
said authorities had not responded properly to
previous anti-Semitic and hate incidents.
“We won’t be silent,” Eduard Dolinsky, executive director of the United Jewish Community in
Ukraine, said minutes after the attack.
“The lack of fight against xenophobia and
anti-Semitism, in particular against MAUP
propaganda, has resulted in what we had today,”
he told JTA, referring to a Kiev-based university,
the Interregional Academy of Personnel Management, or MAUP, whose leadership has a long
history of anti-Semitism. (JTA
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Opinion and Analysis
Jewish Report
south african
Living
in dark times
South Africa’s current energy crisis looms
large over all of us. As I write this editorial, I have been interrupted by Stage II load
shedding twice, and Jewish Report’s staff
are plagued by the anxiety of not having
the paper print ready before threatened
power cuts. These are a miniscule tear in
the giant crack of chaos this electricity
crisis is causing and we have no idea how
long it will continue.
electricity grids. Also, the government
says it is securing the national grid by
buying an additional 1 000 megawatts
from private power producers which will
come on stream within 18 months, yet
last week the ANC decided to scrap the
Independent System Market Operator
Bill which would have symbolised the beginnings of really breaking Eskom’s monopoly.
Reasons for the crisis
Eskom blames the current load shedding on failures at three of its generators
which, says Eskom CEO Tshediso Matona,
“is a result of running our plant hard and
delaying critical maintenance in our past
efforts to keep the lights on…”
President Jacob Zuma and other government representatives attribute the
underlying problem to the legacy of apartheid - our infrastructure was never geared
to supply power to such a vast population.
Over the last 20 years electricity has been
provided to 5,8 mil households, reducing
the number of households without electricity from 50 per cent in 1994 to a current 14 per cent.
Critics of government policy, particularly within the DA, say apartheid cannot
be government’s main excuse. Reforms
that were called for in the 1998 energy
white paper, when warning signs of an ailing power system
were already evident, should have
been implemented. The white paper had called for
breaking Eskom’s
monopoly which
would have allowed thousands
of watts of independent energy
to come onto the
national electricity grid.
For a period,
from 2001, government prohibited Eskom from
building
new
generators, to allow independent
power
generation companies to
compete. But conditions were not attractive enough (a difficult regulatory environment and power
prices that were too low) for independent
producers to enter the market, and so
there were years where neither Eskom nor
the private sector built the needed generating capacity.
Other issues
Electricity aside, other resource crises are
lurking in the shadows. We urgently need
better waste management practices as we
reach a point where are our landfill sites
are at capacity.
Our water supplies are under threat,
with 37 per cent of our drinkable water
being wasted through leakages. A 2014
government report states that an estimated R293bn needs to be spent over the
next five years on water management and
infrastructure to avoid a major shortage.
This is 100 times more than the R2,9bn
budgeted.
South Africans use 235 litres of water
a day on average, compared to the international average of 173 litres, pushing the
country into a water crisis that will, within a decade, rival the electricity catastrophe, according to a report by the Institute
of Security Studies.
Government’s fix
Government, led by Deputy President
Cyril Ramaphosa, is now involved in trying to manage the current crisis and the
group is confident its solutions will bring
relief. The plan is to utilise diesel-powered
open cycle gas turbines to bridge the gap
between supply and demand, and work
has begun to reduce maintenance backlogs.
But there are problems with these solutions: the diesel turbines are costly to
operate; and there is an estimated R40bn
maintenance backlog in the municipal
Our role
In Judaism, the
halachah prohibits wasteful consumption. When
we waste resources we are violating
the mitzvah of Bal
Tashchit (“Do not
destroy”) based
on Deuteronomy
20:19-20.
There is also
a midrash Kohelet Rabbah, 1
on
Ecclesiastes
7:13. “When G-d
created the first
human
beings,
G-d led them
around the Garden of Eden and
said: ‘Look at my
works! See how
beautiful they are - how excellent! For
your sake I created them all. See to it that
you do not spoil and destroy My world;
for if you do, there will be no one else to
repair it’.”
As South Africans, we tend to focus
on Third World, immediate problems but
preserving our environment and energy
resources is fast becoming as urgent. The
SA Jewish community needs to leads by
example, as we do in other areas of civic
responsibility.
Let’s further educate both ourselves
and our youth, who are tomorrow’s leaders, about protecting the environment.
Let’s switch off the lights when we leave
a room, conserve energy in our businesses, recycle, have quicker showers… these
tiny drops in the ocean may have a momentum all its own…
– Vanessa Valkin, Editor
13– 20 February 2015
Photo: Abir Sultan-Pool/Getty Images
6 SA JEWISH REPORT
Some Democrats are worried that the tensions surrounding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech
to Congress could affect Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Netanyahu and Clinton appear
here in a file photo.
Netanyahu’s US speech exposes
partisan fault lines on Israel
RON KAMPEAS
WASHINGTON
The controversy over whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s should speak to Congress
next month is worrying pro-Israel Democrats about
its possible impact on the 2016 elections. Even more
worrisome, some Democrats say, are the voter trends
underpinning the current tensions.
The invitation to Netanyahu made by John Boehner, the Republican House Speaker, without consulting Democrats or the White House, and its fallout,
have exposed partisan fault lines on Israel. President
Barack Obama says he will not meet with Netanyahu
during the visit and some top Democrats are saying
they will not attend the speech.
But shrinking attention spans mean bad feelings
over the speech will be ancient history by 2016, despite GOP promises to keep it alive, said Ann Lewis,
the senior adviser to Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign on Jewish and women’s issues.
“I do not think this is a long-lasting one,” said Lewis, who is widely expected to advise the former secretary of state, US senator from New York and first
lady, in a 2016 presidential run.
Of greater concern to Lewis, she said, was the
increasing number of “don’t knows” in surveys of
younger Democrats that include questions about
support for Israel.
“As I’ve looked at those numbers, I see support
among Republicans has gone up, support among
Democrats has stayed the same, with a higher number in the ‘don’t know’ column. That says to me we’ve
got a lot more work to do.”
Obama cited the dangers of a partisan divide on
Israel when he was asked on Monday at a news conference about the speech.
“This isn’t a relationship founded on affinity between the Labour Party and the Democratic Party or
the Likud and the Republican Party,” he said. “This
is the US-Israeli relationship that extends beyond
parties and has to do with that unbreakable bond
we feel and our commitment to Israel’s security. The
way to preserve that is to make sure that it doesn’t
get clouded with what could be perceived as partisan
politics.”
The bad feelings are becoming somewhat of a partisan matter, with Democratic leaders in Congress
saying the speech was a bad idea. Some top Democrats, including Vice President Joe Biden, Senator
Patrick Leahy (Democrat Vermont), the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, and Representative James Clyburne (Democrat South Carolina),
the third-ranked Democrat in the House, as well as
prominent members of the Congressional Black and
Hispanic Caucuses, are vowing not attend.
At the same time, Republicans are gearing up to
count heads at the speech and campaign against
Democrats who don’t show.
“If these Democrats would rather put partisan
politics ahead of principle and walk out on the prime
minister of Israel, then we have an obligation to
make that known,” Matt Brooks, who directs the
Republican Jewish Coalition, told Politico last week.
Boehner invited Netanyahu to address Congress
- a reprisal, in part, for Obama’s support for nuclear talks with Iran - without consulting the White
House, a breach of protocol, or Democrats, a departure from tradition.
Tamara Coffman Wittes, director of the Centre of
Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, said
support for Israel was increasingly contingent on
worldviews that divided along party lines.
“You do see an increasing partisan gap on that issue that’s rooted in populations in the United States,
those that tend to vote more heavily Republican evangelicals - and those that tend to vote more heavily Democrat - blacks and Hispanics,” said Wittes,
who was deputy assistant secretary of state for Near
Eastern affairs in Obama’s first term.
The evangelical community tends to take a more
hawkish approach to Israel policy.
Meanwhile, said Wittes, citing Brookings polls,
“blacks and Hispanics, who are an increasingly important base for the Democratic Party, tend to look
at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict more through a human rights lens and that tends to make them more
interested in seeing the United States look for a compromise.”
But she noted that it would take “some time” for
the trends to manifest into electoral politics.
Representative Steve Cohen (Democrat Tennessee), a Jewish congressman from a Memphis district that is majority black, said the adversarial and
partisan cast of the speech to Congress obscured its
message and stoked feelings that the Israeli prime
minister and majority leaders in Congress had disrespected Obama.
Mara Rudman, who had served as a senior national security official in the Clinton and Obama administrations, argued that support for Israel should be
defined more broadly than support for Netanyahu’s
specific agenda.
“This is a question of one individual’s bad judgement call,” said Rudman, who is now a consultant.
“This day, this moment will pass.”
David Makovsky, who until late last year worked
at the State Department on Israeli-Palestinian peace
talks, said he was concerned that the fallout from Netanyahu’s speech could reverberate well into the future, in part because it could reinforce trends showing tapering support for Israel among Democrats.
In Makovsky’s view, Netanyahu by agreeing to
speak to Congress is undermining the urgency of his
case against the emerging deal between Iran and the
nuclear powers.
“If you think it’s an existential threat, you should
do it in a context that is not politicising it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lewis refused comment on how any
GOP attacks citing the speech might play in 2016.
But another Democratic operative with ties in the
Jewish community said Jewish voters would be able
to handily distinguish Hillary Clinton from Obama.
“She has to find ways to distance herself from the
Obama administration of which she was a huge part”
because of Obama-Netanyahu tensions that proIsrael groups blame on both leaders, said the operative, who spoke on condition of not being identified
because Clinton has yet to declare her intention to
seek the presidency. (JTA)
More news on our website www.sajr.co.za
Opinion and News
13 – 20 February 2015
SA JEWISH REPORT 7
On jihadists and smartphones Read the South African Jewish
TAKING ISSUE
Geoff Sifrin
Whatever one’s take is on the diplomatic
catastrophe Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu caused by proposing to address
the US Congress next month on the Iran
nuclear issue without bringing US President
Barack Obama into the loop, the importance
of Netanyahu’s topic is enormous.
That is, the need for a firmer Western hand
against Iran and by implication the terrorism
infecting the world today - much of it funded
by Iran. Unfortunately, Netanyahu upsetting
US-Israeli relations fudges the Iranian and
terrorist question in political fog rather than
clarifying it.
People in the West need a serious wakeup
call. Many are so infatuated today with
their smartphones, social media, games and
techno-gadgets, that they just won’t face the
extent to which forces of plain evil are gaining
ground, particularly in the Middle East, with
tentacles embracing the whole world. If this
continues, no-one will get away free.
Try to make sense of the fact that in this
digital era, with its amazing human advances
and connectivity of people from every corner
of the planet, there are jihadists chopping off
journalists’ and others’ heads, burning them
alive and proudly broadcasting videos of their
atrocities to the whole world - and fighting to
impose their fanatical worldview on everyone.
The digital age lets us imagine we control
a lot. We’re “empowered”. Buy Microsoft
Word for your computer and you are instantly
a “writer”. Establish a blog and you are a
“political commentator”. Take a video clip of
something that happens in your town and
you are a “journalist”.
But it’s an illusion. We are seduced by a
virtual world divorced from the real one. We
must heed the message of the real professionals in the field taking the risks entailed
by being there, such as the brave journalists
who go right into the eye of the storm - the
areas controlled by the terrorist group ISIS to bring news of the actual barbarities going
on. Many journalists have been captured and
executed.
This week two of them, murdered newsmen James Foley and Steven Sotloff, were
posthumously honoured with an award in
memory of Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl, a
Wall Street Journal reporter abducted and
beheaded in Pakistan in 2002 while following
a story about international terrorism.
The Anti Defamation League’s Daniel Pearl
Award was presented to Foley’s mother and
Sotloff’s parents in Palm Beach, Florida last
Friday.
Foley was killed in Syria in August 2014 by
ISIS after being held hostage for nearly two
years. He was captured while reporting near
the Turkish border. He had worked in northern Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.
Sotloff was kidnapped by ISIS in August
2013 while working in Syria. In a desperate
attempt to save him, his friends and family
tried to remove references on the Internet to
the fact that he was Jewish and had studied
in Israel and held dual US-Israel citizenship.
Japanese journalist Kenji Goto was another. He was beheaded by ISIS last week. In
Tokyo, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper ran
an extra on the saga, and a Facebook page
set up immediately after the first ISIS video
of him was released last month, drew tens of
thousands of “likes”. Photo postings showed
people, not only from Japan but worldwide,
holding up handwritten signs saying: “I am
Kenji.” It echoed the reaction in France early
last month when the French people declared
en masse “I am Charlie”, after cartoonists
of the Charlie Hebdo satirical journal were
gunned down by jihadists in Paris for depicting the Prophet Muhammad.
But mouthing these slogans is not enough.
People in the West still confront each new
ISIS video with dangerous denialism, as if it
doesn’t really concern them personally. Many
Western media still refuse to use the word
“terrorist” for the jihadists, instead calling
them by the neutral term “militant”.
Netanyahu may have embarrassed Israel
and caused diplomatic damage with his arrogance - for which he should pay a political
price at the upcoming Israeli elections. But
the saga might at least serve some useful
purpose if people will look up from their
smartphones and realise that the West has to
stand up to the jihadist madness permeating
the world. Otherwise, all our technological
advances will mean nothing.
Geoff Sifrin is former editor of the SAJR. He
writes this column in his personal capacity.
Historian Martin Gilbert dies at age 78
LONDON - British-Jewish historian Martin Gilbert, the official biographer of United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill, has died
from cancer at 78.
Gilbert wrote more than 80 books during a career spanning several
decades, with most focused on the life of Churchill as well as dozens
of others on the Holocaust, Jewish history, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Some of his most recent works included “In Ishmael’s House: A History of the Jews in Muslim Lands”, “Churchill and the Jews”, and “The
Story of Israel: From Theodor Herzl to the Roadmap for Peace”.
In 1995, Gilbert was awarded a knighthood for his “services to British history and international relations.” In a tweet, Britain’s Holocaust
Education Trust said: “Very sad to hear of the passing of Sir Martin
Gilbert, leading Holocaust historian and our great friend. Our thoughts
are with his family.” (JNS.org)
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HEALTH & BEAUTY FEATURE
8 SA JEWISH REPORT
13– 20 February 2015
Compiled by Shereen Miller
Health & Beauty Feature
Tim Noakes’s fat diet: truth or fiction
Prof Tim Noakes of the Sports Science Institute in Cape Town believes that the overconsumption of refined carbohydrates could be
toxic for the body and suggests a new highprotein, low-carbs approach is best.
“Everything we have been taught about
nutrition is wrong,” Noakes maintains. He
says we should be loading on protein and fat
and NOT carbohydrates.
Eating to lose weight and staying healthy
has become much more complex than eating
fruit and vegetables and drinking water.
Nutritional advice is now being dished out
from all directions that first tell us one thing
and then another!
His new found theory states that not only
athletes but the general public would benefit
more from low-carb, high-protein diets. He
has backed this theory by the fact that obesity, chronic and degenerative diseases due to
poor lifestyle choices, have not lessened but
soared alarmingly.
He blames not only the old nutritional recommendations but also the drug companies
for fuelling the fire by cashing in on the rise
of illness and disease and the food technologists responsible for producing such foods in
the first place.
He supports his theory by highlighting the
eating habits of previous generations when,
before the Second World War, people lived
mainly on a protein diet and were shown to
be healthier because of it.
“Since the adoption of the ‘prudent diet’
which restricts fat intake with an increased
intake of carbohydrates, the prevalence of
adult-onset diabetes and obesity has in-
creased explosively,” says Noakes.
His low-carb theory can be traced back
to the Harvey/Banting diet in the ‘60s and
then the Atkins diet in the ‘70s. Noakes has
come to the understanding that not everyone
is able to metabolise refined carbohydrates
efficiently, which his findings suggest can
give rise to progressive weight gain and
cause some to be pre-disposed to developing
diabetes.
If there is anything you can take away from
Noakes’ high protein/fat diet, it is that it challenges what we think we know to be “true”
about nutrition and that we should always
look to our own bodies before deciding what
is good for us.
He claims that by removing carbohydrates
completely from one’s diet and opting for
high protein/fat foods instead, better physical
performance, weight loss and overall better health can be achieved. He believes that
everyone would benefit from this diet and
concludes that people who are carbohydrateresistant or pre-diabetic or with a family
history of diabetes, would benefit most from
this eating plan.
The following are foods Noakes believes
should be completely removed from one’s diet:
Sugar (must be completely removed from
your diet); all sugary drinks including cola
drinks and sweetened fruit juices; bread; rice;
pasta; potatoes; porridge; breakfast cereals; some high energy fruits like bananas; all
confectionary - cakes and sweets; desserts;
artificial sweeteners and products containing
these products (like “diet” sodas).
He says one should also be wary of so-called
“low fat” options, yoghurt especially, since
these are laden with sugar and so are less
healthy than the full fat options. In fact you
need to check all the foods that you eat. You
will be astonished in the number that contain
hidden sugar.
Noakes suggest we eat eggs; fish; meat organic or grass fed, not processed; dairy
products - milk, cheese and yoghurt - all full
cream; vegetables - mainly leafy, low carbohydrate sources; nuts - macadamia and almonds
especially but no peanuts or cashew nuts as
these are high in carbohydrates; fruits - very
occasionally and then only those which have
a lower carbohydrate content like apples and
berries; water, tea and coffee (all unsweetened!).
While Noaks’ statement that older generations lived mainly on protein diets to their
benefit is controversial (many lived off a
vegetarian diet as meat was considered more
of a luxury than an everyday staple).
His claim that removing refined (and addictive) carbohydrates from our diet such as
breads, cereals, rice and pasta and stocking up
on lean meats, fresh fish, vegetables and fats
as well as nuts instead, could be a healthier
alternative for athletes and the general public,
in particular those who are CR, is not all that
“out of the box”.
It is the refined carbohydrates you want to
watch out for (as these are addictive to the
same extent that smoking or alcohol is), while
complex carbohydrates are widely considered
to be good carbohydrates and should remain
as part of any diet plan. Complex carbohydrates include foods such as vegetables and
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dairy products.
Noakes recommends to stay away from
whole grain products because although they
are considered healthy in general, he claims
that you will be hard put to find whole grain
cereals that have not been heavily refined.
M many of the taboo foods make sense in
that they are loaded with sugar and refined
carbohydrates. It is important to note that
discarding these foods from one’s diet is of
most benefit to those who are carbohydrate
resistant (CR), as stated by Noakes. Not everyone will benefit from such a drastic change
in diet, which is why consulting with a reputable dietician should always be your first port
of call. This has been emphasised by Noakes
repeatedly in many recorded interviews.
Letters
10 SA JEWISH REPORT
Disclaimer
The letters page is intended to provide opportunity for a range of views on any given topic to be expressed. Opinions
articulated in the letters are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, staff or
directors of the Jewish Report.
13 – 20 February 2015
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 preferably be e-mailed. Letters may be
edited or shortened.
The Editor, PO Box 84650, Greenside, 2034 email: sharon@sajewishreport.co.za
Beyachad library: Parness is
taken aback by Fine’s reaction
It was with amazement that I read
Maxine Fine’s letter in the Jewish
Report (on the Beyachad library). It’s
a pity that Maxine did not take the
trouble to learn the background to the
library before putting pen to paper. It
has been a problematic journey over
many years.
I don’t believe that her reading of
Suzanne Belling’s article was correct.
At no stage did either of us say that I
was currently raising funds for the Isie
Maisels Reference Library, or that I
volunteered for it. I have been a member
of the library committee since my
student days and had the privilege of
learning from the greats, such as the late
Joe Green, Solly Yellin, Moshe Natas etc.
This story goes back five years when
the SAZF and the SAJBD withdrew all
funding from the libraries and there was
an intention to close it down and bring
tenants into the space; dispose of its
contents, our history and our gems of
knowledge (which by the way, are not
found on the internet).
To many of us the thought was
abhorrent, and we fought to stop this
happening. However, as there were no
funds available, money had to be raised
to keep the doors open, pay rent and a
librarian. We condensed the area used
by 50 per cent. (Lionel Slier need not be
embarrassed by the reprint of his [threeyear-old] letter, because it was true at
the time.)
The other task that had to be
undertaken was moving into the 21st
century and converting the Joe Green
Audio-Video Library to a DVD facility.
Leon Lever volunteered his expert
services and today, with Eric Mathobo’s
technical skills, can boast a library of
3 000 titles for the community to
borrow and enjoy.
We continue to purchase and upgrade
the contents on a regular basis. To keep
up to date we need funding.
Without the generous financial
support of certain individuals, and the
membership fees, the libraries would
have closed. The Jewish Report, Geoff
Sifrin and Robyn Sassen alerted the
community to our plight. It was not
easy, but we managed to keep the doors
open.
Since December 2013 the SAZF made
the decision to take over the funding
once again; however, the commitment
is to the Reference Library, and the now
well-established Joe Green Audio-Visual
Library.
In this technological era, a computer
and Internet availability is a must. The
audiovisual library needs a computer
urgently.
The fiction library is currently housed
together with the audiovisual library,
but in need of new titles. We should
appreciate donations of novels, in good
condition, with a Jewish theme for the
public to borrow.
With the new opening hours of the
libraries, I hope that every one reading
this will have many happy hours
enjoying and learning from what is
available.
Marcia Parness
Joe Green Audio-Visual Library
(volunteer)
Honorary Life President SAZF
In interest of historical
accuracy, relook biblical
figures
Rabbi Pesach Fishman comments on
Rashi’s observation to “describe the act
of millions of people” namely the Jews at
Mount Sinai. Elsewhere the Torah refers
to the Jews having 600 000 men under
arms.
This is of course palpable nonsense
in view of the scientific estimation of
world populations in biblical times as
Egypt, a most populated country at the
time, having a total population of little
more than a million. Even today the Sinai
Peninsula is as barren as it was in biblical
times and is able to support no more than
a few thousand Bedouin tribes due to lack
of water and fertile land.
Biblical scholars estimate that the
Jews who left Egypt at the time of the
Exodus, could not have exceeded some
10 000 men, women and children. Rabbi
Fishman’s observations and Rashi’s as
well, need to be corrected in the interests
of historical accuracy. “Millions of people”
traipsing through the desert for 40 years,
is really stretching things too far.
Martin Frack
Fairvale, Johannesburg
Khaled, BDS’ hypocrisy
astounds
Leila Khaled’s claim to infamy is that she
was a terrorist who hijacked an aircraft
full of innocent civilians. And for this
act of terror she gained notoriety. Her
poster figure displays her holding an AK
47 - the same weapon that we see Boko
Haram, Al Shabaab and ISIL brandishing
our Cabinet ministers were at OR
Tambo Airport on Friday to welcome
this woman who sides with the regime
in Syria, a regime that has to date
murdered more than 200 000 people and
which our country maintains diplomatic
relations with.
Addressing a forum in Turkey in 2013
Khaled is reported as saying: “I am
screaming with the top of my voice: We
stand by the Syrian Army”.
The BDS movement, well known
for its cries of “Kill the Jew” will no
doubt echo that call together with this
demented terrorist who supports the
carnage in Syria. With its stock in trade
being hatred, terrorism and anarchy,
surely decent people need to voice their
disgust at BDS, who through their
actions, seem to condone terrorism
and spit in the face of recent events
in Sydney and Paris where people of
goodwill marched in their millions in
outrage at the acts that these people
seemingly support.
Xenophobia recently raised its ugly
head in our townships; hatred of other
people or religion is what BDS seems to
be preaching in the guise of fighting the
cause of the Palestinian peoples - but
not all Palestinians - not the thousands
killed by the Syrian army that Khaled
supports.
But who cares? It seems not Khaled
or BDS - and this is where BDS unmasks
itself and lays bare its dishonesty and
hypocrisy.
Allan Wolman
Rosebank,
Johannesburg
Invitation to former OstrowiaK School of Reading students
The Rebecca Ostrowiak School of Reading operated in Germiston on the East Rand from 1969 to 1991. When
the school closed, I retained the files of all the children and adults to whom we had taught reading.
Those files moved with us when we sold the school property in Selkirk Street, Germiston South, and were
given the generous donation of rent-free offices for the Readucate Trust, (an NGO that continues to upgrade
literacy) in a building in President Street, Germiston.
This building has now been sold and we have to vacate the offices in March.
I am writing a book of case histories, to give hope to parents whose children suffer from various reading
problems such as dyslexia, etc, as well as to adults with reading difficulties. I intend to draw on our records.
Confidentiality will be respected.
If, however, the parents and their now grown-up children themselves and our adult students would like to
share their subsequent experiences in education and careers once they mastered reading at our school, it would
give great hope and encouragement to untold thousands.
They can contact me at ostro@mweb.co.za to share their achievements and stories of overcoming their
difficulties, disproving the dire predictions by specialists at the time regarding their future.
I look forward to documenting these stories and encourage our past pupils to contact me as soon as possible.
Edna Freinkel
Johannesburg
Jew and Israel cannot and should never be separated
I take issue with Darren Bergman on a comment he
made in his letter in last week’s Jewish Report. He
writes: “Within our continent there are people that
cannot distinguish between Israel and Jew and that
calculated mistake can bring about unwanted issues
to our nation.”
That is exactly the distinction we should NOT be
making!
I can best make my point by quoting worldwide
bestselling mystery writer Jonathan Kellerman
who exposes the lie that tries to delink Zionism
from Judaism and anti-Zionism from Jew-hatred,
reminding us that “any attempt to split Israel from
Judaism is either deliberate racist mischief or the
product of sheer ignorance” and he concludes by
declaring to the world: “I am a Jew. Israel is a part of
me, and I am a part of Israel.”
I do not think we should be attempting to
defend Jews or Jewish communities by calling for a
distinction between Jews and Israel. This is in
effect - even if it is not intentional on Bergman’s
part - distancing ourselves from the Jewish state;
Israel is the state of the Jews and the largest Jewish
community in the world.
It needs to be central to our Jewish identity and
our defence of Judaism, and Yiddishkeit should be
part and parcel of our defence of Israel.
Israel is the phoenix that rose out of the ashes of
the Holocaust and the continuation of the Jewish
life and civilisation that was so brutally destroyed in
Europe by the Nazis and by the Arabs when the Jews
of the Middle East and North Africa were savagely
expelled from these lands and fled to Israel with
nothing other than the clothes on their backs.
It is up to all decent people around the world to
fight against this ghastly spectre, and ensure that
Israel survives safe, strong and free.
Gary Selikow
Johnnesburg
Bongani Masuku’s case has not been abandoned at all
In her editorial of February 6, Vanessa Valkin
addresses the challenges both of confronting
instances of anti-Jewish hate speech in the media,
and of the responsibility that the Jewish media has
to ensure that it does not likewise become guilty of
crossing the line.
In one instance, however, she is incorrect,
namely regarding the SAJBD’s case against Cosatu’s
International Relations spokesperson Bongani
Masuku. She writes that when Masuku refused to
comply with the SA Human Rights Commission
(SAHRC) ruling that he apologise for offensive
comments made against the Jewish community,
neither it nor the SAJBD pursued the matter
further, with the result that “the case, like others,
withered away”.
To the contrary the matter, along with all the
other complaints that the Board has lodged with the
SAHRC, is ongoing, and the Board continues to be
involved in it.
To recap: The Board lodged a complaint of antiSemitic hate speech against Masuku in March 2009.
In December of that year, the SAHRC upheld the
complaint and directed Masuku to apologise. This he
refused to do, supported in that regard by Cosatu.
Since then, the matter has gone through various
stages, including an abortive attempt by Cosatu to
formally appeal against the decision.
It should be clarified that as the matter stands
today, the case is not between the SAJBD and
Cosatu, but between Cosatu and the SAHRC.
Because Masuku refused to comply with its ruling,
the SAHRC instituted proceedings against him in
the Equality Court with a view to getting its ruling
enforced.
The current state of play is that the case will come
before the Equality Court in the first half of this
year, during which the SAHRC will demonstrate
why it ruled the way it did and Cosatu will present
argument against its decision. The Board is involved
to the extent of assisting the SAHRC’s counsel in
preparing their case by providing the necessary
information and expert witness testimony.
Pursuing a hate speech complaint from the time
of its being lodged through to a final settlement
can, and often does, take years. As Valkin correctly
points out, nearly a quarter of the matters before
the SAHRC now relate to hate speech and freedom
of expression.
These are complicated matters, and the SAHRC
is dealing with them as best it can with the limited
resources at its disposal. Sometimes, a settlement
is reached fairly quickly. Last year, for instance, a
complaint by the SAJBD against one Ziyaad Kayat
for offensive and threatening comments posted on
Facebook was resolved in just under three months.
Others, unfortunately, take much longer to
address, either because of their being inherently
more complex or, more likely, because the SAHRC
has a huge backlog of other cases to deal with.
One thing the Jewish community can be assured
of, is that once action has been initiated to address
cases of unacceptable anti-Semitic behaviour, the
SAJBD will pursue the matter for as long as it takes
and do whatever is within its power to bring it to a
satisfactory conclusion.
It will be remembered how the Board, over 15
years of complex legal wrangling, multiple court
appearances and technical and administrative
obstacles, refused to abandon its case against Radio
786, but instead persisted with it until achieving
what it had essentially set out to achieve when it
first instituted proceedings against the station.
Mary Kluk
National Chairman, SAJBD
13 – 20 February 2015
Community
SA JEWISH REPORT 11
‘Appropriation’ billboard makes Johannesburg Jews see red
OWN CORRESPONDENT
Jewish motorists driving on the Oliver Tambo
Airport road were furious to be assailed by
Nelson Mandela quoted out of context on
a giant billboard on the side of the freeway,
saying: “We know too well that our freedom
is incomplete without the freedom of the
Palestinians.”
No one has any idea of who put up the
misleading billboard, according to Ben Swartz,
vice-chairman of the SA Zionist Federation,
which put up other billboards in the Sandton
area, quoting the late former president as saying: “We recognise the legitimacy of Zionism
as a Jewish nationalism” and “We insist on
the right of the State of Israel to exist within
secure borders”.
Swartz, comments on both billboards in a
statement.
“In an effort by the anti-Israel lobby to
rewrite history to suit their ‘narrative’ - a
campaign has been driven for the last six
months showing the late Nelson Mandela held
a very one-sided view of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict - by only having strong views supporting the Palestinian cause. Nothing could be
further from the truth.
“Nelson Mandela regarded both Palestinian nationalism and Jewish nationalism (ie
Zionism) as being legitimate movements, and
believed in a solution that would allow them
to co-exist peacefully alongside one another in
their own separate states.
“At a speech he made in August 1993, he
clearly stated...we recognise the legitimacy of
Zionism as a Jewish nationalism’.
“Mandela continued by explicitly recognising the importance of addressing Israel’s
security requirements as an inseparable part
of any peace agreement between Israelis and
Palestinians by stating: ‘We insist on the right
of the State of Israel to exist within secure
borders’.
“To the end of his life, in his speeches and
writings, Mandela consistently paid tribute
to the disproportionate contributions made
by South African Jews in the struggle for
freedom and democracy in South Africa where
he stated: ‘South Africans of Jewish descent
have historically been disproportionately represented among our white compatriots in the
liberation struggle.’
“In 1999, Mandela visited Israel, accompanied by a delegation from the SA Jewish Board
of Deputies. During his visit, he met with
President Ezer Weizman and senior Cabinet
ministers and visited the grave of former
President Yitzhak Rabin, whose peace-making
efforts he greatly admired.
“By pursuing this campaign, The South
African Zionist Federation is not claiming that
Nelson Mandela only supported Israel as the
national Jewish homeland and its right to exist in safety and security, but that he had deep
understanding of a very complex conflict that
all sides need to resolve in a peaceful, balanced
and sustainable manner.”
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Community Columns
12 SA JEWISH REPORT
A column of WIZO South Africa
A column of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies
All eyes on President Zuma’s
address this week Thursday
WIZO in an era of change
Chaverot from WIZO federations
all around the world gathered in
Tel Aviv in January for the annual
“Meeting of Representatives”.
This event provides an excellent
opportunity to share ideas and
celebrate being WIZO women.
This year’s theme was “WIZO
in an Era of Change”. Discussions centred on how we take
our movement forward at a time
when world Jewry is experiencing
uncertainty, change, and where
the mindsets around membership
are challenged.
But it wasn’t all meetings and
discussions. We spent a day visiting WIZO projects in Sderot and
met with the Sderot Media Centre
who briefed us on what the community has
had to live through over the past decade.
Sderot is blooming and flourishing with
many new developments that include a
completely rocket-proof train station. We
also had a glimpse of how close this town,
the most “bunkered” in the world, is to the
Gaza Strip and we heard about the intolerable conditions they have endured living
under incessant rocket fire.
During Operation Protective Edge, WIZO
opened its boarding schools in order to give
safe haven to many of the residents of the
south. WIZO was thanked profusely for all
we did to ensure that vulnerable civilians
felt safe.
It was extremely sobering to hear our
chaverot from around the world describe
the situation for Jewish communities in
their countries.
They were given tools and advice on how
to make the case for Israel… WIZO women
make excellent ambassadors!
The voice of Jewish women has never
been more important or needed and we
encourage as many women as possible to sign up as members today.
Seeing the WIZO SA projects in
Israel is always the highlight of
the visit as all money raised has
been invested in making a better
future.
Inez Bernstein Day Care Centre
in Tel Aviv and Chorlie Day Care
Centre in Kfar Saba, both have
child-friendly, renovated bomb
shelters.
The Neve WIZO 5th Cottage is
now furnished and the new foster
parents in the home are welcoming one child at a time.
Running parallel to the Meeting
of Representatives, was the Leadership Empowerment Seminar
aimed at encouraging and training future
leaders.
Participants were enthralled and enthused by the sessions that included many
of the crème de la crème of female Israeli
leaders.
Participants Andrea Wainer, vice chairman WIZO Johannesburg, and Felicity
Isserow, co-chairman, WIZO Cape Town,
represented South Africa proudly, proving
once again that we are vocal about our Zionism and dedicated future leaders.
South Africa is very well represented
within the ranks of World WIZO. Laurienne Baitz, our dynamo from Durban is
the World WIZO Aviv representative to
the World Executive and we congratulate
Rolene Marks whose loss to WIZO South
Africa was World WIZO’s gain as she has
now been appointed to the World WIZO Executive as vice chairperson of the Organisation and Tourism division.
We all returned re-energised, enthused
and filled with motivation for a productive
WIZO year ahead.
13 – 20 February 2015
The leading topic in
the media this week is
President Jacob Zuma’s
upcoming State of the
Nation Address, to take
place in Parliament this
Thursday evening. This
takes the form of an
Above Board address to a joint sitting
of the National AssemMary Kluk bly and the National
National Chairman
Council of Provinces on
the current political and socio-economic state of
the country, and marks the annual opening of
Parliament. It is also, however, widely regarded
as being an address to the nation as a whole by
its highest elected leader.
Few will dispute that this year there are a formidable range of pressing issues that one would
expect to be touched on by the president. The
Eskom crisis, violent service delivery protests
and a resurgence of xenophobic attacks would
be three of the most recent problems to have
arisen, alongside the continued imperatives of
job creation, poverty alleviation, education and
training and fostering of economic growth.
Criticism, of course, is easy, as is coming
up with theories as to what needs to be done.
For those entrusted with actually dealing with
the issues on a practical, day-to-day basis,
confronting the multiple challenges this poses
is a daunting task. While this is no excuse for
corruption, wastage or wanton inefficiency on
the part of public servants and elected officials,
it needs always to be borne in mind.
Ideally, confronting and overcoming the challenges our country faces, together with seizing
the many opportunities for growth and development, has to be approached as a partnership
between government and governed.
This means that the private sector, civil
society and indeed all individual citizens to
some degree or another have a responsibility to
This column paid for by WIZO SA
contribute in whatever way they can. In recent
years, the Board has documented some of the
ways in which Jewish organisations and private
individuals have been involved in a range of upliftment initiatives on behalf of underprivileged
South Africans, including in the fields of education, entrepreneurship, job creation, health and
human rights.
Hopefully, this will continue and indeed
be extended upon, so that we, as a community, can participate in building the kind
of a just, prosperous society that we know
South Africa can become if its people have a
unity of vision and work together.
Following the barbarous murder of a
captured Jordanian pilot by IS last week,
the government issued a strong statement
unequivocally “condemning all forms and
manner of terrorism”. That being the case,
one wonders why representatives of government and the ruling party were among those
who gave so rapturous a welcome to unrepentant terrorist Leila Khaled, and why the
presiding officers in Parliament extended an
invitation to her to attend the State of the Nation address.
BDS-SA, as we know, says one thing and
does exactly the opposite. It claims to be a body
devoted to peace, yet brings to South Africa as
its special guest someone who has devoted her
life to violence - primarily against civilians.
While doublespeak is par for the course
for BDS, we expect greater consistency from
our government. If terrorism is wrong when
perpetrated against innocent victims in Syria,
Iraq, Nigeria or Paris, then it is wrong when
perpetrated against Israelis as well. We cannot
afford mixed messages from our elected leaders,
and especially on so fraught and sensitive a
matter as this.
•L
isten to Charisse Zeifert on Jewish Board Talk,
101.9 ChaiFM every Friday 12:00-13:00.
This column paid for by the SA Jewish Board of Deputies
SA student leadership visit Israel
The SRC delegates
at the airport
VANESSA VALKIN
Since the South African government made it de
facto policy for senior government members to
refrain from visiting Israel, South African political leadership has not been willing to risk the ostracism. But this tide may be turning.
A high ranking delegation of MPs is scheduled
to tour Israel and the Palestinian territories later
this month; and in January, a group of student
activists under the auspices of the South AfricaIsrael Forum and the South African Union of
Jewish Students, did a similar trip.
These 16 SRC members - from Wits, University of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town,
Stellenbosch and Rhodes, as well as two young
Parliamentarians and a law clerk at the Constitutional Court - had the opportunity to visit Israel, Ramallah and Bethlehem.
They also met with politicians, soldiers, Palestinian human rights activists and residents of
the territories to hear first-hand about the realities of life for Israelis and Palestinians.
A welcome back reception was held this week
for the group where some of the student leaders
reported back on their experiences and how it
has impacted their ideas and future plans.
Adrian Eckard, secretary general of the University of Pretoria SRC, is planning an Israeli
Palestinian Awareness Day as part of Israel
Apartheid Week on his campus, which has over
60 000 students. “We are going to have people
come to speak who are from both sides - Israelis
and Palestinians,” says Eckard.
The 2014 SRC president of the University of
Johannesburg, Nikkie Mboweni, says the trip
was a real eye-opener for her and that she had
been so misinformed. “We were being fed information from TV, radio and social media about
what was happening.”
She is hoping to use some of the material
that was taught on her trip to do workshops for
groups as well.
Many of the students have strong ties to
groups like the ANC Youth League and Sasco
who are very critical of Israel, and they faced
pressure in deciding to make the trip.
The idea for this trip evolved from the distress
that SAUJS leaders were feeling on campuses
nationally with the growing importation of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict to South Africa. Jewish students were feeling unsafe and alienated,
particularly after certain resolutions were taken
by SRCs to sever ties with Israel.
“You just have to come to the campus during
Israel Apartheid Week, it’s really an ugly place to
be,” says SAUJS National Chairman Natan Pollack, who helped organise the trip.
“The trip was significant in that it opened up
the platform again for SAUJS members to engage with South African student leaders and
South African politics,” says Pollack
Says MP Michael Bagraim, who is involved
with the upcoming trip of MPs to Israel: “It gets
people to make up their own minds… this is the
real McCoy.”
Youth
13 – 20 February 2015
SA JEWISH REPORT 13
OWN CORRESPONDENT
The children at Minnie
Bersohn Nursery School
in Johannesburg last week
celebrated Tu B’Shvat by
wearing T-shirts with their
own artistic trees painted on
them. They also had a brocha
party and planted seeds in
their JNF cups.
Pictured are Matt Suchard;
Alex Berman; Rephael
Burgins; Jayce Greenblatt;
and Mila Frank.
Photo: Michelle Vinokur
Tu B’shvat awareness comes in small packages
Read the South African
Jewish Report online
www.sajr.co.za
FINE ART
& COLLECTABLES
A U C T I O N
Bright sunflower to remind them of Tu B’Shvat
Photo: Elaine Cohen
SHEVA MESSIAS
Tu B’ Shvat was celebrated with much variety and enjoyment
at King David Linksfield Pre-Primary School in Johannesburg
last week.
Discussions were held, songs were sung, art and baking activities
were completed and a walk to the biblical garden in the high school
was an interesting and meaningful experience. The children drew
the trees and also enjoyed eating fruits from the seven species.
The senior group children also went on an outing to see a family’s
vegetable patch and a mobile zoo was invited to enhance the outing.
JNF provided the children with newly designed coffee cups and
tzedakah tins.
The children planted sunflower seeds in the cups. These will be
kept at school and it is hoped the flowers will grace the Pesach sedPictured are Raffi Rosin; Lior Fish; Li’ohn Shapiro; Jayden Winterstein; Tyler Saltz
ers. The children donated R10 each and proudly placed their money
(partly obscured); Matthew Mallach; Daniel Suntup; Kelley Utian; Matan Tenzer;
in the tins, knowing it was going to a good environmental cause.
and Ariel Saltzman.
The Great Cellar | Alphen Estate
Alphen Drive | Constantia | 7806
Tu B’Shvat is the one day of the year when we take time out of our busy lives to
celebrate the trees - the trees that give us oxygen, paper, fruit and many other
things.
The trees are part of Hashem’s creation, one of the creations that we would not
be able to live without.
To celebrate Tu B’Shvat the entire King David Linksfield High came together
wearing green and brown civvies. As per tradition the grade 8s all planted a tree.
It was a great day celebrating a great creation.
Photo supplied
Aryeh shines in Sandton Sinai Primary
School goes green
Midmar swim
17 & 18 February 2015
Viewing 11-15 February
For further info contact:
021 794 6461
JODI BENJAMIN
Rabbi Ovadia Sofer getting his hands dirty while planting a carob tree.
CAPE TOWN
Books | Maps | Paintings | Sculptures | Collectable Cars
Carpets | Clocks | Furniture | Ceramics | Glass | Jewellery
Silver | Watches | Vintage Fashion | Tribal Art | Photography
www.stephanwelzandco.co.za
r e : t h e l at e
DA N I E L CO PA N S
The family of the Late Daniel Copans would like to express
their grateful thanks and appreciation to all persons who
graciously donated funds towards the considerable medical
costs incurred as a consequence of Daniel’s condition.
The funds were paid into an account administered under our
control, and were utilised and applied as and when required.
As a consequence of Daniel’s premature death, it became
unnecessary to utilise all the funds, and we are in a position
to refund donors with a pro-rata share of the balance.
A suggestion has been made by certain donors that the
funds be donated to either a cancer-related charity, or apply
the funds to establish a Foundation in memory of Daniel.
This Foundation would assist desperately ill children with
medical costs in the case of life threatening conditions.
SUZANNE BELLING
Aryeh Lieb Berkowitz, a grade 6 learner at Torah
Academy, recently returned from KwaZulu-Natal,
where he completed the gruelling Midmar Mile Swim
- the world’s largest open swim - in 45 minutes, 54
seconds in the 13 and under section.
Aryeh’s parents, Joffie and Kari Berkowitz, also
competed the swim in 48 minutes and 51 minutes
respectively. “Yes, I did beat them,” Aryeh admits. He
is pictured sporting his medal and certificate.
“We are proud of his achievement,” said TA Primary
School Principal Rabbi Motti Hadar.
Pictured are, standing anti-clockwise: Josh Serman; Jesse
Bregman; Teegan Friedman; Noa Sher; and Jaden Cohen.
AMY JAFFE
Sandton Sinai Primary school celebrated Tu B’Shvat by planting
their very own vegetable patch on the school grounds.
The aim of the patch is to encourage the kids to look after
their garden by watering it daily and watching and observing
how the vegetables grow.
The kids are excited at this wonderful opportunity to explore
nature.
As certain of the donations were made anonymously, we
appeal to all persons or institutions who made donations,
to contact us, in confidence, with instructions as to how you
would prefer your share of the refund to be applied.
All queries can be directed to
Lucille Liebowitz c/o Tuffias Sandberg KSi
E-mail: lucillel@tsksi.co.za
Telephone: 087 940 9080
SW964
Photo: Tamryn Bentel
KDL High pays tribute to ‘birthday of the trees’
Pieter Hugo Naudé
(South African 1868-1941)
WASHDAY BESIDE
THE HEX RIVER (detail)
R 600 000 - R 900 000
Community
Parly report: Britain
must act to halt antiSemitism
LONDON - Instituting measures to deal with hate
crimes on social media and a government fund to
protect synagogues, are among 35 recommendations offered by a British parliamentary inquiry into
rising anti-Semitism.
Britain must take immediate action to quash the
rise in anti-Semitism in the country, the All-Party
Parliamentary Inquiry said in its report, which was
released on Monday.
“While the Jewish community is diverse and
multi-faceted, there is a palpable concern, insecurity, loneliness and fear following the summer’s
rise in incidents and subsequent world events,”
the report said. “A more sophisticated understanding of anti-Semitism is needed, together with better defined boundaries of acceptable discourse.”
In response to the report’s recommendations,
Prime Minister David Cameron said: “This is a
hugely important cross-party report. Tackling antiSemitism goes right to the heart of what we stand
for as a country.
“This report has a vital role to play. There can
be no excuses. No disagreements over foreign
policy or politics can ever be allowed to justify
anti-Semitism or any other form of racism, prejudice or extremism.”
The Community Security Trust, Britain’s Jewish
security watchdog group, reported last week that
it had recorded 1 168 anti-Semitic incidents for
2014, the highest annual total ever and more than
double the previous year.
A poll conducted in conjunction with the inquiry,
also released on Monday, found that 55 per cent
of Britons felt that they would be able to explain to
someone else what anti-Semitism was, but only 37
per cent of those aged 18 to 24 felt that they could.
Some 80 per cent believed the murder of four Jews
at a kosher supermarket in Paris was anti-Semitic.
The survey of 1 001 British adults in the third
week of January, also showed that Britons believed
there were about 2,7 million Jews living in Britain,
though the real number is about 250 000, and that
15 per cent felt Jews “talk too much about what
happened to them in the Holocaust”. (JTA)
More Americans
support than oppose
Netanyahu’s speech
WASHINGTON - More Americans support than
oppose Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s March 3 speech before a joint session
of Congress on the Iranian nuclear threat and
radical Islam, a new poll released by Rasmussen Reports revealed.
Forty-two per cent of respondents agreed
that Netanyahu “should accept Republican
congressional leaders’ invitation to address
Congress about Iran even if President Barack
Obama does not want him to come”, while 35
per cent disagreed and 23 per cent remained
undecided.
“I can assure you that millions of Americans
will be paying close attention to the prime
minister’s words,” US Senator John McCain (Republican Arizona) told Israel Hayom. (JNS.org)
More news on our website www.sajr.co.za
Will the
2015 Budget
make l ght
work?
Given the impact of South Africa’s power crisis on our
country’s economic growth, the question is...
how much tax will you have to fork out to keep the lights on?
For answers to this question and insights into the budget’s
impact on you and your business, read our online budget
review and analysis.
Just go to www.gt.co.za
www.gt.co.za
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Jewish Report_Budget.indd 1
2015/02/09 2:16 PM
Annabel Linder - you just can’t
keep a good entertainer down
SUZANNE BELLING
Theatre stalwart Annabel Linder’s show
“Two’s Company... Three’s a Show” in which
she stars with Michael de Pinna, another
well-known Jewish actor, Keith Smith and
to the accompaniment of her husband,
clarinettist Sam Sklair, opens this Saturday
night at the Foxwood Theatre in Houghton.
Labelled a “cabaret extravaganza”, the
actual show is making a comeback after its
successful run last year.
“The show incorporates the music of the
great composers (most of them Jewish)
like George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Burt
Bacharach, Stephen Sondheim and also
Hoagy Carmichael,” Annabel says.
Ageless in appearance, with not a line on
this grandmother’s face, Annabel is happy
that Sam is part of the show.
“He is not only a musician, but a composer, instrumentalist and writer of music,”
she pointed out.
“Two’s Company...” will be staged on
weekends only from this weekend till March
8, opening with a Valentine’s Night special
dinner for those who celebrate this romantic day.
“We don’t do Friday nights as the show
attracts mainly Jewish audiences,” Annabel
says. This award-winning actress, comedienne and singer, plans to include a tribute
to the late comedienne Joan Rivers “whom
I adored”.
Born in Durban to Orthodox Jewish
parents, Gerald and Bessie Linder, she quips
that her real family name was Kirschenstein, “which my paternal grandfather
changed to Linder when he arrived in
England from Lithuania. I am glad he did
- can you imagine having a stage name like
Annabel Kirschenstein?
“This is not a myth. My nephew, who is
into family trees, checked in the cemetery
and found ‘Harry Linder, formerly Kirschenstein’ engraved on the tombstone.”
From an early age, Annabel was always
chosen for school productions, displaying
her acting, singing and dancing talents.
“My mentor was Joan Brickhill, who sadly
passed away last year.” Joan was known
as the queen of musical extravaganzas in
South Africa.
“She was in my life from the age of 12.
She was literally part of my family. When
Sam and I were planning our wedding in
the garden of my Parkmore home nearly 21
Photo supplied
World News in Brief
13 – 20 February 2015
years ago, she told me we couldn’t get married in a ‘winter’ garden and went down on
her hands and knees transforming it.
“She gave me the dress she wore when she
was nominated for a Tony.”
Annabel herself has been nominated 12
times for awards in theatre, TV and radio,
winning five of them - for “Chicago”, “Heroes”, “Tale of an Allergist’s Wife”, “Rose
“, the story of an 80-year-old Holocaust
survivor, and for “Torch Song Trilogy”.
She is the only woman comedienne on the
cabaret circuit. “It pays better and is now
referred to as corporate cabaret. A gig (in
theatre lingo) is known as ‘G-d is Good’.”
Annabel recently had a nine-month stint
on ChaiFM. “I enjoyed meeting all the
personalities in various spheres.” She struck
up a rapport with Rebbetzen Mashi Lipskar,
whom she admires and who taught her a
great deal about Yiddishkeit.
Annabel has started her memoirs, after a
lifetime in the entertainment business.
Her recent accomplishments are a fulllength feature film “Nothing for Mahala”
and filming the sitcom “Those Who Can’t”,
for Harriet Gavshon’s Quizzical Pictures.
Running in Jerusalem for a very
good cause
MARCELLE RAVID
“Marathon training is serious business,”
says Rabbi Ramon Widmonte, one of the
runners in the ORT SA, Mizrachi SA and
SAZF contingent to the Jerusalem Marathon in March.
Group training is well under way in
Johannesburg, led by the “mystery”
celebrity runner. Excitement is mounting
as the competition between participants
for fundraising heats up. “What could be
better than running through thousands of
years of Jewish history?” said Nicci Raz, a
member of the ORT SA National Executive
Committee.
The participants are running to raise
funds for all three organisations.
Wendy Lewis; Rabbi Ramon
Widmonte (Mizrachi); Nicci
Raz (ORT SA).
Photo supplied
14 SA JEWISH REPORT
13 – 20 February 2015
Classifieds
What’s On
To book your classified notice or advert contact:
Tel (011) 274-1400, Fax 086-634-7935, email: jrclassified@global.co.za
SERVICES
NOTICES
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) 828- 9010 Chaim
Silver (011) 485-3005
LIFTS OFFERED
Lift service
Doctor’s app, OR Tambo,
Courier services
Reasonable rates!
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LIFTS OFFERED
AIRPORT SERVICE
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R12 400 pm plus deposit
R14 000.
Call June 083-226-3741 or
(011) 640-4967
To place your classified
advert call
(011) 430-1980 or email
susan@sajewishreport.co.za
8-seater.
Tours/Day Drives
Contact Arnold,
082-447-0185
011-454-1193
Today, Friday (February 13)
ments). Contact: (011) 532-9616.
• UZLC hosts Judy Jaye on “Stress is
All Around Us”. Venue: Our Parents
Home. Time: 12:45 - 14:00. Contact:
Gloria, (011) 485-4851 or 072127-9421.
• Jewish Genealogical Society of SA
hosts Eli Rabinowitz on “Exploring our
Roots: A Contemporary Journey Back
to the Shtetl”. Venue: HOD, Orchards.
Time: 19:30. Donation: R20 (incl
refreshments). Enquiries: Mo (011)
887-7764.
Sunday (February 15)
• Bikkur Cholim (Jewish Society for Visiting the Sick) hosts a breakfast at the
Waverley Sports Centre to thank the
group of hospital volunteers who visit
all the hospitals and clinics throughout
Johannesburg. Guest speaker will be
Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein who will
be there between 09:30 - 10:00.
Contact: Joy Gafin, (011) 440-3606
(am) or 082-454-1444.
• Second Innings hosts Kate Turkington
on “More Magical Journeys with
Kate”. Venue: The Gerald Horwitz
Lounge, Golden Acres. Time: 10:00
for 10:30. Cost: R20 members, R30
visitors (incl tea and light refresh-
To OR Tambo
from R180.
To Lanseria
from R220.
Reasonable rates to
all other areas.
BEST SERVICE
DIAL A LIFT
Comfortable
7 seater.
083-267-3281
Pip Friedman
www.
dialalift.co.za
• UJW hosts Jules Browde SC, co-founder
of Lawyers for Human Rights, Integrity
Commissioner for Gauteng Legislature,
and his grandson Daniel Browde, poet,
author and deputy -editor of “Africa in
Fact”, on: “Tales my Grandfather Told
me”. Venue: 1 Oak Street, Houghton.
• WIZO Forum hosts a spokesman from
the Israeli Embassy on “The Key to
Peace in the Middle East”. Venue:
Beyachad. Time: 09:30. Cost: R40
(incl tea and refreshments). Booking:
Sandy (011) 645-2515.
Wednesday (February 18)
• UJW hosts Dr Lorraine Chaskalson,
former lecturer in Dept of English at
Wits, on “Contemporary Poetry”.
Venue: 1 Oak Street, Houghton.
Time: 09:30. Donation: R35. Contact:
(011) 648-1053.
• Lodge Jerusalem of HOD International
is holding a bingo evening. Venue:
HOD Centre, Orchards. Time: 19:30
for 20:00. All prizes are cash.
Refreshments will be served. Tickets
at R100 for five games from Colin
Thursday (February 19)
• C AJE’s Learning Launch, in conjunction
with Sydenham Shul, kicks off with
a symposium on the future of South
Africa: “Is it Lights Out for SA?
Darkness and Doom or a Brighter
Destiny?” Presenters are Chief Rabbi
Warren Goldstein; David Shapiro,
Deputy Chairman of Sasfin Securities;
and Howard Sackstein, entrepreneur
and political activist.
Rabbi Yossy Goldman of Sydenham
Shul is the moderator and the public
is welcome to bring their own relevant
questions to the discussion. Venue:
Sydenham Community Centre. Time:
19:45. Cost: R50 pp. Special series
tickets which include all events
are available at a reduced fee of
R200 from Sydenham Shul (011)
640-5021. Speak to Shirley. Secure
parking and tea will be served.
in seven seconds
I won’t back down
JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu won’t cancel US speech. “I’m
determined to travel to Washington and present
Israel’s position before Congress and the
American people.”
Experienced, reliable driver able
to lift you anywhere/ anytime 24
hours. Courier work undertaken.
Please call Paul
083-542-6480
AIRPORT SHUTTLE
SAM
(011) 728-5219
083-627-8516
Tuesday (February 17)
072-114-6969, Louis 083-457-7827,
Joe (011) 485-5140 [w] or Allen
082-334-099.
The Jewish World
A TAXI SERVICE
Let Warren Pogorelsky chauffeur
you to your destination in Johannesburg and back. OR Tambo from
R170. Mercedes Benz
Tel: 082-399-6187
Sun City & Game Reserve
SMILE-LEE’S LIFTS
A reliable lift service.
Specialising in lifts to and from
airports, shops, appointments,
casinos and courier.
Charna 083-391-6612
Time: 09:30. Donation: R35. Contact:
(011) 648-1053.
• Second Innings hosts Edmond Furter
on “Mindprint - The Subconscious Art
Code”. Venue: Gerald Horwitz Lounge,
Golden Acres. Time: 10:00 for 10:30.
Cost: R20 members, visitors R30 (incl
tea and light refreshments). Contact:
Hylton Marks: (011) 532-9616.
Monday (February 16)
SA JEWISH REPORT 15
ACCOMMODATION
ACCOMMODATION
AVAILABLE
AVAILABLE
Highlands North
Immaculate,
fully furnished cottage.
Phone Lisa at 072-607-4898.
Garden
townhouse
Accommodation
to share in
Benoni
Looking for a
female flatmate
between 40 50
years to share a
Semi-furnished
flat in a secure
complex. Shul
nearby
R2 500 pm incl.
082-211-1957
082-665-1097
TO LET
Suite in home in Orchards,
with lounge, private verandah,
garage.
R4 500 pm all in.
(011) 728-1688
082-555-9449
SERVICES
HOME SERVICES
Troon
Village
Sandringham
available
March 1, 2015.
2 bed, 2 bath
situated in a
secure complex,
shade parking
for 2 cars, good
security.
FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP
Shimon Botbol
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
082-452-3575
VEHICLES
R9 000 pm excl
w/l. Viewing by
appointment
only.
Jeanette
(011) 864-7625
(o/h)
SERVICES
HOME SERVICES
Appliance repairs on-site
Fridges, stoves, washing
machines, tumble dryers and
dishwashers. Free quotations.
Call Jason 082-401-8239 /
076-210-6532
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.
WANTED
IF YOU WANT TO
BUY OR SELL
A VEHICLE
Contact:
Solly Kramer
082-922-3597
MISCELLANEOUS
Love entertaining?
No time to cook? Gourmet
meals delivered to your door.
Prepared and designed
by professional international
chef. Just heat and eat.
Kosher food is available on
request. Contact Regev on
082-827-6570 or
afek@telkomsa.net to
discuss your menu and dietary
requirements.
Hitler Youth band’s drum made out of Torah
scroll found in Poland
JNS
WARSAW - A drum made out of an ancient Torah
scroll and used by the Hitler Youth marching
band was discovered in Poland and has been
purchased by the From the Depths association,
which aims to preserve Holocaust memory.
Suspicious find in Australia
The Daily Telegraph
SYDNEY - Two men were arrested in Sydney after
a raid by Australian counterterrorism police found
a hunting knife, a flag and other items, raising
suspicions of a “beheading plot”.
Obama causes a stir
Jerusalem Post
WASHINGTON - President Obama has caused
a stir in the social media by calling the Paris
kosher deli attack “random”. Confusion abounded
in Jewish and Israeli news and social media
circles after the Obama administration may, or
may not, have avoided characterising the attack
on a kosher supermarket in Paris as anti-Semitic.
Fundraiser raises disapproval
ISRAEL - Some seem to have got their knickers in
a knot over the screening of the movie “50 Shades
of Grey” as part of a WIZO fundraiser. “As WIZO
women we defend your choice to see the movie.
Or not. WIZO is all about empowerment, including
the right to make informed choices, including on
issues of sexuality”, said WIZO leader and blogger
Rolene Marks, a former South Africa.
Former Chief Rabbi Metzger indicted for
taking bribes
Ynet News
JERUSALEM - Former chief rabbi of Israel Yona
Metzger is to face trial for numerous counts of
bribery, fraud and money laundering.
Joan Rivers’ apartment goes on sale for
$28 million
Jewish Chronicle, London
LONDON - Legendary comedienne Joan Rivers’
Upper East Side apartment in New York has been
put up for sale. Rivers died in September last
year at age 81. The apartment, which measures
5 000 sq ft, has four bedrooms, four bathrooms,
five fireplaces and a 23-ft-high sky-blue ceiling
painted with clouds and doves.
Judaica from Etz Chayim up for sale
A number of fascinating items of Judaica will
go on sale at an upcoming auction this month
in Johannesburg.
The pieces, part of the collection of the late
Gunter Samson, were sourced from the Etz
Chayim Synagogue which was started in a
private home when Jewish immigrants arrived
in Johannesburg from Germany around 1936,
Russell Kaplan Auctioneers said in a media
release.
The community grew and eventually the
synagogue moved to premises in Fife Avenue,
Berea. At that time, Samson was the chairman.
Eventuall, through demographic change,
people left the area and most of the original
members had passed away, so the shul was
disbanded. Doris Samson believes that most of
the Judaica was brought from Germany. Her
late husband bought the Judaica after the shul
closed.
Samson added to his collection by buying
anything with a Jewish connection whenever
he went to an auction. He was a businessman,
collector and antique dealer with a shop in
Rosebank in his later years and he used to visit
auction houses weekly.
Russell Kaplan says: “In the past auctions
were seen as dumping grounds for stuff you
couldn’t get rid of. That’s truly changed. The
reason auctions grow year-on-year, is that both
buyers and sellers enjoy the transparency of
the process.
“Sellers feel comfortable with setting reserve
prices so that they don’t lose on a deal. Buyers
are attracted by the opportunity to get a better
price. We are selling 90 per cent of the goods
on each auction which means there is demand
at least at the level of the reserve price.”
The auction will also include three watercolours from another seller painted by Andrew
Allen in April 1831, each inscribed on the back
with the place and date. They state they were
painted on the spot and include the River
Jordan, City of Jerusalem and a view from
Jaffa Gate.
The items can be viewed at Russell Kaplan
Auctioneers from Friday 13, and bids may be
submitted during the week or at the auction.
The full catalogue of this auction is available
online at www.rkauctioneers.co.za.
Viewing takes place at the auction house
Corner Garden and Allan Roads in Bordeaux.
Sport
Sport
16 SA
SA JEWISH
JEWISH REPORT
REPORT
16
5 ––12
2014
13
20December
February 2015
Billie Jean
helps and
Women’s
Benevolent
Golfers
Richard
Warrick
in majorfundraiser
tee off
JACK MILNER
MILNER
JACK
One of golfers
the greatest
tennis
players
all time,
Jewish
Richard
Kaplan
andof
Warrick
Billie Jean
King,
hasforces
donated
memorabilia
Druian,
have
joined
to form
Raw Golfto
the Johannesburg
Jewish
Schools,
the latest buzz
onWomen’s
the SouthBenevolent
African
Societyscene.
to help them raise funds.
golfing
Marleneand
Bethlehem,
a tennis
player of
Richard
Warrick, herself
both former
Maccabi
note whoplayers
has participated
on the
international
national
and successful
players
on South
platform,
used herTour,
contacts
ask Billie
Jean
Africa’s
Sunshine
have to
teamed
up to
pre-for
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racquet
could raffl
e. golf
sent
arguably
thethat
mostthey
complete
fulltime
“Billie-Jean
is well known
for her generosity
school
on the African
continent.
and
notare
only
didprofessionals
she send us aat
racquet,
Both
head
two of but
the also
a signed edition
hercourses
book as- Richard
well as aat
poster,”
country’s
leadingofgolf
said Marlene.
Jean was
also involved
Houghton
GC “Billie
and Warrick
at Killarney
GC. in a
concert
to raise
funds
for an
Aids concert
Raw Golf
Schools
is the
culmination
of awith
Elton John.
life-long
dream of both Richard and Warrick.
Both have
signed
the Royal
posterSwazi
alongOpen,
with eight
Ironically
both
won the
tennis players,
Grand
winners
Richard
in 1996including
and Warrick
theSlam
following
year.
Andy Roddick,
Steffiseven
Graf,years
Martina
Naratilova
Warrick
had to wait
for his
next title
andhe
Andre
Agassi.
but
clinched
the Telkom PGA Championship
“We held GC
a raffl
and the winner was Rael
at Woodhill
in e2004.
Berelowitz,”
said
Richard was
oneMarlene.
of South Africa’s leading
As the winner
lives
in London,
the memoraamateurs
and won
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of titles,
including
bilia1986
wereEnglish
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over to
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the
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rm with which
Berelowitz
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He also
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won
the Royal Thai Classic on the Asian PGA
Marlene,
of the organisation,
Tour
in 1996president
and represented
South Africaand
in
her1999
vice-president,
have
donated
the
World CupAnnette
of Golf Angel,
in Kuala
Lumpur
in
many years of their time to the Women’s
Malaysia.
Benevolent.
fact, between
the come
two oftothem
After theirIn
playing
careers had
an
they have been active for 99 years. The organisation is 121 years old, having served the Jewish
people of Johannesburg continuously.
Those who know Billie Jean cannot help but
be affected by her determination and charm.
She is outspoken and does not mince her
words. In 2002 she was in South Africa for the
Nike Junior Tour International Masters which
on that occasion joined forces with World
TeamTennis, the organisation owned by Billie
Jean and Ilana Kloss, at Sun City.
Speaking to the youngsters aged between 11
and 14, Billie Jean was amazed by how many of
the players did not know the names of some of
the tennis greats from their respective countries. “If you don’t know where you come from,
how do you know where you are going” she
asked them.
Perhaps my favourite quote from her best
puts Billie Jean King into perspective. “A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of
winning.”
Warrick Druian (left) and
Richard Kaplan have a
plan to produce more
great South African
golfers.
JJ van der Linde (centre) accepts the
Billie Jean King memorabilia from Jewish
Benevolent Society President Marlene
Bethlehem (left) and Vice-President Annette
Angel on behalf of winner Rael Berelowitz.
JR will be available throughout
holidays
portant mental aspect of the game. She has
end, Richard became technical director of
Jewish Report’s
website,
www.sajr.co.za
instruction
at the Gary
Player
Golf Experience
will
updated
throughout
the holidays.
at
thebeWorld
of Golf
in Woodmead,
while WarThewas
print
edition
will take
a break
for Golf
rick
head
professional
at Jamie
Gough
four weeks
over the holidays,
but the
Schools
in Tygervalley,
Cape Town.
website
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continue
publishing
Together
they
boast 55
years of professional
news throughout.
experience
in the golf industry as players,
If youand
simply
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e-mail They
coaches
on-course
professionals.
address
on the
right hand
have
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withside
both men’s and
of any page,
you will receive
women’s
elite amateurs
and professional golfers,
our
weekly
newsletter
and ePaper on
as
well
as countless
club golfers.
Wednesday
evenings.
It also
They have sought
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bestreaders
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what’s
popular
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self-motivated,
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000 unique users from 175
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students
countries
around the world
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from SA,who
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hundreds of blogs on the site.
or professional
Over the
past 12 monthsgolf.
users have
spent over 1,5-millon minutes on www.sajr.
co.za pop in and see why. Sign up for the
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and getTour
the real
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Former European
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He developed the Kinetic Golf Fitness System player Neil Cheetham is the club head path
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that is applied at numerous golf academiesWhat’sanalysis
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SUNDAY (DECEMBERhim
7) the latest technology available, namely
Trackman.
numerous
professional
golfers
playing
on
the
• JFilm at Bet Emanuel’s Slome Auditorium, shows the Israeli film, “Bethlehem”. Time: 18:00. Cost: R40 (incl tea and snacks).
On the medical side Dr Jon Patricios joins the
PGA
and(011)
European
Tours, the LPGA and Ladies
Enquiries:
646-6170.
European Tour, as well as on the Sunshine Tour. team. Jon is currently president of the South
• Majestic
Radio
present ainmatinee
screening, by Selwyn
Klass, ofSports
a news reel
documentingAssociation
“The First Royal Tour
to South
African
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(SASMA).
GarthFilm
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3DToday
analysis
the quest
in 1947”,
to commemorate the 20th anniversary of South Africa’s returnHe
to the
Commonwealth.
Ditsong Museum
of Military
History
has
been teamVenue:
physician
to school,
club,
forAfrica
swing
improvement.
Auditorium, Saxonwold. Time: 14:30. Cost: R100. Bookings: (011) 486-3648 or majestic@telkomsa.net
provincial and international sports teams in
Virgin Active Old Eds have also partnered
athletics
and abasketball,
with
Raw
Golf
Schools
to
host
the
personal
• Big Band Music Appreciation Society meets at St John’s College Auditorium,rugby,
Houghton.cricket,
Harry Fidlersoccer,
from Ballito
Bay will present
tribute to Glenn
is
a
member
of
Cricket
SA’s
and
Rugby’s
training
classes
by
Garth.
Miller featuring previously unheard material and recordings. Time: 14:15 sharp. Enquiries: Marilyn, 072-243-7436 or Jack, SA
082-450-7622.
medical committees, and the Rockies Comrades
Counselling psychologist Maretha Claasen
• Jaffa’sRaw
morning
market
takes place
- 12:00 imat 42 Mackie Street,
Baileys Muckleneuk
There will be second-hand clothing,
Marathon
panelPretoria.
of experts.
joins
Golf
Schools
forfrom
the08:30
critically
tombola, a delicatessen, tea garden, books, personalised printing cards and much more.
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