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Violent protests threaten our rights

Violent protests threaten our rights as South Africans! Today we saw violent protesters along the Cape Town beachfront, designed to threaten Christians in this country. Christian people have the same

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Joe Biden delivers a powerful message

A public announcement from Joe Biden “We are with Israel, make no mistake.” United States President Joe Biden delivers a powerful message of support for Israel. View below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXqsDOMRULY

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A letter to the president

We are betrayed. President Ramaphosa we are outraged by your callous disregard for the systematic and targeted mass murder of Jews last week and lack of concern for the 200

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Our three most recent chairperson's reports

All our blog posts, unfiltered

Violent protests threaten our rights

Violent protests threaten our rights as South Africans! Today we saw violent protesters along the Cape Town beachfront, designed to threaten Christians in this country. Christian people have the same

Read More »

Cape Talk 702 interview

We closely monitor and investigate all acts of antisemitism in South Africa — but we stand against all forms of hatred. Hands off our children – a call from the

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Hands off our children

Hands off our children – a call from the Jewish community! The Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies is outraged by the recent antisemitic attack on our children. Yesterday,

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Flourishing business in Khayelitsha

The Entrepreneurs Network ended the year on a high with an inspirational event held at the Isivivana Centre in Khayelitsha. This featured a panel discussion moderated by successful entrepreneur Luvuyo

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Remembering our heritage in Ceres

Yesterday, over 50 people gathered to commemorate the laying of the foundation stone of the first Ceres shul , precisely 100 years ago on 21 November 1923. Former members of

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Pray for Israel

2000 members came together Today, more than 2000 members of the Jewish community, friends of Israel and friends of peace, got together to pray for the safe return of hostages

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Joe Biden delivers a powerful message

A public announcement from Joe Biden “We are with Israel, make no mistake.” United States President Joe Biden delivers a powerful message of support for Israel. View below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXqsDOMRULY

Read More »

Antisemitism on Seapoint promenade

Offensive graffiti Earlier today the Sea Point promenade was exposed to antisemitic and highly offensive graffiti. Thanks to the City of Cape Town for swiftly removing these. We received many

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Johannesburg shows support

We are betrayed. South Africa Supports Israel. People have been driving through the streets of Johannesburg watching the buildings lit up with the Israeli flag.https://www.capesajbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/387833127_1359139175021005_1004834788449449171_n.mp4

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A letter to the president

We are betrayed. President Ramaphosa we are outraged by your callous disregard for the systematic and targeted mass murder of Jews last week and lack of concern for the 200

Read More »

Cape Town stands with Israel

Solidarity Rally “Our community is united as we pull together and draw strength from each other and we will make sure that we come out of this not just intact

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A call for peace

Stand against terror. Today, more than 2000 members of the Jewish community, friends of Israel and friends of peace, got together to pray for the safe return of hostages and

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Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt Function

‘You can’t carry an axe, you have to carry a scalpel’. Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, addressed an audience of over 200 people at the

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Old Synagogue building restored

Last year, the Piketberg Museum embarked on a mission to repaint and restore the old Synagogue building which now houses the museum. It was a costly affair and the job

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Old Shul re-opening

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭! Among the guests attending the opening of our beautifully restored Old Shul were guest of honour US Ambassador to South Africa,

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Call for Protest

South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has called for an end to what it says are threatening protests at Jewish places of worship. The SAJBD says a small group

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Cape SAJBD Media responses to Protests

The Cape SAJBD has spoken out about the recent intimidating protests plaguing our Jewish facilities. Executive Director, Daniel Bloch spoke to SABC News. Watch the interview now. The South African

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The Entrepreneurs Network

The Cape SAJBD is proud to be a partner in initiating and supporting the Entrepreneur Network – a platform where entrepreneurs from diverse communities come together to nurture their businesses.

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Swastika spotted in Macassar

Earlier this week it was reported that a swastika symbol had been spray painted on an electrical high voltage box in Macassar (which is near Somerset West). We have reported

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Freedom Day

Freedom Day represents peace, unity, and the restoration of human dignity of all South Africans. We call on our community, our neighbours, our government, faith-based organisations, civil society, and every

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Human Rights Day

At a time when all South Africans face an uncertain future, let Madiba’s words remind us who we are and how we should respect one another. “To deny people their

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Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill

SAJBD statement on the passing of the Prevention and Combatting of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill in the National Assembly on Tuesday March 14th 2023After over a decade of

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Move Down to Cape Town Welcome Reception

Yesterday we welcomed several Jewish families and individuals to the Western Cape by hosting the Move Down to Cape Town Welcome Reception. Many have moved to the Cape in the

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Why emigrate when you can semigrate?

Over the past few years we’ve been increasingly aware of news items and articles relating to semigration (moving from one part of a country to another, as opposed to migrating

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Combat Antisemitism

“You can’t carry an axe, you have to carry a scalpel.” Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, addressed an audience of over 200 people at the Gardens

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Entrepreneurs Network event

“The Board shares a dedication to and passion for developing sustainable growth and improving the quality of life for people in the Western Cape. The Entrepreneurs’ Network project resonates deeply

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AGM and Conference

“You are not required to finish your work, yet neither are you permitted to desist from it” (Pirkei Avot – 2:21). These were the words that encapsulated the 2022 Cape

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Entrepreneur Network

The Cape SA Jewish Board of Deputies, in support of Entrepreneurs’ Organization South Africa, ORT Jet Cape Town, and Over The Rainbow, invites you to apply to an exciting new

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Move down to Cape Town

‘Semigrating’ to Cape is better than emigrating, says Cape Board. Though the Johannesburg Jewish community faces the perennial question of whether it’s time to “pack for Perth”, the Cape South

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The Bursary Foundation

Apply now for financial assistance for your 2023 tertiary education. You may apply if you: Are a Jewish undergraduate or postgraduate student. Are in need of financial assistance to study

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Robertson cemetery gates restored

One of the key responsibilities of the Cape SAJBD is to ensure the well-being of all our constituents in the Western Cape. With a total area of almost 130 000

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Mandela Day 2022 Global Cook-A-Thon

Happy Mandela Day! “Freedom is meaningless if people cannot put food in their stomachs”- Nelson Mandela. 1 in 4 South Africans are food insecure without affordable, nutritious food. This year

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21st edition of the Maccabiah Games OPENS

The 21st edition of the Maccabiah Games has officially opened! Also known as the ‘Jewish Olympics’, the quadrennial games officially begin today with 10,000 individuals competing across 42 sports –

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Cape SAJBD Election 2022: Verified list of nominees

Vivienne Anstey Viv is currently the Director of the Eliot Osrin Leadership Institute (ensuring a leadership succession pipeline & upskilling lay/professional leaders), Director of the Midrasha Adult Education Institute incorporating

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Celebrating the power of the Youth

The Cape SAJBD engage, educate and empower young adults to ensure their voices are heard. In commemoration of this Youth Day, we held two initiatives to celebrate the youth and

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Yom HaShoah veHagvurah 2022

“To forget (the Holocaust) would be not only dangerous but offensive; to forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.” – Elie Wiesel. On Thursday, 28

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Visiting roads less travelled

With Pesach fast approaching, the Cape SAJBD went to visit the country communities of the Garden Route to wish them a Chag Pesach Sameach. From Caledon to Riversdale, George, Plett,

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The Blanket Project

During September and October, we partnered with Jewish Community Services, on The Blanket Project campaign. The objective of this campaign was to encourage our community to donate blankets to those

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A Kaleidoscope of Views

Our 2021 Cape Conference, ‘A Kaleidoscope of Views’ was held on 31 October at the Pola Pasvolsky Conference Centre. It was great to be back in person, albeit with a

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Join us for a Kaleidoscope of Views

JOIN US via ZOOM on Sunday, 31 October at 16h00 for our annual AGM and Conference titled A KALEIDOSCOPE OF VIEWS. It includes a keynote address by renowned political economist, Simon Freemantle, who

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Congratulations to Viv Anstey!

The Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies wishes our board member, Viv Anstey, a hearty mazel tov on her recent achievement of receiving the Eric Samson & Mendel Kaplan

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Know Your Rights!

Our Generation Next subcommittee recently rolled out its ‘Know Your Rights’ campaign to Herzlia High School and CT Torah High Grade 11 and 12 students. Whether you are studying, working

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Political parties talk tachlis

On 10 October, the Cape SAJBD and eNCA hosted a debate regarding the upcoming Local Government Elections. Held at the Investec, with catering by Merle Rubin (her devilled eggs have

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#VotesMatter Campaign

As the representative spokes body of the Western Cape Jewish community, Cape SAJBD will engage with Local Government to protect and advance the rights, status and welfare of the Western

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Cape SAJBD launches Report Hate Hotline

We are excited to announce the launch of our new #ReportHate Hotline. The community will now be able to report antisemitism and hate speech to an operator who will capture

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Words matter.

Over the last few months, the board has witnessed engaged debates and discussions among our community — about COVID-19 and what we should do about it, about PPE, about schools

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Rosh Hashanah 100 years ago

by Gwynne Robins   What do the High Holy Days mean to most of us? The 2019 Kaplan Centre Survey on the Jews in South Africa found that 72% attended

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Election and Engagement in Community

Voting in public representatives is a unique opportunity for you, as a member of our community to engage, debate and decide who best will represent your views, fulfil the organisation’s

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COVID-19, Conspiracy Theories and Us

By Gwynne Robins   Which of these statements do you believe to be true? • COVID-19 spreads when Israeli soldiers wipe the virus on car door handles (suggested by Palestinian

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Camps Bay and Hatikvah

by Gwynne Robins When the British took over the Cape in 1806, it took possession of Dutch properties including the shabby Camps Bay farmhouse bought from Von Kamptz, after whom

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No Place for Hate

With our elections coming up under the Cape SAJBD’s new democratic constitution, it seems appropriate to take this opportunity to explain the Cape SAJBD’s stance on forms of hatred. At

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Details on CSO’s COVID-19 Monitoring Programme

CSO Cape Town launched its Wellness Monitoring Programme in response to the local COVID-19 outbreak. The programme was developed alongside Hatzolah Medical Rescue to enable the organisation to monitor local

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Montagu Cemetery in tip-top shape again

On 22 May, a team of gardeners completed another clean-up operation at Montagu Cemetery. This and other cemetery upkeep initiatives are supported by the Cape SAJBD, but we could use

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Be kind, but be fierce

“Be kind, but be fierce. You are needed more than ever before. Take up the mantle of change. For this is your time.” —Winston Churchill Thursday 12 March feels like

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Decision on Cape Synagogues to Follow

As of 1 June, all the synagogues in the Cape will remain closed. The Cape SAJBD, the body that is steering the communal COVID-19 workstreams, will be meeting with all

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A Prayer in Response to COVID-19

by Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz   Master of the Universe, Our Creator and Liberator of diseases We are afraid and unprepared. We beseech you for guidance and support. Grant victims the

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Personal Reflections on May Day

This special personal narrative was shared with the Cape SAJBD ahead of Workers’ Day 2020, when trade unionists and political activists Leon and Lorna Levy will celebrate 58 years of

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How Did the Bnoth Zion Association Begin?

By Gwynne Robins   It is 19 August 1901 and Moses Zuckerman has called a general meeting for Jewish women in the Masonic Hall. “By 1901,” writes Marcia Gitlin, “Zionism

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How Did Zionism Start in Cape Town?

By Gwynne Robins The first Zionist society in Cape Town was the short-lived Bnei Zion Society which had been established on 27 November 1897 by Reb Yehuda Leib Schrire, the

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How Did Astra Begin?

By Gwynne Robins Global education network ORT, which started in St Petersburg, Russia in 1880 to teach Jews employable skills, came to South Africa in 1936 when its chairman, Dr

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How the Jewish Community Services Started

By Gwynne Robins The hazards of the sea were directly responsible for the establishment of the first Jewish organisation in the Cape, the Jewish Philanthropic Society of the Jewish Community

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How the Cape SAJBD Started

By Gwynne Robins Since the fourth century BCE, the Jews in the Diaspora have found it necessary to have a kehillah, a semi-autonomous organised Jewish community structure, that could intercede

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Caring During National Lockdown

The Cape SAJBD has been involved in various initiatives leading up to the national lockdown and since it was announced, including helping a team of experts and communal leaders draft

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Summary: National Lockdown

The nation-wide lockdown will be enacted in terms of the Disaster Management Act from midnight on Thursday 26 March until midnight on Thursday 16 April. All South Africans will have

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Campaign for JCS’ Food Bank raises R61,075

A Kosher food drive started during Purim to support the Jewish Community Services’ (JCS’) Food Bank transformed into a weeks-long online campaign. On 9 March, the Cape SAJBD first appealed

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Yom HaShoah Vehagevurah: A History

Most South African Jews came from Eastern Europe between 1880 and 1930, with some from Germany in the 1930s and others from Rhodes Island in the 1960s. After the Holocaust,

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May court order be executed peacefully

We understand refugee experience and pray for safe spaces for displaced people. Gardens, Cape Town, Wednesday 26 February— The Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies (Cape SAJBD) calls for

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‘Remembering is intrinsic to Judaism’

Rabbi Stuart Serwator represented the Jewish community at the Remembrance Day ceremony held at the Cenotaph war memorial on Heerengracht, by invitation from the Cape Town Beth Din, on 11

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Carrying my flag on my shoes

The end of January saw me jumping on a plane to Washington DC for my second Cohort 5 gathering of the Schusterman Leadership Programme. This time we focused on the

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Help us enrich the Gitlin offering

In honour of Cape Town Pride 2020 (17-28 February), LGBTQIA+ activist Jacqui Benson and the Cape Board are joining hands to expand the Jacob Gitlin Library’s queer literature section. Jacqui

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