World Jewish Congress Headquarters Report
GOVERNING BOARD WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS ASHKELON, 24 SEPTEMBER 2008
REGIONAL REPORTS South African Board of Jewish Deputies
SOUTH AFRICAN JEWISH BOARD OF DEPUTIES The Xenophobia Crisis and the Jewish Community In the first half of 2008, xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals swept the country, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries and tens of thousands of people being displaced. The Jewish community responded outstandingly, with donations (monetary and in kind) flooding in and numerous volunteers making their services available. The SAJBD coordinated the Jewish relief effort, heading up a multifaceted assistance programme on behalf of victims. A letter of appeal was issued to the Jewish community and all Board affiliates. Subsequent donations of clothing, blankets, hygiene packs, non-perishable foodstuffs and any other basic necessities for the victims were collected and distributed to the various crisis centres. Once the victims of the violence were relocated to displaced persons sites, the Board focused on providing such income generating projects for them as carpentry, knitting, car washing and weaving. Throughout, the Board worked closely with its affiliate organisations, in particular the Union of Jewish Women, Habonim Dror, Bnei Akiva, SAUJS, the main Jewish day schools and the SA Union of Progressive Judaism. It also participated on the Gauteng Disaster Management Forum and other civil society and religious bodies set up to assist xenophobia victims. Liaison with Government In March, Chairman Zev Krengel led a high-level SAJBD delegation that met with President Mbeki and senior members of his government. Issues discussed incOXGHGQH[W\HDU¶VUHYLHZFRQIHUHQFHWRIROORZXSWKH World Conference Against Racism, the future of Jewish Studies in the national educational curriculum, crime and community morale and the Middle East situation. On the government side were President Mbeki, Advocate Gumbi, Minister of Education Naledi Pandor, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad, Minister in the Presidency the Reverend Frank Chikane and Duncan Hindel, Director-General of Education. Last December, Mr Krengel attended the African National Congress conference as an observer. Afterwards, he sent a letter to the Jewish community describing the event and its implications for South Africa. He subsequently gave report-backs on his attendance to the Johannesburg and Cape Town Jewish communities. Durban Review Conference 7KH6$-%'PHWUHJXODUO\ZLWKERWKWKH6$JRYHUQPHQWDQGLQWHUQDWLRQDO-HZLVKOHDGHUVWRGLVFXVVQH[W\HDU¶V Review Conference to the 2001 World Conference Against Racism. The fact that South Africa was expected to again host the conference gave special urgency to this matter. It was one of the main items discussed at the above meeting with President Mbeki. National Director Wendy Kahn met on several occasions with senior UN officials in the SA administration, including Pitso Montwedi, Director, Civil and Political Rights and International Crime, Department of Foreign Affairs. In May, Mrs Kahn attended an International Leadership Conference in Geneva, convened by UN Watch, to GLVFXVVQH[W\HDU¶VUHYLHZFRQIHUHQFHWRWKH01 WCAR. She gave a presentation on behalf of the SA Jewish FRPPXQLW\UHIHUULQJWRWKH%RDUG¶VSDUWLFLSDWLRQLQSUHYLRXV81FRQIHUHQFHVKHOGLQ6RXWK$IULFDDQGVSHDNLQJ about its in-progress Israel advocacy project aimed at refuting comparisons with apartheid. Also attending were Gershon Hurwitz (vice-chairman Gauteng Council) and Moonyeen Castle, representing the Western Province Zionist Council. In August, Mr Hurwitz and Marc Pozniak attended the regional meeting for the 2009 WCAR Review Conference in Abudja, Nigeria. They were very active in the proceedings and provided detailed reports on daily developments. Publications June 2008 saw the publication of Madiba 90 Years ± A Tribute from South African Jewry, FHOHEUDWLQJWKH-HZLVKFRPPXQLW\¶VORQJDssociation with Nelson Mandela and wishing him well on his 90th birthday. Produced in both magazine and book form, it includes personal reminiscences from over thirty Jewish South Africans who have been personally and professionally associated with Mr. Mandela, congratulatory SOUTH AFRICAN JEWISH BOARD OF DEPUTIES REPORT ± PAGE 1 OF 2
messages from Jewish organisations countrywide and numerous photographs. The SAJBD was centrally involved in this project, including research, editing, publicity and editorial content. National President Michael Bagraim attended a prestigious event on Robben Island, held in honour of Nelson 0DQGHOD¶V th Birthday. In his capacity as President of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, he signed best wishes from the Jewish community. Meetings with International Jewish Leaders In the first eight months of 2008, the SAJBD met with Robin Margo, chairman New South Wales Board of Deputies, Dr Greg Rickman, Special Envoy on Antisemitism in the US State Department, Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice- Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Daniel Seaman, Director of the Israel Government Press Office and Itamar Marcus, Director Palestinian Media Watch. In April, Mr Krengel and Mrs Kahn went on a three-day programme to Israel to meet with senior members of the Israeli government and Foreign Affairs department. Amongst those met with were Ministers Tzippi Livni, Ami Ayalon and Isaac Hertzog. The purpose of the visit was to brief the Israeli government on the political situation in South Africa and the situation of the Jewish community and discuss antisemitism-related issues LQFOXGLQJWKH 5HYLHZ&RQIHUHQFH 7KH%RDUG¶VFXUUHQWLQIRUPDWLRQSURMHFWDLPHGDWSURPRWLQJ,VUDHO¶V democratic and human rights credentials and refuting allegations that it LVDQ³DSDUWKHLGVWDWH´ZDVDOVR discussed. Antisemitism and Jewish Civil Rights While levels of antisemitism in South Africa are fortunately not high, a steady trickle of antisemitic incidents continue to be reported, including cases of verbal abuse, graffiti, anonymous hate mail and vandalism. Some forty incidents were recorded in the first eight months of 2008. Actions taken range from responding in the media, assisting community members in laying formal charges or taking up their case on a human rights basis (such as with the Human Rights Commission) and taking steps to prevent the circulation of antisemitic literature. Holocaust Commemoration and Education Holocaust education in South Africa has received a significant boost with the establishment of Holocaust &HQWUHVLQERWK-RKDQQHVEXUJDQG'XUEDQ&DSH7RZQ¶V+RORFDXVW&HQWUHKDVEHHQLQH[LVWHQFHIRURYHUD decade and has made a very significant impact in the region. Keynote speaker at the 2008 Yom Hashoah ceremony in Johannesburg was Marta Wise, a survivor of Nazi medical experiments in Auschwitz. She made a tremendous impact throughout her stay, both with the media and the many Jewish communal gatherings she went on to address in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Report prepared by David Saks Associate Director South African Jewish Board of Deputies
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