Carrying forward the memory of fallen soldiers 80 years on

Eighty years to the day that World War II ended, Jews are once again fighting for their survival, South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) Chairperson Craig Pantanowitz told a Johannesburg audience at West Park Cemetery on Sunday, 14 September. 

Pantanowitz spoke to a large group of university and school students, war veterans, and family members of those who fought and perished in the war. 

“Israel is once again at war, not against the Nazis, but against Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and the Houthis,” Pantanowitz said. He spoke of the massive human cost. “Since 7 October, more than 900 Israeli soldiers have sacrificed their lives defending our homeland. Among them, two young South African olim, Daniel Perez and Yaron Chitiz, who were both murdered fighting Hamas. Daniel’s body remains cruelly held by Hamas, leaving his family in unbearable anguish as it awaits closure.” 

The memorial was organised by the SAZF and the South African Jewish Ex-Service League. Rabbi Ari Kievman led the congregation, guiding the prayers that honoured generations of Jewish and South African soldiers who fought for freedom. 

Kievman reflected on the shared history of South African soldiers in global conflicts. “We honour the men and women of the Cape Corps, ordinary South Africans from the coloured community who distinguished themselves in East Africa, Egypt, and Palestine at the historic Battle of Megiddo. Many never returned.” 

Pantanowitz reminded those at the memorial of the moral duty they inherited from their predecessors. “Let us carry forward the legacy of those who fought. With reverence, we remember those who fell, and honour those who stand guard today, drawing strength from their sacrifice to confront the challenges of our time. Soldiers continue to fight and die, defending our homeland, Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people.” 

He connected these historical sacrifices to personal and communal responsibility. “Each was a world. Each left behind an empty chair at their family’s Shabbos, yom tov, or daily table. The poet John Maxwell Edmonds wrote, ‘When you go home, tell them of us and say, ‘For your tomorrow we gave our today.’ But King David put it more simply centuries earlier, ‘Precious in the eyes of G-d is the death of His faithful ones.’” 

Pantanowitz emphasised the importance of remembering, particularly as Rosh Hashanah approaches. “Rosh Hashanah is known as Yom Hazikaron, one of its names is Day of Remembrance. It calls us to remember who we are, where we come from, and the sacrifices that brought us here.” 

He concluded by connecting remembrance to action. “Remembering allows us to elevate the past and to transform it into a source of strength for today. These soldiers’ sacrifices gave us freedom to build a brighter Jewish future. And so today, we don’t only look back, we look forward. We’re praying for the safety of Israel’s soldiers defending our people now, and for the immediate release of all the hostages who are still stuck in captivity in horrible conditions. Their struggle, too, is part of the eternal Jewish story, the battle for life, for light, for the victory of goodness.” 

David Williams, military historian and contributing editor of the Financial Mail, gave a historic perspective, situating South African Jewish soldiers in the wider narrative of World War II. 

“South African soldiers played an important role in both battles, and Jewish soldiers were involved, out of proportion to their presence in the white population,” he said. He recounted the “humiliation of Tobruk”, where poor leadership led to the surrender of 10 772 South Africans, including several hundred Jewish soldiers. “There was great anger among these soldiers and a sense of humiliation,” Williams said. “How could 10 772 men be taken so easily without fighting? It wasn’t their fault. It came down to poor leadership.” 

Williams also shared stories of solidarity. “When the shop windows of Jewish jeweller Mr Hockman were smashed and looted during a mini-Kristallnacht in Roodepoort, my grandmother organised a massive cake sale to raise money to repair his shop. That night, a brick was thrown through my granny’s window. She went outside immediately, and shouted into the darkness, ‘If you think that’s going to stop me, you’ve got another thing coming.’ I like to think that my gran and others like her helped the Hockmans not to feel alone at that time.” 

Lieutenant Hilton Kaplan, Jewish Ex-Service League national chairperson, said, “Only the forgotten are truly dead,” emphasising that remembrance is an active responsibility. “We’re here to ensure that their memory lives on.” Kaplan underscored that this duty extends beyond the immediate past, connecting all generations of South African Jews to the sacrifices of their ancestors. 

“When we remember the soldiers, the men and women who fought and died, we strengthen both our memory and our destiny. Memory is all,” he said. And he highlighted the inclusive nature of these sacrifices. “When we started doing research, we found the number of South African Jewish women who were also involved in that 10 772 was actually extraordinarily high. That’s worth mentioning as well.” 

The candle-lighting ceremony followed, with representatives honouring the fallen from various wars, including World Wars I and II, the Israeli conflicts, the border war, and the Holocaust. As Rabbi Kievman led prayers, the shofar sounded. 

The gathering reaffirmed the enduring bond between South African Jews and their historical and contemporary heroes. It underscored the importance of memory as a guiding force, reminding that freedom, faith, and responsibility are intertwined. Through prayers, speeches, and rituals, it wove together past, present, and future, ensuring that the sacrifices of the fallen remain a source of inspiration and strength.