MARY KLUK
However, there is another, more positive side of the WJC’s work, which is to build bridges of friendship and partnerships with other communities.
During her recent visit to the US, National Director Wendy Kahn took part in a very uplifting meeting between the WJC and representatives of the Chinese American community. The latter greatly admire how world Jewry has been able to organise itself across international boundaries, and were keen to learn from the WJC how they might likewise create such structures for the large Chinese Diaspora.
Through the relationships it has established with foreign missions, the Board has been able to implement a range of worthy projects over the years, ranging from events commemorating the Holocaust, to cultural and social welfare projects.
While in Washington DC, Wendy had a very constructive meeting with new South African Ambassador Mninwa Mahlangu and his Political Counsellor Khayakazi Mgojo. I recall previous occasions where we have worked with the South African mission to Washington DC, including our “Jewish 2010” initiative to welcome Jewish visitors to South Africa during the Fifa World Cup and, more recently, our efforts to encourage expatriates to register for and vote in last year’s elections.
Hopefully, through maintaining the warm relations that exist between ourselves and the South African Embassy, we will have further opportunities of working together in the future.
The fight against anti-Semitism nevertheless remains a top priority for world Jewry. Wendy also engaged extensively with the Anti-Defamation League, one of the organisations at the forefront of these endeavours with whom the Board has long had a vital working relationship.
In addition to giving a presentation on the situation that confronts us in South Africa, she consulted extensively with experts working in the area of addressing cyberhate. This is a highly complex area that Jewish communities everywhere are confronted with and we need to take as much advantage as possible of the expertise that organisations like the ADL so readily make available to us.
We will shortly be featuring a link on our website through which members of our community can actively report and follow up on cases where they have been the targets of cyberhate or have become aware of platforms that are being used to spread anti-Semitic incitement.
- Listen to Charisse Zeifert on Jewish Board Talk, 101.9 ChaiFM every Friday 12:00 – 13:00.
