Deadline looms to buy Stellenbosch home for Jewish students

A new Chabad house in Stellenbosch could give hundreds of Jewish students a permanent home away from home, with an ambitious fundraising campaign racing to secure the property. 

Rabbi Nissen Goldman, director of Chabad on Campus in Cape Town, is leading the campaign to establish Spark House, a dedicated centre for Jewish student life at Stellenbosch University. The initiative follows years of growing demand for Jewish programming in the university town. 

The campaign aims to raise at least R20 million to purchase the property, cover transfer costs, and prepare it for use. Goldman said the property had been on the market for R19 million before negotiations brought the price down to R15.5 million. 

“We have about 23 days left to raise R15.5 million,” Goldman told the SA Jewish Report, referring to the purchase price. He explained that legal fees, transfer duty, and preparations would bring the initial capital requirement to at least R20 million. 

The campaign was publicly announced on 7 October, the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks on Israel. 

Two years earlier, his friend and supporter Marc Sternberg had offered to help secure a permanent property for Jewish students in Stellenbosch. Goldman said Sternberg had contacted him unexpectedly on the first anniversary of 7 October offering to help make the vision a reality. 

Sternberg – who died recently – had said that something needed to be done following the attacks, and Jewish life needed to be strengthened. Goldman said the campaign was about creating something lasting for Jewish students, rather than simply commemorating an individual. 

The need for a permanent base has developed over several years. In 2017, Goldman began travelling from Cape Town to Stellenbosch once a week after Jewish students contacted him about establishing a community. The programme initially offered occasional gatherings, including lunch-and-learn sessions and welcome events. As participation grew, the weekly visits became insufficient to meet students’ needs. 

Goldman said the community had reached a point where it needed a full-time presence. Rabbi Chananyah Duthie, who grew up connected to Stellenbosch and later lived in New York, was keen to return and lead the programme. 

Duthie and his wife, Eliana, eventually moved to Stellenbosch to establish a more consistent presence. Their first arrangements included living in a house next to Goldman’s home in Cape Town before finding rental accommodation in Stellenbosch. 

Goldman described the rental property as poorly located and unsuitable for the growing programme. He said finding suitable accommodation close to the university had become increasingly difficult as student housing developments expanded and property prices rose. 

The proposed Spark House would provide a permanent base for Duthie, his wife, and the students they serve. Goldman said the couple would live at the property, allowing them to welcome students into their home. 

The planned facilities include a library, study spaces, guest accommodation, communal dining areas, and an outdoor entertainment space. Students would be able to gather for Shabbat meals, Jewish learning, social activities, and religious observances. 

Goldman said parents visiting Stellenbosch would also be able to stay at the house. Students who needed accommodation for Shabbat could potentially use the guest facilities, depending on the arrangements. An estimated 150 Jewish students currently form part of the wider Stellenbosch community. 

Chabad on Campus provides Shabbat and Jewish festival meals, prayer services, individual and group learning, and opportunities to observe Jewish traditions. It also arranges social gatherings and initiatives that bring students together outside formal religious programming. 

Duthie said students who live far from their families often rely on the community for support. Many students from Johannesburg don’t travel home every weekend, making the Shabbat table an important part of their university experience. 

The support can extend beyond religious observance. Duthie described how the community had supported a student undergoing cancer treatment and helped the student’s family during a difficult period. 

He said the aim was to ensure that students had somewhere to turn when they needed practical assistance, companionship, or a connection with other Jewish people. “A home away from home for Jewish students” is how Duthie described the programme’s role. He said a permanent property would make the community more accessible and provide greater stability. 

The location is also important. Duthie said the current arrangements had not always placed the programme conveniently for students living in private residences across Stellenbosch. A permanent base in a more suitable area would make it easier for students to attend activities and connect with the community. It would also provide a stable environment for Duthie and his wife to develop their work. 

Goldman said the campaign was an investment in the future of Jewish life in South Africa. He believes that supporting students during their university years can help strengthen their connections to Jewish identity and community. 

Duthie said the programme also reaches students who did not grow up actively practising Judaism but want to explore their heritage. Some students discover or reconnect with their Jewish identity after arriving at university. He said the community offers opportunities to learn about Jewish traditions in an environment where students can ask questions and participate at their own pace. 

The fundraising campaign has received an offer of matching support from a donor who has pledged to contribute the remaining half if Goldman raises the first half. Goldman said he had also arranged meetings with other prospective donors and received expressions of interest. 

However, the purchase price is only part of the financial commitment. The campaign must also cover the transaction costs and prepare the property before it can operate as a student centre. 

Goldman said a separate plan would be needed to fund ongoing administrative and operating expenses. The immediate priority, however, is securing the property and establishing Spark House. 

The campaign is inviting Stellenbosch alumni, families, businesses, and members of the wider Jewish community to contribute. Goldman said the project was intended to be larger than any one person or organisation.