Family living in car gets help and Shabbat invitation

After three years of living in their car in Cape Town, Jolene Erasmus and her Jewish husband and son were given more than just R20 when they crossed paths with Gary Meyers. They were given a lifeline.  

The family – Erasmus and Itzy Diamond and their son, Hymie Diamond – had survived a farm attack and were facing certain destitution when they met Meyers.  

“What started as a small gesture of R20 has now grown to approximately R22 000 to R23 000,” said Meyers, a South African architect who moved to Australia and has been in Cape Town for several months doing long-distance charity walks. 

Meyers first noticed an old car parked on the side of the road while walking towards Hout Bay in March. Towels hung from the windows, making it appear that someone was living inside. A few weeks later, outside a nearby coffee shop, a young woman approached him and asked if he could help her find a job. Jolene Erasmus was living in the car with her husband, Itzy, and their 11-year-old son, Hymie, with Itzy sleeping outside in a sleeping bag and Hymie on the back seat – even in the rain. 

“At the time, I thought to myself, well, this is South Africa, everyone is struggling. I honestly wondered whether it was just another story,” said Meyers. “I normally don’t carry cash with me when I’m walking, but this time I had a R20 note and I gave it to her.” 

Afterwards, Erasmus handed him a handwritten note thanking him and explaining her situation and that she and her husband were not looking for handouts but rather jobs so they could get back on their feet. 

Erasmus said that since she and her family had survived a farm attack in 2023, they had been living in their car in various spots along the Cape Town coast.  

“We ended up living in our vehicle. We get work from time to time, but we do not get permanent work. We’re still staying in our vehicle. We are looking for work, a stable home, and a roof over our head. We have slept in other places, where we’ve moved around because people are not happy when we sleep near their houses. We’re currently sleeping at Cosy Bay and have been here since March. It’s very dark out here. There are no street lights,” she said. 

Meyers was concerned about the family’s vulnerability. “I walk a lot in Cape Town, particularly when I’m training for my long-distance walks. I’ve walked from Station House in Sea Point all the way towards Chapman’s Peak and back, sometimes returning in the dark. That road can be completely unlit. Cars fly past at 100km an hour. I’ve seen how dangerous it can be. And suddenly, I was looking at an 11-year-old child living in a car, while his father was sleeping outside in a sleeping bag, in those conditions. I couldn’t just walk past. I remember thinking, I can’t do this. It’s not right. It’s not godly. It’s not human.”  

He phoned Erasmus to say that he wanted to help them in any way he could, and started a GoFundMe page on 18 June, which has since raised more than R20 000. 

Meyers has also given the family clothes when possible, but more importantly, he has given them a sense of dignity.  

“Since we’ve been living in our vehicle, my husband has been able to buy some of the car parts we’ve needed to keep it on the road. There are still things that need to be fixed, but unfortunately, it costs a lot of money. If we don’t receive enough money at once, we can’t fix everything, so we have to repair the vehicle in parts as the money comes in,” Erasmus said. “There are still a lot of things that need to be fixed. We’ve managed to get our child to school and put food on the table, but we’re looking for anyone who can help us find work – honest work. We’re not looking for handouts. We’re just looking for a roof over our heads, somewhere safe where my husband can start looking for work and we can have some stability.” 

In addition to financial and material help, Meyers invited the family to join his weekly Friday Night Club. Despite their situation, they always turn up in their best clothes with something in hand.  

“Each Friday night we go to his club, we pray over the bread and the wine, we light candles, and we participate in the Hebrew prayers,” said Erasmus. 

After Itzy shared his story at an evening gathering, Meyer’s friend, Biscuit, helped him secure work as a boilermaker.  

But for the family, this was a chance to build a community. 

“We’ve been here for three years, and nobody has ever invited us even for a cup of coffee. So when Gary invited us, it was an absolute blessing to have somewhere that felt homely, where we could sit, talk, and connect with people. Gary and his team continue to help us where they can, and it means the world to us to know we have somewhere to go on a Friday night,” Erasmus said.   

“It feels very family-oriented, especially because most of the people are Jewish. My husband and son are Jewish, although I’m not, but being there makes us feel like we have somewhere to go and that we are part of society again.  

“It’s an absolute blessing. Living in our vehicle, we don’t have friends, and nobody really reaches out to us. Every Friday night, we look forward to putting on some nice clothes, going to Gary’s suppers,  meeting new people, and simply having an outing,” she said.