Loud, proud, and visible

Every so often, a community does more than simply show up. On Sunday, 24 May, in Cape Town, ours did exactly that. 

British fitness coach and marathon runner Yoel Levy ran the Cape Town Marathon in a Batman suit. He has been doing so at some of the world’s most prominent races, which now includes Cape Town. Levy was moved by the haunting images of Kfir and Ariel Bibas, the two young brothers murdered in captivity in Gaza. Running in costume, because Ariel loved Batman, became Levy’s way of carrying their story forward, of refusing to let the world forget. 

When we learned of Levy’s intention to run in Cape Town, we were acutely aware of the climate in which he would be doing so. Anti-Israel groups had mounted a social media campaign designed to intimidate him, and had planned protests along the route. Levy himself described the lead-up as one of the most difficult he has experienced. That isn’t a minor detail. It speaks to an underlying hostility that we must name clearly and must not minimise. 

The response from our Cape Town community was remarkable: orange balloons, blue and white flags, Batman symbols, and hundreds of people who came out loud, visible, and unafraid. Given the ongoing efforts to close spaces for our community and to render any outward expression of Jewish or Zionist identity unwelcome, this show of strength was a clear statement that we will not be bowed. 

The fact that our supporters were safe, loud, joyous, and unafraid is clear affirmation that our community is uniquely united, secure, and visible. This is also a fact that shouldn’t be minimised and needs to be celebrated. 

Levy poignantly posted, “But I’d still rather deal with hate for being proud … Than hide who I am just to be liked. I’ve had death threats. Slurs sent to me privately. People telling me to ‘go back where I came from’. But the truth is … The hate only reminds me why being visible matters.” 

In Cape Town our community was visible and it mattered. 

Levy also wrote a social media post thanking the community and everyone who came out to support him. “But today reminded me of something important. Focus on the people around you who love you, not the hate and the noise. From children to people in their 80s, hundreds came out to support, cheer, wave orange flags, and spread kindness. That is what I’ll remember from Cape Town.” 

As one of our community members put it, “the Cape is on a high tonight”. 

This week, professional staff of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) attended the national launch of the 2026 Local Government Elections held by the Independent Electoral Commission. As with every national and local government election, the SAJBD will play an active part, which includes voter education, holding debates, and leading an electoral observer team. We will update details of our exciting programmes in the coming weeks. 

The SAJBD watches with grave concern the escalating xenophobic tensions in South Africa. Jews have been refugees in foreign lands, we remember our history and we understand precisely where such anti-foreigner sentiments can lead. This makes International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola’s budget speech this week more troubling. Minister Lamola attributed the diplomatic pressure being placed on South Africa to address xenophobia as a malicious campaign designed to undermine South Africa’s human rights reputation. He suggests that the motive for this campaign is South Africa’s “genocide” case against Israel. Such conspiratorial thinking has no place anywhere in South Africa, but certainly not from a minister in our Government of National Unity.