MARY KLUK
The Board is constantly aware of the need to provide regular and accessible channels of communication to keep the Jewish community abreast of its activities. National and regional conferences remain important vehicles in this regard, but it has obviously been necessary over the years to ensure that more regular means of disseminating information are in place.
This has become even more essential in today’s world of instant communication; whereas once one had days, or even weeks, to get in touch with the community, it is now a matter of hours.
Thus, in addition to such traditional methods such as conferences, printed publications and report-backs in the Jewish media, the Board makes extensive use of its Facebook, website and Twitter profile to reach as many of its constituents as possible.
Essential as these vehicles are, they are ultimately no substitute for direct, face-to-face interaction. For this reason, we have begun to actively seek opportunities through which Board members – both professional staff and lay leaders – can speak at communal gatherings.
In practice, this has mainly involved speaking to particular shuls. Most recently, I addressed the Durban United Hebrew Congregation, while Charisse Zeifert spoke at the Pine Street Shul in Johannesburg. However, Board members have spoken to other communal bodies as well.
The response from the community has been very enthusiastic; clearly, people appreciate it when those mandated to represent their interests as Jews, take the trouble to speak to them directly about what is happening. From our point of view, it is likewise useful to hear at first-hand what people in the community are thinking and what their concerns are.
At its last meeting, the Board’s Gauteng Council decided that as an ongoing initiative, Council members would endeavour to speak at their particular shuls, about the work of the Board in general and on specific issues of current concern that it is dealing with.
Here, I would like to issue a general offer to rabbonim and other communal leaders to have a member of the Board address their members, should they so desire. A slot of between 10 and 15 minutes would be sufficient for a brief report-back and a few questions afterwards.
On Tuesday, together with National Director Wendy Kahn, I met with Minister Susan Shabangu, Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, and senior members of her team. Being ourselves women in positions of leadership, it was very encouraging for us to have Minister Shabangu share her vision to uplift the status of women in our society and foster a culture where women are valued and allowed every opportunity to achieve their potential.
One of the main focuses of her department next year will be to celebrate the role women have played and are playing in building South Africa as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the famous Women’s March to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the pass laws. This is something the Board itself will look to participate in when the time comes.
- Listen to Charisse Zeifert on Jewish Board Talk, 101.9 ChaiFM every Friday 12:00 – 13:00.
