Promoting unity

Inclusivity is a principle that the SA Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD), as the representative voice of the Jewish community as a whole, has always scrupulously abided by. Its affiliate organisations and those appointed to represent them represent the full range of Jewish opinion and belief, from the secular to the strictly Orthodox and everything in between. From the outset, the South African Union for Progressive Judaism (SAUPJ) has been a proud, effective, and impactful affiliate member of the Board. It has also contributed significantly to upliftment and the building of our country. Later this month, the SAUPJ will be holding its national conference in Durban, and I wish members all success for the occasion. I would also like to thank and recognise the current chairperson, Lisa Hack, with whom we have worked so well. 

Just as preserving unity and promoting harmony within the Jewish community is among the SAJBD’s foremost aims, so should it be expected of our elected leaders that they dedicate themselves to realising the same goals for the country as a whole. Unfortunately, all too often we see politicians doing precisely the opposite. Instead of providing a voice of reason and in general looking to lower the temperature, certain elected leaders have only sown further disharmony and mistrust among the population at large through their irresponsible rhetoric. Minister of Justice Mmamoloko Kubayi’s unfortunate remarks lending credibility to the conspiracy theory that Israel is the hidden hand behind the xenophobic unrest is the latest example of this. Not only politicians but all facets of society, including the mainstream and social media, have a responsibility to stick to facts rather than baselessly scapegoating individuals, minorities, or foreign countries. All this does is inflame an already fractious and volatile situation. 

Further to the theme of promoting Jewish unity, the annual National Community Directors’ Forum (NCDF) of the World Jewish Congress has for many years been a most effective vehicle for achieving this. The conference is a high-level engagement for professionals from communities the world over to explore the issues that face all of us, share challenges, and explore the best practices in dealing with them. Last week, our national deputy director, Charisse Zeifert represented us at the latest NCDF, held in Amsterdam. It was an excellent opportunity for her to draw on the accumulated wisdom, knowledge, and hard-won experience of Jewish communities across the globe, while at the same time sharing the South African experience with her diaspora counterparts.