Riding high

This past weekend was a momentous one for South Africa, marked by a series of victories that filled the nation with pride. It began on Saturday morning, 17 August, with the Springboks triumphing over the Wallabies in Perth(fontein), despite the challenging weather conditions. The celebrations continued on Sunday morning, when Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Dricus Du Plessis secured a hard-fought victory over Israel Adesanya. South African Jewish Board of Deputies President Zev Krengel had the good fortune of being in Perth for both victories!

Particularly moving was the sight of Du Plessis being led out by Springbok captains Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth, a gesture that reciprocated Du Plessis leading the Springboks out at Loftus earlier this year. These moments of unity and shared triumph across different sports brought a sense of national pride reminiscent of the unity we experienced during the early days of our democracy.

This spirit of unity continued on Sunday, when I had the honour of sending off the Cycalive ride for its 26th year. This remarkable initiative, launched by Board member Rabbi Dovid Hazdan, brings together students from Torah Academy, Moletsane High School in Soweto, and Pace Commerce and Entrepreneurship School of Specialisation in Soweto for a ride from Johannesburg to Durban. Cycalive is a shining example of the values we hold dear – unity, hard work, respect, leadership, and charity – values vital for the future of South Africa.

The impact of this programme on its participants is profound, with many alumni going on to achieve significant accomplishments. The initiative also serves as a valuable platform for fostering connections between communities that might not regularly interact.

Just like the 700km route between Johannesburg and Durban, being a South African is beautiful, but comes with many ups and downs. This is why it’s so important to be able to savour a unique moment of national jubilation and positivity.

This weekend, we turn our attention to the annual Limmud conference. This event has become a highlight of the community calendar, and this year, the Board’s leadership will be presenting a number of topics in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

On Saturday, National Director Wendy Kahn and I will host a session titled “Bark or Bite? When to Act on Antisemitism”, followed by my participation in a session on “Conversations about Campus”. On Sunday, National Deputy Director Charisse Zeifert will speak on “Journalism in the Digital Age: Evolution, Challenges, and the Quest for Public Trust”, and will moderate a panel discussion, “Israel: Tomorrow and the Day After.”

Limmud affords the Board the opportunity to introduce its members and engage more directly with the community in an intimate setting. The debates and discussions are always enriching, and it’s such a pleasure to be able to engage with experts in fields that resonate deeply with our community. I strongly encourage those of you who haven’t yet booked, or who have never been to a Limmud, to join us at this year’s event.