SA Jewish News

Cosas clowns are chasing their own tails

Oct 31, 2014 6 Comments

On one hand Cosas says they are not clowns. But while they suspend a member who placed the original pig's head, they announce they’ll be placing “several pigs' heads (in WW) stores this week.” Yesterday their Western Cape leadership said: “Cosas is not a clown organisation, we are a very serious powerful group of young people.” Yet according to SABC News this morning, Cosas has announced that the person responsible for last week’s incident has been suspended. Go figure…
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Did BDS & MRN try to outfox DA?

Oct 29, 2014 4 Comments

Article by MRN's Jassat Monday would appear to be part of a much larger strategy aimed at pushing the ANC government to follow the ANC party line on the Middle East. While the headquarters of the party at Luthuli House would like to be calling the shots, the more pragmatic Cabinet recognises the importance to the SA economy of having closer ties with Israel. They may have caught the DA asleep, but Jassat has awoken a sleeping giant in JZ. "The findings will propel the Zuma administration to review its foreign policy," wrote Jassat pre-emtively.
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Board condemns pigs in kosher counter

Oct 24, 2014 6 Comments

Cosas members put pigs heads in Woolies kosher and halaal sections today. The action was quickly and roundly condemned by the Board. BDS disclaims it (although they will be taking action at 40 Woolworths stores tomorrow) but the ANC tweets out pictures of the atrocity. Read what everyone has to say about this flagrant act of violation of the rights of fellow South Africans by the wayward students - and see the picture the ANC proudly tweeted out!
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Support, survive, secure

Oct 22, 2014 Go comment!

The event of the great deluge that convulsed the world in the story of Noah is replete with powerful messages that are core to life. It is a story of one man’s defiance against a corrupt world; a longsuffering G-d who patiently awaits a reversal of man’s conduct. Noah is ascribed the title of righteousness and is rewarded with a salvation for his devotion.
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Rabbi Moshe Sher passes on

Oct 22, 2014 4 Comments

Rabbi Moshe Sher zt”l passed away three days prior to Rosh Hashanah, after a long illness.
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Israel has good friends in Africa

Oct 22, 2014 2 Comments

A dinner, as a first step to mobilise people, churches and other organisations to not only pray for Israel, but to take a stand with that country, was last month hosted in Sandton. The “Africa Stands with Israel” dinner also sets out to include political and civil platforms.
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Common hatred transcends ideological differences

Oct 22, 2014 Go comment!

Jewish history is replete with tragic ironies, where initiatives that at the time seemed a logical way of addressing the “Jewish problem”, have not only failed, but ultimately been instrumental in worsening the situation.
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Shabbos Project gets wings - and flies

Oct 22, 2014 1 Comment

Johannesburg remains the hub for this year’s Shabbos Project - which has now also acquired an international flavour - with Great Park Shul planning a massive street dinner, with Chabad of Savoy and Ohr Somayach joining in this momentous occasion.
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Woolies threatens tough line against BDS protesters

Oct 06, 2014 2 Comments

Woolworths is considering taking BDS to court because, says the retailing giant, the activists’ threats have put the safety of staff & customers at risk. Says Woolies: “Our employees, of all faiths and cultures, are telling us that they are feeling increasingly threatened by the protests. What’s more, the families of our employees have reported being abused and sworn at by BDS,” says spokesman Babs Dlamini. Woolworths has been a BDS target for doing business with Israel. “If this continues,” says Babs, Woolies may take legal action against individuals involved.
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Did SPCA pounce at 11th hour & stop 'kaporros'?

Oct 02, 2014 8 Comments

The SPCA went to Torah Academy on Wednesday and, according to a TA email, put a stop to a millennia-old rite that thousands were to perform ahead of Yom Kippur today. Commonly known as “kaporros” in SA & “kaparot” in the US, the Jewish customary practice consists of taking a chicken & waving it over one's head 3 times while reciting a blessing. by a shochet (accredited ritual slaughterer) & sold. The money raised is given to the poor. Not this year, however, & Jewish social media is abuzz about whether the SPCA is going after schechita in general?
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Join Olga Meshoe for 'Town Hall' meet Sunday

Sep 30, 2014 Go comment!

“When Black and White Became Dangerously Grey” is the title of the 1st of a series of monthly “Town Hall" meets from Likud-SA. The speaker (& daughter of ACDP head) is a prominent attorney & a fervent fighter for Israel. The Beyachad meeting is free & will be held on Sunday at 6pm – but RSVPs are essential for security. Olga (pic) is COO of "DEISI" (Defend, Embrace, Invest, Support Israel). Many readers might know her as an extremely eloquent and inspiring orator, having spoken at both the Zionism indaba earlier this year and at the recent rally at Huddle Park.
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Citizen Cohen - follow the LIVE BLOG

Sep 21, 2014 Go comment!

POSTED 13:57 from Sunday's Cape SAJBD - CLICK FOR LIVE POSTS from Sunday's annual conference of the Cape Council of the SA Jewish Board of Deputies. Both the theme and content of the conference “Citizen Cohen – Our past; Our present; Our purpose!” has been carefully chosen to suit the times. SA Jewish Report Online is here and live blogging for those in Cape Town, around South Africa and globally - who can’t attend but would like to follow the proceedings...
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Citizen Cohen - see you on LIVE BLOG Sunday

Sep 18, 2014 1 Comment

Jewish Report will live blog from Sunday's Cape “Citizen Cohen” conference. Can’t attend? Follow proceedings from anywhere on the planet...
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Rabbi Berland’s left SA? & the Star story

Sep 11, 2014 Go comment!

Writing in the afternoon edition of The Star on Wednesday, Botho Molosankwe’s front page lead story “Sex pest rabbi eludes SA police again” came out several hours after SAJR Online broke it. The story is in all of the Independent Group dailies today and the online version has hundreds of (mostly anti-Semitic) comments posted to it. Rumours abound that Rabbi Berland has left SA for Uman in Ukraine.
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Berland takes ill as followers pour in

Sep 09, 2014 5 Comments

Hundreds of Shuvu Banim followers of Rabbi Berland have arrived and thousands are expected in Johannesburg to spend the High Holidays with, or near, their leader – who is still being sought by the Hawks on an arrest warrant from Israel. Rabbi Berland, 77, took ill last week and required medical treatment and blood pressure-related medication after Shabbos. Last week he implored his followers in a televised shiur to go to Uman in Ukraine for the annual “Rosh Hashanah kibbutz” pilgrimage. It seems many followers have ignored his calls and are coming to South Africa.
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This Limmud a gloriously rich Jewish smorgasbord

Sep 03, 2014 Go comment!

Girls in jeans and men in kippot; women rabbis and big frum families: the multicultural mix that characterised this year’s Limmud, demonstrated unequivocally that the project is here to stay.
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Lubavitcher Rebbe hunted far-flung Jews in love

Sep 03, 2014 Go comment!

The Lubavitcher Rebbe was a marketing genius, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, the author of Rebbe, the Life and Teaching of Menachem M Schneerson, the Most Influential Rabbi of Modern History, said at the launch of his book at the Linder Auditorium in Johannesburg last week.
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Acting Rhodes VC accused of 'hatred of Jews'

Sep 03, 2014 Go comment!

“As an alumnus of Rhodes University … I take umbrage at the stance by the university to include me in this biased and one-sided view which sadly reflects ignorance of the tragic situation currently in both Gaza and Israel.” So wrote a frustrated Linda Gordon to Rhodes’ acting vice-chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela, who she accused of making statements so “one-sided and inflammatory,” and “evidently fuelled by a baseless and unsubstantiated hatred of Jews.”
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5 religious leaders bless new tugs

Sep 01, 2014 Go comment!

Project to begin construction of nine locally-built tugs worth 1.4-bil blessed by five religious leaders in Durban, including Progressive Rabbi Hillel Avidan, pictured. Only then were the first plates cut.
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The awesome 2014 Jewish Achievers

Aug 27, 2014 Go comment!

Jewish talent spans across the generations – from the achievements of a 17-year-old to an 80-year-old. This is what emerged at the SA Jewish Achievers 2014 awards held at Vodaworld on Sunday. “Disproportionate” is the word Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein used, at the opening of the event. “This is a word that is being used a lot these days, but tonight we celebrate the disproportionate contribution of South African Jews in terms of numbers in every sphere of life. We are one of the smallest communities, but look at our impact. Read all about it...
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