Safe cities for everyone

The festival of Sukkot has always fascinated me. It is weird and wonderful. A non-Jewish colleague came to my house yesterday and I noticed her puzzled glances at the sukkah on my patio. A dining table under the strange bamboo cover, rather than under the patio roof, and some posters and greenery looking decidedly verlep in the Johannesburg thunderstorm. I explained that it was a Jewish festival and we celebrate by building these “booths”, representing a temporary shelter, barely shielded from the elements. A symbol of vulnerability and faith. 

Vulnerability is an emotion we are all too familiar with both as Jews and as South Africans. Since October 2023 there has been a spike in global antisemitism, including attacks on synagogues, schools, and individuals. Last week, we were horrified to learn of yet another shooting at a shul, in Belleville, Ontario, over Yom Kippur. And in South Africa, in a society that is rarely shocked by crime any more, the murders of at least 11 women near Kempton Park have shaken us to the core. 

It is against this background that I reflect on some interactions on X, prompted by my last column. I am delighted that my column has reached the shores of the US, where former radio presenter Redi Tlhabi felt strongly enough about our Jews for Jozi walk to castigate us for having the chutzpah to walk in the inner city of Johannesburg as proud Jews. Our crossing Nelson Mandela was clearly a bridge too far for this X commentator. 

I was slightly taken aback by Ms Tlhabi’s objection. Her post stated, “I co-ask, when were Jews in South Africa ever prevented from walking the streets? Who prevented them? Does the SAJBD see fellow Johannesburg residents as a threat to their existence?” 

In a country rife with gender-based violence, as a woman I do not take the opportunity to walk safely in the streets of Johannesburg for granted. I do celebrate an opportunity to do so, and mourn deeply the women who were not afforded that right so recently. 

As a Jew, I am also sharply aware that for many Jews around the world, walking proudly as a group is a dangerous endeavour. While it is true that we have never been legally barred from walking on Johannesburg’s streets, our capacity to do so as identifiable Jews, is something worth celebrating. As Britain’s Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, said at the Manchester synagogue where a terrorist murdered two of his congregants a year ago, “We have never wanted to be defined as victims. We see ourselves as proud Jewish people, proud British citizens, proud of our values, and that is how we want to live our lives.” Jewish South Africa feels this just as keenly. We do not see our fellow Johannesburg residents as threatening. On the contrary, we want all South Africans to feel safe on the streets and to contribute to that goal. We walked to affirm our place as Johannesburg citizens, contributing to the amazing diversity of the city in which we live. 

It should go without saying that the right to walk, or drive, in our city without fear of abuse or harassment, or worse, is a right that should be afforded to everyone, regardless of race, religion, or creed. That is why we were so horrified to see a Jew subject a Muslim man to racial abuse right outside a synagogue on Yom Kippur. Both the SAJBD and the synagogue issued statements condemning this behaviour. We were contacted by many members of our community who were appalled by what they saw, and it was clearly evident that these views do not reflect the attitudes and values our community holds dear. The actions of one individual do not represent a community, but we called this out in the same way that we expect other institutions to call out antisemitism when it occurs in their communities. 

Finally, on the topic of making Joburg’s streets safe for all, municipal elections to determine the future of our city are coming soon. The SAJBD will hold mayoral debates in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Journalist Mandy Wiener will moderate the Johannesburg debate, on 11 October. This is your chance to hear directly from the candidates, ask the questions that matter, and get informed before voting. I encourage everyone to register and join us for what promises to be a fascinating event.