The biased and the beautiful

This week has been jam-packed with news. There was the story of the visit of Francesca Albanese, United Nations special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who has been widely accused of antisemitism and blatant anti-Israel hatefulness in her position, one that demands no bias. 

Albanese was issued a summons while she was visiting South Africa as a guest of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. While so many supposedly smart South Africans hero worship this woman who has been so blatantly hateful towards Israel, she has finally been called out legally for her racism. 

Then, there’s the court case between Adam Mendelsohn and the University of Cape Town that the SA Jewish Report helped stream live so that our readers could have access to what was happening in the court room. 

Meanwhile, central Glenhazel came to a total standstill last Friday afternoon, when two devices that apparently looked like explosives were discovered. 

And then, of course, there is the University of the Western Cape (UWC) that has come out with its own ugly bias against us in demanding that anyone tendering for a job to make clothing for the university has to send a signed document giving assurance that they have no affiliation to Israel. As we all know, by virtue of being Jewish, we pray about Israel every day, and have for centuries. It seems apparent that UWC has also now made its antisemitic views known. 

As you can see, so much has been happening for us in South Africa, and many of these issues were discussed this week in our community. 

I have to say, watching the mainstream media about Albanese, I’m astonished how in organisations where there isn’t supposed to be bias and I had once believed there wasn’t, the clear anti-Israel and antisemitic discrimination is so evident. I’m astonished that fellow journalists call Albanese their hero openly on social media. How can you be an unbiased journalist when you hero worship someone who is so blatantly one-sided? 

There are many that may attribute bias to us at the SA Jewish Report. However, we do our utmost to tell the truth under the clear proviso that we, as a Jewish organisation, support the continuity and survival of the Jewish state. We don’t unequivocally support any specific leader in Israel, and we have no qualms in criticising issues that arise in Israel, but we do support the state. 

The point is, with all this news going on around us, there was a particular story that hit me hard. It wasn’t in the news. It was a personal and beautiful story about a bride and her wedding day. 

Perhaps its impact was because it was close to home. As many know, I have just returned from Israel, having been there to celebrate a family wedding. It was special being there, and I count myself fortunate to have been able to be there for it. I come from a large family, most of us were there, and we celebrated big, as my family does! 

So, when one of us spotted a Facebook post of a young olah who was getting married to an Israeli and wasn’t able to have her close friends and family from home around her, she posted it on our extended family group. Trust me, if I was able to head off for her wedding, I would have, but I was on my way home. 

A precious relative of mine, who lives in Israel, took it on herself to arrange a bus and find women to join her to enable this woman, who turned out to be a fellow South African, have the wedding she wanted. She ensured that the young South African-born bride was surrounded by South African women dancing with her on her special day. And did they bring good old South African gees (spirit, enthusiasm, and a vibe) with them! 

When I heard about this, I was so moved. The importance of family and friends was reiterated for me. I also realised, once again, how special our South African community is, whether its members are here in South Africa, Israel, or anywhere in the world. Jewish South Africans can argue and fight with each other, but when push comes to shove, we are there for each other. 

I know this is about my family, friends, and our South African Jewish community, but it was so incredible to witness this in action in Israel. 

You know, around the world, Jewish communities look to us here on the southern tip of Africa. They don’t look at us and envy our government. Why would they? Our government isn’t kind to us. They may envy our weather, but certainly not the value of our rand. 

They may wish they had our beaches, but there are other wonders of the world out there. But there’s no Jewish community like we have here. 

South Africans who emigrate hopefully find what they are looking for outside this country. They no longer worry about crime. They potentially no longer have to pay for medical aid; insurance; massive school fees; and I can go on. These are all gifts, considering how much we spend on all those things. 

However, so many tell us how much they miss the close-knit community we have here. They miss the fact that we are there for each other. They miss the fact that people care about each other and, as Jews, we look out for each other. When we see someone genuinely needing help and support, we reach out willingly and without any expectation of being honoured or recognised for it. 

This was evident in the scare in Glenhazel this week. CAP and CSO got involved, and worked together with the police to figure out what had happened and why. Hatzolah honoured them publicly, as did other Jewish organisations. That’s what we do. 

This weekend is the Investec Jewish Achiever Awards, the most awesome way of honouring those who do so much without expectation. It’s a night in which we give kavod where it’s due. It’s a night where we witness the massive footprint our community leaves in this country. It’s an annual event that inspires us for the rest of the year in the knowledge just how much our community punches above its weight in this country. 

I have to say, it’s my favourite night of the year. So often, people do so much more than is expected of them with no conditions. So often, there’s just a sense of people doing it for the good of humanity or to step up to the plate when they are needed. And it’s an honour to honour them. I look forward to being there to honour those who deserve it. 

Shabbat shalom! 

Peta Krost 

Editor