A little over three weeks remain until the SAJBD’s Gauteng Council conference, to take place in the Sandton shul hall on 15 August. While the programme has still to be finalised, the overall theme will primarily be on looking back on and celebrating 175 years of organised Jewish life in South Africa.
As has been widely reported, earlier this week four individuals in Johannesburg were arrested in an anti-terror raid.
Warmest congratulations to SAJBD past-president Marlene Bethlehem, who was confirmed as the new president of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture at its recent meeting in Mexico.
With just under a month to go until polling day, election fever is building up countrywide. Last week, our Gauteng Jewish community had an opportunity to be part of the debate through a lively pre-election panel discussion at Beyachad.
On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to congratulate Temple Israel on its upcoming 80th birthday celebrations.
At the time of writing, arrangements are being finalised for Wednesday evening’s election panel discussion at Beyachad.
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development launched its National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (NAP).
On Monday, along with our National President Mary Kluk and National Director Wendy Kahn, I attended a Cape Jewish community meeting convened to discuss the question of whether or not to include women solo singers at Yom Hashoah ceremonies.
As reported elsewhere in this issue, the Board was involved in a number of very moving commemorative events last week, in Soweto on Youth Day and in Boipatong the following morning.
For the 2014 national and provincial elections, the SAJBD put together South Africa’s first interfaith and multinational election observer team to assist the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on polling day.