All the top trending news for SA Jewry

Shalom reader,

Welcome to our third issue of 2016!

In the news …

The question of whether smoking cigarettes is halachically allowed is a minefield. Batei Din worldwide find it difficult to issue a prohibition against this socially acceptable but self-destructive habit.
Wednesday of this week was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Read our interview with acclaimed Israeli historian Dina Porat who was brought out to South Africa in honour of the occasion.
Police have been unable to explain why one of the highest profile, awaiting-trial prisoners in the country, alleged Israeli mob leader Shai Musli, was not in court in Johannesburg on January 18, as scheduled.(It later emerged that he had in fact been in court and that his case has been remanded to beginning March.)
A new study has shown that over half of SA’s population is obese and is recommending a 20 per cent tax on sugar–sweetened beverages. Aviva Tugendhaft of Wits University believes the ‘sugar tax’ could help reduce the number of obese adults by some 250 000.
It’s hard to believe, but twins Elliot and Jeffrey Wolf – iconic King David headmasters – turned 80 on January 21. When in 1967, Elliot was offered a job at King David Linksfield, he said he had a brother and the then headmaster said: ‘Bring him along as well.’ The rest is history.
Prof Milton Shain has written a ‘timeous’ book, ‘A Perfect Storm: Antisemitism in South Africa 1930 – 1948’. As the debate over how to deal with racist hate speech continues to rage, it is instructive to look back to a period when our community was subjected to vitriolic public attacks.

And in her editorial, our editor Vanessa Valkin looks at the current litany of racist missteps in South Africa and beyond, and tries to understand the roots of racism and how to counter it.

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Some of the hot local and international reads this week

CLICKto download this week’s latest edition
of the print paper, see right, or read it online.

Below are our top-trending
web-onlyreads right now

• Anti-Semitism is rising – say 70% of French

• Blue Eyes’ body hid among dead Jews

• Israeli food a hit among world cuisine

• Israeli basketball coach fired by US team

• 3-way race with Sanders least pro-Israel

• Bark mitzvot becoming an industry

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​​ALL THE OTHER LATEST STORIES​

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REPORT READERS’ FAVOURITES OF 2015 AND ALL-TIME HITS!

13 Jan 2016: DID WOOLIES GO GAZA?
RECORD NUMBER OF VISITS IN A DAY

13 Jan 2016:TOP READ OF ALL TIME
THE RHODES ANTI-SEMITISM EXPOSÉ

06 Jan 2016: 2015’s MOST VIRAL READ
BOTCHED BRIS REPORT OUTCOME

04 Jan 2016: 2015’s TOP NEWSMAKER
BERLAND DIGS IN AND OPENS UP

01 Jan 2016: TOP RELIGIOUS EVENT
THE SHABBOS PROJECT

28 Dec 2015:ISRAEL STORY
THE RISE OF JEWISH TERRORISTS

27 Dec 2015: TOP READ STORY
KRAWITZ STORY GOT 11,736 READS

22 Dec 2015:INTRODUCTION TO 2015
TOP-READS & ISSUES ON JR ONLINE

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Never again means never, ever again. Am Yisrael Chai!

The beautifully-put sentiment above
comes from Rolene Marks’ new blog

Listen to this rare and moving footage dated to April 20, 1945. The inmates at Bergen Belsen had just been released when they assembled, starving, and asked their saviours to record them singing the anthem of hope ‘Hatikva’ – is was re-discovered and uploaded in 2010 – CLICK HERE

Never again – a new blog by Rolene Marks

102 000 stones – for those who never returned – a gripping read for every Jew in the world

The Shoah’s first historian is finally heard – he was almost forgotten

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Shabbat Shalom and good luck with the year ahead!

The South African Jewish Report team