Best wishes to the SAZF for its conference

SHAUN ZAGNOEV

The board’s mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of the local Jewish community, and the federation is concerned with issues relating to the community’s relationship with Israel. But, in essence, the work of the two organisations is complementary. For that reason, we frequently work together, primarily when our right to identify as Zionists and support Israel is threatened in any way.

This weekend, the SAZF will hold its long-anticipated national conference, with an impressive line-up of guest speakers that includes former opposition leader and current Jewish Agency Chairman, Isaac Herzog. I wish the SAZF success on this auspicious occasion, and look forward to participating in it.

Also at the conference, Ben Swartz will be stepping down after four years as SAZF national chairman, and it will be Nicci Raz’s last major federation function as national director before her family’s move to Israel. Both have done an outstanding job, which in turn has contributed significantly to the excellent working relationship that exists between our two organisations, both at lay leader and professional staff level.

In a difficult, frequently hostile environment, they have been tenacious, unapologetic, and boldly innovative in the way they have carried out their mandate to safeguard the South Africa-Israel relationship. This has been done not just on behalf of the Jewish community, but increasingly in partnership with Israel’s many Christian supporters. We thank and commend them, together with the SAZF leadership and staff as a whole, for everything they have contributed and will undoubtedly continue to contribute to Israel and the Jewish community in the future.

Homage to a true legend

Johnny Clegg, whose untimely passing last week elicited a deserved flood of tributes from all over the world, was much more than a composer and performer of anti-apartheid “protest” songs. Through his trailblazing synthesis of local white and black musical traditions, he was able to point the way to a society where cultural difference is seen as a source of mutual enrichment rather than division, and as a vehicle for binding people together in a shared commitment to their common South African-ness. While he was distinguished in his personal and professional life by his ability to assimilate different cultures, he was an identifying Jew, able to speak with much insight and erudition about this aspect of his heritage.

Just two weeks before his death, the SAJBD’s national executive council chose him to be the recipient of our Rabbi Cyril and Ann Harris Human Rights Award, to be presented at our upcoming national conference in November. We will, in due course, make contact with his family to see how we might pay homage to this distinguished Jewish South African, and help to perpetuate his legacy.

• Listen to Charisse Zeifert on Jewish Board Talk, 101.9 ChaiFM, every Friday from 12:00 to 13:00.