Board covers whole Jewish activity spectrum in SA

JEFF KATZ

Originally, the main function of the Board was to address problems relating to Jewish immigration that arose after the Anglo-Boer War. This was later expanded to what is today our core mandate, dealing with all issues relating to anti-semitism, including in the political and social spheres. 

Overall, the mandate of the SAJBD has been to safeguard the fundamental rights to dignity, equality and security of South African Jewry. However, over the decades, the role and functions of the organisation has expanded to encompass a broad range of other areas relating to the pursuance of Jewish life in this country.

Historically, this has included contributing in the areas of religious and adult education, leadership development, youth activities and social welfare. While in a number of cases such functions no longer form part of the Board’s mandate, in other important areas we continue to be very active.

In the remainder of this column, I will list and briefly describe some of the ways in which the Board serves the greater Jewish community.

A crucial element of the Board’s core mission is to foster harmonious relations between Jews and the wider population.

This we do through, among other things, representing the community to government, civil society and the media, joining with others in combating racism and safeguarding democracy and human rights (such as through our participation on the steering committee of the Hate Crimes Working Group) and making input into national legislation. We are also involved in the interfaith sphere. 

For over six decades, the Board has been responsible for seeing to the needs of Jews living in the smaller towns and rural districts so far as these relate to the continuance of Jewish religious and communal life in those areas. Our Country Communities’ Department continues to provide support to members of our community who live far from the main Jewish centres, helping them to maintain their connection to their heritage and feel part of the greater community. 

As the representative umbrella body for SA Jewry, the Board is the natural port of call for those seeking information on the community, both historical and contemporary. The services we provide include running a rich and unique historical archive and regular publications such as our popular biennial Guide to Jewish Southern Africa.

As has frequently been reported on in this column, a perennial concern of the Board has been assisting religiously observant Jewish students whose exams have been set on Shabbat or Yomtov. This in turn forms part of a broader mission by the Board to ensure that Jews can practise their religion without being unfairly disadvantaged.

In the cultural sphere, our journal Jewish Affairs is still going strong 75 years later and is widely considered to be this country’s foremost Jewish current affairs and historical publication. Regarding Holocaust education and commemoration, we organise the annual Yom Hashoah ceremonies countrywide, in addition to hosting regular related events.

Finally, mention should be made of the role played by the Board in representing SA Jewry on a range of important international Jewish bodies, among them the World Jewish Congress and the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture.