In 2023, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) will mark 120 years of serving the Jewish community, a milestone we look forward to celebrating with you when the time comes. As the representative voice of the community, the role of the SAJBD has been to engage with government and civil society as well as with organisations within the community itself on all issues affecting South African Jewry. Outside formal communal structures, however, few are familiar with how the SAJBD is constituted nor the basis for its authority to speak and act on the community’s behalf.
In summary, the mandate of the SAJBD to represent South African Jewry derives from its affiliate organisations. These comprise the full range of Jewish communal institutions, from schools and shuls to welfare, women, youth, Zionist, cultural, and others. It’s from their ranks that the lay leadership of the SAJBD is drawn via organisations nominating candidates for election at regional conferences. Those conferences are also a forum where the Board reports back to its affiliate bodies, which are then able, through duly appointed representatives known as “deputies”, to give feedback on the Board’s work and raise their own issues.
On Sunday, 6 November, our Gauteng Council held its biennial conference for affiliates. Attendance was excellent, and the positive and enthusiastic spirit in which the event took place was most inspiring. I thank all the organisations concerned for their interest and support. It was most encouraging to see how much the Board is trusted and respected in the community at large, and how what we do is acknowledged and appreciated by those we represent.
After my message from the National Board and an elucidation of the Board’s mandate by National Director Wendy Kahn, outgoing Chairperson Harold Jacobs gave an overview of the activities of the Gauteng Council since its last conference. Among the issues touched on were the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and what was done to assist the community during that time, and engagements with local government and the universities. Next, Vice-Chairperson Danny Mofsowitz reported on how the Board leads South African Jewry in identifying with and participating in South Africa’s democratic culture through initiatives such as its #MakeUsCount election awareness campaign and attending commemorative events in Sharpeville and Soweto on Human Rights and Youth Day respectively. She also spoke about the Board’s involvement in social upliftment in the wider society. Finally, David Saks spoke about the Board’s work to monitor and respond to antisemitism, and detailed some of the more significant incidents it had been called upon to address over the previous two years. He gave examples of how the Board, depending on circumstances, preferred to resolve incidents through a process of “restorative justice”, in which the guilty parties are helped to understand why their behaviour has been wrong and sincerely apologise for the hurt caused.
To all those who were elected to serve on the Gauteng Council for the next two years, particularly those who will be serving for the first time, my congratulations. I wish you all success, and look forward to working with you during your term of office.
- Listen to Charisse Zeifert on Jewish Board Talk, 101.9 ChaiFM, every Friday 12:00 to 13:00.
