Days of war leave SA Jews in fighting spirit

“The past 500 days have been a time of grief, defiance, and resolve for the Jewish community in South Africa,” says South African Zionist Federation National Chairperson Rowan Polovin, marking the period since 7 October 2023 when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and killed more than 1 200 people and took 240 hostages, of whom they are still holding 73.

Polovin said that in that time period, the local Jewish community also had to face the stark reality of the South African government’s response to what happened in Israel on 7 October.

“Our government’s swift abandonment of the South African Jewish community and its destructive hostility to Israel in the wake of the attacks have left an indelible mark on our community,” he said. “Yet this period has revealed the true mettle of South African Jewry. Our response has been emphatic and clear. We are one of the world’s most active and proud Zionist communities.”

Some believe this experience has strengthened local and global Jewry, with Josh Pimstein, Bnei Akiva national chairperson saying, “Despite the challenges world Jewry has faced, there’s a prevailing sense of faith, determination, and optimism. The South African Jewish community has not only adapted but thrived, ensuring that its values remain strong for generations to come.”

Brad Gottschalk Habonim Mazkir Klali said, “Although this conflict has been going on longer than many of us have lived, it feels like there has been a fundamental shift. It’s still hard to understand 7 October. We’re still in the middle of a sandstorm.”

Former United States diplomat and writer, Brooks Spector, said he believed the “sequence of events that happened on 7 October was both unexpected and horrifying in several ways, and we are still living with the effects of that day 500 days later. It’s still a circumstance in motion. We can’t quite see the mountains yet because there’s too much in the way.”

Political analyst Daniel Silke said that although the relationship between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Israeli government was weak 500 days ago, the effects of 7 October and South Africa taking Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) had only weakened the relationship.

“The ANC’s relations with Israel have been strained ever since the ANC came to power,” Silke said. “The ANC has never really been able to move beyond suspicion and animosity towards Israel resulting from that particular era when Israel and South Africa moved closer together when they were both seen as pariahs in the international community.”

Silke said that it was precisely this backdrop that made 7 October a window of opportunity for South Africa to be seen to be leading the critique of Israel’s response to the terror attacks from Hamas.

Spector said the events over the past 500 days between the South African government and Israel, including the ICJ case and the recall of Israeli Ambassador Eli Belotsercovsky – in November 2023 – merely exposed the fault lines that were already there.

Said Polovin, “The ANC government’s alliance with Israel’s adversaries, culminating in the ICJ case challenging Israel’s fundamental right to self-defence against Hamas has met with our community’s determined opposition. Despite sustained anti-Israel narratives in South African media, our support for the world’s only Jewish state remains uncompromising and clear.”

Likewise, Silke said that because of the actions of the South African government in the past 500 days, “It looks likely that South Africa may face the consequence of a resurgent Trump administration.”

Daniel Yakcobi, the chief operations officer of the South Africa-Israel Chamber of Commerce, said trade between South Africa and Israel had decreased drastically because of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) lobby. Many Israeli companies would like to trade in South Africa, he said, but because of the viciousness of the BDS lobby against Israel, they are unable to provide services to South Africans.

“The people who have been the most impacted are the average South African citizens who suffer from lack of services, a lack of advanced economy, and a high rate of unemployment,” Yakcobi said.

Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft, otherwise known as the “travelling rabbi” said that in the smaller communities he serves, he has witnessed the devastation the past 500 days have wrought, with Jewish communities feeling more vulnerable than ever.

“People are feeling vulnerable that it’s taken 500 days and it’s still not resolved,” Silberhaft said. “People in the diaspora always had the belief that if they were ever at risk, Israel would come and save them. That’s no longer a reality. If Israel can’t save its people on its doorstep, how is it going to come and save Jews in the diaspora?”

Analyst Adam Charnas believes that the past 500 days have made the local Jewish community more adamant in their resolve.

“October 7 cemented the Jewish identity of many, who have never felt prouder or more Jewish,” he said. “The engagement of the community in cultural and communal events is a strong testament to the continued pride and strength of South African Jews.”