Aaron Levenberg has an entrepreneurial soul, which is why at 22, he launched an e-commerce furniture store with a family friend called Levitate Furniture Solutions (LVT8). Levenberg noticed that the store had no online presence, and thought he could help. He offered to create an online store selling the products for a percentage of the profits. He opted out of the traditional path of most youngsters, leaving university after his first year. “While many view formal education as the primary route to success, I discovered that hands-on experience and real-world problem solving were far more valuable for me,” he said. From university, Levenberg dived into the property business, working for Jawitz Properties and Merge Property Group in Cape Town. “This approach allowed me to learn through real-life challenges and adapt quickly, leading to success in the property sector and my furniture business,” he said. He kept up momentum in his career by always looking for the next best thing. So, when the family friend whom he had approached about the e-commerce store agreed to its launch, Levenberg jumped at the chance. “Keeping this momentum required a commitment to continuous learning and adaptability, embracing new opportunities as they arose, and constantly refining my strategies based on practical experience rather than theoretical knowledge alone,” he said. Levenberg said he was drawn to LVT8 because it offers high-quality, customisable furniture at affordable prices, combined with services like paintwork and fit-outs. The company quickly saw the success of the online store, and opened a showroom in the centre of Cape Town for customers to get a first-hand view of the furniture. Levenberg remembers being on tenterhooks when he and his business partner were waiting to get confirmation for the showroom. “This was all my business partner and I could think about for months, and I remember seeing the message that we had the go ahead, and waking up my girlfriend to tell her,” he said. His biggest inspiration is his family and friends, he said. “I make sure to listen to advice and criticism as I believe they are constructive, whether I agree with them or not. One of the things that has stuck with me is something my dad always tells me, which is “as long as I have fun”. This helps me to have an optimistic attitude towards everything I do, and my optimism radiates to my colleagues, my family and friends, and my clients and customers.” Levenberg hopes to take his business to new heights in the years to come. Tannah Levick Aaron Levenberg At 14 years old, twins Caleb and Judah Levitan straddle two worlds: being ordinary teenagers and international chess champions. To top it all, they have created a chess school for those in need. “In one world, our peers are our high school friends, in the other, our peers are professional or semi-professional chess players,” the boys say. “Because we are in both, we hope that we’ve inspired people in our school to pursue their dreams. It does take sacrifice and hard work to keep competing at the highest level of our sport and beyond that, we put in great effort for the benefit of those in need.” They live by the chess philosophy that “chess isn’t always about winning. Sometimes, it’s simply about learning. So is life.” Caleb and Judah started playing chess at six years old, and immediately noticed that they had a natural talent for the sport. At six, they both won tournaments that allowed them to represent South Africa from the age of seven. This also allowed them to get professional coaching for the sport. They dedicated all their time to chess, so much so that the president of the Johannesburg Sports Confederation asked if the pair could coach a development team. It was then that they saw that chess was much larger than the two of them and they could make a difference through the sport that they loved. This led them to create the Levitan Chess School to bring the joy of chess to schools in need in Gauteng. This programme has provided equipment to 22 schools in Johannesburg, and the Levitan brothers hope to expand it to the rest of Gauteng. The boys hope their programme will in turn expand to the rest of the country as “the Gauteng minister [of sports, arts, culture and recreation] always reminds us that kids in sport are kids out of court. Well, chess will certainly keep kids busy for hours, but it’s more than that, it helps with critical thinking, maths, focus, and so many skills that will help kids achieve in their school and life journey,” they say. Caleb and Judah are different to other top chess players in that they still attend school at King David Linksfield, and live ordinary lives. Said Caleb, “We’re regular teenagers with an extraordinary life outside of school. This juggling act isn’t easy, and we have met some other teenagers around the world who have been struggling to balance school and chess.” Caleb was the youngest player to represent South Africa in chess at the African Games, and the youngest to represent South Africa in the Olympiad at 14 years old. Judah’s biggest achievement is representing South Africa in the Youth Olympiad (under 16) at 12 years old. Caleb and Judah will always remember when they won the African Youth tournament together when they were eight years old in Kisumu, Kenya. Said Judah, “We were surrounded by different languages and cultures, given traditional Kenyan blankets to wear, and we got to celebrate together. We both beat all of our opponents and then drew to each other.” They are successful in all their endeavours, they say, because they have the support of their family, friends, school, and community, as well as work extremely hard on chess. Both boys have had to deal with disappointment in their sport, but they have always been able to pick themselves up after a loss. Said Caleb, “In chess, there’s a saying that it takes one bad move to nullify 40 good ones. We have, unfortunately, learned that lesson too often. We have lost out on titles, ratings, and podium finishes with a few bad moves, but try and come back stronger each time.” Said Judah, “We’ve learned not to chase competitions that sound like glory but aren’t filled with highly rated players, and to focus on actual chess growth and constantly challenging ourselves.” Caleb and Judah Levitan Tannah Levick was destined for the stage. As the granddaughter of South African music recording legend David Gresham, music was in her genes. Levick grew up performing, but it wasn’t until she performed in Thoroughly Modern Millie when she was in Grade 11 at King David Linksfield that she knew singing, dancing, and acting was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Levick studied at the Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy (LAMTA) in Cape Town, where she honed her craft to become a true triple threat. Since graduating in 2021, Levick has performed in numerous musicals in South Africa and internationally. She was in Tales of a Big Bad Wolf at the Kalk Bay Theatre in 2021, Burn Baby Burn at Gate 69 in 2022, and was an ensemble member and a cover for Scaramouche in the world tour of We Will Rock You in 2023. Levick was also in the critically acclaimed production of Mamma Mia in 2024, and is a part of Disney’s Magic Box Musical. “I’ll never forget taking the final bow in We Will Rock You at the Tel Aviv Opera House,” said Levick. This moment performing overseas was the signal that she was on the right track. In addition to being a musical theatre performer, Levick also writes and performs music. Her first song, Why Can’t I Be Me, released in October 2019 is the most meaningful for her. She wrote it in memory of her friend, Adam Seef, who tragically lost his life from suicide in 2019. In the song, she sings, “Why can’t I live my life the way it’s meant to be? Why can’t I just cry as a boy, be strong as a girl, why can’t I find a way to set my spirit free?” Using her creativity to share her emotions was a moment of release for her, but it isn’t the only music she has released. Other songs include Gaslighter, Okay, and Dancing Alone. Being in the theatre world has taught Levick the art of resilience. “I know that this is an incredibly tough industry. It’s subjective, and it can hurt your self-image. So, I try not to view things as disappointments but rather as shields of protection. My granny always told me, ‘Rejection is protection.’” Levick has a unique skill that most performers don’t have. “I am a straight, white Jewish performer who can speak not one word of Afrikaans but fully understands isiZulu within an industry filled with people who are the exact opposite,” she said. It’s her mentor, her grandfather, David, who inspired her. “He always told me to keep my feet on the ground, and reach for the stars, which is my mantra to date,” she said. Ichikowitz Family Foundation Rising Star Award Nominees 47
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