HOD – a worthy South African export

SUZANNE BELLING

PHOTOGRAPHS: SUZANNE AND MICHAEL BELLLING

Pictured: David Joss, president of the Hebrew Order of David governing lodge of North America, from Atlanta, Georgia, shares a lighthearted moment at the HOD biennial conference with Bernard Shull, grand legal officer of the Hebrew Order of David International.

The conference began with an installation and lodge dinner on Thursday night, followed by a shul service at the Sydenham-Highlands North Hebrew Congregation on Friday night, the opening and continuation of the conference the following night and Sunday, and culminated in a lunch at the HOD Centre on Sunday.

The HOD was founded in South Africa in 1904 and numbers swelled when, after the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902, “people were looking for a cause to support”, Stan Klaff, immediate past grand president and master of ceremonies at the lunch, told the SA Jewish Report.

HOD was primarily in South Africa until, in 1990, numbers began to dwindle with increasing Jewish emigration from this country.

“This created a window of opportunity to start lodges overseas,” Klaff said.

At present there are lodges in no fewer than five countries – South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and Israel.

Johannesburg has retained the head office, with lodges in this country in Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Benoni and three in Johannesburg.

There are four lodges in London, eight in North America, four in Atlanta and one each in Boca Raton, Dallas, Houston and Toronto. The one lodge in Israel is in Ra’anana.

“This shows that not all emigration is negative,” Klaff remarked.

The HOD supports various projects, without making cash donations to the causes, for example, in Israel an ambutractor – a small ambulance on a tractor that can travel over routes and terrain that would not be accessible to an ordinary ambulance – was provided by the HOD.

The HOD often combines its contributions with existing projects – usually Jewish charities, providing practical assistance to them or help in kind, such as supporting specific projects or even individuals in dire need of help.

With the current rand/dollar exchange rate, the overseas lodges are able to facilitate more towards helping South Africa.

Incoming grand master for 2016 to 2018, Michael Margolis, who came out for the conference from London, paid tribute to Klaff’s contribution during his eight years as grand master. Klaff will continue as grand secretary of the organisation.

In a lighter vein, Margolis thanked the wives and partners of all the HOD members, who are known as brothers.

He remarked on the matching maroon kippot worn by the delegates and suggested they also wear matching socks to the next convention, which he displayed to much amusement during his talk.

He ended with a quote from Rabbi Jonathan Lord Sacks, that you do not make a life by what you get, but by what you give.