Joburg Jews honour fallen son and hero

The Johannesburg Jewish community gathered on Tuesday evening, 19 March, in sadness and love for Rabbi Doron Perez and his family at the news that their son, Daniel, 22, was murdered on 7 October in Israel.

For 163 days, the family and the Jewish world believed he was being held hostage in Gaza, but he was, in fact, killed on that fateful day and his body dragged into Gaza.

The community gathered with Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein, Yeshiva College, Yeshiva Mizrachi Shul, Bnei Akiva, the South African Zionist Federation, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, and the South African Jewish Board of Education in prayer and hazkara at the memorial service.

It was a time of unity and prayer to honour the memory and sacrifice of Daniel and to show the community’s love and support for the Perez family.

Photographs by Ilan Ossendryver.