Join us for Yom Hashoah

This Friday at 12:00, our community comes together to observe Yom Hashoah, which once again will take the form of a single, united ceremony for the entire country. If you read this in time, join us on this solemn day of remembrance, click on the relevant link on the South African Jewish Board of Deputies’ (SAJBD’s) Facebook site.

Three quarters of a century later, only a handful of survivors remain in South Africa, making their testimony even more important. Accordingly, the emphasis this year will be on passing the torch of remembrance to the next generation. We are privileged to be able to present addresses by six survivors from South Africa, Poland, Canada, and Mauritius. Each presentation will focus on a particular theme of the Shoah. Their message will be directed specifically at our youth with a view to strengthening the sacred duty of perpetuating remembrance and education about the Shoah into the future. The ceremony will also include traditional Yom Hashoah events such as reading the names of Holocaust victims (commencing just before the main event at 11:50), the lighting of the memorial candles, and the singing of the Partisan’s Song and Ani Ma’amin.

Much planning has gone into ensuring that this year’s single national ceremony is as inclusive as possible. Participants will include representatives from Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban, East London, and Port Elizabeth, as well as Mauritius. I thank all those involved in putting this event together, in particular our national president, Mary Kluk; Tali Nates; and Heather Blumenthal, and the three Holocaust & Genocide Centres in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town.

Lessons for South Africa from Freedom Seder

We have had a gratifyingly enthusiastic response to our virtual Passover Freedom Seder, held on 24 March, the Wednesday evening just before Pesach. Our guests from government, political parties, diplomats, university leadership, and media were given a “Pesach box” beforehand, including a Haggadah specially adapted for the occasion. For our keynote speaker, we were honoured to have former cabinet minister and provincial leader Mathews Phosa, who spoke about life under apartheid, his time in exile, and campaigning for human rights and non-racism. Afterwards, Investec Chief Executive Fani Titi reflected on 27 years of democracy in South Africa, while other participants comprising SAJBD leaders from the three main regions spoke about basic themes of the seder, charity, education, diversity, and the importance of learning from the past.

The event concluded with Rabbi Dovid Hazdan reflecting on lessons of human rights from the Pesach story. Just prior to the event, SAJBD National Director Wendy Kahn spoke at the World Jewish Congress Model Seder, sharing the concept of the South African Freedom Seder with it.

I commend Wendy and her team for putting together this very successful evening in spite of the short notice. It was an inspiring example of how our Jewish heritage can be used to share important lessons with our fellow South Africans and values relevant to our time and conditions.

• Listen to Charisse Zeifert on Jewish Board Talk, 101.9 ChaiFM, every Friday from 12:00 to 13:00.