News
#MakeUsCount set to deliver great debates
Last week, two further events were held under the auspices of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) as part of our #MakeUsCount election awareness campaign. On Tuesday, together with national director Wendy Kahn, I joined the SAJBD KZN council in honouring Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and former ANC treasurer Zweli Mkhize for his many years of support for the board and the Jewish community. It was indicative of this warm friendship that Mkhize attended despite the recent passing of his brother.
SHAUN ZAGNOEV
This was followed by an event in Sandton, where Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane addressed the leadership of the main Jewish organisations in Gauteng. The questions put to Maimane were intelligent and to the point, and he reciprocated by providing detailed, considered answers. Conducted throughout in an excellent spirit, the exchange was lively and constructive, reminiscent of the kind of “town hall” political meetings that used to take place in times when democracy was a far more hands-on affair than tends to be the case today.
Coming up next are our “Great Debates”, where members of our community and anyone else interested will have the opportunity to hear first-hand what the major political parties contesting the elections have to say, and put questions to them. The Johannesburg event will take place on 11 April at the Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre, and Cape Town’s will be held three days later, with the venue to be confirmed. Details for booking can be found on our website (www.sajbd.org) and social media pages. For the first time, the Johannesburg debate will be broadcast live on ChaiFM, from 19:00. The first half hour will be hosted by our head of communications, Charisse Zeifert, who will be familiar to many ChaiFM listeners through her weekly Board Talk show. She will give the rundown on the participating parties and their representatives, after which the crossover to the debate will take place. Participating parties in the Johannesburg event are the African National Congress, DA, African Christian Democratic Party, Inkatha Freedom Party, and Congress of the People. The debate will be moderated by Mandy Wiener, the well-known journalist, news editor, and author.
Lessons from the Christchurch tragedy
The massacre of worshippers in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, has understandably dominated the news this week. An atrocity of this scale would have caused shockwaves wherever it occurred, but it was exacerbated by the fact that it took place in New Zealand, one of the world’s most stable, peaceful and tolerant countries. It underlined yet again that global terrorism knows no boundaries, and that no country anywhere can be considered a safe haven. The board issued a statement condemning the attacks, which was widely picked up in the local media. Among the crucial lessons our community should take from this tragedy is that the dissemination of hatred, whether in social media or through any other platforms, cannot be tolerated, and those guilty of such practices need, accordingly, to be shamed and shunned until they desist. Another is that maintaining the highest possible levels of vigilance outside our own installations is not something we dare to compromise.
- Listen to Charisse Zeifert on Jewish Board Talk, 101.9 ChaiFM every Friday from 12:00 to 13:00.