The Rock of South African Jewry

BENJY SHULMAN

One of the core drivers of our community’s Zionist culture was that it had a nationally organised South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) early on in its history, according to historian Gideon Shimoni.

In fact, the SAZF was the first national communal Jewish organisation in South Africa, founded in 1898. It was established before the SA Jewish Board of Deputies, the Union of Orthodox Synagogues and the Chevrah Kadisha.

Even before South Africa became a republic, the SAZF was representing the community and shaping its identity. This was rare in the Jewish world and shows why we became the community we are today.

As early as 1896, there were already Zionist societies, or Chovevei Zion, founded by Litvak Jews. However, Lennox Loewe – who was originally from England – decided to write to Theodor Herzl, asking what he could do to assist the Zionist cause.

Herzl replied to him, urging that “the supporters of the movement in South Africa hold a Zionist Conference as soon as possible so that delegates could attend the Zionist Congress”.

Within a year, a national SAZF had been formed with branches as far away as Bulawayo, and eventually even Kenya.

The SAZF was unique in at least three other ways from similar organisations around the world. The first was its relentless focus on fundraising; the second entailed the involvement of women; and the last, the heavy representation of youth.

By 1916, for example, the community already had 11 separate Young Israel Societies, pushing to a remarkable 33 by 1920. In 1926, the first summer camp was organised, changing the nature of the December holidays forever.

On the issue of fundraising, the South African community was crucial in creating the monetary flow needed to sustain the Zionist movement. In fact, it had the distinction of being the largest pre-state funders of the Zionist enterprise per capita in the world, donating $3 898 985 (R47 million) up to 1939. In absolute terms, this amount was behind only the United States, which donated $16 113 852 (R193 million), despite the US having a community 55 times larger in size than South Africa’s.

Unlike most communities where funding Zionism was the preserve of a few wealthy donors, in South Africa virtually everyone was involved in the project and gave on a monthly basis. One commentator noted that it was like having a voluntary Zionist tax for the entire community.

This rate of inclusion was largely the result of the women of the community. They were the engine room of a massive, full-time, grassroots organising campaign to fill Jewish National Fund (JNF) blue boxes, sign debit orders and launch campaigns.

After the creation of the State of Israel, one of the SAZF’s first projects was to contribute to the establishment of the town of Ashkelon – which is why, if you go there today, you will find a road called Kaapstad Street.

Another activity the SAZF engaged in early on was organising towards the political goals of the Zionist movement. As a result, South Africa was visited by the towering figures of Zionist history, including Nahum Sokolow and Chaim Weizmann, who were key architects of the Balfour Declaration, as well as various members of the World Zionist Organisation and later, Ze’ev Jabotinsky and David Ben-Gurion.

The SAZF also engaged regularly with General Jan Smuts, a key South African politician who was an important supporter of the Balfour Declaration and the partition plan. He also attended Zionist Federation fundraising events on a regular basis.

With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, South Africans were crucial participants in the War of Independence as volunteers. In total, 804 Jews and non-Jews came from the country to fight in the war in the international Machal Unit.

Besides Americans, South Africans made up the most volunteers in the Machal Unit. The most important contribution they made was in the establishment of the Israeli Air Force and the development of the Israeli radar systems.

A fascinating documentary, called 804, was made in 2011. It explored the crucial role that the South Africans played in the unit. Take, for example, Harry “Smoky” Simon, who’s still alive today. He helped smuggle in airplane parts from the USA via Czechoslovakia and rebuild them from scratch. And Cecil Margo, a pilot in World War II, was tasked by Ben-Gurion personally to re-organise the Israeli Air Force into fighting shape.

The SAZF also helped to establish a civilian air service, Westair, which was the first airline to service Israel before El Al.

Over the years, the Zionist Federation has had some influential and interesting chairpersons. There was Isie Maisels, who headed the defence team in the five-year Treason Trial and was a strong anti-apartheid activist. There was Abe Abrahamson, who was at the Lancaster House negotiations that brought independence to Zimbabwe. And there was Simon Kuper, a judge of the Supreme Court who represented South African Jewry at the Anglo-American committee of inquiry into Palestine.

Today, the role of the SAZF has changed. Raising money for Israel is still part of its mission through its connection to the Israel United Appeal. Much work is put into aliyah and teaching Hebrew through the SAZF’s partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel and its representative office in South Africa, the Israel Centre.

Bringing Israel to the community is also a core mandate. This is achieved through promoting regular events such as Yom Ha’atzmaut, bringing out top international speakers and organising cultural exchanges.

A large focus is also now on Zionist education – supporting youth movements and running programmes such as Diller Teen Fellows and the Israel Forever Foundation, which are aimed at preparing the next generation of community leaders.

The fight against BDS and its concomitant apartheid analogy has become an especially unique task of the SAZF. We serve as a voice worldwide against those who seek to twist South African history in order to try to destroy the Jewish state. As part of our efforts, the SAZF started a media team to counter bias and established the South African Friends of Israel movement, which now engages with millions of ordinary South Africans about the importance of supporting Israel and finding peace in the Middle East.

Support is also given to the students on university campuses to fight the Israel hate weeks and propaganda that are a centre-piece of the delegitimisation campaign.

Despite the changes in the world in the past 120 years since the SAZF was established, the organisation still retains its role as the bridge between Israel and the community. By understanding the history of the SAZF, old South African Jewry can look back with pride on its achievements in helping to recreate the homeland of the Jewish people as it celebrates its 70th year.