Two rabbis officiate at Mandela centennial rally

MOIRA SCHNEIDER

While they may have been a little surprised to see each other, it did nothing to mar the exhilaration of the event.

Rabbi Alexander said he was “very comfortable” to have shared a platform with an Orthodox rabbi. “I have no issues in sharing a platform with any religious leader, Jewish and non-Jewish. I’m very good friends with Rabbi Deren and was happy to share the platform with him.”

For Rabbi Alexander, the event at Cape Town’s Grand Parade aroused “mixed emotions”. It marked 28 years since former president Nelson Mandela was released from his 27-year incarceration.

“It is appropriate to mark Madiba’s centennial and the anniversary of him being released from prison. But obviously, the background to the event was what’s going on internally in the ANC and the political struggles of Cyril Ramaphosa versus Jacob Zuma,” Rabbi Alexander told SA Jewish Report.

“My motivation for being there was to honour the memory of Mandela, but also to say very clearly to the leadership that the ANC needs to get itself back onto the path of its political past and get beyond the last 10 to 15 years of lack of leadership.”

The rabbi found it “very historic” to be speaking on the steps of the City Hall, recalling Mandela’s first public address on the balcony after being released from prison.

Said Rabbi Deren: “Standing on the very spot where Nelson Mandela spoke to the world for the very first time, 28 years ago to the day, I could palpably sense the awesome meaning of the moment and the significance it held for everyone there.

“Overall, there was an added sense of urgency in the air, given the uncertainty about the transition to a new government.

“One speaker mentioned that ‘28 years ago, Ramaphosa held the microphone for Mandela to give a message of hope to the future of South Africa. Today we hope that he will be that microphone, continuing the legacy that Mandela left us.’ I think that sentiment spoke for all of us there.

“I had the opportunity, as a Cohen, to offer a blessing to Mr Ramaphosa. He seemed very moved by the gesture,” said Rabbi Deren.

At the event, Rabbi Alexander referred to the miracle that happened 28 years ago, when Mandela was freed from Victor Verster prison. A few months later, the statesman had accepted an invitation to speak at the synagogue in Johannesburg attended by the rabbi, then aged 18.

“For this, my rabbi, Rabbi Adi Assabi, received death threats and the Friday night that Madiba spoke at our shul on the grounds were patrolled by armed guards,” he recalled. “Who were we protecting ourselves from? It was the fear of believing in a shared future.”

But a miracle had happened with the help of Madiba’s courage and leadership. “The country is thirsty for strong, inspirational leadership once again – leaders who serve with purpose and integrity, for the good of all the people.”

Delivering his prayer for the occasion, Rabbi Deren began: “Amandla! Brothers and sisters of Africa, come, let us pray together. Avinu Shebashomayim, our father in heaven…”

He continued with the explanation that the Hebrew word for amandla is “koach” – meaning strength or power – the numerical value of which is 28. “Twenty-eight years ago today, you created a miracle for us right here with the release from prison of Tata Mandela to lead our country forward.

“Our Father in heaven, we ask You, at this great pivotal moment, that we should continue to go forward and grow together. And as the Lubavitcher rebbe blessed our country just a few hours after Tata Mandela left prison, saying:‘Moshiach is coming very soon, the Messiah is coming very soon. It will be good in South Africa until he comes, and even better thereafter.’

“May our government be blessed with the honour and integrity to lead us forward.”

Rabbi Alexander was invited to speak by a member of the ANC in the Western Cape. He is “not sure” how it came about that both he and Rabbi Deren were invited but feels it could have been as a result of a “lack of communication” between the local branch and the national government.

While he was not sure why two rabbis were invited, he felt it was “very important” for there to be a Jewish voice. “There were a couple of Christian representatives, so I don’t think it came across in any way awkward that there were two Jewish representatives.”

On this point, Rabbi Deren comments: “I was invited by a local Bishop Templeton who, to the best of my knowledge, works with the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum, via community leader Mickey Glass, in my capacity as chairman of the Rabbinical Association of the Western Cape.

“This event was planned and co-ordinated, it seems, by the provincial ANC, under a very tight last-minute schedule, with timing and programming shifting up until the last moment. I imagine that the lack of clarity as to who was and wasn’t invited is owing to this.”