24 November 1948 – 15 April 2020
By Maureen Sachar
Jackie Sachar passed away on 15 April, the seventh day of Pesach, aged 71.
Jackie was educated at SACS and Herzlia, and later went on to study at the University of Cape Town and New York University, where he graduated with his Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA).
Jackie loved New York where he made many friends during his time as a student. He returned to New York every year and faithfully looked up these friends so as to stay in touch with them.
Jackie was first and foremost a family man. For him, family came first. He was a devoted husband and father, and an adoring Zeide.
As Rabbi Liebenberg mentioned at his funeral, Jackie loved Shul and it was certainly his second love. On the last Shabbat at Wynberg Shul during the singing of Adon Olam, there were so many tears shed, but not by Jackie. He was so positive about the move to Claremont and was buoyed up with enthusiasm for it. Fortunately the merger went incredibly smoothly and Claremont became Jackie’s home-away-from-home. He made his own little space in ‘Speakers’ Corner’, brought his shtender along from Wynberg in which he had packed his tallit, his tefillin, his Siddur, his Tanach and photographs of his beloved grandchildren which he would look at from time to time during the services. Jackie befriended the members of Claremont Shul, many of whom have become firm and loyal family friends.
Jackie was an ardent Zionist and a man who was fully committed to his Jewish community. To this end, he served on the Management Committee of the SA Zionist Federation and for many years stood outside Parliament on a Friday, proudly holding the Israeli flag, despite the many obscenities that were shouted at him through passing car windows and passers-by. He never flinched and remained loyal to this pursuit until his health no longer allowed it.
He served as Chairman of the Wynberg Hebrew Congregation for many years and also served as a member of the Kashrut Committee at the Union of Orthodox Synagogues.
He was a staunch member of the Monday night shiur meetings at Claremont/Wynberg Shul, the Thursday Businessmens’ Shiur at Bass, Gordon Willis and latterly at the Thursday night Pirkei Avot evenings at the home of John and Lesley Zieff.
Jackie loved the colour purple and had an array of purple clothes and shoes. As a hobby, he collected all manner of purple items and some knew him as ‘Mr Purple’.
Jackie is deeply mourned by his family and remembered very affectionately by all who knew him.
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