After 13 years of exceptional leadership as president and 22 years on the shul Board, Roy Fine has handed over leadership to our new president, Diana Sochen.
Roy has communal involvement in the blood, going back generations to the arrival of his grandparents from Lithuania and his mother from Czechoslovakia as refugees and Shoah survivors. With them came his family’s Torah that was used in country communities from Goodwood to Parow and now resides with pride in the ark in Temple Israel Wynberg. Roy and Michelle’s three sons all chanted their barmitzvah portions from that scroll, continuing the family legacy. His grandmother was chair of Bnoth Zion, and his grandfather a lifelong member of Gardens Shul. Values like community, compassion and ethics all come from his family.
Roy and his wife Michelle joined Temple Israel in 1988 before they got married. Zelda Kaplan and the Fig family introduced them to the community and Rabbi Robert Leib officiated at their wedding. Roy’s passion for Jewish community affairs saw him voted onto the board 22 years ago and he has been there ever since. Thirteen years ago he took on the presidency and looking back, one can only be amazed by how much has happened in that time.
In his time on the Board, the congregation has grown and developed in all areas. Twenty-two years ago there was just one full-time rabbi. Our rabbinic team now comprises three full-time rabbis, two of them South African-born and one our first full-time woman rabbi, as well as a (woman) student rabbi and semi-retired rabbi. Working with our Executive Director we now have a permanent head of the cheder, publications co-ordinator, care programme manager, youth director, funeral director and an annual Music and Youth intern from the USA as well as admin staff.
One might think with all that growth that people become less connected, but the opposite has happened with increasing networks of engagement. Roy and Michelle have been at the centre of that, opening their home to guests every Shabbat and yomtov. Hundreds of people have passed through the doors of Pine Cottage to join his family for a meal.
The new programmes span the age range from young families to Bnei mitzvah, teens, young adults, adults and elders; with more happening over Shabbat and Festivals as well as events during the year. Our innovative services, adult education, interfaith and diversity and inclusivity has seen programmes like Shabbat Chesed, Pride Month, Ramadan Ifthar and Sherman Shabbat become major events in the calendar.
We have completely replaced and upgraded our siddurim and chumashim as well as publishing our own shiva and funeral books, healing books and guides for bereaved families.
The last two years of Roy’s presidency were marked by the COVID pandemic, where Temple Israel moved all programming online, connecting people across Cape Town and the world to our innovative services and shiurim. As Roy always says, “Problems create opportunities.”
During these years, a new member-ship category was added — that of the digital member with ex-pat South Africans joining the shul from all over the world. Even as our shuls re-opened, our shabbat services continue to offer online options. The community has grown in numbers, involvement and income throughout Roy’s tenure as president and even through the hard past two years.
Roy has also been careful to ensure stable finances during the growth years and that has seen our year-by-year income grow, as well as the establishment of a Capital Fund to preserve the long-term financial well-being of the congregation. Roy’s personal example of give more,
take less has extended to those around him who contribute time, money and energy.
Roy is passionate about connecting Temple Israel with the larger Jewish community and we have our members sitting on the Jewish Board of Deputies, Zionist Fed, JCS, UCF, Cemeteries Board, CSO and more. Roy himself sits on the UJC executive and Priorities board. He has always stressed the need to look beyond our denominations, to the bigger picture of the Jewish community. Again, this was passed down to him from his mother who had no tolerance for anyone who spoke negatively about this kind of Jew. “All Jews are equal” she taught, and Roy has lived by that.
So, will we see less of Roy Fine in the coming years? In fact, the opposite, he says. This is a time for re-focus, and to see where he needs to put his (considerable) energy. Besides his continued presence on the Board, and his work in the broader community, Roy also mentors young entrepreneurs and new Jewish leaders.
In handing the reigns to incoming president Diana Sochen, Roy knows that the growth will continue. Diana is well-known to many in the community through her leadership of the Cape Jewish Seniors Association as well as her many years of service to the Lions Club. She is currently the President of the Sea Point Lions Club.
In the words of Rabbi Tarfon, “lo alecha hamlacha ligmor — it is not for you to complete the work, neither are you free to desist from it” (Mishna Avot 2:16). We look forward to seeing what the next decade has in store.
Temple Israel www.templeisrael.co.za
• Published in the PDF edition of the March 2022 issue – Click here to get it.
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