Bonny’s Beat
By Bonny Feldman, Managing Editor Cape Jewish Chronicle
This being the first edition of the Cape Jewish Chronicle published under my editorship, it is an exciting time in my life.
I hope that you, our readers, will find the content interesting, and I look forward to producing future editions that reflect the topics you would like to see us covering.
While I have always been involved in the Jewish community, I have in recent weeks seen a different side of Jewish life in our beautiful city. My involvement previously was fairly limited — I regularly attended events and exhibitions hosted by the Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre and the SA Jewish Museum, and I’m a regular Gitlin Library borrower, but my focus did not extend to the many other areas of our community.
I have now gained a wider view of the many, many activities underway within what is a very vibrant community here at the tip of Africa. Seeing the huge turnout at this year’s Yom Haatzmaut event — over 2 000 Capetonians joined in for the celebrations — has brought for me a renewed perspective on the state of the Jewish community of Cape Town. And that view has been enhanced by a visit to the campus of Herzlia School. In summary, I see a thriving, dynamic community looking to a future that is certainly a positive one.
We know that many of our readers became loyal followers of Anton Katz’s law column. Unfortunately, Anton has decided not to continue with his column but we are working on some ideas relating to keeping the focus on legal issues going. We will keep you in the loop about what we decide to do in the future. Thanks to Anton for his regular columns over a long period.
Happily, though, our other columnists — Julian Resnick and Craig Nudelman — are able to continue to provide the Chronicle with their insights and thoughts. Many of you will no doubt be wondering how Craig and his family have settled in Australia — well, we have an update from Craig on page 27 (and here). And on page 25 (and here), Julian gives us a taste of travel to Morocco and to Poland — with a hard-hitting thought.
This month, we focus on some important Holocaust-related news. The Chayela Rosenthal exhibition promises to be something very special (page 13 and here), while Herzlia Alumnus Liora Blum shares information about her incredible art project (page 26 and here). In addition, our former editor Desrae Saacks reports on her recent visit to Lithuania (page 21 and here).
Highlands House has been hard at work on the opening of a new Memory Care Centre, an important addition to the services offered. You can read about this new facility on page 14 and here. See also the important messages about mental health from Mensch partner organisation Ripples for Change and from the Cape Jewish Seniors Association. There’s lots more for you to read about in this month’s edition, and we look forward to your feedback.
In closing, I’d like to offer sincere thanks to Desrae Saacks, who took the reins for the past two years, and who has been involved in the production of the Cape Jewish Chronicle every month for well over 20 years. Her hard work and dedication has been very important for the survival of this publication that is so important for the Jewish community of Cape Town.
• Published in the June 2023 issue – Click here to start reading.
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