By JOSH FRIEDMAN, Programme and Development Manager, Cape SAJBD
August proved to be a month of vibrant activity for the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies (Cape SAJBD) as we continue our mission to Engage, Empower and Educate. The Cape SAJBD continues to play a pivotal role in safeguarding the interests of Cape Town’s diverse and vibrant Jewish community.
Empower
On August 30th, the Cape SAJBD, in collaboration with ORT Jet Cape Town, Over the Rainbow, and EO, successfully hosted another Entrepreneurs’ Network (EN) event at Deloitte. This event provided a valuable platform for entrepreneurs to connect with prominent business leaders, fostering networking opportunities and knowledge sharing.
The Cape Board was well-represented at this event, with notable individual Dawn Nathan-Jones spearheading the event, and Cape Board members Glen Heneck, Tzvi Brivik, and Rael Kaimowitz participating as Business Leaders supported by David King, Justin Asher, Lynton Cassel and Joshua Friedman. The event, energetically facilitated by expert Consultant and Facilitator, Dillon Jearey, featured rotating sessions, allowing the cohort of entrepreneurs to interact with industry leaders.
Industry leaders represented diverse sectors such as Tech CEOs, Retail CEOs, Business Strategy Consultants, Business Owners, Legal Practitioners, and Consultants. Their presence enriched the event by providing valuable advice and insights, empowering the cohort of entrepreneurs. Glen Heneck, Deputy Chair of the Cape SAJBD and Director at the Melbro Group, described this event and EN as “a powerful antidote to ‘Safropessimism’. A wonder institution in the making”. The entrepreneurs were equally appreciative with many accolades flowing in: “It’s such a privilege and opportunity to be exposed to so many entrepreneurs and industry experts.” “Really empowering and insightful.” “I wanted to say thank you for a wonderful event yesterday. Thank you so much, it was very inspiring, informative and relevant”.
Engage
On 20th August, the Cape SAJBD took part in the highly anticipated annual Limmud conference hosted at the Gardens Community Centre. Their session, aptly titled “Around the Boardroom Table and Beyond”, proved to be an interactive and immersive experience. The event featured group case studies and a panel discussion facilitated by the Cape Board’s Executive Director, Daniel Bloch.
The central theme of this session was the impact of recent troubling events on the local Jewish community. Since March, the Cape SAJBD, along with various communal institutions, has been confronted with an increase in anti-Israel and antisemitic incidents. These challenges ranged from protests outside the Gardens Community Centre to calls for the de-registration of a Jewish day school.
During the session, attendees were divided into groups and presented with case studies, each representing an incident within the community. Each group was tasked with deliberating on how best to respond to these incidents as if they were part of the Board Council. The discussions were not only enlightening but also served as a platform for sharing perspectives and strategies.
The feedback from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with a community member expressing gratitude for the insight into the complexities of leading a community. The Cape SAJBD emphasised that arriving at the right solution is often a nuanced process, requiring careful deliberation to ensure the correct decision is made.
Educate
On 28th August, the Cape Board collaborated with Herzlia Weizmann Primary to host a special book session titled “Goodnight Golda.” This event, tailored for Grade 6 pupils, featured the book’s author, Batyah Bricker from Johannesburg. “Goodnight Golda” is a book that celebrates exemplary Jewish women leaders from around the world, aiming to educate and inspire young minds while highlighting the remarkable contributions of Jewish women to society.
Cape SA Jewish Board of Deputies website: www.capesajbd.org, Instagram, and Facebook page.
• Published in the October 2023 issue – Click here to start reading.
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