The Chabad movement tells us that “saying Kaddish is the ultimate sign of love and respect that one can do for those who have passed away.” However, since there must be a minyan for Kaddish to be recited, funerals sometimes used to take place without the saying of Kaddish. This may happen when someone without family or Jewish friends locally passes away, or because of the death of a visitor to our city.
Acutely aware of this problem, two former Capetonians, Morrie Marcus and Howard Joffe, began offering their services to make up a minyan at a funeral for someone without family or friends to make up the group of 10 men needed. This was a difficult task, however, since it involved getting hold of men within a very short timeframe to find out whether they were available to assist. As Arthur Gillis, the current organiser of the initiative, explains, “The problem was that, before a technology like WhatsApp, it was very difficult, if not impossible, to get a minyan together at short notice by phoning people. However, Morrie and Howard tried their best to get a group together.”
After both these men immigrated, Arthur got together with Stanley (Stan) Brick z”l to continue this wonderful service. “Our solution was to create a WhatsApp group for any Jewish men who wish to perform one of the greatest mitzvot,” Arthur says, adding that many men have chosen to become part of the group. In fact, currently, there are 110 members of the group. “Ultimately, we want to ensure that no Jew in Cape Town is buried without a minyan. We can also provide pallbearers and someone in the group can say Kaddish if asked to do so.”
Most often, the United Chevra Kadisha puts out the call for the assistance of the group – fondly known as ‘A Few Good Men’. As Arthur explains: “The deceased person may not be a member of a specific congregation, which reflects the occasions when our help is most needed. But, we will also help out where the person may have belonged to a congregation but, for some reason, the congregation, family and friends cannot provide a minyan.”
The need for this initiative is quite substantial, with approximately 50 funerals each year being assisted in this way. “Unfortunately, the need is increasing,” Arthur says, “since so many of the younger generation have left the country. So, whereas in the past a nephew or a cousin would have helped make up a minyan, it’s more difficult to get the group together these days.”
As such, the group – recently renamed ‘Stan Brick’s Few Good Men’ in honour of Stan, who passed away a short while ago – is always looking for new members. So, if you’d like to join in and provide a wonderful service to Cape Town’s Jewish community, contact Arthur via WhatsApp on 082 905 1000 to be added to the group.
“I cannot thank the members of the group enough,” Arthur comments. “They will drop anything they are doing to help make a minyan. We are eternally grateful to them for their service to our community.”
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