Connect, Collaborate, Community
By DANIEL BLOCH, Executive Director, Cape SAJBD
Does anyone ever wake up on January 1st and think to themselves, “This is going to be a boring and uneventful year.”? (Some will say that many people wake up on January 1st hungover with a splitting headache only thinking, “What happened last night?”!) I know when I arose from my slumber on that glorious Wednesday morning that I was filled with enthusiasm and excitement for the year ahead.
I am ready to tackle whatever is thrown at me!
2025 is going to be a busy year for the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD). We will be heading to the Equality Court to take on individuals who have repeatedly verbally attacked our community both online and in-person. The Hawks continue to investigate the explosive device that was thrown into our Community Centre in December last year, and we are hoping that they will make headway and find those responsible for that heinous act. Despite the current ceasefire in Israel, there are still many more hostages to be released – which means more negotiations. During that time, the war will most likely continue, spilling over into the streets of Cape Town – meaning more protests and more motorcades. Despite these challenges, we continue to pray for the safe return of all hostages and an end to the war.
I feel that I am both mentally and physically fit for what lies ahead. Perhaps my body could stand to lose a few kilos – who am I kidding, I love food too much and, between my wife’s cooking and my daughter’s baking, I may lose 5 kilos in my left toe! Mentally and emotionally, I am as strong as an ox and will not be deterred by anyone who seeks to threaten and intimidate our community, the Board or myself. I currently have an Interim Protection Order (IPO) against Mehmet Dag (one of the individuals we are taking to the Equality Court) for harassing me on social media. By the time you read this article, I will have been to Court and hopefully upgraded the IPO to a full Protection Order which will be legal and binding for several years and will dissuade Mr Dag from continued harassment.
So, when I say that I woke up full of beans, I really do mean it. Whilst the year ahead may seem daunting to some, for me it presents an opportunity to finish some of the work that we started in 2024. It is an opportunity for the Cape SAJBD to continue fighting for our community and an opportunity to silence some of the haters out there.
You can never truly be prepared for what life may throw at you. However, if you keep a positive outlook, if you have faith and confidence in your abilities and, if you have support from your friends, family and those around you, you can achieve anything. May 2025 will mark four years since I took on the role of Executive Director of the Cape SAJBD. Back then I was unsure if I was ready for the monumental challenge which lay before me. However, I believed in myself, and others backed me to get the job done.
Four years later I can honestly say that I am more than ready. I am ready to represent my community. I am ready to fight for my community, and I am most certainly ready to protect my community. Confidence in oneself is a special quality to have and I hope that everyone else has that same confidence. The question is, “Are you ready?”.
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