Monthly recaps from the Samson Student House – serving Cape Town’s Jewish Student Community!
What would you love MORE OF in 5786?
AARON: I would like to say YES to more experiences and opportunities that come my way.
YAEL: More Good vibes & many more great people to come!
GILAD: I would love more opportunities within the Cape Town Jewish community to serve and give back as well as to grow as a person in all areas of my life.
SCARLETT: More connection with Hashem, with my community, and with myself. I want more moments where I’m present and grateful.
OREN: I would love to be more open about my Jewishness as I have not really done as much as I would have liked in the previous year.
I would also like to be around the community as much as possible as they have helped me in more ways than I can count and I would like to do that by giving back as much as I can. Overall, I would like to improve on trying to understand the deeper ideas of Judaism that make me appreciate it.
KAI: Meditation & tefillin.
Max Mendelow, University of Cape Town
Talk about an area you’ve grown in the last year with regards to your Jewishness/relationship to Hashem?
In the last year, I’ve grown from being agnostic on the question of Jewish Identity and G-d to realising that tangling with these questions is essential to leading an examined life.
Is there anything in particular you’ve struggled with this past year regarding your Jewishness/or relationship with Hashem?
Often, I’ve struggled with the question of ‘kinship’. What is it that makes Jews a family? Or maybe are we simply an ethnicity? How do I balance this kinship with sometimes feeling as if I can’t relate to the feelings and opinions of a large majority of this family? It’s been complicated, but it all goes towards creating and strengthening a Jewish Identity that I can be proud of.
Have the growth and the struggle overlapped? And what have you learned about yourself through this process?
Absolutely. It’s the struggle that has brought my awareness to how important these questions are (and that they’re worth struggling over). It’s precisely through this that I’ve learnt about the importance of accepting and honouring every part of myself.
What areas would you like to work on this coming year?
I would like to learn more about the ancient wisdom and customs that have been passed to us and incorporate them more into my life.
What does that look like?
Practising Shabbos, looking into the ideas of Kosher, and interacting with more people who practise to learn about these customs.
What would you love more of in 5786?
Community. Heritage. Shabbos meals!
Aaron Schwartz Varsity College
How have you grown in your Jewish identification and/or relationship to Hashem?
Over the past year, I have made an effort to put on Tefillin every day, and this practice has deeply strengthened my connection with Hashem. Taking this time out of my day has become a moment to pause and reflect. It has not only deepened my appreciation for the blessing of being a young Jew living in South Africa, but it has also led me to think more deeply about the kind of Jew I aspire to be.
Have you struggled with your Jewish identification and/or relationship with Hashem?
I have been struggling with a question that is often asked by many people of ‘why do bad things happen to good people?’
It has been quite a challenging year for several people who are close to me.
What have you learned about yourself through this process?
Through questioning and growth, I have come to a deeper appreciation and gratitude for life. Each has shaped my perspective in its own unique way.
What are you wanting to work on this coming year?
I would like to learn more Torah, as I find it quite stimulating.
What does that look like?
Attending more classes especially JewishU – which I’ve recently started – and to make an effort to learn with a Chavrusa (study partner).
Yael Duchen, University of Cape Town
Talk about an area you’ve grown in the last year with regards to your Jewishness/relationship to Hashem?
Over this past year I have had the privilege to visit Israel. Being there really gave me such a feeling of empowerment and pride to be Jewish in such tumultuous times. This pride is something I have carried with me unashamedly as I transitioned into university life.
Is there anything in particular you’ve struggled with this past year regarding your Jewishness/or relationship with Hashem?
In 5785 I moved to a new city, away from home and my family. I have realised it is now my responsibility and also my choice to uphold Jewish traditions that are important to me. It’s been challenging as it requires extra dedication.
What have you learned about yourself through this process?
Since coming to UCT I have seen and realised how important it is to stand up for myself and the Jewish people in the face of adversity, especially among my student peers. I have learnt strong lessons about staying true to my values.
What would you like to work on this coming year?
For this coming year I want to focus on routine and finding ways to bring Judaism into my everyday life.
What does that look like?
I’d like to dedicate more time to engaging with Jewish thought, history and ideas.
Gilad Sherman VEGA, UCT
How have you grown in your Jewishness this year?
Since last year I have tried to become more observant by learning more Torah. I also started keeping Shabbos, which has ultimately connected me to Hashem more.
Struggled over the past year?
Having been on the SAUJS committee, I went to UCT to help out with Israel Apartheid week. Going to a university where Jews were criticised made me more curious about my Jewishness.
What have you learned about yourself through this process?
I have been put in un-comfortable situations which have allowed me to grow.
What areas would you like to work on this coming year?
I would love to get into Jewish learning even more, specifically learning more Gemara and the Tanya.
What does that look like?
Allowing myself to find and create time in the day to build the foundation of my Jewish learning.
Scarlett Lieberman
How have you grown in your Jewishness this year?
Over the past year, I’ve become more aware of and intentional about my Jewish identity. I’ve started to see mitzvot as ways to actively connect with Hashem, instead of just rituals. I’ve started to ask myself questions about the kind of Jew I want to be, and I’ve made more of an effort to find personal meaning in the practices, showing up with more curiosity and respect for the Torah and the values I was raised with.
How have you struggled recently regarding your Jewishness?
I’ve had moments where I felt distant from Hashem, times where I questioned if my prayers or actions were even making a difference. Balancing our modern world with Torah values hasn’t always been easy at university, and there were periods when I felt like I was ‘doing’ Jewish things but not always feeling the depth behind them. Sometimes I got stuck comparing myself to others who seemed more connected or more consistent, which made me doubt my own progress.
What have you learned?
I’ve learned that my connection to Hashem isn’t about being perfect or feeling inspired all the time, but about returning when I get distracted and making an effort even in the hard times.
What areas would you like to work on this coming year?
I want to work on having a stronger daily connection, not just relying on or waiting for big moments like holidays, Shabbos, or shiurim to feel inspired. Those moments are powerful, but I don’t want my relationship with Hashem to feel like it’s only alive a few times a year or during ‘special’ occasions. I want to make my connection with Hashem less dependent on external inspiration and more built on consistent habits. That way, even in weeks that feel busy, stressful, I can still feel grounded in that relationship.
What does that look like?
Finding ways to bring Hashem into my everyday routine, like saying brachot with more kavana, taking a few minutes in the morning or before bed to think maybe learn some Torah or even just pausing during the day to acknowledge Hashem and have a personal conversation with Him.
Kiara Kawalsky
How have you grown in your Jewishness this year?
As a first-year Jewish student in Stellenbosch, I have thankfully found ways to keep up my connection with Hashem and strengthen my Jewish identity. From attending weekly ‘Lunch & Learn’ with Rabbi Chananyah to joining Friday night Shul followed by a beautiful Brocha. I really have taken the initiative to immerse myself in the local Jewish community. I’ve also deepened my appreciation for Jewish life
in Stellenbosch.
What have you learned about yourself through this process?
I have learned that building or even maintaining my connection with Hashem and my Jewish identity requires consistency and the willingness to make time for it amidst student life.
What areas would you like to work on this coming year?
I would like to deepen my personal connection with Hashem through more consistent daily and weekly practices.
Kai Lemel, Stellies
How have you grown in your Jewishness this year?
By feeling completely connected to my identity, culture and generational background that has made me who I am.
Is there anything in particular you’ve struggled with this past year regarding your Jewishness or relationship with Hashem?
Massive amounts of antisemitism and being uncomfortable to be proudly Jewish in public.
What have you learned about yourself through the process?
That the truth is that people will always try to hurt us. Some say that greed doesn’t run the world and envy runs the world. We need to be strong and united.
What areas would you like to work on this new year?
Deeper, stronger connection and less worrying about things that don’t matter. I just came out of hospital and the quote “a rich man wants a hundred things but a sick man wants only one” is extremely true to me.
Oren Peters, UWC
How have you grown in your Jewish Identity in the last year?
I have leaned into my Jewish identity primarily due to being zionistic and wanting to go to Israel. I would say that my relationship with Hashem has stayed more or less the same, in the sense that I do feel a connection but I haven’t made an effort to strengthen that connection. Although, I do try to maintain a stronger connection by being involved in the community.
Have you struggled this past year regarding your Jewishness?
I have struggled to be more open about my Jewish identity, especially considering we live in a country whose government is very open about its stance on the conflict in Israel. Personally, it is a bit difficult to connect with Jewish people, considering UWC does not have a Jewish community on campus or any SAUJS involvement.
Have the growth and the struggle overlapped? And What have you learned about yourself through this process?
Regardless of being in a university with no Jewish community, I have managed to be involved through different Jewish student events. As for what I have learned about myself, I realise that I am proud to be Jewish and would not have it any other way.
What areas would you like to work on this coming year?
I would like to be more involved in giving back to the community but also try to learn more about Judaism.
What does that look like?
It would be through being involved in more events and being in classes about Judaism that involve aspects of it. I am trying to learn more Hebrew as my goals are to move to Israel as I have felt a strong personal connection with Israel from previous trips.
Chabad on Campus is Cape Town’s largest Jewish Student Network. To find out more contact Rabbi Nissen on 072 3630 351 or email rabbi@jewct.com or visit their social media profiles: Facebook or Instagram.
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