Connect, Collaborate, Community
DANIEL BLOCH Exec. Director Cape SAJBD
Lately, whenever I bump into someone, they greet me with such enthusiasm and a cheeky comment like, “Such a celebrity these days!”
While my name and face do appear regularly in local and community media – and I seem to be quoted left, right, and centre – I’d hardly call myself a celebrity. I won’t lie though: the attention has been good. Even when my name pops up in local anti-Israel interviews – well, at least it’s out there and gaining traction. They say there’s no such thing as bad PR.
It’s certainly been a busy month for the Cape SAJBD, with both our organization and me featuring everywhere, really. We attended the High Court hearing of Mendelsohn vs UCT, which lasted three days. Friends and colleagues kept sending me screenshots from the livestream, encouraging me not to “pick your nose” or fall asleep – thankfully, I managed to remain a true professional! The same, however, cannot be said for our colleagues on the other side, who dramatically walked out of court, slamming the door, during Mendelsohn’s legal team’s address.
Another major news story this month was about the former Mayor of Johannesburg being found guilty of hate speech by the South African Human Rights Commission. Significantly, the SAHRC referenced our Equality Court victory against Thomas Torr as one of the precedents for their finding. That ruling has paved the way for more hate-filled antisemites to be held accountable for their actions. It sends a strong message to all the haters out there: the Jewish community will not be intimidated, and the Cape SAJBD will protect our rights as South African Jews!
Even’ bigger news this month was the launch of my new podcast series, ED Talks – a play on the famous TED Talks. The ‘ED’ comes from my title at the Cape SAJBD – ‘Executive Director’. When I first joined the Board in May 2021, a mate of mine started calling me ‘ED’, and the name just stuck – either that, or he’s so old he forgot my name completely.
At the time of writing this article, only two episodes have gone live, but the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive – especially after the second episode featured a true local celebrity, Gareth Cliff. By the time you read this, there’ll be more ED Talks episodes covering topics such as the UCT court case, the Investec Jewish Achievers Awards, and our ongoing advocacy work. When I was in Johannesburg for the Achievers Awards, several Joburgers approached me to compliment the podcast or thank the Cape Board for the steady flow of information and updates.
Speaking of the Awards and Johannesburg, in early November, our chairperson, Simone Sulcas, and I attended the Investec Achievers Awards. This was a spectacular event with a strong Cape contingent in attendance. Several members of our community were nominated, and while only one walked away with an award, we’re proud of them all. Mazel Tov to Wendy Ackerman, who deservedly won the Lifetime Achievement Award. Even though the rest of our Capetonians didn’t win, their nominations alone speak volumes about their achievements and contributions. We are proud of all of them.
While the so-called ‘fame and fortune’ (though I still can’t seem to find the fortune), along with the public spotlight and social media buzz, are all flattering, that’s not why I do what I do. I didn’t take on this role for the accolades or the praise. I do it because I love my family and my community, and I will do everything in my power to protect them, you and our way
of life. ●
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