The Cape SAJBD embarked on a visit to the Hermanus Jewish community for an event-filled Shabbat over the weekend of the 15th of May.
Coinciding with Yom Yerushalayim, the weekend featured a Friday night shul service followed by a delectable communal dinner, as well as a Shabbat morning service followed by a communal Kiddush Bracha sponsored by the Cape SAJBD.
Cape SAJBD Executive Director Daniel Bloch and Chairperson Simone Sulcas addressed the approximately 50 community members in attendance, alongside Hermanus Shul Chairman Seymour Abrahams and Vice-Chair Victor Fish. Rabbi Ruben Suiza officiated over the Shabbat and delivered engaging drashot throughout the Shabbat.
The visit provided an important opportunity to engage directly with the community. Daniel and Simone’s joint address included updates on recent Cape SAJBD activities, and sketched a vibrant and in-depth picture of what Jewish life is like in the Western Cape. Poignantly, when compared to other Jewish communities around the world, Jewish life in South Africa as a whole continues unabated and with fervour.
While relatively small in size, the Hermanus Jewish Community is an active pocket of Jewish vibrancy in the Overberg. The quaint coastal town, situated just an hour and a half from Cape Town, has rapidly become a popular destination for both visitors and permanent residents – many of whom are retirees enjoying the quaint lifestyle in Hermanus. Many Cape Town Jewish families who own holiday homes in the area are active members and supporters of the shul and broader community.
The Hermanus Hebrew Congregation dates back to 1906, when the congregation was founded by Rev. Warshawsky. In its early years, services were held in private homes before a synagogue was built in Main Road in the late 1920s. Although the community experienced periods of decline and the synagogue closed for nearly two decades, the shul was revived in the late 1990s by a dedicated group of Capetonians with holiday homes in Hermanus. A new synagogue and Jewish Centre was ultimately consecrated in 2008, ensuring a welcoming space for Jewish life in the town. For information about services, find the contact details here.
The visit formed part of the Cape SAJBD’s ongoing commitment to supporting and maintaining close ties with Jewish communities throughout the Western Cape.
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