While the name Cyril Karabus is for many of us associated with the horrific story of a man unexpectedly arrested and imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates more than a decade ago, Professor Cyril Karabus should not be defined by the bizarre events of 2012. He was, in fact, an “extraordinary and somewhat unique” individual, a man who touched many lives.
His daughter, Sarah, described him in this way while giving a eulogy at his funeral recently, after he passed away at the age of 91. As she said, “To many, he was a respected paediatrician, a brilliant physician, a pioneering oncologist, teacher, mentor, advocate for children. and a man whose intellect touched countless lives, To me, he was simply Dad, or sometimes CDK.”
His impact on others is perhaps best summed up by the comment made by a former colleague, “Another great tree has fallen and the earth is reverberating.”
As a paediatric oncologist passionate about medicine, Karabus was well-recognised in South Africa for his work for all children suffering from cancers and other blood disorders such as haemophilia. The founder of the paediatric oncology unit at Red Cross Children’s Hospital, he was also a key figure in the training of doctors at the University of Cape Town.
Born in Beaufort West to Lithuanian refugee parents, Professor Karabus’s family moved to Cape Town when he was 15, and he attended Wynberg Boys’ High School. Already at that stage, his intellectual brilliance was clear, and he skipped two school grades and started medical school at just 16.
Known both for his great intellect and his humility, Cyril Karabus never tried to talk over anyone or to draw attention to himself. In fact, Sarah recalls, “On his arrival back to Cape Town after his 10-month ordeal in the UAE, he was met at the airport by thousands of well-wishers. He turned to me and asked, ‘What’s all this fuss about?’ He just couldn’t comprehend that people had actually thought he was important enough to celebrate.”
During her eulogy, Sarah recalled with fondness the many life lessons her father instilled in her, attributes we can all benefit from: critical thinking; intellectual curiosity; perseverance.
Sarah commented, “While we will miss him deeply, we take comfort in the extraordinary legacy he leaves behind – not only in his professional achievements, but in the countless lives he touched through his kindness, humanity, unique sense of humour and unwavering dedication.”
For the current edition of the Cape Jewish Chronicle, click here.
Grace Harding’s journey to the top of the business world has been anything but conventional.
Today, as Global CEO of Ocean Basket, she is taking one of South Africa’s best-known restaurant brands into new international markets. But her rise was not built on prestigious qualifications or a carefully mapped-out career plan.
Instead, Harding describes a path marked by uncertainty, setbacks, and determination. Speaking at the UJC’s Business Breakfast in late June, she explained how growing up with a parent living with bipolar depression shaped the people-centred approach she brings to leadership.
“Being exposed to people’s suffering early in my life made me far more sensitive to the need for care for others. That has translated into deep empathy for those I interact with,” she says.
“The uncertainty and lack of a sense of safety I experienced as a child motivated me to want to change that – both for myself and for others.” She believes the impact leaders have on others is determined by the way they behave.
That drive, together with a willingness to keep learning, has defined her career. Harding credits mentors including Spur CEO Val Nichas, Ocean Basket founder Fats Lazarides, and business coach Gaby Rajak with helping her along the way.
“I have no ego, and will not accept defeat,” she says. “I am one of those crazy ones who believes I can make some positive dents in the world.”
Unlike many corporate leaders, Harding did not follow the traditional route of obtaining a university degree before climbing the corporate ladder. Instead, she worked her way up, developing skills she believes will become increasingly valuable.
“The world of work has changed,” she says. “We’ve moved from the Industrial Age to the Digital Age, and many of the things we studied for will no longer be done by humans. Work will be defined less by job titles and technical knowledge, and more by human skills such as self-awareness, critical thinking, deep listening, and the ability to simplify complexity.”
She also stresses the importance of collaboration – not only within organisations but with competitors, suppliers, regulators, and other stakeholders.
Before joining Ocean Basket, Harding spent more than a decade running an internal communications consultancy that helped organisations connect business strategy with employees. The experience taught her the importance of partnerships, confidence, and understanding every aspect of a business rather than focusing on a single area of expertise.
Harding believes effective leaders must combine compassion with high standards. She describes her leadership style as “kind and tenacious”, expecting people to take ownership of their work while providing support when needed. “Adults are responsible for themselves, so the business leader should give them the space to take ownership of their own work.”
While many business leaders focus on South Africa’s economic challenges, Harding believes mindset plays a critical role in success. Rather than dwelling on factors beyond their control, she argues businesses should focus on what they can influence. She notes that although the economy is tougher than it was a few years ago, Ocean Basket is stronger than it was before the pandemic.
“It’s all about how you frame things,” she says. “The negative stuff will burn you to the ground.”
Despite leading a major international company, Harding recently began a Global MBA through Henley Business School. She says the programme has strengthened her existing capabilities while exposing her to new ideas and perspectives.
“The value is also about the people I am with. Young, dynamic South Africans from all kinds of industries, challenging my thinking and teaching me new dances.”
For Harding, leadership is a continuous journey of growth, curiosity, and service. Her story suggests that success is shaped not by where someone starts, but by a willingness to keep learning, adapting, and moving forward.
For the current edition of the Cape Jewish Chronicle, click here.
The Cape Town Jewish community has lost one of its great connectors and cultural entrepreneurs with the passing of Avron Kaplan z”l in early June.
For decades, Avron was a familiar figure through The Living Newspaper, the platform he founded in 1987 to bring prominent local and international speakers to Cape Town audiences. Through these events, he raised funds for the Camps Bay Congregation, while enriching community life with thought-provoking discussions and remarkable personalities.
As the Cape Jewish Chronicle noted in 2009, Avron “single-mindedly, passionately and doggedly” brought an impressive array of speakers to Cape Town. Among them were Indian diplomat and author Vikas Swarup, whose novel Q&A became the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire; Booker Prize-winning author Bernice Rubens; Jewish astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman; Rabbi and author Shmuley Boteach; former Australian judge Marcus Einfeld; Alan Committee; Nik Rabinowitz; Mira Nair, the Indian filmmaker, who is the mother of the controversial New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani; Alan Dershowitz; Helen Suzman; Chris Barnard; Marius Barnard; and Michael Friedman, head of Frankfurt’s Jewish community.
Beyond his speaker events, Avron ran a popular film club that introduced Cape Town audiences to movies otherwise unavailable in South Africa. In some cases, he successfully challenged apartheid-era censorship restrictions to secure screenings for private audiences.
A past Chairman of Camps Bay Shul (1970-72), Avron also served for many years on the committee of the Jacob Gitlin Library.
Many older Capetonians will remember his enthusiasm, determination and ability to bring people together around ideas, culture and conversation. Through the speakers he hosted, the films he screened, and the institutions he supported, Avron left a lasting mark on community life.
For the current edition of the Cape Jewish Chronicle, click here.
Middle: SAJBD representatives David King, Simone Sulcas, Josh Friedman and Daniel Bloch. Right: Rabbi Bryan Opert and Chairman Selwyn Chatz
By JOSH FRIEDMAN, Programme & Development Manager, Cape SAJBD
The Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies (Cape SAJBD) engages regularly with our country communities. Following various visits around the Western Cape over the last few years – including Shabbat dinners, centenary celebrations and more – we visited Paarl on the weekend of the 26-27 June for a special Power Shabbos.
The visit was warmly embraced by the Paarl Hebrew Congregation, under the leadership of Rabbi Bryan Opert and a dedicated committee headed by President Selwyn Chatz, and brought together community members for a memorable and uplifting Shabbat programme.
Friday night began with a well-attended service, led by the Cape SAJBD’s Josh Friedman, followed by a festive Power Brocha, at which approximately 70 people gathered for an evening of community, connection and engagement. Cape SAJBD Executive Director Daniel Bloch and Chairperson Simone Sulcas then tag-teamed an address titled Jewish Life in the Western Cape: A Global and Local Update, sharing insights into the local communal landscape as well as reflections from the recent AJC Global Forum in Washington DC. The gold standard shared is that, relative to many Jewish communities around the world who are experiencing shrinking spaces, increased violent antisemitism and who, at times, cannot visibly express their Judaism, here our civil rights as Jews are protected and, where infringed upon, challenged rigorously by the Cape SAJBD.
The evening also featured an address by UJC Vice Chair Tamara Davidson, who highlighted the work of the United Jewish Campaign and the vital role it plays in sustaining and strengthening the network of Jewish organisations that serve the Western Cape Jewish community, making it one of the most desirable places for Jewish people not only to live, but to thrive.
In a particularly meaningful development, the special Shabbat also made possible a Shabbat morning minyan — no small achievement for a congregation that does not ordinarily open every week for Saturday morning services. The opportunity to daven together again on Shabbat morning added an extra layer of significance to the weekend and reflected the growing energy within the Paarl Jewish community.
The visit also offered an opportunity to celebrate the rich heritage of the Paarl Hebrew Congregation, one of the Western Cape’s historic Jewish communities. Established in 1893, the congregation traces its roots to the Jewish traders and settlers who helped shape life in the Boland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its synagogue in Breda Street remains a proud symbol of more than 130 years of Jewish life in Paarl and the surrounding district. Like many smaller South African Jewish communities, Paarl’s numbers declined over time as families moved to larger urban centres. Yet today, the congregation is experiencing a welcome revival.
Paarl, like much of the Cape Winelands, is enjoying something of a renaissance, with semigrants from around South Africa increasingly making the Winelands area their home. Drawn by lifestyle, schools, natural beauty and the proximity to Cape Town, both young families and retirees are settling in the region – and with them comes renewed interest in Jewish communal life. That shift is beginning to be felt in Paarl’s Jewish community too, where growing participation and a renewed sense of possibility are helping to breathe fresh life into this historic congregation.
For the Cape SAJBD and UJC, the Paarl visit formed part of a broader effort to deepen ties with Jewish communities across the Western Cape, strengthen communal connection, and ensure that smaller centres feel part of the wider communal conversation. It was a Shabbat marked by warmth, hospitality and genuine enthusiasm, and the Board and UJC are deeply appreciative to Rabbi Opert, Selwyn Chatz and the Paarl congregation for hosting them so generously.
Clockwise from top left: Ruby Kapeluschnik, Jeff Gutman, Max Moss, Jamie Aronson
Many young people from South Africa have chosen to move to other countries in recent years – we all know someone who travels regularly to England, Australia, Israel, etc. to visit their children. And the declining numbers of young people in our community has been identified as an issue of concern, as reflected in a recent column written by the Chair of the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies, Simone Sulcas.
In her column, she made the point that, “…demographic decline almost always begins with young adults. They leave to study, to work, or to feel safer and more secure.” She went on to comment that, “The future of South African Jewry…will be shaped by everyday decisions: where young people choose to study, where they choose to work, and where they choose to build their lives.”
With June being Youth Month in South Africa, The Cape Jewish Chronicle spoke to some young people – all in their 20s – to get some idea about what is driving decisions about where they see themselves in the future.
Aaron, aged 25
South Africa is my home, and that of generations before me who strongly shape my identity and value system. I believe that South Africans and all who reside here are some of the most generous, friendly and deeply and richly cultured on the entire planet – flaws and all. The spirit of Ubuntu is omnipotent for all those who choose to look around, and I believe there is a prosperous future for every single individual in this country – despite the failings of a select few, and our horrific history that has affected so many.
Opportunities for young people like me (those that are lucky enough to be Jewish, broadly middle class and educated) are abundant if you have the chutzpah and drive to take them with both hands. It should be our collective responsibility to work to ensure that those not so lucky have equal access to opportunity.
I believe our community- though at times fractured- has a unique heritage, and lots of fascinating influences and intersections with different corners of South African society and history at large. I feel motivated to stay active and involved in my community, support initiatives and political philosophies I find relevant and practise my faith however I choose- something that is inalienable to me through our constitution- which unfortunately is not a blessing that every person has worldwide, in Jewish communities or otherwise.
Jeff Gutman, aged 26
On the 18th of May 2024, whilst travelling New York with a couple of friends, I felt a wave of patriotism crash into me. It was the National Elections, and we made it a priority to stop at the Consulate General of South Africa, to exercise our democratic right. Immediately upon entering the building, a chain of events transpired that made me internalise my love for this country.
First, I accidentally bumped into someone whilst trying to exit the lift and we both apologised to one another! It may seem dull, but that South African nicety was so foreign to me at this point that I couldn’t help but feel a kinship to this fellow South Africa. Then, standing in the little room assigned to the voters, all my senses started to burst. The warm smiles of my people, the sound of the SABC reporter and, most strong, the opened box of Freshpak Rooibos tea on the desk. Strongest of all though, it smelled like South Africa. To this day, I can’t describe that smell but, to borrow a cliche, it just smelled like home. That day will stick with me my whole life as above all, it showed me how lucky I am to call myself a South African.
Now, will I stay in South Africa? It’s an impossible question to answer. No doubt, it’s easy to be cynical about the country. I have a university degree and years of work experience, yet finding a job in South Africa may be comparable to the Twelve Labours of Hercules. So, despite my wants, I may need to leave South Africa.
However, despite where I land up, I am certain that my desire will always be to live and contribute to this country. We’re easy people, with no problem big enough to forgo laughter and kindness – that’s the country I want to live in.
Therefore, in short: Will I leave South Africa? Maybe. Do I want to leave South Africa? A resounding no.
Jamie Aronson, aged 27
I live in London now, having been here for two years. I came to London from Israel, where I lived for three years after I finished my studies at UCT. I studied Mechatronics, Robotics and Automation Engineering.
I hadn’t planned to leave South Africa but, when I finished my studies, I was offered an attractive position with a robotics company in Israel which operated in the agricultural sector. Life in Israel was good and, although I didn’t have any close family there, my move there was made easier because I had a close friend from school who was also living there. We shared an apartment in Tel Aviv.
My move to the UK was prompted by a desire to live in an English-speaking environment and in a quieter environment. Also, my sister lives here, too, and I have an Irish passport so all of that helped me make the decision.
In London, I work in the AI field.
I travel a great deal, and that makes living where I am now appealing because things are generally much closer than if I were living in South Africa. I visit Cape Town regularly to see my family and friends, and really enjoy being there during the English winter months.
I really like Cape Town but I’m not sure I’d want to live there again. The geographic isolation is definitely a factor.
As for work opportunities, I don’t know enough about this in terms of South Africa since I started my work life outside the country. But I think that things are getting better as regards work opportunities.
Max Moss, aged 28
Max left Cape Town in search of better job opportunities. He had aimed to move to London but first went to Israel, where he studied at IDC (now known as Reichman University).
A further factor driving him to move beyond our borders was the opportunity to experience life in a different country.
While in Israel, Max met his wife-to-be, an Australian. Together, they then moved to Australia, once Max had secured a work visa. He is happy living there – he finds it quite similar to South Africa, in particular since it has a similar feel to life in Cape Town and because there are so many former South Africans there. “I feel very at home in Australia,” he says, commenting that the Jewish community there is similar to the community in Cape Town.
“I truly love Cape Town, but things have worked out for me since I left a number of years ago,” he concludes.
For the current edition of the Cape Jewish Chronicle, click here.
Chad Nathan and Sydney, Mia Braun and Alon Sarembock
The Chronicle brings you stories of some the young heroes of today: young Capetonians taking on the mantle of Tikkun Olam in truly concrete ways.
In recent weeks, many Capetonians became engrossed in a story unfolding on social media and found themselves shedding a tear because of the incredible generosity of their community when called on to make a difference. We are referring to the @Gingerwithagopro scenario, when over R500 000 was raised in a few days to help a wheelchair-bound homeless man, Sydney.
The main protagonist, Chad Nathan, is a young Johannesburger, now living in Cape Town, and he used his status as an influencer to reach out to a wide audience of people who have all helped to change a life in a very meaningful way.
It seems fitting that this happened on the eve of Youth Day, a public holiday which stems from such a truly significant event – one unfortunately forgotten by most people – that reflected the power that young people have to make a difference, and to change their world in positive ways.
Now, the Chronicle brings you stories of some the young heroes of today: young Capetonians taking on the mantle of Tikkun Olam in truly concrete ways.
A chance encounter on a rainy day
Cape Town content creator Chad Nathan set out for a solitary run along the Sea Point Promenade on a recent cold, stormy morning – unexpectedly setting off an extraordinary act of kindness that has touched thousands.
Chad, known online as Gingerwithagopro, shared the story in posts on his Instagram account after meeting a homeless man named Sydney Miller during his run in the rain.
Read about Chad’s work as a content creator here.
“I was running on the Sea Point Prom, there wasn’t a soul in sight, a little bit of rain, and really rough seas,” Chad explained.
After deciding to cut short his usual 10-kilometre route near the lighthouse because of the cold, Chad spotted a man alone in a wheelchair.
“We were basically the only two people out there,” he recalled. “I said, ‘Hey man, would you like me to push you anywhere? It’s cold out here.’”
Sydney asked to be taken to the bus stop near the Sea Point pools, where he sleeps. Chad pushed him the entire way – about four kilometres – through the wind and rain. Along the way, Sydney shared his story – one marked by hardship, injury, and loneliness.
Chad learned that Sydney had recently come from Somerset Hospital after receiving devastating news: doctors may need to amputate his leg. Years earlier, he had lost a foot after being knocked over by a car and, according to Chad, had received no compensation from the Road Accident Fund.
Despite his circumstances, Sydney asked for very little.
“He didn’t even ask for money,” Chad said. “He asked for a wheelchair, clothes, and a bag.”
Moved by the encounter, Chad posted a video online appealing for help. Within minutes, donations began pouring in.
“I put my phone down and went to meet my mate for lunch,” he said. “Five to six minutes later it had around 50 000 views.”
By the end of the day, donations had exceeded R300 000.
When Chad eventually found Sydney again after searching the promenade, he offered him a choice between R1 000 in cash or a ‘mystery gift’. Sydney chose the mystery gift.
“He broke down in tears when I told him we had raised R115 000 for him,” Chad said.
Chad plans to identify a suitable financial planner or investment expert to manage the capital raised from which a monthly stipend will be paid over to Sydney for his daily living needs.
For Chad, the experience became a reminder of the power of compassion: “Just knowing what a little random act of kindness can do to someone – and how it can change someone’s life.”
At the time of finalising this Chronicle, donations made to support Sydney via Chad’s campaign had reached over R500 000!
15-year-old Mia Braun was moved to take action when she “…found out that 39 children under the age of 14 died from drowning in the Western Cape in 2022”, a statistic that, she says, “really broke my heart”.
Mia developed a love for swimming after starting to play water polo at school. She realises the importance of water safety, especially for young people living in the Western Cape with its very long coastline and numerous opportunities for people to swim.
Armed with a passion for swimming and the awful reality of the drownings happening all over in Cape Town and its surrounding areas, Mia decided to select a water safety project as a focus in her role as a Junior City Councillor in Cape Town. (See the article published earlier this year about Mia’s success in being selected for the Junior City Council.)
Partnering with the Guide Along Aquatics Swim Club, Mia established the Stroke for Hope project, an initiative through which she hopes to have 100 children go through the water safety and swimming training offered by the Swim Club, which is based in Atlantis.
“The first leg of the project,” she explains, “is to raise the funds needed to pay for the training. I’ve set the fundraising target at R120 000, and people have been wonderful about responding to my call for funds.” Mia set up a Backabuddy fundraiser for this purpose, and her donors and supporters helped her exceed that target by the date of her swim, 22 May.
“I tied the fundraising initiative to my own challenge: to successfully complete a Robben Island swim – a distance of 7 to 8km depending on the current. Now that I’ve successfully completed the swim we will start with the training initiative for young people from underprivileged communities.”
Mia’s dedication to her swimming is clear from the hours she puts in: up at 5.30am every day for training, she also swims at Clifton 4th Beach every Wednesday, and takes part in many other swimming events, all while getting through the academic rigour required for Grade 10 studies and her work as a Cape Town Junior City Councillor.
This dedication is clear, too, from her other plans for her swimming project: to educate the children she will be interacting with about the wider world of swimming through bringing speakers to them who can share their swimming journeys.
Doing it for the penguins
25-year-old Alon Sarembock, who works as a Junior Accounts Manager in Cape Town, has been passionate about swimming throughout his life. He plans to undertake a Robben Island swim, so allowing him to connect a personal sporting goal with a cause that carries real environmental urgency and long-term significance: the survival of our penguin population.
As he explains, “For me, this swim is about aligning a personal challenge with meaningful impact. While it is a test of physical endurance and mental strength, it is also an opportunity to help raise awareness and support for conservation work that is often unseen but deeply essential.”
The conservation work he refers to is done by SANCCOB, a local NGO that plays a vital role in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of seabirds along the South African coastline, with a specific focus on the endangered African penguin. Their work is hands-on, urgent, and often life-saving. Every day, their team responds to injured, oiled, or abandoned birds, providing critical care that directly contributes to the survival of species that are rapidly declining in the wild.
The African penguin, in particular, is facing a severe population decline due to a combination of habitat loss, overfishing of their natural food sources, and the ongoing pressures of climate and environmental change. “Without organisations like SANCCOB, many of these birds would not survive long enough to be rehabilitated and returned to their natural environment,” Alon explains.
Having established a BackaBuddy fundraising page to accept donations for the SANCCOB cause, Alon has already exceeded his target of raising R12 000.
The swim is approximately 7.5km in length in the icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Going by boat from Bloubergstrand to Robben Island before sunrise, Alon will swim back to Bloubergstrand. “The route from Robben Island to Bloubergstrand is known for its strong currents, low water temperatures, and demanding conditions, making it a true test of endurance and mental resilience,” he says.
For the current edition of the Cape Jewish Chronicle, click here.
In December last year, what should have been a joyful Chanukah celebration on Bondi Beach became something else entirely: the site of a devastating terrorist attack in which Jewish families were targeted simply for being Jewish.
In a response to pressure, Australia established a Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion – the highest form of public inquiry available to it.
A window into a shift
The early testimony emerging from the Commission is, in many ways, the most instructive part of this process. Witnesses have described not only the horror of the Bondi attack, but the period leading up to it – one marked by a steady uptick in antisemitic incidents, hostility in public spaces, and a growing sense of vulnerability in everyday life.
In the months preceding the attack, there had been a series of increasingly concerning incidents: antisemitic graffiti and vandalism in Jewish neighborhoods; attacks on homes and vehicles, including cars being set alight outside Jewish residences; and protests in highly visible public spaces, including outside the Sydney Opera House, where rhetoric moved beyond political expression into language that was clearly hostile to Jewish people.
Other testimony has been quieter, but no less telling. A Jewish university student described feeling so unwelcome that she ultimately left her student accommodation after being told she did not belong there. One of the more striking themes has been the way antisemitism was experienced not only in isolated acts of violence, but in the cumulative effect of rhetoric, behaviour and social pressure. A Holocaust survivor testified that, for the first time since fleeing Europe, he now feels unsafe being visibly Jewish.
It is this progression – from words to atmosphere, and from atmosphere to action – that the Commission is seeking to understand.
Our Western Cape Context
Jewish life in the Western Cape remains strong, visible and deeply connected to the broader society of which we are part. We live openly, contribute meaningfully, and participate across civic, economic and cultural life.
But we must also be honest about what we are seeing here.
Over the past two years, there has been:
Targeted boycotts of Jewish-owned businesses in the Western Cape
Hostility towards Jewish students and staff on UCT campus
Online harassment, including instances of doxxing directed at members of our community
A serious security incident involving an IED device in a Jewish communal space
Anti-Israel protests at which we have seen extremist symbolism, including ISIS and Hamas flags, alongside rhetoric that crosses the line into antisemitism.
These are serious developments. They do not define our community – but they cannot be dismissed either.
When rhetoric travels
One of the more challenging features of the current environment is how easily rhetoric moves across borders. Language that originates in one context is repeated in another, often without nuance and without consideration of its local impact. We are seeing how narratives tied to conflict elsewhere can find their way into campus spaces, protests and online discourse here in the Western Cape – sometimes blurring the line between political expression and hostility towards Jews as Jews. It is not the same as violence. But it would be unrealistic to view it as entirely separate from it. The evidence before the Australian Commission points to this dynamic: that sustained hostility, even when expressed primarily in language, shapes behaviour and can gradually shift what is considered acceptable.
That is a caution.
What the Royal Commission represents
What is notable about the Australian response is not only the scale of the tragedy, but the seriousness with which it is being examined. A Royal Commission does not simply catalogue incidents. It looks at the broader environment – legal, social and institutional – in which they occur. It gives weight to lived experience that might otherwise be minimised or dismissed. And it seeks to strengthen the systems that underpin both security and social cohesion. That approach has relevance beyond Australia.
Holding the balance
For us in the Western Cape, the task is to hold a careful balance. We should not minimise the incidents we are seeing. They affect real people and require a measured, consistent response. But nor should we overstate our position or create a sense of fear that does not reflect the broader reality of Jewish life here. The truth is more grounded: We are a community that is secure, engaged and resilient – while also navigating pressures that require serious attention.
Looking forward
The story of Bondi is not ours, despite the closeness and similarities between the South African and Australian Jewish communities. However, the questions Bondi raises must be deeply considered by our community and its leadership. They ask how societies respond to antisemitism before it escalates. How communities are protected – not only physically, but socially. And how leadership balances vigilance with perspective.
At the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies, these questions are asked and responded to, and this happens every day – often quietly, sometimes loudly, but always consistently. It includes ongoing engagement with government and law enforcement, advocacy on campuses and in the public sphere, and working closely with partners to ensure the safety and dignity of our community. It also means addressing antisemitism where it arises – whether in public discourse, in commercial settings, or online – while continuing to invest in the openness and resilience that define Jewish life here.
Not out of fear. But out of a clear understanding that responsibility lies not only in how we respond to events – but in how we anticipate them. And in doing so, we help ensure that Jewish life in the Western Cape continues to be what it has long been: proud, confident, and deeply rooted in South Africa.
We often say, somewhat glibly, that “young people are our future”. But what does that mean in practice? What responsibility does it place on us as a society?
In June 1976, young South Africans rose up against apartheid policies that directly affected their futures. Today, many young people are looking beyond our borders because they are sceptical about the future South Africa can offer them. This is something we in the Cape Town Jewish community should also reflect on. Will enough young people choose to stay and sustain a meaningful community here in the years ahead?
For most South Africans, the future they are likely to have depends largely on what the state and civil society provide during their formative years. And too often, what is available falls far short of what is needed.
As part of the Mensch Volunteer Programme, I recently visited Hangberg in Hout Bay – a fishing community facing extreme poverty, worsened by failed government interventions that left many fishermen without licences and livelihoods.
Our group spent time at an Early Childhood Development Centre established by a local woman with limited resources but immense compassion. Across South Africa, many ECDs exist because ordinary people, often women without wealth, training, or infrastructure, step in where the state has failed.
We should be deeply grateful to these individuals because the work they do shapes all our futures. Every child who gains access to meaningful early childhood education is more likely to become an adult who contributes positively to society rather than one vulnerable to crime, addiction, or homelessness.
Research consistently shows that the first five years of life are critical in shaping learning, behaviour, and health outcomes. As the Director of Ikamva Labantu – the remarkable organisation founded by our own Helen Lieberman – has said: “The first five years of life lay the foundations for learning, behaviour and health. If those years are missing support, the gap begins to widen before a child even enters Grade 1.”
There is ample evidence that children with strong early foundations are far more likely to thrive at school and beyond. That means the child growing up in Hangberg, whose future might otherwise have been defined by hardship, can instead have the opportunity to realise their potential and become a contributing member of society.
The support organisations like Mensch provide may not transform the country overnight, but it can transform individual lives – and that matters enormously. If we want a better future for South Africa, we must invest in the lives of young children today.
For the current edition of the Cape Jewish Chronicle, click here.
From courtroom to concert hall, a lifelong devotion finds its fullest expression
KAREN MILLER
There are public figures whose reputations arrive fully formed: robe, title, and the steady cadence of authority. Dennis Davis is one such figure: a High Court judge, formidable legal mind, law professor at many universities including UCT, Wits, Cambridge, Harvard and NYU, and a familiar television presence from Future Imperfect and You Be the Judge. Yet this well-known profile includes a more private, persistent devotion: a lifelong immersion in music that has now found institutional expression in his appointment as interim chair of the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
(credit: CT Press Club)
Beginnings in the living room
The roots of that devotion lie not in concert halls but in a family living room. Dennis’s father filled the house with the sound of great cantors, playing recordings of Richard Tucker and Jan Peerce singing Kol Nidrei. This was no incidental soundtrack. It was an early education in emotional expression, in the peculiar intensity of Jewish liturgical music, chazones, that binds history, longing, and faith into a single vocal line. Cape Town itself, in those years, provided formidable live examples: Koussevitsky at Schoonder Street and Philip Badash in Sea Point, voices that, as Davis recalls, sang with both magnitude and feeling.
A love affair begins
Like many enthusiasts, his early practical ambitions did not quite match his enthusiasm. He attempted the piano but describes himself, with characteristic bluntness, as “hopeless”. Music would not be something he produced so much as something he pursued, intellectually and emotionally.
A decisive moment came in 1967 at the Alhambra Theatre, where he encountered opera for the first time in a performance of Carmen. That same year, in a gesture both charming and revealing, he and schoolfriend, Gilad Stern, bought batons and took to conducting along with recordings. It was also the year he heard pianist Hans Richter-Haaser perform Beethoven’s Third and Fifth Piano Concertos at Cape Town City Hall. “I fell in love with classical music,” he recalls, a statement that, in its simplicity, masks a lifetime’s accumulation of listening, learning, and reflection.
The pattern was set. Records borrowed from the municipal library, Sunday evening concerts, and an ever-expanding auditory world. Even singing, despite his professed lack of talent, found its way in: he remains proud to have sung in the choir for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, that great choral affirmation.
Along the way, he has heard many of the greats: Daniel Barenboim, Arthur Rubinstein, Pinchas Zuckerman, Itzhak Perlman, and conductors from Solti to Karajan to Rattle. These are not merely names to be dropped but markers of a life attentively lived in music.
Tradition, music, and continuity
Yet it is impossible to disentangle Dennis’s musical life from his Jewish one. From Grade 4 at Herzlia, he learned davening under the late Cantor Immerman. He later ran student services at the Old Shul in Gardens and assisted Rabbi Steinhorn during the High Holy Days in Sea Point. To this day, he continues to play a role in the Egalitarian Shul’s High Holy Day services. The continuity is striking: from childhood liturgy to adult responsibility, from inherited tradition to chosen participation.
Music, for Dennis, is not merely aesthetic. It is reflective. Driving to work, he plays chazones in the car, using it as a space to contemplate “the joys and sorrows of Jewish life and history”. This is not background noise. It is a form of thinking.
Lockdown and a global classroom
His engagement has, in recent years, taken on a more public dimension through Lockdown University, the global online initiative founded by Wendy Fisher during the Covid-19 pandemic. Initially contributing lectures on politics and law, Dennis soon extended his repertoire to music. Inspired by performances he had attended in the United States, most notably at Carnegie Hall, where Leonard Slatkin presented Beethoven’s Ninth with an explanatory first half. This has inspired him to adopt a similar format.
The result has been remarkably prolific: over 130 lectures since 2020, including detailed explorations of Mahler’s symphonies, jazz, and the broader classical canon.
His study at home, he admits is a dense landscape of CDs, as he compares interpretations and refines his understanding. There is an infectious enthusiasm in this work, though he admits to finding the scale of his audience, now numbering in the thousands worldwide, somewhat daunting. The intimacy of early Zoom sessions has given way to a more impersonal, if far-reaching, exchange.
Now, as he approaches his 75th birthday, Davis has chosen a fitting gift for himself. He will travel with his wife, Claudette, to Berlin to hear the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of the 98-year-old Herbert Blomstedt, conducting Bruckner’s 7th Symphony, one of Davis’s particular favourites. It is hard to imagine a more appropriate celebration: a convergence of longevity, mastery, and emotional depth.
In a world inclined to compartmentalise, to separate the rational from the artistic, the judicial from the lyrical, Dennis Davis offers a more integrated model. The law may be his profession, but music, unmistakably, is a profound source of joy and inspiration. He has served this muse in many ways and he does so now in public contribution to the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.
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