By Julia Coscia

Decades after congregations dwindled across the rural Western Cape, Jewish life in Paarl and Stellenbosch is experiencing a rebirth.

For years, South Africa’s small-town Jewish communities seemed destined to fade into memory. By the 1980s, many in the Western Cape had declined significantly, and synagogues from Worcester to Caledon stood locked and empty.

But today, the silence is gone. Defying demographic trends across the country, Paarl and Stellenbosch are experiencing a modern-day renewal of Jewish life, though it wears two different faces.

Old roots, new vintage

Stellenbosch’s close-knit Jewish community dates back to the early 1890s, and in 1923 it established the Stellenbosch Synagogue on Ryneveld Street. Although the congregation contracted from 85 families in the 1960s to around 20 by 1980, it retains its Jewish pulse thanks to the leadership of Ian and Gabi (née Zetler) Katzeff, ensuring continuity even during university breaks. This enduring foundation now supports an interesting new chapter.

Over the past three years, the number of Jewish students at Stellenbosch University has more than tripled to about 150. Drawn by a welcoming, less polarised campus atmosphere, these students are turning this Cape Winelands town into a lively centre of next-gen Jewish pride.

Leading the way is SAUJS, which assists new students in adjusting to campus life and facilitates connection with one another through social events and their shared Jewish identity. Gemma Cohn, secretary of SAUJS Stellenbosch, notes that the group works alongside Ohrsom Student to promote the well-attended monthly First Friday Shabbat service at the Stellenbosch Synagogue. “The evening starts with pre-drinks, followed by a Kabbalat Shabbat service and dinner at the shul. Other initiatives include the Minyanettes, which aims to involve more female students in shul life,” she says.

SAUJS also maintains close ties to Chabad on Campus, which in 2024 established a permanent home under the leadership of Stellenbosch graduate Rabbi Chananyah Duthie and his wife, Rebbetzin Eliana. Operating from a dedicated Chabad House near university residences, Rabbi Duthie reflects: “Many more Jewish students are looking for Jewish community when they arrive, and I’m struck by the resilience of these students and their dedication to their studies while remembering their yiddishkeit.” 

Transplanted

While Stellenbosch thrives on seasonal, youthful energy, in Paarl, 30 minutes away, the renewal has a more permanent, family-focused face.

This growth is the latest chapter in a story that began over a century ago. In his book The Light of Israel, Charles Press describes the trajectory of one of South Africa’s most historic rural Jewish communities, tracing its roots back to the late 19th century, with the arrival of Germans, Dutch, and, later, immigrants from Lithuanian Russia. These Litvaks were mostly from the provinces of Kovno and Northern Suwalki, and the majority of the community appears to have come from the historic Jewish shtetls of Plungė and Biržai. By 1893, the community had formally established the Paarl Hebrew Congregation and built the Paarl Synagogue (also known as the Ohr Yisrael Synagogue) on Breda Street, officially opening its doors in 1904.

By balancing a life of Torah and mitzvot with civic loyalty and respect for local law, Jewish life flourished along the banks of the Berg River. At its mid-century peak, the congregation was a dynamic hub complete with a Jewish school, active Zionist youth movements, and a packed shul every Shabbat. Deeply Zionist, the community hosted visits from luminaries such as Chaim Weizmann and Menachem Begin.

However, like many rural towns in South Africa, Paarl experienced a demographic decline by the late 1970s and 1980s. “Like in most rural towns in South Africa, Paarl’s older generation was comprised of shopkeepers, farmers, and small business owners,” explains Charles Press. “The younger generation was more educated than their parents; many qualified as doctors, architects, and lawyers, and either moved to the city or abroad for better career opportunities, or made aliyah.”

Despite this, a devoted remnant has sustained Jewish life in Paarl. Ida Jacobson (née Borochowitz) remains one of the living bridges between the community’s past and its resilient present. Born and raised in the shadow of the Drakenstein mountains, Ida is the unofficial balabuste of the Paarl Jewish community. From preparing weekly shul brochas to keeping an eye on shul affairs, Ida, alongside her fellow committee members, is a steadfast guardian of local heritage, and Paarl Shul remains the only synagogue in the region outside Cape Town to have maintained a regular weekly Friday night minyan for decades. 

Paarl has experienced an influx of new families over the past six years, driven by shifting lifestyle choices and the rise of remote/hybrid work setups following the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawn by secure lifestyle estates, top-tier schooling options such as Paarl Boys’ High and Bridgehouse, and easy access to Cape Town, new residents are laying down deep roots.

Tanya Glazer, who moved to Paarl from Muldersdrift 30 years ago and serves on the shul committee, has witnessed this evolution firsthand. “I love living here,’ says Tanya. ‘It’s quiet, peaceful, and close enough to Cape Town. There’s a small, caring Jewish community, and, over the 30 years, it has grown a lot.”

In late 2019, Rabbi Bryan and Rebbetzin Chana Opert took up the part-time rabbinic position at the Paarl Shul to serve the then-community of around 20 souls. The couple came to understand early on that in a small outlying congregation, spiritual connection often manifests through identity rather than strict ritual observance. The Orthodox Jewish community infrastructure of Cape Town, such as its kosher establishments, day schools, learning opportunities and vibrant volunteer organisations, did not exist in Paarl. “What the local Paarl families possessed was a fierce, deep-seated connection to their roots,” says Rabbi Opert. “They honoured the memory of their grandparents who built the shul and recognised the irreplaceable role the congregation played in the regional tapestry. For them, coming to shul was an act of identity.”

Rather than demanding halachic shifts, the Operts focused on creating warm, accessible entry points. The couple introduced communal Friday night dinners and two-night Pesach Seders, making it explicit that attendance at formal services was never a prerequisite for joining the meal. Recognising that the minyan was the beating heart of the community, Rabbi Opert proposed establishing Shacharit services on Yom Tovim. “Many of the men had not attended a Shacharit service in decades. Yet, once the commitment was made, the community’s loyalty shone through. Week after week, without fail, the quorum has been met.”

About three years into the Operts’ tenure, new resident Selwyn Chatz joined the committee as Chairman and proposed creating the Paarl Power Shabbos to connect families moving into surrounding estates. “It took me some time to start going to shul, but when I noticed new Jewish families moving into the area, I thought it would be great to come together so people wouldn’t have to drive all the way to Cape Town for services,” says Selwyn. “The committee gave its buy-in, and before long, people started coming and brought their kids with them. It is a huge blessing to see 70-80 people of all ages coming together on Friday nights, as well as great attendance for morning services during Yom Tov.”

Held every six to eight weeks, the Paarl Power Shabbos draws families from across outlying areas, even as far as Strand and Somerset West. To engage the youngest members, Rebbetzin Chana instituted a 25-minute Children’s Service right before  Kabbalat Shabbat to teach Torah values and holiday traditions. The response was immediate, spurring a wave of community gatherings, including a Sukkot celebration at Babylonstoren, an inaugural challah bake, and a Purim party. This renewed energy has revitalised the congregation, leading to Paarl’s first Bar and Bat Mitzvahs in nearly 30 years and its first shul baby-naming in four decades.

Growth, however, meant meeting congregants where they actually were, notes Rabbi Opert. “In small communities, interfaith marriages are a reality. We observed families who supported the shul deeply but maybe felt spiritually sidelined because the non-Jewish spouse lacked a formal place within traditional structures. Guided by compassion and halakha, we sought a meaningful solution.”

That solution is the Abraham Membership, which allows non-Jewish spouses and interfaith families to become official ‘identity’ members of the Paarl congregation. While strict halakhic boundaries remain – such as not being included in the numbers for a minyan, receiving aliyahs, or voting at the AGM – these families receive full communal recognition. Their birthdays and Yahrzeits are honoured, their support is celebrated, and their children belong. Today, around 10 families participate in this membership, helping to expand the overall congregation membership by an astonishing 50%, including country members across South Africa and abroad.

“Our approach offers a gentle model for small congregations worldwide: people do not need to be pressured into compliance to feel the warmth of their heritage,” says Rabbi Opert. “And when a community leads with unconditional love, clear boundaries, and accessible entry points, connection naturally flourishes, and Paarl Shul is an enduring testament to the power of Jewish identity and belonging.”

Calling former Cape ‘Winelanders’!

Calling all former Paarl and Wellington residents! A special reunion is being planned for later this year – a chance to reconnect with old friends, reminisce and catch up after all these years. For more information, contact Ethne Skop Abramowitz on 083 787 4581.

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