South African Jewish Report Newspaper

22/09/2026

Waverley Shul and Chabad of Savoy have taken the first step towards a potential merger, signing a Memorandum of Understanding that could see the two Johannesburg Jewish communities join forces.

Though the details are still being worked out, the proposed merger could lead to the creation of a community campus bringing together prayer, learning, social activities, and other communal initiatives.

Rabbi Gabi Bookatz, the rabbi of Waverley Shul, explained that this began as an idea many years ago, but, given the changes in the Johannesburg Jewish community, this was the time for the two shuls to join forces.

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Waverley Shul and Chabad of Savoy have taken the first step towards a potential merger, signing a Memorandum of Understanding that could

20/09/2026

When the Yom Kippur War broke out in October 1973, South African musician Dennis Feldman was on the Greek island of Crete. After reading about the unfolding war in an English newspaper, he made a decision that would take him from the tranquility of the Mediterranean to Israeli hospital wards and the Sinai Desert.

Armed with his guitar, Feldman flew to Israel to entertain the troops, sharing the journey with another musician travelling with the same purpose, Leonard Cohen. Over the weeks that followed, Feldman performed for wounded soldiers, sang to troops stationed near the Sinai Peninsula, and even provided the music at a wedding held in the desert in the midst of war.

More than five decades later, Feldman remembers the experience not through the war’s politics, but through the people he met and the role music played during an extraordinary period in Israel’s history.

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When the Yom Kippur War broke out in October 1973, South African musician Dennis Feldman was on the Greek island of Crete. After reading

18/09/2026

“As Yom Kippur approaches, I find myself thinking about my beloved Bubby, Sara Kievman, of blessed memory, and a story she once told me. It’s a story from a very different time and place, but somehow, every year, it feels more relevant.

Bubby grew up in Soviet Russia during the early years of the Communist regime, when keeping Yiddishkeit was anything but easy. Religious practice was forbidden, Jewish education was suppressed, and those who openly observed Judaism could put themselves and their families in danger. As a teenager, Bubby was required to work in a glass factory. Attendance was strictly monitored, and missing work without a convincing excuse could have serious consequences. Then Yom Kippur was approaching. For Bubby, there was simply no question that she would fast and observe the holiest day of the year. The problem was finding a way to avoid going to work.

With time running out, Bubby knew she had to do something. She picked up a piece of glass and deliberately cut her arm. Blood began running down her arm and soaking her sleeve. Within moments, what had been an ordinary day at the factory had turned into an emergency. She was rushed to the infirmary, where a Russian doctor stitched up the wound.

The doctor offered the young girl a glass of hot milk to help her recover. Bubby refused. The doctor tried again, encouraging her to drink it for the sake of her health, but she wouldn’t give in. Eventually, the doctor quietly took her into another room. There, with a candle flickering in the darkness, she revealed that she too was Jewish. The two of them spent Yom Kippur together in secret, praying and sharing stories, two Jewish women finding one another in a country where Jewish life had been driven underground.”

- Rabbi Ari Kievman, rabbi at Chabad Sandton Central

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As Yom Kippur approaches, I find myself thinking about my beloved Bubby, Sara Kievman, of blessed memory, and a story

18/09/2026

Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein has joined thousands of prominent figures from around the world in putting his name to an open letter rejecting the accusation that Israel has committed “genocide” in Gaza.

Goldstein is among more than 6 000 signatories to “Reject the Lie”, an initiative bringing together people from politics, entertainment, academia, religion, business, and public life. The letter’s message is unequivocal: “Disagree with Israel. Protest its policies. Challenge its government. But do not call it genocide.”

The letter was released by the US-based Creative Community for Peace organisation, in partnership with Israeli author Yossi Klein Halevi, Rabbis Yitz Greenberg and Micha Odenheimer, and US Professor Jonathan Karp. Those who’ve signed have done so as individuals rather than on behalf of the companies and organisations with which they are affiliated.

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Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein has joined thousands of prominent figures from around the world in putting his name to an open letter rejecting

17/09/2026

While Jews around the world were celebrating Rosh Hashanah last weekend, President Cyril Ramaphosa stood at the podium of a BRICS summit and said that “there must be accountability for the ongoing genocide against the Palestinians”.

Ramaphosa was delivering a speech at the 18th BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, India on 12 September, in a session titled “Inclusive global governance and strengthening multilateralism”. He also said there must be accountability for “the crimes committed against the people of Sudan and for the illegal war against Iran”.

“We must exert pressure and expose violations whenever, and by whomever, they are committed,” said the president, who has rarely condemned Hamas violations of international law, or spoken up for Israel’s rights to safety and security. “International law cannot be applied selectively: the same principles must apply to all states and the same protections must apply to all peoples”.

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While Jews around the world were celebrating Rosh Hashanah last weekend, President Cyril Ramaphosa stood at the podium of a BRICS

17/09/2026

A local terrorism expert says it’s “really alarming” that the extremist group Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) took a South African hostage on 3 September.

The South African mechanic was among a group of about 20 workers abducted in northern Mozambique during an attack by insurgents on a hunting camp, which they burned down. The camp was a tourist destination. Following the raid, the US embassy warned Americans against travelling to the area “for any reason”.

Terrorism expert, Willem Els, says what is particularly alarming is that the terrorists demonstrated that they can move beyond Cabo Delgado, the northern province of Mozambique that’s been their stronghold since 2017. The attack happened in the neighbouring Niassa Province. Both are in the northernmost part of Mozambique. The country shares its southern border with South Africa.

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A local terrorism expert says it’s “really alarming” that the extremist group Islamic State Mozambique (ISM) took a South African hostage

16/09/2026

🌟 Download our latest issue, free & online now! 🌟
Filled with news, opinions & insights you don’t want to miss, including…

🇿🇦 Ramaphosa demands Israeli ‘accountability’
🇬🇧 SA Jews wary, but staying in the UK despite antisemitism
🗳️ Will Israelis in SA fly home to vote?
🕍 Waverley Shul and Chabad of Savoy team up
✡️ Rosh Hashana brings new life to East London Jewish community

… and much more!

𝑫𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚:https://www.sajr.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026-09-18.pdf

16/09/2026

Almost six in 10 South African online shoppers now buy on a smartphone. The phone has become our main shopping device, cramming small shops and vast online marketplaces into the device we carry everywhere.

That change has helped online retail reach R1 in every R10 spent with South African retailers. Online spending reached about R130 billion last year and is expected to climb to R159 billion in 2026, according to the “Online Retail in South Africa 2026” study.

The study was conducted by World Wide Worx in partnership with Mastercard, Peach Payments, and Ask Africa. Its broad view of shopping habits comes from Ask Africa’s Target Group Index, based on 23 910 consumer interviews.

- Arthur Goldstuck is chief executive of World Wide Worx and principal analyst of the “Online Retail in South Africa 2026” study

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Almost six in 10 South African online shoppers now buy on a smartphone. The phone has become our main shopping device, cramming small shops

16/09/2026

“I think the signals are clear. A failing South African economy, rising unemployment, a deeply wounded African National Congress (ANC), crumbling in the polls before the 4 November municipal elections, and a collapsing Ramaphosa legacy have sent the president scrambling to try repair some of the enormous damage that he and his anti-Western foreign policy have wrought upon our nation.

The appointment of former National Party negotiator Roelf Meyer as ambassador to the United States was the first indication that Ramaphosa was seriously willing to attempt to thaw relations with the US. The Americans reciprocated with an agrément (a willingness to accept the new ambassador) within days.”

- Howard Sackstein

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I once spent an evening with Thomas Friedman, the famous political commentator, The New York Times Middle East correspondent, three-time

15/09/2026

What was meant to be a few months in South Africa turned into three years, a marriage, and a connection to the country that Rabbi Yisroel Binstock never quite left behind.

Almost two decades later, he has returned to Johannesburg with his wife, Leanne, and their family to begin a new chapter at Great Park Shul. He hopes to honour its rich history while building a vibrant community for the next generation.

Born in Israel and raised in London, Binstock first came to South Africa in 2007, never expecting it to become such an important part of his life. Though he later returned to the United Kingdom (UK), where his rabbinic career took him from youth leadership to congregations in London and Manchester, regular visits to Johannesburg kept his connection to the South African Jewish community alive.

So, when the call came that Great Park Shul was looking for a new rabbi and would love for the Binstocks to become the leaders of the congregation, it was a no-brainer for the family.

“We knew the people and we knew the place. Leanne and I had often considered moving back. We were very settled in the UK, and it was a lovely community, but we always felt that if the right opportunity came up in South Africa, we would consider it. We have family here and we’ve always been impressed by the Jewish infrastructure and the sense that there isn’t only an active, but a growing Jewish community,” he said.

READ MORE: https://www.sajr.co.za/new-rabbi-to-take-great-park-up-the-escalator/