South African Jewry Lauded As Leading in Jewish Day Schools

Johannesburg’s Jewish Day Schools “far surpass anything else I know in this field,” Lord Segal of Wytham, a member of the Board of Governors of Anglo-Jewry’s Carmel College, told a distinguished gathering of leading Johannesburg Jews when he and Lady Segal and former Johannesburg Chief Rabbi L.I. Rabinowitz, who had come for the occasion from Israel, where he now lives, were guests of honor at a banquet given by the South African Board of Jewish Education to launch its Judge Kuper Education Foundation’s Bursary Fund for the King David Jewish Day Schools.

Lord Segal said that each week of his five weeks visit to this country had given him a heightened respect for the deep Jewishness and warm openheartedness of South African Jewry. The Jewish Day Schools he had inspected here were model institutions, promoting an ideal blend of three loyalties — to Judaism, to South Africa and to Israel. “Just as the great Afrikaans community of South Africa takes pride in its Dutch heritage, so the Jewish community can draw strength from its Jewish heritage,” he said. “Jewish names have been proudly associated with Afrikaner names in the upbuilding of this country. You can best repay all you have received from this wonderful country by contributing your distinctive culture as Jews, which the Jewish Day Schools are here to transmit to your children.”

Rabbi Rabinowitz said that in the 17 years he had served South African Jewry, the greatest communal achievement had been the establishment of the Jewish Day Schools. “Jewry the world over was in great danger from assimilative currents.” he said. “Jewish education was the certain means of resisting those currents and must not be retarded for lack of funds.” Chief Rabbi B.M. Casper introduced the distinguished guests. Louis Sachs, chairman of the S.A. Board of Jewish Education, announced several large donations initiating the campaign appeal, which evoked an outstanding response.