“I know what the South African Jewish Ex-Service League has done, not only for the sons and daughters of your old Jewish comrades, but for our country as a whole,” South Africa’s Minister of Defense, J.J. Fouche, told members of the League. He was the guest of honor at the 40th anniversary banquet of the Cape Town branch of the League over the weekend. Other distinguished guests included the Naval Chief of Staff, Rear-Admiral H. Biermann, high-ranking Army officers and the Mayor of Cape Town.
Beginning his address with the Hebrew greeting. “Shalom,” Mr. Fouche said the Jewish people and the Afrikaner nation had a great deal in common. They might have their different approaches on domestic issues, but through contact–and it was a valuable contact–both groups could learn from each other. All groups had made their contributions to South Africa and all would defend what had been built up. They faced a common danger in Communism, which was trying to penetrate Africa and stir trouble where it could. South Africa was one of its targets, he said.
Dr. Henry Gluckman, a former Cabinet Minister, proposed the toast of “Our Country,” saying: “I speak as a South African, a Jew and a member of this organization. I share the admiration of the great story of South Africa and of the fantastic achievements of our country in very sphere of human and material endeavor.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
