Jewish Report -(South Africa)

The Jewish Women’s Benevolent Society hosted a tea last week to acknowledge the contribution of volunteers past and present. It presented 60-Year Service Awards to Marlene Bethlehem and June Berger, and honoured others who have given many years of dedicated service. Current volunteers were also invited as a token of appreciation for the important work they continue to do. The morning included a delicious tea, warm company, and plenty of reminiscing and catching up. AppreciationJWBSVolunteers

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's security minister and leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, speaks during a political rally on September 1, 2026 in Netanya, Israel. (Photo by Amir Levy Getty Images) JTA – The 27 October elections have brought the concept of Palestinian emigration from Gaza to the forefront of Israeli political discourse.

Núcleo Nacional demonstrators raise their arms during a rally in Barcelona, Spain, September 2, 2026. (Albert Llop; NurPhoto) JTA – Dozens of far-right activists raised their arms in Nazi-style salutes and sang a Spanish fascist anthem in the heart of Madrid on Wednesday, amid protests against the government’s handling of migration.

Members of Likud party gather at a polling station for the primary elections of their party ahead of country's national elections, in Jerusalem on August 17, 2026. (Photo by lia Yefimovich; AFP) JTA – Israel’s High Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition by Israeli expatriates seeking to vote in the 27 October elections after discovering that they had been excluded from the voter rolls under a little-known Interior Ministry classification that records certain citizens as non-residents.

A banner reading 'Stop AfD Nazis' is seen during a demonstration against the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Sept. 7, 2026. (Emmanuele Contini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) JTA – A victory for Germany’s far-right party in an eastern federal state has reverberated across the globe, exposing the widening rifts between alarmed centrist leaders and insurgent nationalist movements in Europe.

Macklemore performs at the Goldencoast Rap Festival in Corcelles-les-Monts, near Dijon, central-eastern France, on August 30, 2026. (Photo by Arnaud Finistre AFP) JTA – The Israeli-American Council (IAC) is calling for rapper Macklemore to be dropped from the opening slot on pop star Ed Sheeran’s US tour for chanting “Free Palestine” and accusing Israel of apartheid and “genocide” during his performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Friday and Saturday nights.

Mark Ruffalo attends the European Gala Screening for Amazon's "Crime 101" at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on January 28, 2026 in London, England. (Kate Green Getty Images for Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment) JTA – Some 170 notable Jewish personalities have released an open letter defending actor and producer Mark Ruffalo, who has been accused of antisemitism for his comments on Paramount Skydance’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Teachers from Israel and South Africa learned from one another and forged professional and personal connections during a memorable visit to Johannesburg by the Jewish Agency for Israel’s P2G (Partnership2Gether) programme. They worked with pupils in the classroom and met principals and teachers, sharing ideas and leading engaging professional development sessions. In one fun activity, children learned words in Hebrew for vegetables, food, and cooking.

Gavin Kaplan, the Boland and South Africa A batsman, describes his batting in musical terms. He talks of “rhythm” and “being in tune” with his game. The words are useful because batting at its most fluent is akin to making music. You hit the ball sweetly, you and your bat are one. It’s not much different to playing a melody or playing your part in the orchestra. After hours and hours of numbing practice, everything unfolds with mellow, liberatingly thoughtless ease.

Protesters outside the court room In a landmark judgment that curtails antizionist hate, the Western Cape High Court has stopped the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), and its supporters, from defaming, targeting, and harassing Cape Union Mart, its brands, and its executive chairperson, Philip Krawitz.