Talks are in order

THESouth African Jewish Board of Deputies has criticised Obed Bapela, the ANC’s subcommittee chairperson for his ill-conceived call for review of South Africa’s dual-citizenship policy.

In doing so, he purposely singled out South African Jews serving in the Israeli military. He did not expressly say so, but his agenda was likely to question the loyalty of the Jewish community to South Africa.

A spokesperson for the Jewish Board of Deputies, in rebuttal, declared that “the Jewish community has played an active and integral role in building South Africa”. A position that is factually correct post-1994, but not entirely historically accurate.

During the apartheid regime, a minority of South African Jewish activists courageously opposed apartheid. They were either jailed or exiled. Within the Jewish community itself, activists (of which I was one) were considered political lepers whose actions could have an impact on the well-being of the community as a whole.

The Jewish Board of Deputies was no different; its silence on the evils of apartheid was deafening and cowardly. It has condemned Bapela for questioning Jewish loyalty to South Africa but, arguably from Bapela perspective, the tacit complicity of the Jewish establishment during the apartheid era likely remains a thorn in his side.

The time is right for both parties to engage in a dialogue to establish a foundation for mutual understanding.