We are a diverse group of South African Jews who are dismayed by the situation that is unfolding in Israel and Palestine. Through it, the world has witnessed a catastrophic loss of life, and indeed, a loss of humanity. We mourn every life lost: Palestinian and Israeli.
We believe in the universal values of peace, justice and equality, and condemn in the strongest terms any and all violence against civilians, and against children in particular. We must hold to account those responsible for violence against civilians – whether perpetrated in Gaza, the West Bank, or Israel. We do so not in spite of our Jewish identity, but because of it. One of the core beliefs of Judaism is the sanctity of human life and the duty to preserve it, enshrined in the principle of pikuach nefesh.
The assault on Gaza follows an unprecedented and brutal attack by Hamas in southern Israel on 7 October. We are devastated that the lives of approximately 1200 Israelis, including 31 children, were lost to the gratuitous violence that occurred on this day. We grieve with the families whose loved ones were killed or taken as hostages.
We insist, however, that one heinous crime does not justify another. The experience of persecution and genocide is woven into our collective memory. We are therefore called upon to prevent it from happening again, anywhere, to anyone. Moreover, we have a particular obligation to oppose such atrocities especially when perpetrated in our name.
For this reason, we call for an immediate cease to Israel’s bombardment and blockade of Gaza. We condemn the denial of basic resources such as water, food, electricity, internet and medical supplies to Palestinian civilians. As of today, Israel’s campaign in Gaza has exacted a toll of at least 11,078 Palestinian lives, including 4,506 children*. We abhor the use of collective punishment, and see Israel’s response as dramatically disproportionate. We are distressed at the fact that this has taken place alongside state and settler led violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
We acknowledge that the current cycle of violence is rooted in decades of dispossession. We also acknowledge that this conflict is fundamentally asymmetrical in nature; between a powerful military force and a stateless people who have resisted the denial of their basic human rights for generations.
We note with great concern the rising incidence of Islamophobic and antisemitic hate crimes worldwide. We reject attempts to conflate the parties to this conflict with entire religious or ethnic groups, just as we reject the notion that criticism of the State of Israel necessarily constitutes antisemitism. As Jews with diverse views, we do not feel represented by the institutions who claim to speak on behalf of the South African Jewish community on Israel and Gaza.
We join the many voices worldwide calling for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and the release of all hostages and detainees unjustly held both in Gaza and in Israeli prisons. We believe that the only lasting solution to ensure genuine safety for all is one that secures the equal rights and dignity of all Israelis and Palestinians.
Signed by:
Aaron Jacobs
Aaron Sher
Abe Hayeem
Adam MaserowAdela Itzkin
Adrienne Shall
Aisha Gelb
Alan Fine
Alan Morris
Alan Hirsch
Alan Arnstein
Alex Abrahams
Alex Freeman
Alexa Scher
Alexander Dubb
Alexia Kaplan
Alison Todes
Alison Swartz
Alison Sher
Allan Horwitz
Allan Kaplan
Alli Appelbaum
Amy Kahn
Amy Simons
Amy Zinn
Andrea Lewis
Andrew Spiegel
Andrew Emdon
Andrew Nell
Andrew Brown
Andrew Colman
Andy Davis
Ann Bradlow
Anton Richman
Anton Harber
Antony Altbeker
Anya Mendel
Arlene Joffe
Ashley Fischhoff
Aubrey Blecher
Ava Ruff
Barak Setton
Barbara Segal
Barbara Jawitz
Basil Dubb
Ben Sanders
Benjamin Fogel
Benjamin Zar
Beth Silbert
Bethea Clayton
Bev Travill
Bianca Sossen Blaise Janichon (Goldin)
Bonita Alice
Brahm Fleisch
Brandon Finn
Brent Sender
Brett Steingo
Brian Coleman
Brian Slon
Brian Ruff
Brigette Barnett
Bryan Pieters
Cara Browde Carin Favis
Carmel Marock
Carol Steinberg
Carol Witz
Carole Lewis
Carole Bloch
Caroline White
Cathy Aaron
Caz Friedmann
Cecily Jacobson
Cheryl Cohen
Chloe Kiley
Claire Tuch
Claudette Davis Clive Greenstone
Clive Rubin
Clive Glaser
Colette Thorne
Colin Purkey
Colleen Radus
Craig Hart
Damon Galgut
Dan Jawitz
Dan Odendaal
Dan Keify
Dani Hovsha Dani Cooper
Dani Schlesinger Michelow
Daniel Sher
Daniel Linde
Daniel Hartford
Daniel Friedman
Daniel Petrie
Daniel Band
Daniel Gallan
Daniel Berger
Daniel Browde Daniel Crouch
Danielle Travill
Danielle Joffe
Danielle Pincus
Danny Bradlow
Dara Beth
Daryl Glaser
David Rosenthal
David Lubinsky
David Bass
David Eppel
David Lewis
David Fine
David Jammy
David Stoloff
David Freund
David Shandler
David Fig David De Jong
David Solomon
David Daitz
David Lurie
Deborah Posel
Delilah Stoloff
Derek Lubner
Desrae Saacks
Diana Edelstein
Diane Cooper
Diane Levine
Diane Fine
Diane Sandler
Dinky Levitt
Doron Isaacs
Dylan Kesler
Eduan Naude
Edward Wethli
Edwin Ritchken
Eli Goldblatt Eliza Kentridge
Emma Reitstein
Emma Daitz
Emma Botha
Emma Delius
Emmylou Savage
Eric Itzkin
Erica Elk
Erin Gordon
Ethan Jacobs
Evan Carman
Eve Mendel
Eve Terblanche
Frances Aron
Franny Rabkin
Gabriel Dubb
Gabriel Fine
Gabriella Saven
Gail Behrmann
Gail Super
Gary Berkowitz
Gavin Silber Gavin Pincus
Gemma Field
Geoff Budlender
Gideon Sweijd
Gila Simons
Gilad Isaacs Gilad Katzav
Gilbert Marcus
Gill Saks
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Graeme Sacks
Grant Sieff
Guy Daniel
Guy Simpson
Hal Cooper
Hannah Claassens (Wengrowe)
Hannah Fleisch
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Harold Kolnik Harold Epstein
Harriet Perlman
Hayli Geffen
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Helene Perold Henrietta Salter
Howard Varney
Ian Goldman
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Ilan Rosenstein
Ilana Stone
Ingrid Gavshon
Irwin Manoim
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Ivan Strasburg
Jack Lewis
Jack Fine
Jackie Maris
Jacob Hoffman
Jaimen Brown
Jake Lipman
Janet LubnerJanet Walt
Jaqui Perkes
Jarah Fluxman
Jarred Srot
Jay Goldstuck
Jay Savage
Jayden Simons
Jean Cohen
Jean Comaroff
Jeanne Freed
Jeff Rudin
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Jenna Searra
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Jenny Perkel
Jered Shorkend
Jeremy Baskin Jeremy Solnick
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Jessie Ayles
Jessie Lewis
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Jill Macdonald Jill Back
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Jonny Steinberg Jos Thorne
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