Concerned South African Jews Call for Ceasefire
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
Adaiah Lilenstein
Adam Maserow
Adela Itzkin
Adrienne Shall
Aidan Mosselson
Aisha Gelb
Alan Fine
Alan Morris
Alan Hirsch
Alan Arnstein
Alex Abrahams
Alex Freeman
Alexa Scher
Alexander Dubb
Alexandra Kreuz Goldberg
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 Feinstein
Andrew Nell
Andrew Brown
Andrew Colman
Andy Davis
Ann Bradlow
Anthony Fish Hodgson
Anton Richman
Anton Harber
Anton van Diermen
Antony Altbeker
Anya Mendel
Arlene Joffe
Asha de Lanerolle
Ashley Fischhoff
Aubrey Blecher
Ava Ruff
Barak Setton
Barbara Klugman
Barbara Segal
Barbara Friedman
Barbara Jawitz
Basil Dubb
Belle Marx-Miller
Ben Sanders
Benjamin Bradlow
Benjamin Fogel
Benjamin Zar
Beth Silbert
Bethea Clayton
Bianca Sossen
Bonita Alice
Brahm Fleisch
Brandon Finn
Brenda Goldblatt
Brent Sender
Brett Steingo
Brian Coleman
Brian Slon
Brian Ruff
Brigette Barnett
Bryan Pieters
Cara Browde
Carin Favis
Carin Abramovitz
Carly Abramovitz
Carmel Marock
Carol Wengrowe
Carol Steinberg
Carole Lewis
Carole Abramovitz
Carole Bloch
Caroline White
Catherine Marcus
Cathy Aaron
Caz Friedmann
Cecily Jacobson
Cheryl Cohen
Chloe Kiley
Claire Tuch
Claudette Davis
Clive Greenstone
Clive Rubin
Colette Thorne
Colin Purkey
Colleen Radus
Craig Hart
Dale Washkansky
Damon Galgut
Dan Jawitz
Dan Odendaal
Dan Keify
Dani Hovsha
Dani Cooper
Daniel Sher
Daniel Linde
Daniel Mackintosh
Daniel Hartford
Daniel Friedman
Daniel Petrie
Daniel Band
Daniel Gallan
Daniel Berger
Daniel Browde
Danielle Travill
Danielle Joffe
Danielle Pincus
Danieyella Rodin
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 Daitz
Debbie Schkolne
Debbie Budlender
Debbie Staniland
Deborah Posel
Deirdre Richman
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
Eileen Weinronk
Elaine Unterhalter
Eli Goldblatt
Eliza Kentridge
Emma Reitstein
Emma Daitz
Emma Schneider
Emma Botha
Emma Delius
Emmylou Savage
Eric Itzkin
Erica Elk
Erin Gordon
Ethan Jacobs
Evan Wigdorowitz
Evan Carman
Eve Mendel
Eve Terblanche
Ezra-Rose Fleisch
Faye Falconer-Pincus
Frances Aron
Francesca Annenberg
Francis de Satge
Francois Petousis
Franny Rabkin
Gabriel Dubb
Gabriel Espi-Sanchis
Gabriel Fine
Gabriella Saven
Gabriella Kaplan
Gail Washkansky
Gail Behrmann
Gail Super
Gary Berkowitz
Gavin Silber
Gavin Pincus
Gemma Field
Georgi Annenberg
Georgia Altbeker
Georgia Saacks
Geraldine Glaser
Gideon Sweijd
Gila Simons
Gilad Isaacs
Gilad Katzav
Gilbert Marcus
Gill Saks
Gillian Hart
Gillian Finchilescu
Gina Fredman-Jacobson
Graeme Sacks
Grant Sieff
Guy Daniel
Guy Simpson
Hal Cooper
Hannah Claassens (Wengrowe)
Hannah Fleisch
Hannah Goldblatt
Hannah Savage
Harold Kolnik
Harriet Perlman
Harriet Gavshon
Hayli Geffen
Heather Silove Howe
Heather Schiff
Heidi Grunebaum
Helene Perold
Hillary-Gayle Barwin
Howard Varney
Ian Goldman
Ian Szapira
Ilan Strauss
Ilan Rosenstein
Ilana Stone
Imran Budlender
Ingrid Gavshon
Irwin Manoim
Isa-Lee Jacobson
Isabella Kentridge
Isabella Levitas
Ishvara Dayan
Ivan Strasburg
Jack Lewis
Jack Fine
Jackie Maris
Jacob Wheeldon
Jacob Hoffman
Jacob Claassens
Jacques de Satgé
Jacqui Benson-Mabombo
Jaimen Brown
Jake Lipman
James Bernstein
Janet Lubner
Janine Simon-Meyer
Jaqui Perkes
Jarah Fluxman
Jared Chaitowitz
Jarred Srot
Jarred Durbach
Jay Goldstuck
Jay Savage
Jayden Simons
Jean Cohen
Jeanette Isaacman
Jeanne Freed
Jeff Rudin
Jeffrey Meyer
Jemma Meintjies
Jenifer Rabinowitz
Jenna Searra
Jenna Bass
Jenna Jacobson
Jennifer Pogrund
Jenny Perkel
Jenny Wheeldon
Jered Shorkend
Jeremy Baskin
Jeremy Phillips
Jess Stillerman
Jess Auerbach
Jesse Harber
Jessica Sherman
Jessica Mayson
Jessica Horler
Jessica Wengrowe
Jessie Ayles
Jessie Lewis
Jessie Lazar Knott
Jill Thorne
Jill Schlachter
Jill Strelitz
Jillian Edelstein
Jo Silbert
Joceyln Freed
Jodi Wishnia
Jodie Dwolatzky
Joe Turpin
Joel Bolnick
Joel Simons
Joey Hasson
Johannes Dieterich
John Festenstein
Jonah Sack
Jonathan Berger
Jonathan Bloch
Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan Fluxman
Jonathan Weinberg
Jonathan Gevisser
Jonathan Yach
Jonny Steinberg
Jos Thorne
Joseph Goldblatt
Joseph Weinberg
Joseph Power
Joseph Sweijd
Joshua Maserow
Joshua Marcus
Joshua Gordon
Joshua Davis
Joshua Hartford
Joshua Lapid
Joshua Sehoole
Joshua Lipman
Joshua Hovsha
Joshua Blacher
Joy Sapieka
Judy Brown
Judy Favish
Judy Weis
Julia Chaskalson
Julia Shapiro
Julia Michalow
Julian Reitstein
Juliette Rose-Innes
Justin van Zyl
Justine Shear
Kabir Budlender
Kagiso Makgalemele
Kai Lockstone
Karin Brodie
Karina Turok
Karyn Levy-Philipp
Kate van Niekerk
Kate Abramovitz
Kathy Barolsky
Katy Menell
Katya Broomberg
Kayla Brown
Ke-tu-rah Zizipho Dhlamini
Keiran Peacock
Keith Witelson
Keith Gottschalk
Kelly Rosenthal
Kelly Kropman
Kelsey Shapiro
Kelsy Arden
Keren Setton
Kerry Petrie
Kevin Levy
Kevin Posen
Kevin Goldstein
Kezia Lilenstein
Kieran Brown
Kim Sacks
Kim Segel
Kira Gimpel
Kira Stone
Kira Schlesinger
Kristin Henry
Kyla-Rose Smith
Kylie Thomas
Larry Jasven
Larry Strelitz
Laura Czerniewicz
Laura Phillips
Laura Markovitz
Laura Chittenden
Laura Wener
Lauren Bock
Laurence Hamburger
Laurice Taitz-Buntman
Laurie Nathan
Leigh Whitesman
Leila Strelitz
Leila Bloch
Leila Stein
Leila Emdon
Leon Saven
Leon Levy
Leon Jacobson
Leonard Solms
Leslie London
Leslie Witz
Leslie Swartz
Lexi Ryman
Liane Durra
Liat Davis
Lilian Kaplan
Lily Manoim
Linda Cooper
Linzi Lewis
Linzi Fredman
Lionel Krause
Lisa Espi
Lisa Seftel
Lisa Segal
Lody Levy
Lorna Levy
Lorraine Levine
Louis Marcus Finn
Louisa Carman
Louise Renton
Louise Spitz
Luke Kaplan
Lula Grant
Lynda Levetan
Lyndall Gordon
Lynn Radford
Lynne Slonimsky
Madeleine Bazil
Maia Zway
Maia Lehr-Sacks
Mandy Barnett
Mani Kuti-Alexander
Marc Suttner
Margaret Green
Margaret Auerbach
Margie Gelb
Marilyn Jones
Marion Isaacs
Marissa Rollnick
Mark Fleishman
Mark Gevisser
Mark Saacks
Mark Orkin
Mark Steinbuch
Mark Jacobson
Mark Kaplan
Maryke Sher
Maureen Isaacson
Maureen Robinson
Max Ozinsky
Maxine Rubin
Maya Schkolne
Maya Aberman
Maya Marshak
Maya Goldman
Maya Super
Megan Bryer
Megan Choritz
Megan Lang
Meghan Finn
Melanie Judge
Melanie Horwitz
Melanie Chait
Melanie Hall
Melanie Samson
Melinda Silverman
Melissa Levin
Melvyn Freeman
Merle Favis
Merle Jawitz
Mervyn Bennun
Mervyn Sloman
Mia Candy
Mia Altbeker
Micaela Browde
Michael Moss
Michael Weinberg
Michael Kaplan
Michael Friedman
Michael Markovitz
Michael Hurwitz
Michael Levin
Michaela Verity
Michele Stein
Michelle Friedman
Michelle Adler Rogoff
Michelle Laufer
Mila Heneck
Miriam Altman
Mischa Blecher
Mitch Said
Mitchel Joffe Hunter
Moira Levy
Monique Horwitz
Monique Marks
Naashon Zalk
Nadia Randera
Nadia Dollie
Nadya Cohen
Nancy Krisch
Naomi Marshak
Natasha Pincus
Nathan Nadler-Nir
Nathan Eisen
Neil Tabatznik
Nelson Miranda
Neva Makgetla
Nic Fine
Nicholas Budlender
Nicholas Eppel
Nicholas Fine
Nick Groll
Nicky Falkof
Nicola Galombik
Nicola Soekoe
Nicole Franco
Nimi Hoffmann
Nimrod Zalk
Nina Barnett
Nina Frank
Nina Lang
Nina Abrahams
Nina Bloch
Noa Abramovitz
Noah Lubinsky
Noga Watt
Nompilo Sibisi
Olivia Welte
Orli Setton
Orrie Staschen
Pam Meyerowitz
Pam Britt
Pat Sidley
Patti Silbert
Paul Weinberg
Paul Mesarcik
Paul Hendler
Pearl Jantjies
Pedro Tabensky
Penny Smith
Peta Becker
Peter Mayson
Peter Barron
Peter Cohen
Peter Jaspan
Peter J Cooper
Philip Krause
Philip Miller
Phillipa Reinders
Phoebe Saacks
Phoenix Pincus
Pierre Dane
Pippa Segall
Rachel Balsham
Rachel Weisz
Rachel Catzel
Rafael Friedman
Rafael Lubner
Raleen Bagg
Ran Greenstein
Raphael Chaskalson
Raphael Segerman
Raymond Suttner
Raymond Brown
Rebecca Metz Ross
Rebecca Swartz
Rebecca Bradlow
Rebecca Sher
Rebecca Segall
Renay Weiner
Renee Usdin
Renée Bishop
Ribka Berhanu
Richard Kuper
Richard Levin
Richard Kaplan
Rifke Gellman
Riley Grant
Rina King
Robert Krause
Robert Schroder
Robert Freeman
Robin Scher
Robin Cohen
Robin Catzel
Robyn Fischhoff
Roland Dubb
Roland Kesler
Ronnie Simons
Ronnie Kasrils
Rosa Elk
Rosa Manoim
Rosamine Hayeem
Rosemund Handler
Roslyn Fish
Ross Engers
Roy Hunter
Ruby Wheeldon
Ruby Lapid
Ruby de Lanerolle
Russell Soffer
Ruth Morgan
Ruth Sacks
Ruth Carneson
Ruth Urson
Ruth Reichman
Ruth Nowosenetz
Ruth Cornick
Ryan Kaplan
Ryan Goldblatt
Sally Suttner
Sam Kentridge
Samantha Brener
Samir Gelb
Samuel Turpin
Samuel Shapiro
Sandra Caganoff
Sandra Kay
Sandy Chaitowitz
Sandy Paul
Sandy Szapira
Sarah Adcock
Sarah Zinn
Sarron Goldman
Saul Musker
Saul Johnson
Savanah Abramovitz
Sean Wasserman
Serna Kramer
Shannon Bernhardt
Sharon Fonn
Sharon Cort
Shaun Reznik
Shawn Slovo
Shayni Geffen
Sheila Barsel
Shelley Epstein
Shelley Bass
Shereen Usdin
Sigall Keify
Simeon Lilenstein
Simon Kaplinsky
Simon Shear
Simona Stone
Simone Petousis
Simone Honikman
Simone Shall
Simone Hoffmann
Simonne Horwitz
Sivan Zeffertt
Solly Levy
Sonia Horwitz
Sonja Woolff
Sonya Cotton
Sophie Hunter
Sophie Crawford
Sophie Douglas
Stacey Gibson
Stanley Ginsburg
Stephen Marcus Finn
Stephen Gelb
Stephen Cheifitz
Stephen Laufer
Steve Kahanovitz
Steven Fluxman
Steven Goldblatt
Steven Robins
Steven Markovitz
Steven Wolf
Steven Bradlow
Steven Budlender
Su Lubner
Sue Fawcus
Sue Pam-Grant
Sue Davidoff
Sue Isserow
Sue Kaplan
Sue Goldstein
Sue Starfield
Sue Rabkin
Suzy Bernstein
Sydelle Willow Smith
Tali Cassidy
Talia Simons
Talia Mayson
Talya Lubinsky
Talya Stein
Tanya Layne
Tanya Cohen
Tara Weinberg
Tariq Blecher
Terry Shakinovsky
Terry Kurgan
Tess Peacock
Tessa Abramovitz
Tessa Gordon
Tessa Dagut
Tevya Turok Shapiro
Tiffany Markman
Timothy Fish Hodgson
Toker Beverley
Tony Carr
Tony Fluxman
Tony Lachman
Tony Kaplan
Tracy Cohen
Trevor Sacks
Trevor Rosenfield
Trevor Bernhardt
Trevor Shapiro
Tymon Smith
Vanessa Barolsky
Vicki Davidoff
Vicky Alhadeff
Warren Wilensky
Warren Nebe
Weez Bramwell
Wendy Newstadt
William Kentridge
Yair Schkolne
Yda Walt
Yoni Bass
Yuval Nicolas Douglas Henshilwood
Yvonne Shapiro
Zandi Sherman
Zara Tonkil
Zara Julius
*Original letter had 5 November figures, current letter displays figures for 14 November, used at publication as per https://www.ochaopt.org/content/hostilities-gaza-strip-and-israel-reported-impact-day-39
