The Jews of South Africa

Nadene Goldfoot                                                                         

Johannesburg, South Africa; only the flag tells me this is not a picture of the USA.
The flag of South Africa was adopted on 27 April 1994, at the beginning of South Africa's 1994 general election, to replace the flag that had been used since 1928. The new national flag  was chosen to represent the new democracy.

Jews went to South Africa during the early 19th century. By 1992 they had a population of 120,000 Jews in South Africa. By July 2014, the core Jewish population was 70,000.  The expanded population was from 80,000 to 92,000 Jews.   The first synagogue built there was organized in Capetown in 1841.  Many of the Jewish settlers were traders and peddlers, traveling among the Boer farmers.  Later, they tended to move to towns.  Many Jews emigrated  to South Africa, including a number from Eastern Europe after gold was discovered toward the end of the 19th century.
                                                                               

Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein at a Nelson Mandela Memorial Ceremony.
Despite vicious anti-Semitic rhetoric going on, he attended.  Mandela was very anti-Semitic.  Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, and philanthropist, who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. In September 1998, Mandela was appointed Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement, who held their annual conference in Durban. He used the event to criticise the "narrow, chauvinistic interests" of the Israeli government in stalling negotiations to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Notice, he put all the blame on Israel and not the Palestinians ruled by Arafat who would not make peace under any conditions offered.   Mandela faced  criticism from the West for his government's trade links to Syria, Cuba, and Libya,  and for his personal friendships with Fidel Castro and Muammar Gaddafi.  Now we see why he was against Israel and for the Arabs.  

 Johannesburg became the main center of Jewish settlement.  In South Africa, Jews enjoyed political equality in Cape Colony and Natal.  They had it in the Transvaal only after the 2nd Boer War.  The rabbis of the principal congregations in both Johannesburg (Jewish population: 63,620) and Cape Town (Jewish population  of Cape Peninsula: 28,000) have Chief Rabbis and 65 synagogues are affiliated to the Orthodox Federation of Synagogues.

A Reform movement, started in 1933, has 14 affiliated congregations.  there is a wide network of Jewish education, with 69 nursery schools, 10 primary schools, and 8 high schools.
                                                                             

Stanley and Helen Goldfoot of Jerusalem
Family was from Telsiai, Lithuania, then Dublin, Ireland 

It was Stanley Goldfoot who left after graduating high school and emigrated to Israel in 1933. He boarded a ship alone at age 18, and when in the middle of the ocean, the ship hoisted a Nazi flag.   He was afraid that he would never get to Israel.  He was the very first Jew to immigrate to Israel from South Africa.

In younger days, Stanley with 1st wife, Rebecca "Rollo" and 2 daughters,
born in Capetown, SA. 

At the age of 18, he heard a speech about the Zionist vision by Ze'ev Jabotinsky, which 

appealed very strongly to him. It was all he needed to hear before packing 

a bag, leaving a shocked family and heading for Palestine. He joined a 

HaShomer HaTzair kibbutz, picking eggplants in the fields, and making floor 

tiles, "balatot". There, he became the Chief of Intelligence for the famous Stern Group (Lehi)  which was very active in the days before May 14, 1948 when Israel was born again.

"Israel maintained deepening military and diplomatic ties with South Africa between 1967 and 1990.  There is also a modest but growing community of South African Jews living in Israel."

A large immigration of Jews came to South Africa after World War I, when the Lithuanians came in.  Restrictions were put on them during the 1930s which limited the immigration, in which many did come that were German Jews, naturally. The 30s was the time of terrible anti-Semitism in Germany.  After 1939, when Germany closed the door to German Jews emigration, the Jewish immigration was negligible, although it has increased again starting in the 1980s.
                                                                           

Abba Eban b: 1915 Cape Town, South Africa-d: 2002 Tel Aviv, Israel, Israeli diplomat and politician, and a scholar of the Arabic and Hebrew languages.
He also served in the British Army in Egypt and Mandate Palestine

Another famous South African  who emigrated to Israel was Abba Eban, who was the Foreign Minister of Israel from 1966 to 1974.  "In his career he was Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Education Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and ambassador to the United States and to the United Nations. He was also Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly and President of the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Any emigration early on  from South African Jews had gone to Israel, but now more people have emigrated to other English-speaking countries. "South African Jewry differ significantly from those in other developing countries in that the majority of South African Jews still remain in South Africa (62% of the original 120,000 still remain), and that a significant number of those that did move abroad went to countries popular among other South African émigrés such as Australia,^] the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
                                                                               

Standing against anti-Semitism in South Africa 

The remaining Jews are well-organized and have a high degree of centralization with the Board of Deputies as its representative organization.  They also have a strong Zionist Federation.  This year they have the South African Friends of Israel Conference on their calendar, the SAZF Advocacy Group (South African Zionist Federation).
                                                                           

Capetown, South Africa

Many Jews that wound up in South Africa originally came from Lithuania.  First they had gone to England, and then Dublin, Ireland.  From there they made their way to South Africa.  A large number of the Irish immigrants were from the shtetl or small town of Akmiyan (Akmene), or townships like that in the province of Kovno (Kaunas) in Lithuania to where their ancestors had trekked from the Rhineland before Lithuania passed from Polish to Russian control in 1772.  They had been invited in by the Polish princes who wanted to colonize their lands.  The Jews had brought the added benefit of trading expertise to areas where such commercialism was closed to serfs and considered too menial for high-born Polish families.  But they did find a certain amount of anti-Semitism later on in Ireland, being it was mostly a Catholic country.  This is the route my Goldfus/Goldfoot family took, and I found today's Goldfoots in South Africa did come from Ireland first.

Resource: Book:  Jewish Ireland, a social history, by Ray Rivlin.  (I might add that he is a relative, no doubt, of today's President Rivlin of Israel.)p. 32.
The New Standard Jewish encyclopedia, page 19.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_population_by_country
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_South_Africa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abba_Eban
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Eban.html
http://www.timesofisrael.com/despite-vicious-anti-semitic-rhetoric-south-african-jews-say-daily-life-not-disrupted/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela

SAL Self-Action Leadership Seminar: Full Seminar

The following video is the full Self-Action Leadership seminar presented February 21, 2015. It details the background, theory, and model of this groundbreaking new self-leadership field.

SAL Book: A Moral Imperative

Self-Action Leadership is a derivative of self-leadership theory (more on this later). A key difference between Self Action Leadership (SAL), and plain old self-leadership (S-L), is that SAL theory invokes a moral imperative, while S-L theory is morally neutral—at least implicitly. SAL theory maintains that contributing to the long-term well-being of others is at least as important as earning Existential Growth yourself.
SAL raises the bar on S-L by taking into account the existence of True Principles in life, the world, and the universe. True Principles come in the form of causes and consequences that set the price for acquiring lasting success. For example, if you want oranges, you’d better not plant apple seeds. If you wish to be fit, you’d better get off the couch and exercise regularly. There is no other way. You cannot cheat natural systems.

“Natural Laws have consistent, predictable consequences. They exist whether or not we recognize them. And they exert their effects on us without our consent or awareness. … If we internalize [them] … we can significantly increase our personal productivity and happiness. … If you apply them, you will find inner peace, perhaps the most desirable gift you can obtain in this life.”[1]

– Hyrum W. Smith

(1943-Present)

Many of the world’s most evil and selfish people are (or were) quite effective self-leaders. History’s most salient example of evil self-leadership is Adolf Hitler. A talented, disciplined, and remarkably capable self-leader, this fiendish führer effectively used a variety of “behavioral and cognitive strategies”[2] toward achieving his ambitious geopolitical aims. The problem, of course, was that his actions were ruthless, immoral, and self-serving. The worst war and genocide in human history resulted from the remarkable self-leadership of this fiend.

Because Hitler ignored True Principles (a moral compass) in the pursuit of his grand objectives, his self-leadership results had a relatively short shelf life; the thousand-year reign he promised lasted only 12 years. Along the way, five to seven million Germans died—not to mention the tens of millions of soldiers and civilians slaughtered by the Nazi war machine. By the time he took his own life in 1945, much of Europe was in shambles. The scope of atrocity and destruction mirrored his talent and influence as a self-leader and leader of others.

SAL provides the moral compass that S-L theory lacks. SAL empowers you to not just permanently succeed, but to benefit others while doing so. When your time in this world is done, you can leave behind a lasting legacy that will make all who know you proud, and continue to positively impact those you leave behind. S-L can help you to do great (or terrible) things. SAL, on the other hand, can empower you to actually become great through doing good things.

To better illustrate the difference between evil self-leadership and moral Self-Action Leadership, compare and contrast the lives of Adolf Hitler and Nelson Mandela. Ironically, these two men’s journeys actually resembled each other in some ways in their earlier years. For example, both men had axes to grind for real and perceived injustices inflicted on them by family, institutions, or nations. Both were intelligent, capable men who were passionate about their country. Both worked assiduously and fought vigorously to bring about national changes in their respective nations. Moreover, in their efforts to bring about change, both men were eventually imprisoned for contributing to civil unrest (albeit Mandela was imprisoned much longer than Hitler).

The profound moral separation between these two historical figures was realized in the way in which they chose to respond to their respective imprisonments. Hitler used his time to let his bitterness fester and ferment. This led him to write Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”), Hitler’s famous philosophical treatise that argues for anti-semitism, Aryan supremacy, and German nationalism and power. Mandela’s heart, on the other hand, was softened in prison. Guided by the principles of self-reliance and personal power championed in William Ernest Henley’s poem, Invictus, Mandela charted a whole new course for his life that he pursued with integrity upon his release.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.[3]

Nelson’s positive transformation in prison led him to become President of his country, which led to the formal end of the evil, racist practices of apartheid. Both Hitler and Mandela were remarkable self-leaders, but only Mandela can be credited with being an effective self-action leader. This historical contrast underscores the importance of exercising morally informed Self-Action Leadership in place of morally neutral self-leadership. What different legacies Hitler and Mandela left behind for others to observe, study, and reflect upon! Self-leadership is easily hijacked by tricksters and tyrants seeking to swindle and subjugate. Self-Action Leadership is the domain of men and women seeking to practice fidelity to True Principles.

A TEXTBOOK FOR LIFE

I’m not the first to invoke the phrase “moral imperative” to describe SAL related principles. Daniel Goleman elevated emotional intelligence – a topic related to both S-L and SAL – to the same status, calling it a “pressing moral imperative”[4] in our postmodern society.

There are times when the fabric of society seems to unravel at ever-greater speed, when selfishness, violence, and a meanness of spirit seem to be rotting the goodness of our communal lives. … Those who are at the mercy of impulse—who lack self-control—suffer a moral deficiency: The ability to control impulse is the base of will and character. … And if there are two moral stances that our times call for, they are … self-restraint and compassion.[5]

Goleman continues by pointing out that temperaments can be changed, and that the time for rewiring bad emotional circuits should begin early:

Our genetic heritage endows each of us with a series of emotional set-points that determines our temperament. But brain circuitry involved is extraordinarily malleable; temperament is not destiny. … This means that childhood and adolescence are critical windows of opportunity for setting down the essential emotional habits that will govern our lives.[6]

To confront these challenges and embrace these opportunities, Goleman, “Forsee[s] a day when education will routinely include inculcating essential human competencies such as self-awareness, self-control, and empathy, and the arts of listening, resolving conflicts, and cooperation.”[7] M. Scott Peck, M.D. added his “two cents to the fire”[8] by expressing his desire to see a “program of mental health education in our public schools,” along with teaching the “old proverbs.”[9] An explicit goal of this book, and the express role of Freedom Focused, is to further the visions of Goleman, Peck, and all other exponents of this exceedingly worthy educational goal.

SAL is interested in the weightier matters of life and education. It is an umbrella topic that includes, but is not limited to a host of vital topics that every human being must study and practice if they seek lasting happiness, success, and growth. These topics include, but are not limited to:

Integrity                        Morality                    Courage
Patience                        Discipline                 Self-restraint
Self-Control                 Self-Regulation         Emotional intelligence
Determination              Persistence                Consistence
Balance                        Kindness                    Compassion
Humility                       Compassion              Empathy
Forgiveness                  Interpersonal skills    Frugality
Insight                          Foresight                   Hindsight
Generosity                   Wisdom                     Temperance
Tolerance                     Hard work                 Goal setting
Loyalty                         Love                         Self-Awareness
Values identification   Values clarification   Values prioritization
Vision                          Mission                     Endurance
Enthusiasm                  Realism                     Optimism
Faith                            Respect                      Reverence
Duty                             Honor                        Truth.

Despite the self-evident importance of these topics, isn’t it strange how you won’t find a single comprehensive academic text on these subjects? Amidst the mountain of textbooks out there, where is the textbook on life itself? Where is the syllabus for being an effective human being? Where on the Internet can you locate a holistic guide for effectively navigating Planet Earth? You will not find it in schools, colleges, universities, or even online… until now.

There are many ideologies, religions, philosophies, dogmas, and creeds, and each has books that promote their doctrine. Many of these books, which typically deal with topical, or peripheral SAL issues, are good books worth reading. I am unaware, however, of a non-ideological and non-religious, yet comprehensive and academic Guide to Being Human. I have therefore determined to write one myself. I have designed it to serve as a storybook, poetry book, textbook, and workbook all at the same time. This will allow you to read, ponder, mark, study, write, plan, and set goals all in one place.

If you are ready to go to work, read on…


[1] Smith, H.W. (1994) The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management: Proven Strategies for Increased Productivity and Inner Peace. New York, NY: Warner Books. Pages 14-15.
[2] Neck, C.P. & Houghton, J.D. (2006). Two Decades of Self-Leadership Theory and Research: Past Developments, Present Trends, and Future Possibilities. Journal of Managerial Psychology. Volume 21, Issue 4, p. 270-295. DOI 10.1108/02683940610663097. Page 270.
[3] Invictus by William Ernest Henley. In Cook, R.J. (1958/1997). One Hundred and One Famous Poems: With a Prose Supplement (Revised Edition). Lincolnwood, IL: Contemporary Books.
[4] Goleman, D. (1995) Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More than IQ. New York, NY: Bantam. Page xii.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid. Page xiii.
[7] Ibid. Page xiv. For a further discussion on these Pedagogies of Personal Leadership for students of all ages, see BOOK THE FOURTH.
[8] Phrase coined by France Nielson, a college buddy of mine.
[9] Peck, M.S. (1993). Further Along the Road Less Traveled: The Unending Journey Toward Spiritual Growth, The Edited Lectures. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster. Page 143.

Nelson Mandela 1918-2013: Lessons in Inner Change

This week's post is written in honor and memory of Nelson Mandela, one of the most influential leaders of the 20th Century.  Mandela died last Thursday.

You know someone is a big deal when their likeness is cast in bronze in a prominent place in a major World City 6,000 miles away from his home country.  Thus it is with Nelson Mandela, whose statue resides near Westminster Abbey in London.  To give you an idea of the impact of this man on the World stage, consider this fact: The only other non-British statue I saw in the vicinity was of Abraham Lincoln.

A key component of Self-Action Leadership is Emotional Intelligence.  This includes the capacity to allow your heart to be changed, rejecting feelings of bitterness, anger, and revenge to embrace emotions of peace, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness.  This means developing the kind of inner strength where your central identity is no longer a victim of external realities beyond your control, but is rooted in your freedom to control your thoughts, speech, and actions.
Mandela was once guilty of sedition and conspiracy to commit violence in an attempt to achieve his political aims.  While his quest began by practicing Gandhi-esque civil disobedience, it ultimately evolved into a rasher variety of martial resistance.  Regardless of the ends Mandela and his cohorts were targeting, their means were both illegal and morally questionable, to say the least.  As a result, his famous imprisonment was not, as some may mistakenly assume, entirely unmerited.  Had his story ended in prison, or in his release and return to bad habits, his legacy would have turned out very differently.  Mandela himself has suggested that his imprisonment was a blessing in disguise because it may have prevented him from harming others unjustly.

But something happened in prison that changed his heart.  27 years is a long time to think, and Mandela did a lot of it behind bars.  Instead of allowing himself to grow increasingly hateful of his prejudiced and bigoted captors, Mandela began to exercise the only authentic power that he -- or any of us -- have as Self-Action Leaders: The power to control his thoughts, speech, and actions.

Inspired by the William Ernest Henley's great poem, Invictus, Mandela began to discover the power he held in his hands to transcend the victimhood he had previously felt under the unfair system of Apartheid.  By the time he was released from Prison 27 years later, he was truly a changed man.

Building on the foundation of inner freedom he developed in prison, he abandoned his former attempts to harm the antagonists of his people's equality, and his influence began to emanate throughout his country and the World.  Carefully and compassionately riding the wave of his well earned moral authority, he eventually rose to the top office in his country, and the rest -- including Apartheid as South Africa once knew it -- is history.

I have great respect for this remarkable leader and man.  Nelson Mandela's life is evidence that we can have our very natures changed if we are willing to do our part to ponder, pray, reflect, work, wait, and persist in hardship.  I pay homage to his memory, and honor his legacy in hopes it will continue to positively impact the people of this World.

In our busy World that revolves around technology, information, and entertainment, it is easy to get so caught up in it all that we fail to take time out to ponder -- and I mean really ponder -- life's meaning, purpose, vision, mission, values, and long-term goals.

The Self-Action Leadership theory and model are designed to show you how to take the time and effort -- without having to spend time in prison -- required that leads to emotional intelligence and higher levels of Self-Leadership Efficacy.

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,

    Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

    For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

    I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

    My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

    Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

    Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

    How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate :

    I am the captain of my soul.”[1]

Read about the 2009 film Invictus about Nelson Mandela.  Directed by Clint Eastwood, Starring Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon 

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[1] Reprinted from Poems by William Ernest Henley (1919).  Charles Scribner’s Sons.  New York, NY. Pg. 119.