by RABBI E. J. DUSCHINSKY
THE last eighty years, which
brought the forebears of most of South African Jewry to this country, represent
the epoch of urbanisation in Jewish history. Up to the end of the nineteenth
century the majority of our people in Europe lived in small communities. The
"shtetl" was their abode. The middle of the twentieth century,
however, finds the Jewish people pre- dominantly metropolitan. More than
three-quarters of today's Jews live in cities like New York, Chicago, Buenos
Aires, London, Paris, Montreal - metropolises with millions of people. Even in
Israel the greatest concentration of the population is in the three main
cities, Tel-Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem.
This tendency also governs the
demographic pattern of South African Jewry. The early Jewish immigrants came to
this country, mostly from Lithuania, between 1880 and the twenties of this
century. Many of them came from small towns and settled in the rural areas of
South Africa. They established communities, built synagogues. organised their
own communal life, established Hebrew Schools and various societies. There are
over a hundred Jewish cemeteries throughout the Republic where the pioneers of
these communities found their rest.
The trend to urbanisation set in
during the thirties. A veritable trek started from the platteland into the
great urban centres. Dozens of rural communities were denuded. In some centres
which formerly had a congregation and a synagogue, there is not a single Jewish
resident left today. The tombstones in the Jewish cemetery of a town like Piet
Retief (and many others) are the only witnesses to Jewish communal life of
bygone times.
If you travel in the area
surrounding the Basutoland border, you are following in the footsteps of early
Jewish settlers in towns like Ladybrand, Zastron, Indwe, Dordrecht. Barkly
East, Maclear. In many dorps in the southern Free State, where Jewish communities
had ministers and full Jewish congregational life, no vestiges of that communal
life are left: as in Smithfield, Rouxville, Springfontein, Dewetsdorp,
Jagersfontein, Fauresmith, Koffiefontein. Towns in the Karroo, like Laingsburg.
Touws River, Calvinia, Van Rhynsdorp, Aberdeen, Molteno, Burghersdorp,
Hopetown, either have no Jewish residents, or less than five families each.
Notwithstanding the decline in
numbers and centres, there is still a considerable number of Jews on the
platteland. Even today there are close to forty fully functioning Hebrew
congregations in the rural areas of the Republic. Each of these congregations
has a Minister-Teacher, a synagogue, a Hebrew School and maintains regular
congregational facilities: there are weekly Synagogue services, Zionist and
charitable societies, social functions - in short, an organised Jewish life.
ACTIVE COMMUNITIES
The list of such centres is
impressive.
In the Transvaal there are:
Bethal, Carletonville-Fochville, Delmas, Ermelo, Klerksdorp, Leslie,
Lichtenburg, Middelburg, Nigel, Pietersburg, Potchefstroom, Rustenburg.
Vanderbijlpark, Volksrust, Warm-baths, Witbank.
In Natal: Pietermaritzburg and
Vryheid.
In the Orange Free State there
are: Bethlehem, Ficksburg, Heilbron, Kroonstad, Parys, Welkom,
In the Cape (Eastern Province)
there are Aliwal North, Cradock, Grahamstown, Queenstown, Kingwilliamstown.
In the Cape (Western Province):
Hermanus, Malmesbury, Mossel Bay, Oudtshoorn, Robertson, George.
In the Northern Cape there are:
Mafeking, Upington, Vryburg. This list does not include communities within an
easy distance of the great urban areas of Johannesburg and Cape Town. For the
purposes of considering the life of our platteland congregations, I do not list
Reef and adjoining towns in the Transvaal, or towns like Paarl, Stellenbosch,
Wellington, Worcester in the Cape, since the problems of such communities
situated near the two greatest concentrations of Jewish population in South
Africa are different from those of the small rural communities far away from
the centres of Jewish life.
SMALLER CENTRES
The fact that there is no
Minister in a rural town and that the communal facilities are not maintained
regularly, does not mean that there is no Jewish life in that town. There are
over thirty communities, formerly fully functioning congregations, whose present
numbers do not make regular communal life possible. Even in these towns, like
Brandfort, Winburg, Harrismith, Vrede, Odendaalrus, Henneman (in the O.F.S.),
or Brits, Bronkhorstspruit, Potgietersrus, Standerton (in the Transvaal),
Beaufort West, Caledon, De Aar, Springbok (in the Cape), some aspects of Jewish
life are maintained as regularly as possible under difficult conditions. High
Holiday services are held in the Shul. Kashruth services are available in most
towns, either by the periodic visit of a shochet, or by the arrangement of
dry-cooled meat shipments from bigger centres.
As far as the Office of the
Rabbi to Country Communities is aware, Jewish families live in no less than 220
rural towns.
The Bureau of Statistics
recently published the breakdown according to Religions of the data obtained
during the Population Census of 1960. In this breakdown, the total number of
Jews in the Republic is given as 116,066[i]. The total is exact, but the breakdown into
details is a "Sample Tabulation". It divides the Republic into 51
"Economic Regions", each consisting of a number of Magisterial
Districts. Because of the nature of the Sample, not all details are correct,
In order to evaluate the
accuracy of the Bureau of Statistics data, I compared the estimated figures
given in the Sample Tabulation of the most recent Census, within the exact
Census figures of 1951, as well as with data available from first-hand knowledge
to the Office of the Rabbi to Country Communities. It was simple to detect the
Tabulation's inaccuracy, say in "Economic Region 20", which includes
Umtata: the Tabulation shows the Jewish population of the region as zero,
whereas it is known that there are still Jews there, and even during Rosh
Hashanah of last year services were held at the Umtata Synagogue. But as a
rough guide, the Tabulation is not misleading.
Compared with the data of the
1951 census (which was based on exact figures of people counted during the
census, and not on estimated calculations of a "Sample Tabulation"),
the following comparative tables emerge for the country areas:
DWINDLING NUMBERS
The most important feature of
this table is that during the ten years between 1951 and 1960 the Jewish
population in rural areas has diminished by approximately 2,000 souls (or
approximately 20%), while overall Jewish population of the entire Republic had
increased by almost 7,500 (or 7%).
Equally important is the fact
that there were an estimated close to 9,000 Jews still living in the platteland
in 1960.
Most of the Jews who lived in
rural towns resided in the cities and towns of the platteland region. The
census figure gives 1,602 in areas described by the Bureau of Statistics as
“rural”: but this seems to represent the number living on farms; which means
there are another 7,000 Jews living in rural towns.
The number of Jews in the
Transvaal who left the rural areas since the 1950 census is not more than 10%:
in the Orange Free State it seems to be even less, probably due to the growth
of such centres as Welkom. Virginia and other industrial and mining towns: but
the drop in the number of Cape Country communities reaches or exceeds 30% of
their former numbers.
About 40% of rural Jewry today
lives in the Transvaal; the Orange Free State, and the entire Cape Province,
have about 25% each.
WHY THEY LEAVE
Yet a further study of our
available figures seems to indicate an important trend. The tendency for Jews
to leave the countryside is less marked where there are still functioning
congregations, more marked where there are no Jewish educational facilities for
the children and few possibilities of organised synagogue and social life. This
trend offers an insight into the motivating forces in rural Jewry. While there
is no doubt that economic reasons play an important part in their decision to
leave their country homes, financial considerations are not the only ones:
spiritual, social and educational motives certainly weigh heavily when such
decisions are taken. Adapting themselves to urban life presents difficulties in
many cases. The move is made mainly in order to give the children better
educational opportunities, and to satisfy the urge for a fuller synagogue and
Jewish social life, which their dorp cannot offer any more.
The civic position of the Jewish
community in rural areas is characterised by an atmosphere of mutual respect
and good neighbourly relations with their fellow citizens of other faiths. The
chairmen of the Jewish Congregations in towns like King William's Town, Fort
Beaufort, Vryheid and many others have had the honour of serving as mayors of
their towns, while many Jewish communal leaders serve on the municipal councils
in dozens of towns. There is a regular participation by the men and especially
by the ladies of the Jewish community in such activities as Rotary, Lions,
Skiet companies, National Council of Women, Vrouebond, as well as local and
regional charitable work. The same applies to the field of sport activities.
Apart from community in such activities as Rotary, the professions, industry
and farming is also growing, and they participate in every sphere of economic
endeavour. It is a well- known fact that Jews living in the rural areas are
thoroughly bilingual, and the overwhelming majority of their children receive
at least their elementary education in Afrikaans-medium schools.
EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
The most deeply-felt need among
Jewish families in the countryside is the lack of Jewish educational
facilities. The Hebrew schools which the small congregations maintain, educate
children only up to the age of 11-12 years. At this age most country families
face the need of sending their children to boarding schools, either because no
adequate high schools are available, or because of their wish to give their
children a better education.
A turning point in this regard
was reached last year, with the opening in Johannesburg and Cape Town of the
new King David and Herzlia hostels (apart from the hostel of Yeshiva College
which was opened a few years ago), to provide children from country areas with
a Jewish home environment. A similarly important step forward has been taken by
the establishment in Sea Point, by the Union of Jewish Women, of a residence
for young Jewish ladies from the countryside.
But even with these valuable
communal efforts, there will remain a substantial number of Jewish students in
several non- Jewish boarding school establishments all over the country. There
exists no uniform plan in our community concerning the Jewish religious
education of these children. A high leader of the Church of the Province of
South Africa brought to my attention the fact that there are Jewish students at
a boarding school at Mbabane, Swaziland, without any instruction in their
religious heritage. This problem, of course, should be brought home to the
respective parents before they decide to send their sons or daughters to
educational institutions where no facilities exist for any Jewish education for
their children in this impressionable age.
But the neglect of the parents
and the size of the problem ought to make it a communal duty to work out a
proper plan for at least a minimal Jewish educational programme which should be
offered to these young souls in our community.
The problem of Jewish tuition
for children who reside in rural areas, farms and villages which are not within
the reach of a congregation or Hebrew school is serious. Children of families
living in these remote areas cannot be sent away from home to a boarding school
at a tender age, before they reach the age of 10 or 11 years. If they get no
Jewish instruction whatever before that age, their chances of later becoming
integrated in a proper Jewish Day School, or even Talmud Torah, are impaired.
The Board of Deputies, through
its Country Communities Department, this year launched a home study course,
known as the Mother-Teachers Scheme. Its workshop committee, which prepares the
material sent to the mothers of young children (together with the necessary
instructions enabling any mother to teach her own children), was convened by
the Rabbi to the Country Communities, and consists of Mr. Z. Lenz, Director of
the Cape Board of Jewish Education, Mr. M. E. Katz, Principal of Herzlia
School, and Mr. J. Nowitz, Head of the Hebrew Department, Herzlia School. The
subjects taught in this Home Study Course are: Bible History, Laws and customs
and Hebrew. A gramophone record was produced with the name: "Teach Your
Children Hebrew Songs and Prayers": the participants in its preparation
were Ivor and Joel Lichterman, under the guidance of their father, Cantor J.
Lichterman of Vredehoek Synagogue, Cape Town, and Cantor Joseph Malovany of the
Yeoville Synagogue, Johannesburg. A second record in this series of audio-visual
aids to teach Hebrew reading and writing has been prepared by Mr. Nowitz of
Cape Town and Miss Dina Abramowitz of King David Primary School at Victory
Park, Johannesburg.
More than one hundred mothers
are participating in this Course, teaching more than two hundred children in
all provinces of the country. It is fascinating to visit these families, hear
the questions children ask the mothers who are also their teachers, and to see
their exercise books, their essays and drawings. In many cases their scheme has
induced the mothers themselves to undertake a deeper study of Judaism.
A modest children's monthly,
"Chayenu” - the only Jewish children's publication in this
country is published by the Country Communities Department and reaches 900
children in rural areas. The present situation in most areas of rural South
Africa makes it impossible for dwindling communities. to secure the services of
a minister or a teacher of their own. To overcome this difficulty, it is
necessary that "regions" be established, based on proper zoning, and
on the principle that smaller areas which are not too distant from a
congregation with its own minister should be served by the latter. In many
cases this plan has produced good results.
Too often, people living in
different towns of the same area do not know each other personally, and don't
get down to discussing their regional problems with one another. A feeling of
belonging together on a basis wider than their own towns has to be generated,
by helping the families of a wider area to make each other's acquaintance, and
by creating opportunities for wives and children as well as husbands to meet.
To achieve this, the institution
of "Family Day" has been introduced, in different areas. In the past
year, four such regional gatherings were organised with great success, and
proved very popular. The first Family Day was held at Wepener, with the
participation of the Bloemfontein H.O.D. It was followed by a Family Day at
Welkom, where families from no less than twelve towns were guests of the Welkom
community. Nelspruit was the venue of the next Family Day where scattered
families of six Eastern Transvaal centres met each other, many for the first
time. Another Family Day was held at Pietersburg. Families from all over the
Northern Transvaal spent a day together, some travelling more than 150 miles.
The spirit of friendship and the discovery of a mutual living interest in
Judaism was the reward both of the organisers and of the participants, both the
"hosts" and the "guests".
Pastoral visits are frequently
organised. The Rabbi to the Country Communities visits all rural centres in the
Republic, as well as all "outposts", calling at most of the centres
twice a year, reaching the Jewish families in Swaziland, too. During such
visits communal meetings are held, wherever the number of Jewish residents
warrants a public meeting. All families in isolated areas are visited in their
homes, and their religious and educational problems are discussed in the
atmosphere of trust. Many of the Rabbis of our larger centres have undertaken
Pastoral Tours, organised by the Country Communities. These visits create
personal contacts and help to break the feeling of isolation of distant
families from our community's organised life.
We were successful in helping a
number of country communities to solve the problem of ministerial vacancies.
Continued congregational life was ensured by the appointment of Rev. M.
Bernstein to Vryheid, Rev. M. O. Altschuler to Bethlehem, Rev. M. Shatz to
Malmesbury, Rev. O. Hellman to Rustenburg, Rev. A. Cohen to Middelburg Tvl.).
Officials for Yamim Noraim are
sent to smaller communities which can still manage to celebrate the Festivals
in their own small synagogues. Cemeteries are visited at least once a year and
care is taken that they are maintained in a dignified manner.
Nearly nine thousand Jews live in rural South Africa. As their numbers drop their problems increase. They deserve the helping hand of the "Big Brother", of the National Jewish Community. They are being given assistance within the limited financial and manpower facilities available to the community. While only about 8 per cent. of the Jewish population, they represent a warmhearted, staunch, faithful, vibrant element in our community - families and communities which consist of hospitable, kindly, serious folk, with a lively interest in every-thing Jewish. To know them and to work with them has been a satisfying spiritual experience.
[i] Subsequently revised to 114,762
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