I don't know your age but when Israel was selling arms to SA former regime I thought this will come back to bite them ....so SA current hostility to Israel...maybe it would be the same no matter what Israel did in the eighties. I don't see future for Jews in any but the English speaking democracies and SA isn't and Israel.
Many excellent comments here; thoughtful, intelligent, compassionate even empathetic. Nevertheless, for one so smart, accomplished and articulate, the writer is delusional … the writing has been on the wall for decades! Not just for Jews, for whites! Yes, fighting the good fight, combating the enemy of the just and right from within the system is laudable but from the earliest days … even from before Madiba’s release, has been a fools errand. The grasping, self-dealing of the Marxists was always thus. South Africa was a product of Africa and despite all attempts to refute that fact was always destined to revert to Africanization. That is not a racist observation but simply one of observed reality. Yes, ‘Jews have always waited too long’ but there have always been Jews who are visionaries, who are clear-eyed and bold enough to take the bull by the horns and leave in the vanguard. Having fled the inevitable decline in the 80’s to protect my children, my life and my sanity I can only advise remaining South African Jews in particular and whites in general to make the difficult decision and go. Yes it is nowhere Paradise, not in the US, not in the UK, not in Oz, not even in Israel itself and the uprooting of a life, of a home, of a comfort, familiarity and ease will never be regained … at the very least you will be able to breathe a sigh of relief, breathe free and watch your children flourish. Go. Go now! We did … and never looked back.
Based on what you write, it is clear that you cannot stay in South Africa. You're telling me that the leadership is comprised of pro-Hamas types and actual Islamists. Are you kidding me? And what, I wonder, was the conclusion of the organization that came to visit in order to determine whether the Jews should be evacuated? If I were you, I would sell my home and anything else could be sold, not tell anyone my intentions, and get on a plane and never return.
Jews in SA, 7Oct was a wake up call for all Jews living in the diaspora. It is staring us all in the face that the only place for us Jews has always been and will always be Israel. We will all be very smart, to take what we now have and do aliyah to Israel, before we have less to take and while we still have our lives to take with us.
The goyim, many of whom we thought were our friends have spoken very clearly after 7Oct, with their antisemitism and their hatred for our only home, Israel.
Sadly sounds like time to go. Appalling how the South African leaders responded. Know a South African writer who moved to Britain. Very unhappy with the govt there.
A very sad and moving article by Howard Sackstein that I wish I could refute but I can’t. Everything he says is sadly, undeniably true. South Africa is a failed state that’s going down the drain under the very poor leadership of Cyril Rhamphosa and the corrupt and incompetent ANC. After Nelson Mandela decided not to run for another term as President, South Africa descended into a downward spiral it has never recovered from. Antisemitism and hatred for Israel is at an all-time high in the country and Jews and Zionists are being forced to hide their identity. The current South African government has made it clear they stand with the Islamist rapists in Hamas. They completely downplayed October 7th and accused Israel of genocide at the ICJ. It’s pretty rich listening to the same people who pal around with Russia, China, Iran, Fatah, and Hamas shedding crocodile tears for Palestinians and pretending they care a lick about human rights. Regardless, the situation for South African Jews is what it is. They’ve given so much to their country over the decades but it doesn’t do anything for them. I’m sorry to say that I advise all South African Jews to make arrangements to make aliyah to the land of milk and honey or to get on a plane to the land of the free and the home of the brave. I’m very sorry to say I don’t see a future for the Jewish community in South Africa. Post-Apartheid South Africa has been a massive disappointment! Even staunch anti-Apartheid activist Helen Suzman was disappointed with the new South Africa. The clowns who followed Mandela into the Presidency were all disasters. The Apartheid system itself was without question brutal, unjust and repressive. But there’s no denying black South Africans generally lived well and had plenty of economic and educational opportunities during that time. Now all that prosperity is gone and most black South Africans live in poverty. Not to mention education for your average black South African is substandard. Nelson Mandela would role over in his grave seeing what his country became. South African Jews were disproportionately represented among those whites who fought to end the Apartheid system. But what thanks have they gotten for it? Not much. The country is plagued by poverty, crime, drugs, homelessness, food insecurity, antisemitism, racial tension, xenophobia, and political and social instability. South African Jews have no opportunities or hope for a brighter future if they stay in the country. Israel and the United States offer them both of those things. I as an American would welcome South African Jewish immigrants to our shores!
I feel sick when I read this. It’s time for all of us who believe in justice and humanity to rise up and speak out against this blatant racism. So ironic that South Africa, which for so long was a pariah due to its apartheid policies against its black population and people of colour, should now bring them back in again against the Jewish community. Disgusting.
In the author's long list of SA's hostile actions towards Israel and Jews, he curiously never mentions SA's lawfare blood libel charges at the ICJ and ICC that Israel is guilty of war crimes and genocide. Wonder why this glaring omission?
Helen Suzman is one of the finest people Jewish culture has ever produced in the Commonwealth. I bet her ghost is seriously wondering whether she chose the correct side during the apartheid years.
With Slovo I don't have any doubts however - Marxists always put their ideology ahead of anything else, they would sell their own mothers of the dialectic said so.
I don't know your age but when Israel was selling arms to SA former regime I thought this will come back to bite them ....so SA current hostility to Israel...maybe it would be the same no matter what Israel did in the eighties. I don't see future for Jews in any but the English speaking democracies and SA isn't and Israel.
Come to the US. There are many South African Jews here.
Many excellent comments here; thoughtful, intelligent, compassionate even empathetic. Nevertheless, for one so smart, accomplished and articulate, the writer is delusional … the writing has been on the wall for decades! Not just for Jews, for whites! Yes, fighting the good fight, combating the enemy of the just and right from within the system is laudable but from the earliest days … even from before Madiba’s release, has been a fools errand. The grasping, self-dealing of the Marxists was always thus. South Africa was a product of Africa and despite all attempts to refute that fact was always destined to revert to Africanization. That is not a racist observation but simply one of observed reality. Yes, ‘Jews have always waited too long’ but there have always been Jews who are visionaries, who are clear-eyed and bold enough to take the bull by the horns and leave in the vanguard. Having fled the inevitable decline in the 80’s to protect my children, my life and my sanity I can only advise remaining South African Jews in particular and whites in general to make the difficult decision and go. Yes it is nowhere Paradise, not in the US, not in the UK, not in Oz, not even in Israel itself and the uprooting of a life, of a home, of a comfort, familiarity and ease will never be regained … at the very least you will be able to breathe a sigh of relief, breathe free and watch your children flourish. Go. Go now! We did … and never looked back.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/should-we-stay-or-should-we-go-2/
Based on what you write, it is clear that you cannot stay in South Africa. You're telling me that the leadership is comprised of pro-Hamas types and actual Islamists. Are you kidding me? And what, I wonder, was the conclusion of the organization that came to visit in order to determine whether the Jews should be evacuated? If I were you, I would sell my home and anything else could be sold, not tell anyone my intentions, and get on a plane and never return.
Jews in SA, 7Oct was a wake up call for all Jews living in the diaspora. It is staring us all in the face that the only place for us Jews has always been and will always be Israel. We will all be very smart, to take what we now have and do aliyah to Israel, before we have less to take and while we still have our lives to take with us.
The goyim, many of whom we thought were our friends have spoken very clearly after 7Oct, with their antisemitism and their hatred for our only home, Israel.
Let's go!!
You’ve done what you can and showed immense courage. All South African Jews, please come to America.
Sadly sounds like time to go. Appalling how the South African leaders responded. Know a South African writer who moved to Britain. Very unhappy with the govt there.
A very sad and moving article by Howard Sackstein that I wish I could refute but I can’t. Everything he says is sadly, undeniably true. South Africa is a failed state that’s going down the drain under the very poor leadership of Cyril Rhamphosa and the corrupt and incompetent ANC. After Nelson Mandela decided not to run for another term as President, South Africa descended into a downward spiral it has never recovered from. Antisemitism and hatred for Israel is at an all-time high in the country and Jews and Zionists are being forced to hide their identity. The current South African government has made it clear they stand with the Islamist rapists in Hamas. They completely downplayed October 7th and accused Israel of genocide at the ICJ. It’s pretty rich listening to the same people who pal around with Russia, China, Iran, Fatah, and Hamas shedding crocodile tears for Palestinians and pretending they care a lick about human rights. Regardless, the situation for South African Jews is what it is. They’ve given so much to their country over the decades but it doesn’t do anything for them. I’m sorry to say that I advise all South African Jews to make arrangements to make aliyah to the land of milk and honey or to get on a plane to the land of the free and the home of the brave. I’m very sorry to say I don’t see a future for the Jewish community in South Africa. Post-Apartheid South Africa has been a massive disappointment! Even staunch anti-Apartheid activist Helen Suzman was disappointed with the new South Africa. The clowns who followed Mandela into the Presidency were all disasters. The Apartheid system itself was without question brutal, unjust and repressive. But there’s no denying black South Africans generally lived well and had plenty of economic and educational opportunities during that time. Now all that prosperity is gone and most black South Africans live in poverty. Not to mention education for your average black South African is substandard. Nelson Mandela would role over in his grave seeing what his country became. South African Jews were disproportionately represented among those whites who fought to end the Apartheid system. But what thanks have they gotten for it? Not much. The country is plagued by poverty, crime, drugs, homelessness, food insecurity, antisemitism, racial tension, xenophobia, and political and social instability. South African Jews have no opportunities or hope for a brighter future if they stay in the country. Israel and the United States offer them both of those things. I as an American would welcome South African Jewish immigrants to our shores!
It is always time to go, especially for Jews, but only to return to their land on an alien world.
Really sorry to hear this. Israel or the United States. That’s your best bet.
I feel sick when I read this. It’s time for all of us who believe in justice and humanity to rise up and speak out against this blatant racism. So ironic that South Africa, which for so long was a pariah due to its apartheid policies against its black population and people of colour, should now bring them back in again against the Jewish community. Disgusting.
In the author's long list of SA's hostile actions towards Israel and Jews, he curiously never mentions SA's lawfare blood libel charges at the ICJ and ICC that Israel is guilty of war crimes and genocide. Wonder why this glaring omission?
It is a world wide Muslim religious war....there is no place to go....time to stay where you are and fight back...
What a disgrace! The South African Jews were at the vanguard of promoting majority rule during the apartheid regime and this is the thanks they get?
Helen Suzman is one of the finest people Jewish culture has ever produced in the Commonwealth. I bet her ghost is seriously wondering whether she chose the correct side during the apartheid years.
With Slovo I don't have any doubts however - Marxists always put their ideology ahead of anything else, they would sell their own mothers of the dialectic said so.
Diaspora Jews have long focused their activism on behalf of other peoples while neglecting their own community. That needs to end.
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"As a former anti-apartheid activist, the founder of the Jewish anti-apartheid movement",