Category: 2025

Rosh Hashanah Recipe Collection

Jewish Life

Let’s talk about the High Holidays… by Sharon Lurie AKA “The Kosher Butcher’s Wife”  First night Rosh Hashanah is Monday 22 September this year. It’s a time of reflection, renewal, and return – when the shofar calls us to wake up spiritually and take stock of where we’ve been… and where we’re headed. Just a week later, the High Holidays reach their crescendo with Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement. We fast for 25 hours, standing together in prayer, united as one people. It’s intense, soulful, and deeply moving. But the…

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The Simanim

Jewish Life

Realism, not just symbolism by Rabbi Moishe Schnerb It’s Rosh Hashanah night! We arrive home from shul aglow with anticipation and excitement. What an amazing way to start the New Year. The chazan was superb, the Rabbi gave a powerful and incisive drasha for which I actually stayed awake! Tomorrow I’ll be back in shul for a long service, and, of course the main attraction, the blowing of the shofar! Right now there are more important things at hand. It’s time for the whole family to gather for the traditional Rosh…

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The real Alchemists

Jewish Life

Creating light from darkness by Paula Levin Ever heard about the pseudoscience of alchemy? Practitioners used science, philosophy, and mysticism in their quest to transform base metals into precious gold. It was an obsession that began in 300BCE ancient Egypt, enduring all the way into mediaeval Europe, capturing the imaginations of people across China, India, and the Islamic world. Practitioners built complex laboratories and devoted their entire lives to cracking the ultimate get-rich-quick scheme. But no one ever succeeded. Contrast this exercise in futility with the real alchemists – people who’ve…

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Beyond the Seven Days 

Jewish Life

Tapping into eternity  by Rabbi Dovid Samuels Why an Eighth Day? After celebrating seven beautiful days of Sukkos, we gather once more for Shemini Atzeres – the Eighth Day of Assembly. The Torah tells us1: “Seven days you shall bring fire-offerings to Hashem. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and bring a fire-offering to Hashem; it is an assembly; you shall do no laborious work.” The reason for Sukkos is clearly spelled out in the Torah2: we dwell in sukkos to remember how Hashem sheltered our ancestors…

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Yahav’s Journey

Jewish Life

Beyond life, beyond loss  by Elka Cohen For Dikla Benloulou Naidoo and Lureshan Naidoo, the birth of their third child was nothing short of a miracle. After enduring multiple failed IVF attempts, their circle was finally complete with him. They named him Yahav – after a character from a beloved Hebrew storybook they often read to their two older children. The name, meaning “Cast your faith in G-d and He will sustain you,” reflected not only their painful journey to conceive him but also the immense joy his birth brought to…

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Trance FORMATION

Jewish Life

A re-awakening   by Rabbi Dr David Fox She really was doing her best. As the clinical manager on the psych ward, it was her job to keep the treatment programmes flowing, to ensure that all patients participated in their assigned treatments and activities, and to be a supportive advocate for those patients who needed special attention. She managed to find a room for the man who was allergic to monkeys which was not near the room of the delusional man who believed his pet monkey had followed him to the hospital.…

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Rib-ticklers

Jewish Life

Fall-off-the-bone flavour By: Sharon Lurie Since this is the ‘Education Edition’, I’ve decided to put on my Kosher Butcher’s Wife cap and share some insights into the forequarter – an area I’m especially passionate about. With limited space, I’ve had to refine the selection of cuts I’ll be highlighting. I can already hear you saying, “We’re starting off limited by using only the forequarter.” But if ever there was a case for the saying ‘less is more’, this is it. The forequarter offers more than enough to work with –…

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Spoiled for Choice

Jewish Life

Jewish Joburg’s dynamic education system By: Paula Levin Say what you like (or don’t like) about South Africa, but when it comes to choice of quality Jewish schools for our children, there’s no place in the world that comes close. Whether you’re looking for the right place to start this 12+ year journey or you’re searching for a new school that’s a better fit for your child, we truly are spoiled for choice. We spoke to three families who have experienced multiple schools first-hand. One has six children who attended…

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Rewriting the Rules of the Classroom

Jewish Life

How AI Is Transforming the Future of Education By: Ariellah Rosenberg, CEO ORT SA When I was a child, I sat at the front of the classroom, not out of ambition, but necessity. I couldn’t see the chalkboard from the back, and the noise and frolicking of my classmates made it easy to lose focus. I struggled in subjects like physics and history, often losing the thread of the lesson before I could catch up. Today, those same struggles persist in classrooms everywhere, but now, they’re amplified. Attention is constantly…

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Rethinking Education

Jewish Life

If school weren’t compulsory, would your child still go? By: Chaya Liberow The year is 1998. With my bag on my back and hair neatly pulled back, I trot into school. The teacher calls out, “What’s 3×9?” I quickly count my fingers… 27! My hand shoots up. “Chani?” the teacher calls on my classmate. “27!” I lower my hand. “What’s 4×9?” My fingers come out again. This time, I hope to be chosen. The bell rings. As fast as my little feet can run, I escape the classroom. I idle…

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Finding Leon

Jewish Life

One man’s unexpected journey through adoption, identity, and Divine providence. By: Ilan Preskovksy Imagine growing up in a loving home with a rich family life, only to find out at the tender age of 34, and only by an accidental slip of the tongue, that your parents are not your – if you’ll pardon the expression – “real” parents: that you were adopted as a toddler and were never told your true origins. Imagine that you have suffered from a genetic condition like Tourette’s syndrome since you were very young…

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Reframing the Spectum

Jewish Life

What (I think) you ought to know about Autism By Kalita Hoffman Kelita is a mom of two, a lawyer with a Master’s degree from Berkeley who runs a legal consulting and disability tax business. Kelita is passionate about neurodiversity awareness. She is not a medical professional but rather a mother who lives Autism daily and shares her opinion from a personal perspective. AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) IS QUITE A fascinating condition to explore. Statistics indicate that 1 in 31 children, and 1 in 45 adults have ASD in America1.…

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Loaded Language

Jewish Life

Why words like Nazi and Genocide should be used cautiously By:OVER SHAVUOT, MYSHUL HOSTED RABBI MOSHE Taragin and I was privileged to learn from this remarkable man. In his final speech, he spoke of the importance of vigilance around the words we use, cautioning around the flippant use of terms that have deep significance. One example, he gave was the word ‘rape’ – which has been used as a synonym for destroying some­ thing, while we know the brutal meaning of that word for those who have been vic­ tims…

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THE CREAM OF THE CROP

Jewish Life

SHAVUOT CHEESECAKES TO SAVOUR  By: Sharon Lurie A while back, I was invited by Michael Leventhal of Greenhill Books to contribute one of my favourite cheesecake recipes to The Ultimate Cheesecake Cookbook, a special project aimed at raising funds for a Jewish cancer charity. Supporting this cause was especially close to my heart, as cancer has deeply touched my own family, with several loved ones having sadly succumbed to the disease. Like so many others who contributed, including Yotam Ottolenghi, Ainsley Harriott, Michel Roux, Nigel Slater, Adeena Sussman, Claudia Roden, and…

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Child of the Book

Jewish Life

Chosen…and hated By: Itto Outini Itto Outini is an author, book coach, Fulbright Scholar, Steinbeck Fellow, and MacDowell Fellow. She’s published in The North America Review, Modern Literature, The Stonecoast Review, Hidden Peak Review, Southland Alibi, The Good River Review, The Lowestoft Chronicle, Lotus-Eater, DarkWinter, Gargoyle, Sortes, and elsewhere, and she’s spoken for organizations including Cal Tech University, Verizon Wireless, The International Trade Centre, and the United Nations. She and her husband, Mekiya, are collaborating on several books and running The DateKeepers, a full-service author support platform. Itto holds an MA in journalism and…

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A woman’s story

Jewish Life

Israel in Context A narrative of sorrow and strength By: Bev Goldman I have a close friend of many years who made aliyah some decades ago. We have been in contact over the years, but especially since 7 October, and I have taken much of what she has shared with me and written it as a woman’s narrative, a narrative of terror, loss, grief, mourning, acceptance, resilience, and hope for the future. That, in fact, perfectly encapsulates the accounts of so many brave and invincible Israeli women who are dealing…

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Over The Top

Jewish Life

Keeping Simchas Simple By: Paula Levin “The essence of a bar mitzvah is to take on the responsibilities of being a Jewish man!” Whether it’s a bris, barmy, or batti; an engagement or wedding, celebrating a child’s simcha is a priceless gift! In our highly interconnected schools and communities, however, it’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to compete with the Jonesbergs, creating an event just like everyone else’s – but without their budgets! This can put families under financial pressure, add to their debt, and fuel envy…

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Choosing to be chosen

Jewish Life

The Conversion Conversation in South Africa By: David Sacks “You never can tell.” Thus reads the working subtitle of an in-progress book by Rabbi Ron Hendler recounting some of his stand-out experiences in guiding people through the conversion process in South Africa. “Because you really never can tell,” says Rabbi Hendler, “I can show you people who went through journeys that are beyond belief. Some are amazingly committed while others have chucked it all up. It’s impossible to know how things will turn out.” Why do people choose to convert?…

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Torah for Today

Jewish Life

Can you be given the same thing twice? By: Rabbi Dovid Samuels As we approach Shavuos, celebrating the time of the giving of the Torah, we are all confronted with a simple question: haven’t we been through this before? We might ask the same question at Pesach but, if we’re honest with ourselves, we understand why we again need to renew our faith that Hashem will save us from trying times. On Sukkos, too, it is understandable why we need to revisit and reboot our trust in Hashem; that He…

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Falling off the Cultural Cliff

Jewish Life

Melanie Phillips is a British journalist, broadcaster, and author who has championed traditional values in the culture war for more than three decades. She writes a weekly column for The Times of London and the Jewish News Syndicate, broadcasts on radio and TV, and gives public presentations across the English-speaking world. Her new book, The Builder’s Stone: How Jews and Christians built the West – And Why Only They Can Save It, is published by Wicked Son. Her first novel, The Legacy, which deals with conflicted Jewish identity, anti-Semitism, and the power of history, was published in 2018 along with her personal and political memoir, Guardian Angel. Her previous books include her 2006 best-seller Londonistan, about the British establishment’s capitulation to Islamist aggression, and The World Turned Upside Down: The Global Battle over G-d, Truth, and Power, published in 2010. You can follow Melanie’s work at her website, www.melaniephillips.substack.com

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Krias Yam Suf

Jewish Life

Pesach feature Forged in water By: Rabbi Dovid Samuels “Because it lacks its own shape and form, water, as an element, represents physicality without purpose.” On the seventh day of Pesach, we relive the event of Krias Yam Suf, when Hashem split the sea for us as we left Egypt. While our mind’s eye paints a phenomenal picture of the entire Jewish people traveling on dry land between two walls of frozen sea, with the Egyptian army in hot pursuit, there are a few points that need to be clarified…

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Remembering Redemption

Jewish Life

Kosher Gourmet The taste of tradition By: Sharon Lurie With my Pesach kitchen up and running on the patio and my two-plate gas stove working overtime, I’ve been able to freshly freeze my soups, ice creams, and meat dishes right on schedule. My goal? To have a relaxed Seder with my family, who are arriving from near and far. Pesach is built on repetition – reading the Haggadah, setting the Seder plate, and following the same traditions year after year. But that doesn’t mean the Seder meal has to be predictable…

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October 8 Jews

Jewish Life

The spiritual awakening taking Israel by storm By: Paula Levin “Jews are choosing Judaism for the very first time in their lives!” Something deeply mysterious is going on in the Jewish world. On every continent, Jews are reaffirming their commitment to G-d, to the Jewish People, and to the ancient, eternal covenant forged at Sinai. It’s not actually a new phenomenon. In fact, we’ve seen it in every age, when Jews across the Persian empire stood firm when assimilation could have guaranteed their safety from Haman’s genocidal decree, when they…

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Friend or Foe?

Jewish Life

Our much-needed South African allies By: Ilan Preskovsky With the way our ruling party goes on, one would be excused for thinking that South Africa is the most anti-Semitic, or at least anti-Israel, country in the world. Certainly, when I spoke to a delegation of students from Hebrew University, they were expecting the worst from their visit to Johannesburg. But as they discovered, and we already knew, there’s a world of difference between the ANC and the people of South Africa, and in Johannesburg, at least, we can safely say…

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Food, glorious food

Jewish Life

Pesach Feature Watch what you eat! By: Rabbi Schnerb “Every one of us has the power through all of our actions to completely vanquish all of our enemies.” Food! It’s one of our most enjoyable topics of conversation, and possibly our favourite pastime. We all know why food is so important. We need it to support growth and development, reduce the risk of chronic disease, and provide us with all the macro and micronutrients that we need. We all fully understand that many factors can affect the nutritional value, the…

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Eyes on Israel

Jewish Life

Could Israeli society be a viable template for other nations for the future? By: Bev Goldman “Israeli technology is quietly becoming indispensable across the Middle East, even in countries that publicly denounce Israel.” Few nations have navigated as many existential challenges as Israel. In almost 76 years, it has transformed from a fledgling state, surrounded by hostility, into a global powerhouse of innovation, resilience, and cultural dynamism. Its unique social structure, technological prowess, and security-driven policies have placed Israel among the world’s most highly developed and successful first world countries.…

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Torah Justice

Jewish Life

Beth Din The Prohibition of Turning to Secular Courts By: Rabbi Shmuel Slasky   Bio:Rabbi Slasky is the Rabbinical Director, responsible for overseeing the Eiruvin, Mediations, and Kashrut of Mikvaot. Born in South Africa, Rabbi Slasky spent many years living and studying in Israel before joining the Beth Din. In Israel, he learnt in Torah Ohr Yeshiva, the Mir Yeshiva, and Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky’s Yeshiva, receiving Semicha from The Chief Rabbinate of Israel, Rav Zalman Nechemiya Goldberg, and Jerusalem’s Machon Harry Fischel. He has been thoroughly trained for his role…

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Royal Recipes

Jewish Life

Kosher Gourmet Mouth-wateringly Majestic By: Sharon Lurie Persian style mince in spinach leaves 500g beef mince 1 egg ¾ cup rice, cooked (I used basmati) 1 whole onion, grated 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 400g BABY spinach leaves Combine all the above ingredients together except the spinach. Don’t overmix. Place the spinach in a large rectangular dish and cover with boiling water. Allow to sit it boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain the water off the spinach and peel off 4 –…

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Metrics

Jewish Life

Looking Back and Going Forward “Our enemies’ hatred towards us should only serve to intensify our Jewish pride” Tali Snaid – Torah Academy Girls What about your matric year surprised you the most? Being a student who often found the school curriculum challenging, there were times when tasks felt overwhelmingly difficult. I tended to frequently question my ability to keep up. However, as time passed, I started to realise that despite these challenges, I could still push through and succeed, even when things seemed tough. What truly surprised me throughout…

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Global Terrorism

Jewish Life

The world-wide challenge of today By: Bev Goldman Paul Wilkinson’s 2006 book Terrorism Versus Democracy: The Liberal State Response provides some much needed criteria for distinguishing between terrorists and freedom fighters and explains the uses of terrorism as a political, social, religious, and criminal weapon. Wilkinson, an advisor to the UK government, and a terrorism expert, was dubbed “Britain’s leading academic specialist in the study of terrorism”. He defined four types of terrorism: Criminal terrorism (uses terror for material gain); psychic terrorism (uses terror for mystical, religious, or magical ends);…

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ROADS SCHOLAR

Jewish Life

“Good luck” By: Rabbi Dr David Fox Pullquotes: “He recommended that I keep the engine running until I reached home. Home was a few thousand miles away on the eastern side of the continent.” I was a young man heading across the continent to my new position. It was time to complete my professional training and I had accepted an internship at an excellent hospital where I would stay for three years. I had set off in my small foreign car to make the journey solo, to enjoy the countryside,…

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A surprise visitor in the Megillah

Jewish Life

Exposing a hidden message for us all By: Rabbi Moishe Schnerb “When we would ‘get the message’ and do what was necessary, the decree would fall away.” The Psalmist says[1] “Be mindful of me Hashem, when you favour Your nation; take note of me when you deliver them”. The Medrash[2] comments on this verse that King David says to Hashem, “Please have me in mind at the time when You bring miracles of salvation for the Jewish nation, through Mordechai and Esther,” We see right from the get-go that there…

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“O.T.D”

Jewish Life

Parenting youth in crisis By: Paula Levin “My daughter asked me for money to buy clothes. I know she intends to buy short jeans. Should I give her the money?” The question was posed by a rabbi to Rabbi Gershon Edelstein ztz”l, Rosh Yeshiva of Ponevezh, widely considered to be the Gadol Hador – one of the great spiritual leaders of the generation. “Does she usually dress that way?” he asked. “Yes,” came the answer. “Then buy them for her. Show her you’re there for her.” The story was shared…

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