Pictured right: Rising in the rolling hills of Umhlanga is the beginnings of a new Jewish colony – the school and Shul are well on their way – MORE STUNNING PICS BELOW
Words by: Lauren Shapiro
Pictures: Robert Sussman
The exciting Jewish Centre in Umhlanga, just north of Durban, is well underway.
Rabbi Dr Pinchas Zekry, Senior Rabbi of the Great Synagogue of the Durban United Hebrew Congregation, is the driving force behind this ambitious and innovative project. “This development is totally unique in South Africa,” he noted. “Nowhere else in the country do you have one complex combining every aspect of Jewish life, from the religious to the educational, social and communal.”
Set amongst rolling hills of sugar cane and breathtaking beaches, two kilometers from Gateway Theatre of Shopping and just a 15 minute drive from King Shaka International Airport, the new development promises to provide a secure home and magnificent Jewish lifestyle in an environment of unparalleled natural beauty.
Since the laying of the foundation stone in a ceremony in February, construction and planning have been running at full tilt. The entire development, set on a 21,000 square metre property, is on schedule for completion by the end of November 2011.
The first storey, which will house an auditorium, a library and gym, has been fully constructed and the second storey, comprising a 300-seater shul, a mikva, a functions hall with both milk and meat kitchens and a scenic verandah, is currently being completed.
Construction of the eleven-classroom school building is also well under way. By the start of school next year, seven classrooms (many equipped with smart-boards) and a state of the art media centre will be ready.
Umhlanga Jewish Day School (UJDS), which is set to open in January 2012, will cater for children from playschool up to Grade Four, and will grow year by year to Grade Seven. An arrangement has been made with the nearby Umhlanga College to offer older Jewish students there access to UJDS Hebrew and Jewish Studies teachers in a dedicated classroom there.
At an information evening on 22 June, the community was introduced to UJDS Chairlady, Gaynor Lazarus, as well as Head of Judaica Robert Sussman. The appointments of the principal and staff are nearly finalized, and will be announced once they have given the requisite notice for their current positions.
Lazarus is passionate about Jewish education: “I believe that all Jewish children who would like a Jewish Education deserve to have one.” She believes that Umhlanga Jewish Day School will “provide a nurturing learning experience that treats each individual as a unique person capable of achieving their full potential. We strive to provide a leading secular and Judaic education while kindling within each individual a passion for lifelong learning.”
In additional to the school, a community Kollel is being built to cater for adults. This is a first for Durban.
The kollel will provide a combination of Torah learning and reaching out into the community. “In addition to offering one-on-one chavruta-style learning opportunities to community members, the kollel members will also be giving shiurim and even teaching in the new Jewish day school,” says Robert Sussman, the kollel’s Executive Director.
The Women’s Division of the kollel – powered by Robert’s wife Noa Sussman – promises to add a dimension of hospitality and family-focused learning.
In addition to the Sussmans, the kollel will become a new home for Rabbi Jarrod and Rebbetzin Sorah Garber, Mark and Nicki Friedman, Daniel and Amy Burke, and Ariel and Ronit Garber.
“It’s about more than just the learning,” commented Sussman. “It’s about connecting with the community, building lasting relationships, and helping community members to connect with each other.”
The Umhlanga Jewish Development is backed by the Hatikvah Trust, chaired by Rabbi Zekry. “In choosing the name Hatikvah – the hope – we expressed our hope and vision for a strong Jewish community,” Zekry explained. “Baruch Hashem, this hope is now becoming a reality.”
For more information contact 031 2015177 or email izinga18@iafrica.com
Editor’s Note: Robert Sussman’s pictures below were taken early in July.
“So even more progress has been made since I took them,” he tells MyShtetl.
UJD - long shot of whole project.jpg
Awesome, we need more
Awesome, we need more developments like these, it would help to build stronger Jewish communities in outlying areas. We can only hope.
Do I hear anyone using the
Do I hear anyone using the name "Orania"?
No?
- Well, wait for it ...
Lion613
Orania bears no comparison
Orania bears no comparison to this. Look at the foto’s, there is not a single Jewish laborer, only cheap Zulu laborers paid nice cheap wages and they will never ever live there. In Orania they clean there own toilets and build there own houses with there own hands, those silly oppressors, LOL.
Do I detect some bitterness
Do I detect some bitterness here?
I wouldn't be too hard on Kwazulu Jews just because they used local labour - in fact, that might be a plus for them: they provide employment, that much-needed ingredient in our weirdly skewed economy with its 50% (or thereabouts) unemployment rate. The fact is, Jews love to live together. Where other nations haven't pushed us into ghettos, we've chosen to live in shtetls anyway. So if they can afford it and they get out there and deliberately set about building such a community from scratch, all in one go, its actually not that surprising, and my instinct is to cheer them on.
But (and it's a big one):
The world sees us differently. The world always has. One may say, "who cares?", but sadly, these things have a rebound effect in unexpected ways. I can think of several ignorant, frenzied, vengeful youth leaders and student agitators who could leap at such an opportunity to haul out the spectre of old accusations of exclusivity etc. and we do need to tread warily across the minefield of South African politics and prejudices.
I would say that a large part of the public acceptability of such a development is the question of the spin which gets put on it. This may not be obvious where one is already living inside a large community of Jews, where there is a nice warm fuzzy feeling of sameness, but the temperature is colder in other places, and you need to watch that, however much you may cheer the project on in your heart.
Lion613
Bitterness no, I just love
Bitterness no, I just love pointing out irony. Orania is off course viewed very negatively by the less educated and leftists, the perceived "spin" as you call it. I am an Anarcho-capitalist or libertarian, so I support all form of localism and secession and any enemy of the state is a friend off mine. I financially support the Orania community, but I don’t care if it is a gay, Boer, Jewish or pot-smoking community that want to rule themselves I’ll support them. So you can call me the Goyim fan of both Orania and your Jewish community, so hats off and I wish you gentleman and ladies the best of luck and may more such initiatives be launched.
Stay informtiave, San Diego,
Stay informtiave, San Diego, yeah boy!