by Ilan Solomons on Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at 12:12pm
http://www.myshtetl.co.za/community/shuls/news-orthodox/now-rebel-rov-reunites-radical-rev
The Rebellious Rabbi and the Radical Reverend reunite.
On the 3rd of July 2011 I was again very fortunate to be present at an incredible reunion. This time it was between the veteran anti-Apartheid activist Rabbi Ben Isaacson, who is rightly described by Professor Gideon Shimoni in his book Community and Conscience – The Jews in Apartheid South Africa, as “ someone approximating to a rabbinical counterpart of the daring Christian clerics – the like of Father Huddelston and Bishop Ambrose Reeves – who fearlessly battled the Apartheid system and also had to contend with objections from within their flock, this title would go almost solely to Isaacson”, and senior South African Council of Churches(SACC) cleric Reverend Zachariah Mokgoebo. Reverend Mokgoebo is a practicing Reverend in Orlando Soweto and senior statesmen in the SACC who was a contributor to the Christian Conscience Magazine – Challenge – which dealt with contextual authority and supported the concept of critical thinking in the Christian community.
The two were involved in building Black-Jewish relations and interfaith co-operation. They also were both outspoken critics of the racist policies of the Apartheid regime which culminated in them going on an international tour of Europe and the United States, which lasted close on 3 months in the 1980’s to highlight the need for Jewish-Black interaction and of raising awareness about the gross human rights violations which were taking place in South Africa during that period.
According to an article written in the Los Angeles Times, by Kathleen Hendrix on March 19, 1987 that by the time of their final appearance the pair had spoken on a whooping, 193 occasions during their tour. The tour was organized and funded largely by the New Jewish Agenda. The tour had taken them into churches and synagogues, college campuses, community centres, and living rooms in-order to promote their message.
The then Archbishop of Cape Town said that the two men were “courageous witnesses in the struggle against racism” and said of any one who supported their efforts, that “I will count it as a personal favour”. Rabbi Ben Isaacson said the following, prophetic like statement during one of their public addresses “Our task as religious leaders is to prepare for the future. Now is the time to show the world, that the white community and the black community in South Africa, that there can be piece”. Today these words ring largely true.
Returning to the reunion the two men embraced each other in a warm embrace at the entrance to the Rabbi’s flat. Rabbi Isaacson describes Rev Mokgoebo as his “black brother”. Rev Mokgoebo describes Rabbi Isaacson as his “blessed brother”. The two men although they have not seen each other in many years share a deep spiritual connection that crosses all boundaries. They discussed many personal issues and matters which were deeply personal and which I can not write about. I can say though that the two men were very excited to see one another once again. Rev Mokgoebo said that although those days were incredibly exciting, they were also very aware of the apartheid security operatives that were operating abroad and the apartheid sympathizers which did not approve of their actions.
The men reminisced about the old days and discussed about how far South Africa had come since then. They also recounted some of the humours incidents which occurred. The one which I think illustrates the energy and eagerness with which Rabbi Isaacson wanted to carry out his activism which Rev Mokgoebo told was of Rabbi Isaacson waking Reverend up one morning, only to soon discover that he had done so several hours earlier than was required. Although Rabbi Isaacson plays it down as a simple misjudgement of time, the story still illustrates the zeal the Rabbi had to carry out their Holy mission.
In a book entitled, The Jews of South Africa – What Future? Rabbi Isaacson in response to the assertion that he was ‘a rebel Rabbi’ has this to say “ I am not a rebel. Those who do not abide by the teaching of the prophets are the rebels. I am for justice, mercy and righteousness as taught by the prophets. This is conventional Judaic thought teaching. Pure Orthodoxy”.
Rev Mokgoebo says that the tour was a resounding success, “I would say we received a good reception 90% of the time”. Of course we had some difficult audiences at times but we were incredibly successful in promoting interfaith dialogue and highlighting the dire situation which Black South Africans faced under the Apartheid regime.
These men in their old age were a head of their time. Although today racial and inter-religious interaction is common place in the new South Africa, there still exists a chasm between Christian Clerical leaders and Jewish Rabbinic Authorities. The Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein of the Orthodox Community has participated in interfaith events and the like but one will still struggle to find close interactions between Jewish and Christian Congregations on any formal level – especially in the Orthodox sectors. The situation is even direr when it comes to Jewish-Muslim formal institutional interactions.
It was amazing to witness such a stirring and emotional reunion between such great men and hear them retell their awe inspiring stories. The two who unfortunately lost contact due to circumstances promised to remain in contact.
The Rebellious Rabbi and the Radical Reverend reunite.
On the 3rd of July 2011 I was again very fortunate to be present at an incredible reunion. This time it was between the veteran anti-Apartheid activist Rabbi Ben Isaacson, who is rightly described by Professor Gideon Shimoni in his book Community and Conscience – The Jews in Apartheid South Africa, as “ someone approximating to a rabbinical counterpart of the daring Christian clerics – the like of Father Huddelston and Bishop Ambrose Reeves – who fearlessly battled the Apartheid system and also had to contend with objections from within their flock, this title would go almost solely to Isaacson”, and senior South African Council of Churches(SACC) cleric Reverend Zachariah Mokgoebo. Reverend Mokgoebo is a practicing Reverend in Orlando Soweto and senior statesmen in the SACC who was a contributor to the Christian Conscience Magazine – Challenge – which dealt with contextual authority and supported the concept of critical thinking in the Christian community.
The two were involved in building Black-Jewish relations and interfaith co-operation. They also were both outspoken critics of the racist policies of the Apartheid regime which culminated in them going on an international tour of Europe and the United States, which lasted close on 3 months in the 1980’s to highlight the need for Jewish-Black interaction and of raising awareness about the gross human rights violations which were taking place in South Africa during that period.
According to an article written in the Los Angeles Times, by Kathleen Hendrix on March 19, 1987 that by the time of their final appearance the pair had spoken on a whooping, 193 occasions during their tour. The tour was organized and funded largely by the New Jewish Agenda. The tour had taken them into churches and synagogues, college campuses, community centres, and living rooms in-order to promote their message.
The then Archbishop of Cape Town said that the two men were “courageous witnesses in the struggle against racism” and said of any one who supported their efforts, that “I will count it as a personal favour”. Rabbi Ben Isaacson said the following, prophetic like statement during one of their public addresses “Our task as religious leaders is to prepare for the future. Now is the time to show the world, that the white community and the black community in South Africa, that there can be piece”. Today these words ring largely true.
Returning to the reunion the two men embraced each other in a warm embrace at the entrance to the Rabbi’s flat. Rabbi Isaacson describes Rev Mokgoebo as his “black brother”. Rev Mokgoebo describes Rabbi Isaacson as his “blessed brother”. The two men although they have not seen each other in many years share a deep spiritual connection that crosses all boundaries. They discussed many personal issues and matters which were deeply personal and which I can not write about. I can say though that the two men were very excited to see one another once again. Rev Mokgoebo said that although those days were incredibly exciting, they were also very aware of the apartheid security operatives that were operating abroad and the apartheid sympathizers which did not approve of their actions.
The men reminisced about the old days and discussed about how far South Africa had come since then. They also recounted some of the humours incidents which occurred. The one which I think illustrates the energy and eagerness with which Rabbi Isaacson wanted to carry out his activism which Rev Mokgoebo told was of Rabbi Isaacson waking Reverend up one morning, only to soon discover that he had done so several hours earlier than was required. Although Rabbi Isaacson plays it down as a simple misjudgement of time, the story still illustrates the zeal the Rabbi had to carry out their Holy mission.
In a book entitled, The Jews of South Africa – What Future? Rabbi Isaacson in response to the assertion that he was ‘a rebel Rabbi’ has this to say “ I am not a rebel. Those who do not abide by the teaching of the prophets are the rebels. I am for justice, mercy and righteousness as taught by the prophets. This is conventional Judaic thought teaching. Pure Orthodoxy”.
Rev Mokgoebo says that the tour was a resounding success, “I would say we received a good reception 90% of the time”. Of course we had some difficult audiences at times but we were incredibly successful in promoting interfaith dialogue and highlighting the dire situation which Black South Africans faced under the Apartheid regime.
These men in their old age were a head of their time. Although today racial and inter-religious interaction is common place in the new South Africa, there still exists a chasm between Christian Clerical leaders and Jewish Rabbinic Authorities. The Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein of the Orthodox Community has participated in interfaith events and the like but one will still struggle to find close interactions between Jewish and Christian Congregations on any formal level – especially in the Orthodox sectors. The situation is even direr when it comes to Jewish-Muslim formal institutional interactions.
It was amazing to witness such a stirring and emotional reunion between such great men and hear them retell their awe inspiring stories. The two who unfortunately lost contact due to circumstances promised to remain in contact.
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