A study of the nature and development of orthodox Judaism in South Africa to c.1935

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dc.contributor.advisorShain, Miltonen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSimon, John Ianen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-01-02T04:20:12Z
dc.date.available2016-01-02T04:20:12Z
dc.date.issued1996en_ZA
dc.descriptionSummary in English.en_ZA
dc.descriptionBibliography: pages 199-208.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis dissertation examines the manner in which Orthodox Judaism developed in South Africa from the foundation of the first congregation in 1841 up to about 1935, and considers what distinctive features, if any, characterised South African Judaism. Locating the emergence of South African Judaism within the context of Western and European Judaism, the dissertation examines the interaction which developed between those Jews who derived from Anglo-Jewry and, to a lesser extent, from German-Jewish stock, on the one hand, and those who came from Eastern Europe, particularly after 1880, on the other hand. At all times, the impact of the wider South African context on the nature of South African Judaism is considered. The harsh realities of the need to make a living in what was at, first an alien environment led to South African Jews having to abate, if not entirely abandon, the canons of strict religious observance. The dissertation examines in greater detail the main centres where the Jewish communities established themselves. Particular attention is given to Cape Town and Johannesburg where the larger communities had set themselves up, but the opportunity is also taken to examine smaller communities such as Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Kimberley. There were also particular features of the so called "three digit communities", i.e. those having no more than a thousand souls, which constituted an important section of the South African Jewish community, those who settled in the smaller country towns and whose religious life took on a certain character. The dissertation then proceeds to examine the principal influences which determined how the South African Jewish community took shape. Amongst these influences were the authority of the Chief Rabbinate of the United Kingdom, which was particularly important whilst the community consisted primarily of Jews of Anglo-Jewish origin; and the way in which this influence gradually lessened as the community became more independent and as the Eastern European section began to predominate. The background and mind-sets of the Jews from Eastern Europe played a very important part in the way the community shaped itself. Other influences which were brought to bear included the Zionist movement, the internal authority of the important religious figures and institutions such, as the Ecclesiastical Courts, Batei Din, and the influence of particularly important charismatic and influential lay leaders. A fairly close examination is conducted of the most important religious leaders during the period under review. A special chapter is devoted to the issue of proselytism and the way in which it presented itself and was perceived and encountered by the South African Jewish community. The dissertation concludes with some general arguments contending for the homogeneity of the South African Jewish community; with some indication as to what identifiable characteristics it assumed and how its future would have been viewed in 1935; the comments bringing the matter up to the modern day.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationSimon, J. I. (1996). <i>A study of the nature and development of orthodox Judaism in South Africa to c.1935</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16096en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationSimon, John Ian. <i>"A study of the nature and development of orthodox Judaism in South Africa to c.1935."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16096en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSimon, J. 1996. A study of the nature and development of orthodox Judaism in South Africa to c.1935. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Simon, John Ian AB - This dissertation examines the manner in which Orthodox Judaism developed in South Africa from the foundation of the first congregation in 1841 up to about 1935, and considers what distinctive features, if any, characterised South African Judaism. Locating the emergence of South African Judaism within the context of Western and European Judaism, the dissertation examines the interaction which developed between those Jews who derived from Anglo-Jewry and, to a lesser extent, from German-Jewish stock, on the one hand, and those who came from Eastern Europe, particularly after 1880, on the other hand. At all times, the impact of the wider South African context on the nature of South African Judaism is considered. The harsh realities of the need to make a living in what was at, first an alien environment led to South African Jews having to abate, if not entirely abandon, the canons of strict religious observance. The dissertation examines in greater detail the main centres where the Jewish communities established themselves. Particular attention is given to Cape Town and Johannesburg where the larger communities had set themselves up, but the opportunity is also taken to examine smaller communities such as Durban, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Kimberley. There were also particular features of the so called "three digit communities", i.e. those having no more than a thousand souls, which constituted an important section of the South African Jewish community, those who settled in the smaller country towns and whose religious life took on a certain character. The dissertation then proceeds to examine the principal influences which determined how the South African Jewish community took shape. Amongst these influences were the authority of the Chief Rabbinate of the United Kingdom, which was particularly important whilst the community consisted primarily of Jews of Anglo-Jewish origin; and the way in which this influence gradually lessened as the community became more independent and as the Eastern European section began to predominate. The background and mind-sets of the Jews from Eastern Europe played a very important part in the way the community shaped itself. Other influences which were brought to bear included the Zionist movement, the internal authority of the important religious figures and institutions such, as the Ecclesiastical Courts, Batei Din, and the influence of particularly important charismatic and influential lay leaders. A fairly close examination is conducted of the most important religious leaders during the period under review. A special chapter is devoted to the issue of proselytism and the way in which it presented itself and was perceived and encountered by the South African Jewish community. The dissertation concludes with some general arguments contending for the homogeneity of the South African Jewish community; with some indication as to what identifiable characteristics it assumed and how its future would have been viewed in 1935; the comments bringing the matter up to the modern day. DA - 1996 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1996 T1 - A study of the nature and development of orthodox Judaism in South Africa to c.1935 TI - A study of the nature and development of orthodox Judaism in South Africa to c.1935 UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16096 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/16096
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationSimon JI. A study of the nature and development of orthodox Judaism in South Africa to c.1935. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Humanities ,Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies, 1996 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16096en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentKaplan Centre for Jewish Studiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Humanitiesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherOrthodox Judaism - South Africa - History.en_ZA
dc.subject.otherJudaism - South Africa - Historyen_ZA
dc.titleA study of the nature and development of orthodox Judaism in South Africa to c.1935en_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMAen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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