Beit Emanuel is a progressive synagogue located in

Parktown Parktown is a wealthy suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, the first suburb north of the inner city (both chronologically and geographically). It is affectionately known as one of the Parks, others including Parkview, Parkwood, Westcliff, Parkt ...

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

. The synagogue was established in 1954 and is one of the largest progressive Jewish congregations in South Africa.Beit Emanuel
South African Union for Progressive Judaism. Accessed on 5 December 2019

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

i-born, Rabbi Sa'ar Shaked has been Beit Emanuel's congregational rabbi since 2013. It is an affiliate of the South African Union for Progressive Judaism (SAUPJ), which is part of the

World Union for Progressive Judaism The World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) is the international umbrella organization for the various branches of Reform, Liberal and Progressive Judaism, as well as the separate Reconstructionist Judaism. The WUPJ is based in 40 countries ...

(WUPJ). Congregational rabbi, Shaked is currently involved in efforts to establish a Rabbinic Academy and Higher Education Institution in

Gauteng Gauteng ( ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. The name in Sotho-Tswana languages means 'place of gold'. Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts for only ...

History

Jocelyn Hellig, professor of religious studies and one of the best-known interpreters of South African Judaism, described the Progressive community as conservative in religious practice. This was also given as an explanation for the relatively modest presence of

Masorti Judaism Conservative Judaism, known as Masorti Judaism outside North America, is a Jewish religious movement which regards the authority of ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions as coming primarily from its people and community through the generat ...

in the country (Hellig 1987; Shain 2011). In 1986, the synagogue's US-born rabbi, Norman Mendel told an audience Progressive Jewry in the country were leading the Jewish struggle against the “indefensible, immoral and evil.” policies of

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

. He said that Progressive Jews are opposing apartheid “against a backdrop of Jewish discrimination” from the Orthodox community. “There is day to day diminishment in the Reform movement in South Africa. Reform are considered a second class Jewish community,” he added. In 1993 there were divisions in Johannesburg's Progressive community when Beit Emanuel's congregational rabbi, Ady Asabi declared that it and the Imanu-Shalom congregations would become independent and Masorti synagogues, breaking with the SAUPJ and Progressive Judaism. A court case ensued to retain both of the congregations under the SAUPJ. Beit Emanuel returned to the SAUPJ following an agreement and Shalom became independent and Masorti (Dubb and Shain 1995). Today the synagogue has moved away from the formality of conventional

Reform Judaism Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous searc ...

and instead concentrates on prayers (ancient and modern) that encourage greater congregant participation. In 1995, president

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

addressed 2,000 people at the synagogue and made appeals against white emigration; “Don’t leave, don’t let us down. You have nothing to fear... My duty is to unite the people of South Africa. I have no time to indulge in party politics”

Notable members

Helen Suzman Helen Suzman, OMSG, DBE (née Gavronsky; 7 November 1917 – 1 January 2009) was a South African anti-apartheid activist and politician. She represented a series of liberal and centre-left opposition parties during her 36-year tenure in th ...

(politician) *Jeremy Gordin (journalist)South African Jewish journalist Jeremy Gordin murdered in home burglary at 70
''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. 1 May 2023

References

Bibliography

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External links

Beit Emanuel official website
{{Greater Johannesburg, religion Synagogues in Johannesburg Jews and Judaism in South Africa Progressive Judaism in South Africa Synagogues completed in 1954 1954 establishments in South Africa 20th-century religious buildings and structures in South Africa