Abstract
Although the death rate caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa has thus far been much lower than initially feared, the economic and social impact has been severe. The country’s Jewish community, constituting 0.1% of the population with a median age of 45 years, has not escaped its effects. Organizations and individuals have nonetheless been able to mobilize a rapid and wide-reaching series of responses directed towards those most in need both inside and outside the community. The uniquely coordinated, energetic, and multipronged nature of these responses are attributed to robust communal infrastructure, strong community social capital, and the history of the Jewish community’s positioning in post-apartheid South Africa, alongside the perceived importance of health to collective well-being.
Highlights
At the time of writing, South Africa was in 11th position on the Worldometer’s list of countries with the most COVID-19 cases in the world, with a cumulative total of 698,184 cases and 18,309 deaths (Worldometer 2020; Department of Health 15 October 2020).1 the death rate has far been much lower than initially feared, the economic and social impact of the pandemic has been severe
On March, Ramaphosa convened the first meeting of the National Command Council on COVID-19 (Presidency March 2020), and on 23 March, announced a lockdown with severe restrictions, with the South African Defence Force deployed to support the police in ensuring compliance
The messages emanating from the Office of the Chief Rabbi, which have met with widespread support, have been directed toward the Jewish community and its connections with other Jews in the diaspora, rather than the larger South African social context
Summary
Throughout the pandemic the SAJBD continued its work communicating with and educating the Jewish community, helping members to access psychological support, financial advice, and economic relief from government programs and banks, and repatriating South African Jews stranded abroad (SAJBD 19 March 2020, 28 April 2020, May 2020; Zagnoev 15 May 2020). In addition to extensive inreach work, an extraordinary array of initiatives for food aid and humanitarian relief directed towards broader South African society was launched by Jewish institutions, individuals, and informal groups during the first seven months of the pandemic. Some inventive fundraising drives—including online boxing and art classes—were launched by teenagers and younger children, with funds donated to local charities (Leibowitz 8 May 2020; Leibowitz 15 May 2020; Staff Reporter 29 May 2020).
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