South African Jews still wear kippot – but hide their Zionism

Josh Schewitz, executive director of the Cape Council of the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF), feels that antisemitism in South Africa is often misunderstood and overstated.

“The most important thing to say is that South Africa, in terms of antisemitism, is actually quite a good place,” he said. “We don’t have many violent incidents of antisemitism.”

When problems do arise, he said, they are mostly concentrated in specific environments.

“It’s mostly on [university] campuses,” he said.

Schewitz pointed to isolated antisemitic incidents, including “a pipe bomb that didn’t go off, thrown into the Jewish community center,” though he stressed these were not typical.

“We are not experiencing the same daily antisemitism that our fellow Diaspora communities are experiencing,” she said, adding that “South African Jewry still feels comfortable to identify as Jewish, wearing kippot and Magen David necklaces without fear.”

She referred to what she called the “kippah stadium test,” where most Jewish South Africans still feel comfortable wearing visibly Jewish symbols in public spaces, including rugby and soccer stadiums in Pretoria and the Johannesburg suburb of Soweto.

However, she drew a distinction between physical safety and verbal pressure. “Discomfort, however, comes from the anti-Israel rhetoric and intimidation that we... are being subjected to,” she said.

A young Jewish South African, speaking anonymously, similarly said that antisemitism in SA is rarely direct or openly expressed, but instead exists beneath the surface.

“The thing about antisemitism in South Africa is you will find it occasionally, but [it] rarely manifests as overt anti-Jewish hatred,” he said.

He added that he has experienced antisemitism more in relation to Israel than Jewish identity itself, particularly in university environments. He described campuses as spaces where Israel-related debates can become hostile, including around Israel Apartheid Week, an annual pro-Palestinian campaign criticizing Israel.

He also noted that traditional antisemitic stereotypes still appear in some contexts, including ideas that Jews are wealthy or control money, although he said he has not experienced direct anti-Jewish violence.

The young local said his greater concern was the changing tone of Israel-related debates, which he said often shift quickly from criticism of the Israeli government into antisemitism.

“What we find very commonly is there’s this vitriolic anti-Zionism that... does go into the realm of antisemitism.”

He said the distinction between criticism of Israel, anti-Zionism, and antisemitism was frequently blurred, often in subtle ways rather than through direct violence or acts of hostility.

“It’s not just simple criticism of Israeli government policy, it’s this passionate [vitriolic]… then it becomes antisemitic,” he explained.

He described anti-Zionism as a socially acceptable cover for some people’s antisemitism.

“It’s almost like a mask,” he said, suggesting that antisemitism had not disappeared from polite society but has instead adapted into a different form.

Schewitz added that political rhetoric often shapes perception more than reality. He described some political voices as “deeply anti-Zionist” and “more pro-Hamas than anti-anything,” but contrasted this with broader society: “most South Africans... are either neutral or actually pro-Israel.

“There’s a lot more rhetoric than there is actual antisemitism,” he said.

Kahn also acknowledged that antisemitism has increased since October 7, stating that “antisemitism rose in South Africa by 630%,” including a rise in violent incidents.

However, she added that “fortunately, these levels have now returned to their previous, pre-October 7 numbers of [around] 65 incidents a year.”

Even so, she said, “the intimidation is ongoing,” particularly online, in workplaces, universities, and civil society spaces.

The young Jewish South African said that many residents may support Israel but hesitate to express those views publicly because of possible repercussions.

“In South Africa, it’s still quite unacceptable to be overtly antisemitic,” he said, “on the other hand, it’s actually very hard, and you have to be quite brave to be overtly or publicly pro-Israel.”

He also drew a distinction between Jewish identity and public support for Israel. “I think as a Jew, I always felt safe. But as a Zionist, there is definitely a quiet, unspoken discrimination,” he said.

He added that this underlying tension could affect Jewish people professionally and socially.

“If you were to... be publicly known as a Zionist in a corporate firm, that would definitely impact your career.”

He stressed that this was not a matter of physical danger, but rather “a quiet, unspoken discrimination.”

For him, antisemitism often operates through coded hostility rather than open confrontation. “I’d call anti-Zionism ‘antisemitism’s respectable coat,’” he said.

Schewitz said that some campus incidents are better understood as “microaggressions” rather than overt attacks, where individuals feel targeted in ways that are difficult to formally challenge.

Kahn said she has not experienced direct personal targeting, but has received “hateful rhetoric on social media” in her professional role.

As national director, Kahn said the SAJBD monitored antisemitism and used advocacy and legal action when necessary, including through South Africa’s Equality Courts and Human Rights Commission.

She said the community benefits from strong relationships with Christian and Hindu groups, adding that “there are many in South Africa who support SA Jewry and Israel despite the hostility by the former ANC government and other vocal antagonists.”

Schewitz similarly noted the strength of South Africa’s Christian Zionist community, including organizations such as South African Friends for Israel, which engage in advocacy and education around Israel.

“We do have a lot of friends here,” he said, explaining that nurturing these relationships is important because “the Jewish community is very small in number.”

He added that while South Africa remains a deeply Zionist Jewish community, aliyah is often driven by broader push factors, including crime, economic concerns, and political uncertainty, rather than antisemitism alone.

“People are not leaving because they say, ‘I can’t be a Jew in this country,’” but rather they’d say, ‘my kids are unsafe because of violent crime,’” Schweitz said.

Despite challenges, Kahn said South African Jewry remains “a well-organized and vibrant Jewish community,” with a “hopeful feel” following the 2024 elections and the formation of a Government of National Unity.■