United Herzlia Schools

Last updated

United Herzlia Schools
Location
United Herzlia Schools
Deer Park Dr E, Vredehoek, Cape Town, 8001

Cape Town
,
South Africa
,
Western Cape
Coordinates 33°56′36.8″S18°25′18.0″E / 33.943556°S 18.421667°E / -33.943556; 18.421667
Information
Other nameבתיהייס המאוחדים הרצליה
Motto"אם תרצו"
("If you will it, it is no dream")
DenominationOrthodox Judaism
Established1940

The United Herzlia Schools is an organisation that manages the delivery of separate Jewish education in Cape Town in South Africa. The most prominent school is Herzlia High School, which has over 2, 000 students. [1] The school caters to Jewish students across the religious spectrum, from Orthodox to Reform and unaffiliated. The school also enrols non-Jewish pupils from other faith backgrounds. [2]

Contents

History

One of the earliest Jewish schools was the Hope Mill Hebrew Public School which was located at the top of Government Avenue, close to the Cape Town Hebrew Congregation. By 1901 it had about 350 students. The school received state assistance from the Cape school board and the school gradually lost its Jewish character.

A Talmud Torah school was established in District Six in 1899 and by 1903 it housed 100 pupils. In 1919, the United Hebrew Schools of Cape Town were established. The school was housed at 101 Hope Street under the principalship of Mr Joseph Homa.

With the arrival of Rabbi Abrahams as Chief Rabbi of the Cape Town Hebrew Congregation, the idea of the Jewish Day School was given new impetus. The first class, which was housed at 101 Hope Street, Cape Town, opened in January 1940.

The first parent committee was established in August 1940 to help stimulate parental support. Thus began the long tradition of active commitment on the part of the parents.

In 1945, it was decided to give the morning school a separate identity from The Hope Street Talmud Torah. It was subsequently given the name Herzlia [3] By 1948, with 225 on the roll and six standards, the problem of space prompted the committee to purchase four and a half acres of land in Highlands Estate but building only began many years later.

In 1955, the school went up to Std 9 with 423 pupils and Myer Katz was appointed Head of Herzlia. Construction began on the Highlands plot. In 1956, the four foundation stones were laid by; Chief Rabbi Professor Abrahams, Max Rabie, Ben Wilder and the fourth (in memory of the late Jacob Gitlin) by Meyer H Goldschmidt.

On 29 April 1957, 560 Herzlians assembled in the new school hall for the first time, The number of pupils soon approached 1000 and a new preparatory school block was built as well as a hostel (currently Highlands Primary) that enabled the country pupils to obtain a Jewish education. They came from as far afield as Upington and Zambia.

In 1976, the Kindergarten classes of Highlands Primary moved into the building which previously housed the school hostel and the upper primary classes joined them in 1978. In 1972, the first sod was turned on the ten acres of land in Kendal Road, Constantia and on 17 July 1973 the completed building was handed over to the new governing body of the school.

Weizmann Primary joined the Herzlia system in 1976 and so it was at that point that the Jewish Day School movement in Cape Town was unified. In 1981 the Middle School was erected on what was previously the school sports field.

Herzlia Schools 2000-2010

Many changes occurred at the schools over the decade up to 2010, including significant changes to the national curriculum and the matriculation examinations. [4]

During 2000, the United Herzlia Schools merged with the Association of Hebrew Pre-Primary Schools. Herzlia has opened playgroups for younger children and also consolidated some of its campuses, integrating the preschools into its schools in the Atlantic and Southern Suburbs regions. The Herzlia Pre-Primary schools are situated in four suburbs of Cape Town, serving families closest to their homes. Herzlia has also absorbed the Sarah Bloch crèche, which provides an aftercare service to families in the area.

The schools are managed in regions by regional principals with the majority of children attending school in the City Bowl region. The Director of Education has direct educational responsibility for all Herzlia schools educationally and is also the public face of Herzlia, while finance and administration is headed by the Director of Finance and Administration who is seated in the administration house.

School Campuses

United Herzlia schools is a School Group that executively runs in Cape Town. Herzlia Pre Primary to Herzlia High School campuses. Campuses that are included in the Herzlia school group are as follows. [5]

Controversies

Both the South African and Israeli national anthems are traditionally sung at school events. In November 2018, during the singing of the Israeli anthem during the prize-giving event of the former Herzlia middle school, two Jewish Grade 9 students "took a knee" to protest the Israel government's treatment of Palestinians. [6] [7] In the following days after the students' protest, the UHS board imposed disciplinary action against the two students. [7] [8]

On the 25th of November 2018, in response to the news of disciplinary action being taken against two grade nine learners, a group of Herzlia alumni penned a two-page letter titled “Herzlia Alumni Support Freedom of Thought and Peaceful Expression of Dissent”. [9]

Notable alumni

Herzlia's 7204 alumni are located in all corners of the world. Currently the alumni are spread as follows: 897 live in the United States of America, 212 in Canada, 578 in the United Kingdom, 654 in Israel, 643 in Australia, 25 in New Zealand while the balance live in South Africa and a few other smaller destinations.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

South African Jews, whether by culture, ethnicity, or religion, form the twelfth largest Jewish community in the world, and the largest on the African continent. As of 2020, the Kaplan Centre at the University of Cape Town estimates 52,300 Jews in the country. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies estimates that the figure is closer to 75,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vredehoek</span> Suburb of Cape Town, in Western Cape, South Africa

Vredehoek is a residential suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, located at the foot of Table Mountain and Devil's Peak. It is sandwiched between the two neighbouring suburbs of Oranjezicht and Devil's Peak Estate, the latter of which is often considered a sub-suburb of Vredehoek as they both fall under the neighbourhood watch community called DPV - Devil's Peak & Vredehoek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh</span> Place in Central, Israel

Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh is a youth village and major yeshiva in southern Israel. Located near the city of Ashdod and adjacent to Kvutzat Yavne, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hevel Yavne Regional Council. In 2022, it had a population of 536.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gardens, Cape Town</span> Inner-city suburb of Cape Town in Western Cape, South Africa

Gardens is an affluent inner-city suburb of Cape Town located just to the south of the city centre located in the higher elevations of the "City Bowl" and directly beneath Table Mountain and Lion's Head. It is home to several national museums such as Iziko South African National Gallery and the Iziko South African Museum. The University of Cape Town also houses its Fine Arts department in the suburb, at Michaelis School of Fine Art. Company's Garden, South Africa's oldest garden, a public park and heritage site is a focal point of the suburb. The area is also home to the oldest synagogue in Southern Africa, the Old Shul and its successor, the Gardens Shul, "The Mother Synagogue of South Africa."

Yeshivas Bais Yisroel, colloquially known as "Bais", is an English-language, Litvish Orthodox yeshiva for post-high-school boys located in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood of Jerusalem. Founded in 1985 by Rabbi Doniel Lehrfeld, the yeshiva's student body currently numbers over 100 students mainly from the United States, England, Canada, South Africa, Mexico, Chile and Australia. The yeshiva also operates a kollel for 40 married men, many of whom attended the yeshiva before marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neve Yerushalayim</span> School in Jerusalem, Israel

Neve Yerushalayim is the oldest and largest college for Jewish women in the world. Founded in 1970 to educate baalot teshuva in the why and how of living an Orthodox Jewish life, Neve has approximately 35,000 alumni. Its campus in the Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem is also home to 11 schools and seminaries for post-high school, undergraduate, and graduate students from religious backgrounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Point, Cape Town</span> Suburb of Cape Town in Western Cape, South Africa

Green Point is an affluent suburb on the Atlantic Seaboard of Cape Town, South Africa located to the north west of the central business district. It is home to Cape Town Stadium, a major sporting venue that was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Sea Point promenade runs through the suburb, connecting it to Three Anchor Bay and Sea Point, a popular Jewish neighbourhood. Somerset Road forms the main thoroughfare lined by restaurants, cafés, delis, boutiques and nightclubs.

The Yeshiva of Cape Town is a kollel and yeshiva established in 1994. Its full title is "The Rabbi Cyril and Ann Harris Yeshiva of Cape Town", named for the late Chief Rabbi. It is based in the Green and Sea Point Hebrew Congregation, in the suburb of Sea Point, Cape Town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gardens Shul</span> Modern Orthodox synagogue in Cape Town, South Africa

The Gardens Shul, formally the Cape Town Hebrew Congregation (CTHC), also called the Great Synagogue, is a Modern Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in the Company Gardens, in the Gardens neighborhood of Cape Town, South Africa. The congregation was established in 1841, making it the oldest Jewish congregation in South Africa.

The Oxford Shul is an Orthodox Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Riviera, near the suburbs of Saxonwold, Houghton and Killarney, in Johannesburg, in the region of Gauteng, South Africa. The congregation was established in 1943 and moved into its current building in 1962. The sanctuary is one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, with seating for 1,500 congregants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ephraim Mirvis</span> Chief Rabbi of the UK and Commonwealth

Sir Ephraim Yitzchak Mirvis is a British Orthodox rabbi who serves as the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. He served as the Chief Rabbi of Ireland between 1985 and 1992.

Rabbi Barry Marcus is a South African rabbi. He retired as senior minister of Central Synagogue, Great Portland Street in London in 2018 after serving the congregation for over 23 years. He is notable for his rabbinical and pastoral duties in the UK, Israel and South Africa.

The Temple Israel is a Progressive Jewish congregation and synagogue, located in Hillbrow, a suburb of Johannesburg, in the district of Gauteng, South Africa. Designed by Hermann Kallenbach in the Art Deco style, the synagogue was completed in 1936 and is the oldest of eleven Progressive synagogues in South Africa. The synagogue is classified as a provincial heritage site. The congregation is affiliated with the South African Union for Progressive Judaism (SAUPJ), which is part of the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South African Union for Progressive Judaism</span> Affiliate of the World Union for Progressive Judaism

The South African Union for Progressive Judaism (SAUPJ) is an affiliate of the World Union for Progressive Judaism and supports 11 progressive congregations. Rabbi Moses Cyrus Weiler, a founder of Reform Judaism in the country, led the country's first Reform synagogue, Temple Israel in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Weiler is credited with growing the movement, to represent 15-17% of South African Jewry and establishing 25 congregations in the country. A 2020 joint study by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research and the University of Cape Town showed that 12% of Jews identified as Progressive and that in relative terms the progressive strands are increasing after falling to 7% in 1998 and 2005 studies. In Johannesburg, the community accounts for 7% of the city's Jewry, rising to 18% in Cape Town and 25% in Durban.

The Temple Israel, also known as the Cape Town Progressive Jewish Congregation (CTPJC), is a Progressive Jewish congregation, located in Cape Town, with three synagogues located in each of Green Point, Wynberg and Milnerton, in the Western Cape region of South Africa. As three centres combined, they are the largest Progressive congregation in South Africa, and the second largest Jewish congregation in Cape Town after Marais Road Shul in Sea Point.

Moses Cyrus Weiler was a Latvian-born South African rabbi and founder of Reform Judaism in the country. He was Chief Minister of the United Jewish Progressive Congregation and served as rabbi of Temple Israel in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, the mother synagogue of the country's Reform movement. He is credited with growing the movement, with 25 congregations established during his tenure. He made aliyah to Israel in 1958, where he spent the second part of his life.

Rabbi Dr David Sherman was a South African and American rabbi. He was the first spiritual leader of a Reform congregation in Cape Town, where he led Temple Israel in Green Point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marais Road Shul</span> Modern Orthodox synagogue in Cape Town, South Africa

The Marais Road Shul, formally the Green & Sea Point Hebrew Congregation (G&SPHC), is a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Sea Point, a seaside suburb of Cape Town. The congregation was first established in 1926, and the synagogue was completed in 1934. It had initially intended to become a branch of the Gardens Shul in the City Bowl, but opted for independence, and became the larger of the two. It is the largest Jewish congregation in South Africa, and by 1994, it had become the largest in the South Hemisphere. The Sephardi Hebrew Congregation, established in 1960, also operates a shul from the G&SPHC's Weizmann Hall on Regent Road in Sea Point.

Sol Kreiner is a retired South African politician that served as Mayor of Cape Town between 1983 and 1985. At the time of his inauguration, he was the city's second-youngest mayor. His late brother, Louis Kreiner (1928–1994) also served as Mayor of Cape Town between 1979 and 1981. His sister-in-law, Patricia Sulcas Kreiner subsequently served as mayor from 1993 to 1995.

Louis Kreiner was a South African politician and Mayor of Cape Town from 1979 to 1981. His brother, Sol Kreiner subsequently held the position between 1983 and 1985. His wife, Patricia Sulcas Kreiner was also mayor of the city from 1993 to 1995.

References

  1. ↑ The tale of South Africa’s first Jewish school The South African Jewish Report. 5 October 2020
  2. ↑ SA Jewish day schools thrive in loyal community The South African Jewish Report. 14 January 2015
  3. ↑ United Herzlia Schools (1990). Im Tirzu. Published by United Herzia Schools.
  4. ↑ United Herzlia Schools (2010). Herzlia Today. Published by United Herzlia Schools.
  5. ↑ "About Us". United Herzlia Schools. Retrieved 2022-01-31.
  6. ↑ Herzlia student who knelt down during Ha-Tikva Israeli anthem explaining why they did it. , retrieved 2022-01-31
  7. 1 2 Stone, Jasmine (2018-11-15). "UPDATED: Drama As Herzlia Scholars Kneel During Israeli National..." 2oceansvibe News | South African and international news. Retrieved 2022-01-28.
  8. ↑ "Two Herzlia students disciplined for 'bending a knee' during Israeli national anthem". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  9. ↑ Reynolds, Kim (2018-11-19). "Herzlia alumni "condemn" punishment of students who protested". GroundUp News. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  10. ↑ Besser, Mitchell. "Mitchell Besser | Speaker | TED". www.ted.com. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  11. ↑ Marcus, Barry (15 September 2019). "Introduction". My Story (Rabbi Barry Marcus). Amberley Publishing. ISBN   9781398101555 . Retrieved 25 November 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.