Monday 19th May was the Youth Programme’s fifth session for the Grade 10s. We
were warmly welcomed by the custodian of the Obs Mowbray Shul, Marc Turok, who
brought the space alive to the learners, sharing stories of the local Orthodox
community and of the Shul itself, which has been in existence since 1927.
Marc’s passion and devotion were palpable and contagious. He masterfully drew a personal and complex picture of the many facets of Jewish tradition and worship. For several of the 40 learners who come from such diverse religions, traditions and backgrounds, this was their first time of being inside a Jewish holy space. And the questions kept coming! They were eager to know more about the symbols, the Hebrew writing, the rituals, and the tenets of Judaism.
Joining Marc was Rabbi Andrea (“Andi”) Kuti, who told us her story, having been born
in Hungary and only discovering her Jewish identity at age 10, in the dark shadow of
the Shoah (the Holocaust). As a result, she took nothing for granted, and this deep
desire to learn took her on a 20+ year journey that eventuated in her studying for the
rabbinate in the USA. It’s unusual in Jewish tradition for a woman to do this, and it is
only possible in certain sectors of the faith.
Rabbi Andi invited the Jewish learners to join her, and together they sung and recited
the Shma which starts: “Hear, oh Israel, the Lord is One”, with us all covering our
eyes for this line – a beautiful reminder to listen more and watch less.
Rabbi Andi’s message was one of compassion and unity, reaching beyond division
and exclusion. She described her relationship with the Torah as one of “mythical
storytelling”, seeking connections from the tree of Judaism to universal truths shared
across all faiths.
Marc and Rabbi Andi then invited everyone to gather around the table as they
uncovered and showed the scroll of the Torah. Marc’s words captured the essence of the day and indeed the Programme so perfectly. He shared the word baneich – to sharpen the understanding of these universal truths within our children; and boneich, supporting, guiding and teaching our students, the activist builders of a better future. May it be so, and may we continue to do so.
The learner exercise later in the session was to take the themes from the “days of
creation” in the book of Genesis, and create a small group presentation. One group, in response to ‘Day 3 – the creation of lands, seas and plants’, won the hearts
of all present, a poem on the theme of growth and rootedness:
Together, yet we are divided: Catholic, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Jewish.
Together, yet we worship in different places: chapel, everywhere, church, mosque,
shul. Together, yet we each love Jesus, the Buddha, Allah, Hashem. Together, yet
we all suffer. Together, we grow. Together we are Ubuntu.
In the midst of the tensions and anxieties of our world, the CTII Schools program
found an oasis of peace, shalom, and salaam at the Obs & Mowbray Shul. Our visit
was a sign of blessing for the congregation, and the greater population of Cape
Town. It was a respectful point in the ongoing process known in Hebrew as tikkun
olam – repair of the world.
When we express ourselves with trust, and seek dialog around our differences, we slowly come to realise how faith, not fear, is the basis of human life.
Nic Paton, Imam Salieg Issacs, Rabbi Andi Kuti, Jenny Canau
