Rabbi Aharon Hayon, was born in Israel approximately 42 years ago. His family originated in Libya, making Aliyah in 1951. Aharon is one of 4 brothers and 2 sisters. He was educated in Ashkelon and served in the Israeli Airforce for 5 years. He came to South Africa in 1990 where he took up the position as Head of Jewish Studies at the Jewish Day School in Port Elizabeth. In 1999 he and his wife Jolleen, a South African, and their 2 sons, Yossie and Gilad, arrived in Cape Town where Aharon assumed the position as Head of Jewish Studies at Weizmann Primary School, also teaching part-time at Herzlia High School. He has the past 3 years been our Assistant Rabbi. He studied under Rabbi Steinhorn for the past number of years and obtained his Smicha at the Jerusalem Rabbinate. He recently accepted the call to become Rabbi of our Congregation and we welcome him. Jolleen trained in Hotel Management and spent many years in this sphere both in Israel and South Africa. At present she works for the Tikkun Outreach Organization doing excellent work in this regard.

Cantor Ivor Joffe, Ivor is a through and through Capetonian, having been born in this city.  He was educated in the Jewish Day School environment, matriculating at Herzlia High.  Ivor, from a very early age was involved in singing, commencing as a chorister in the Schoonder Street Choir and eventually becoming their Chazan in 1994.  He then spent two years in Australia working as a Chazan and teaching music at Leibler-Yavneh College in Melbourne.  He answered our call to become Chazan of our Shul in 2002 and his beautiful renditions with our choir are a joy to all who visit and hear them on Shabbat and on various occasions.  Ivor is the Jewish music specialist for all of the United Herzlia Schools.  His beautiful renditions have become famous throughout South Africa, his musical abilities extending far and beyond his Shul activities.

Norman Isaacson, or Normie as he is known to us all, has been an integral part of our Shul the past 41 years.  He, in his youth, was a South African Body Building Champion and his fitness is a legend to all.  Normie is in his 80’s but you wouldn’t think so the way he runs around the Shul calling everyone up for an Aliyah.  He is well known both to Capetonians and visitors from near and far and never forgets a Hebrew name.  His stories of the goings-on in the Shul the past 38 years are most interesting to listen to.  He was also a member of the Gardens Shul choir for 34 years.

Ian Harry Maltz Esq, our Executive Director, known by the title Esquire, has been with our Shul the past 20 years, having spent his formative years in Durban where he was well known in the surfing community.  He spent a number of years in Israel on the famous Kibbutz Yotvata where he achieved the position of Assistant Manager of the Kibbutz Dairy, one of the most famous milk and yoghurt producing factories in the country.  He is married to Andrea, a Hebrew teacher at Herzlia and together they are blessed with a large family.  He is the person one turns to for joy and sorrow, organizing weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, Brachot and on the other side funerals and consecrations.  To him nothing seems impossible.

Rabbi Levi Silman, our Youth Rabbi joined us on 1st May 2008. He will be involved in all aspects of youth work, also will be involved with children.  This portfolio encompasses ages 1-35.  We take pleasure in welcoming him, his wife Leah and son Mendi (did you daven today).  Levi started in true style, organising a Lag B'Omer braai as well as regular Friday evening youth services in our Small Shul.  These services are followed by a brocha and I'chayim and have been well attended.  Please feel free to contact him on 072 742 2009 regarding youth activities.

Shirley Greenstein, our Social Worker has been involved with caring and helping for others for the past seventeen years and has been the Social Worker for our Congregation for the past seven years.  On her, falls all the sick visiting and general responsibility for caring for our Congregants.  She is married to Solly who is on the Management Committee of Glendale and they have two sons and grandchildren.

Sandy Segal has been with our Congregation as organizer of the children’s services the past 4 years.  She and her three children attend all children’s services on a regular basis, her speciality being the running of the 4-8 years age group on Friday evenings.  Sandy is a qualified music teacher and at present teaches piano at Herzlia Primary, Highlands.

Hadassah Friedman, our in-house caterer, caters for all our Shabbat brachot, Seniors, Pesach and Rosh Hashanah dinners as well as catering for the special High Festivals brachot.  She also caters for many private functions in our hall e.g. special anniversaries, Bar and Bnot Mitzvah functions, wedding functions, britot, etc.  Her excellent catering enhances the beauty of our Shul.

We have two important people with the Emeritus status, the one being Rabbi Elihu Jacob Steinhorn who has recently retired as Rabbi of our Congregation, spending some 25 years with us with a break of 6 years in the middle.  He, in October 2004 decided to make Aliyah and has settled in Jerusalem where he continues with furthering his education and giving lectures when required.  The other Emeritus person Cantor Philip Badash was the Cantor of this Congregation for many years.  His beautiful renditions were a joy to listen to and in his day he was unsurpassed as the finest Cantor not only in Cape Town but in South Africa.

The rest of our permanent complement in the Shul consists of our office staff being led by Jos Dickman, a stalwart of the Shul the past 24 years, ably assisted by Hannah Ruditzky, Taryn Brooke, Davina Lewis and Julie Berger.

The maintenance staff are Adam Nogqala, James Matikinca, Peter Baatys, Sydney Maseti and Christine Farmer.

Our Committee for 2008 / 2009 are:

And Committee Members:                                       

And Trustees:

Choir

Our choir regarded by all who have heard them as the finest Shul choir in South Africa and is ably led by David Gordon.  The choir consists of:

Arnaud-Claude Bal                    Percy Bruss                                Mompie Saven

Eric Cash                                  Sam Chait                                 David Brooke

David Gordon                           Neil Gore                                   Richard Gore

Mervyn Nick                              Kenneth Zaacks                          Asher Stern

Norman Katzeff                         Jeff Kusevitzky                           Nicholas Gadd

Daniel Stack                              Charlie Saven