Sukkat Shalom Reform Synagogue

Jews have lived in Cape Town since its creation and the population has grown from about 20 Jews in 1820 to more than 17,000 today , constituting more than 25 percent of the Jewish community in South Africa. In 1841, the Cape Town Hebrew Congregation was founded a week after 17 Jewish males conducted the first Orthodox Service in South Africa. Services were held at a private home, Helmsley Place, which today forms part of the Mount Nelson Hotel complex. Eight years later, the first Synagogue was established next to Parliament and Reverend Isaac Pulver was the first spiritual leader. By 1863, the Congregation had grown to the point where a new building was needed; it was constructed on what is today the Jewish Museum complex.

In 1905, a still larger building was required and the present Great Synagogue (Gardens Shul) was constructed alongside the Old Shul (pic at top of page).

The Cape Town Jewish community is fairly homogenous. Approximately 80 percent of the Jewish community is of Lithuanian descent. The same percentage is Orthodox while the other 20 percent are Reform. There are 12 Orthodox synagogues in Cape Town and two Reform synagogues. The Great Synagogue, Gardens Shul, or Cape Town Hebrew Congregation, which was consecrated in 1905, is the oldest active congregation in South Africa and is located just to the right of the first synagogue and now, the Jewish museum.

The Gardens Shul is an “Egyptian-revival-style house of worship” that currently seats over 1,400.

The Holocaust is central to South African Jewish identity. The community successfully lobbied the government to require Holocaust education in all public schools and recently built the Cape Town Holocaust Centre, the only Holocaust institution in Africa.

Whilst visiting the Waterfront one morning we came across this group of school children from Sunnyhill Primary School who were performing “Fiddler on the Roof.” The end story of “Fiddler” where they are removed from their homes is a parallel story to the story of “District Six” which occurred in the 60’s in Cape Town during Apartheid