Dominic Adriaanse
FORMER Constitutional Court justice Albie Sachs will mediate between the SA Centre for Religious Equality and Diversity (Sacred) and the Cape SA Jewish Board of Deputies in their dispute on whether or not women should be allowed to perform at a Holocaust ceremony.
The ceremony is scheduled for May 5.
Last week, the board released a statement it was willing to sit in open discussion with Sacred after papers were logged at the Equality Court to force the board to allow women to perform.
The litigants proposed Sachs to chair the meeting due to his standing in the greater community.
Sachs said yesterday he understood that there was an understanding, but he would meet with both sides to prevent the matter having to go to the Equality Court.
“As I understand it, the ceremony will go ahead on the basis that a woman will sing at the end, giving those who oppose it the chance to leave quietly before she does so. This is an interim arrangement,” said Sachs.
“I haven’t been informed about exactly when the meeting will take place, but hope a suitable resolution can be reached.”
Yesterday, the UCT SA Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS) said in a statement that it supported inclusivity.
This past weekend, it posted on its Facebook page of its support of all in the Jewish faith to fully participate in whatever best includes them and allows the expression of their beliefs.
Not commenting if legal proceedings are the best way to achieve inclusivity, it believes the fact that the community has been unable to reach a decision internally, speaks volumes.
SAUJS vice-chairperson Scott Roberts said: “We do fall under the direction of the Jewish board, and we are entitled to our opinion.”
For change to occur, SAUJS states, those in positions of “religious power” must compromise.
Cape SA Jewish Board of Deputies chairperson Eric Marx said SAUJS was entitled to its opinions.