A History of the South African Jews Presented by Ralph Cilevitz

Classi Lectures together with Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto

From the ‘Pale’ to Pretoria……carrying a small suitcase filled with Courage, Faith and Hope.

This presentation tells the powerful story of Jewish immigrants who journeyed from the cities and ‘shtetls’ of the Pale of Settlement to the cities and ‘dorpies’ at the southern tip of Africa. Most arrived young, alone, and with little more than their determination and quiet strength.

Ralph Cilevitz explores how thousands of Jewish families built new lives, preserved their faith and hope while adapting to unfamiliar places and languages. Ralph offers a deeply personal and vivid look at courage, migration, resilience, and community.

Whether you’re interested in genealogy, Jewish history, or human endurance, this presentation brings the past to life in a way that is deeply personal and richly human.

FREE EVENT!

PLEASE REGISTER ON JGS’s WEBSITE!!