English-speaking Jew in South Africa


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The immigration of Jews into South Africa (RSA) began in the early 1800s when they were given freedom of religious expression. Jews established the first Hebrew congregation in Cape Town in 1841.


Jewish people played an important part in the development of South African trade and industry. They were among the pioneers in the Transvaal region when people discovered diamonds and gold. In 1886 there was a gold rush which attracted more Jewish people from the United Kingdom. Most of today's Jewish population in South Africa are the descendants of immigrants from Lithuania and Latvia who arrived in the early 1900s. The largest Jewish population in the RSA is centered in Johannesburg.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The English-speaking Jews of South Africa are affluent and well educated. The welfare of its aging population is a chief concern, so major efforts have been made in establishing welfare organizations and building retirement homes. Education is the key to building the Jewish identity into the younger generation. Most of the Jewish youth are in comprehensive Jewish day schools. Most of the schools are Orthodox, but several are ultra-Orthodox. Jewish museums, libraries, and periodicals are also important tools that reinforce the community's identity.


The Jewish people in the RSA are often involved with business. The Jewish and Muslim communities in the RSA get along well, and they have frequent business dealings. However, that can easily change if there is a conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.


English-speaking Jewish people in the RSA often emigrate either for Israel or for another English-speaking country. Half of the Jewish population in the RSA left during the turbulent days of ethnic conflict in the 1950s through the 1970s. This process continues.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most of the Jewish population in the RSA is marginally Orthodox. For religious Jews, God is the Supreme Being, the Creator of the universe, and the ultimate judge of human affairs. Beyond this, the religious beliefs of the Jewish communities vary greatly. Orthodox Jews generally follow the traditional religious beliefs and practices found in the Jewish literature that interprets Scripture regarding ethical, religious, civil, and criminal matters.


Reform Jews do not believe that the Jewish Law is divinely revealed. They are not restricted to kosher foods. They neither wear the skullcap (yarmulke) when praying nor use Hebrew in prayer. All religious Jews believe in the coming of a Messianic Age, but only the Orthodox Jews look for a personal Messiah.


Often Jewish people hold to their cultural practices and participate in festivities, but they do not adhere to Jewish spirituality. Such people can be secular or dabble in New Age practices.


What Are Their Needs?

Jewish people have a wonderful understanding of their connection with the Abrahamic Covenant. However, they also have a history of rejecting Jesus Christ as Messiah, the one who fulfilled that covenant. They tend to view Christianity as the religion of their oppressors rather than the fulfillment of what God promised all of humanity through Abraham centuries ago.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to give the Jewish people in the RSA hearts that will want to please him. May they look to the Lord for guidance and truth, and not be satisfied with cultural traditions.


Pray for Jewish people in the RSA to begin a movement to Jesus Christ, finding ways to exalt him while honoring their culture.


Pray for the Lord to move among Jewish leaders in the RSA to open the doors to Christ's ambassadors.


Scripture Prayers for the Jew, English-speaking in South Africa.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

Additional Info
Global Prayer Digest: 2009-01-06
Global Prayer Digest: 2015-01-04
People Name General Jew, English-speaking
People Name in Country Jew, English-speaking
Natural Name English-speaking Jew
Pronunciation joo
Population this Country 51,000
Population all Countries 5,372,000
Total Countries 13
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
Alternate Names Azx; Bene Israel; Bukharic Jew; Central Asian Jew; Hasidim; Jew, Persian; Jewish; Jews; Judeo-German; Judeo-Persian; Shanvar Teli; Spanish Jew; Yahudan; Yahudi; Yudan
People ID 12347
ROP3 Code 117322
Country South Africa
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country South Africa
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Religion Subdivision: Judaism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.10 %)
0.50 %
Ethnic Religions
84.50 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
15.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language English
Language Code eng   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Yiddish, Eastern
Primary Language English
Language Code eng   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Yiddish, Eastern
People Groups Speaking English

Primary Language:  English

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1530-1995)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1380-2011)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1382-2020)
Bible-NT Audio Online
Bible-NT Text Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings DAVAR Partners recording, complete Bible DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2023  blvdone - Shutterstock  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Profile Source Joshua Project  
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Read more