Les Juifs de Johannesburg

The discovery of gold in the Witwatersrand at the end of the nineteenth century gave birth to Johannesburg and drew large numbers of Jewish immigrants there, the majority of them Litvaks from Lithuania, who lastingly shaped the character of the South African Jewish community. Established in commerce, the mining industry, finance, and the professions, they built a prosperous and strongly organized community, endowed with synagogues, schools, Zionist organizations, and charitable institutions. Predominantly Orthodox in affiliation, the community of Johannesburg was the heart of Jewish life in South Africa. After the end of apartheid in 1994, a significant proportion emigrated, notably to Israel, Australia, the United Kingdom, and North America, reducing its numbers.

Sources & resources

• Encyclopaedia Judaica — 2e éd., Keter/Macmillan
• Jewish Virtual Library ↗