Editor: Dr Saul Issroff
Copyright © 2001 Saul Issroff, Mike Getz, SAfrica SIG
and Jewishgen Inc.
URL: http://www.jewishgen.org/SAfrica/synagogues/0/index.htm
Revised: 27 June 2001

According to The Jewish Year Book 1969, page 148, "The Jewish community began as an organised body at Cape Town on the eve of the Day of Atonement, Friday, September 26, 1841. Its first title was 'The Society of the Jewish Community of the Cape of Good Hope,' but there had been Jewish residents at the Cape long before the foundation of the Hebrew Congregation. In fact, Jews have been connected with the Cape of Good Hope from the earliest days of South African history."

Elsewhere on this web-site, Hazel Dakers, in an article about Benjamin Norden, wrote: ... Benjamin Norden was one of the founding fathers of the South African Jewish community. It is recorded that the first Jewish services were held in his house in Hof Street, Cape Town. He was one of the contributors to the building of the first synagogue in the colony - in Cape Town. Benjamin was instrumental in the appointment of Rabbi Rabinowitz.