Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 44, No. 26, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 28, 1990 Page: 2 of 24
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Features 2 texas JEWISH post, Thursday, june zb,1990— in our 44th year:
South African Jews Experience Dallas
By Joel Cohen, Texas Jewish Post Staff Reporter
(This article is a continuation
of our summer-long series
featuring the Dallas Jewish
community cultural melting pot.
In light of ANC leader Nelson
Mandela's current visit to the
U.S. and current reform in
S. Africa, we thought it would be
most appropriate this week to
feature S. African Jews in
Dallas. Each spokesperson of
the four families featured speaks
not on behalf of all ex-S. Afri-
can Jews. It isn’t meant to
represent all S. African Jews
living in Dallas. Note that most
S. African Jews don’t support
apartheid, politically speaking
are liberal, and in recent years
have predominantly voted for
the left-wing S. African Demo-
cratic Party, whose constituents
have called for the abolition of
apartheid.)
Leaving S. Africa:
Dr. and Mrs. Leonard
and Linda Behr, like
many S. African Jews in
1977, left the turmoil in
their country in the wake
of the 1976 Soweto riots.
(Soweto, a township 10
miles from Johannesburg,
holds 2.5 million people.)
The Behrs, unhappy with
the political situation,
departed a chaotic S.
Africa because it wasn’t a
“great future for quc
kids.” Dr. Behr, who had
been in Family Practice in
Johannesburg for six
years, has continued his
practice for over 13 years.
Linda has opened a dance
studio. Rodney and Janet
Herson didn’t leave S.
Africa for political reasons
but rather “to travel and
see the world,” says Rod-
ney. Rodney, who had
been a technician for eight
years at a Mercedes-Benz
dealership in Johannes-
burg, took a leave of ab-
sence with Janet in 1981
and visited friends in the
U.S. While in Dallas,
Janet was offered a job in
Stephensons Motor Com-
pany, and Rodney soon
followed suit. Though he
didn’t plan on living here,
since 1987 he has operated
Rodney Herson Auto-
motive, and has won
several technician awards.
Mervyn and Linda Sachar
left Cape Town, S. Africa
in May of 1980 because of
the “inhumane way blacks
were trp^ted.” Mervyn
adds that'when faced with
a decision to relocate in
Israel, London, or the
U.S., he was “drawn here
. . . it seemed so right for
me, the atmosphere, busi-
ness, the people advance-
ment.” Mervyn was, for
14 years, a member of the
Board of Directors of
Grand Bazaar, a discount
variety department store
in S. Africa. Since their
arrival in Dallas in 1980,
the Sachars have run three
highly profitable Neuhaus
Chocolate stores. Michael
and Maureen Wallace left
Cape Town in May of
1979 because they “didn’t
feel comfortable with an
apartheid system.”
Michael desired a “life of
freedom for my kids,”
and Maureen, who has five
sons, did not want each of
them to serve two years in
the army (South African
Defense Forces), especially
“to fight for a cause they
didn’t believe in.”
Michael was a managing
partner in an accounting
firm, and has continued
his occupation in Dallas.
Maureen, once a parelegal,
now is an office manager.
S. African Jews who
relocate to Dallas have
faced similar problems to
other immigrants. Though
language isn’t a problem,
difficulties such as finding
aparments, homes,
schools, etc. exist.
One prominent ex-S.
African spokesperson who
declined to be identified
said that the Jewish com-
munity doesn’t* realize
that S. African Jews need
similar help from certain
Jewish organizations . . .
“There is a myth that all
ex-South African Jews in
America are rich — some
struggle to make it here.”
In fact, several of the
couples interviewed repor-
ted an “absence of wel-
coming from any Jewish
agencies.” New S. African
Jews in Dallas are often
initially supported by
other ex-S. African Jewish
families.
Differences between Dallas
and S. Africa:
What differences do the
four couples see between
S. Africa and Dallas? Dr.
Behr sees Johannesburg
and Dallas as having a
“similar suburban life-
style,” but says that
Dallas is “slower paced.”
The Hersons think the life-
style in Dallas is much
more “laid back” and
view the lifestyle in Dallas
as being “materialistic.”
The Sachars, though, say
there is “no time for relaxa-
tion,” and Dallas is “not
so laid back.” Mervyn
thinks that the U.S. is
generally more service
oriented —” the customer
comes first . . . you must
make the customer happy
here.” He adds that
Dallas is “like San Diego
or Joburg,” not like Cape
Town . . .” so, like our
adjustment to America, a
move from Cape Town to
Joburg would be just as
traumatic.” The Wallaces
see “tremendous material-
ism and extravagant waste”
here in the form of sizes
of homes, electricity, and
other utilities. All four
couples think Dallas is a
less physically attractive
city to live in, because as
one couple said,
“geographically it is flat,”
and the extremes in tem-
perature are terrible.”
One couple coined Dallas
as an “ugly city,” and
another described it as an
“inland city without
beauty.” But all four
couples admire the friend-
liness of Dallasites.
View of Political Situation
In S. Africa
Since Leaving;
All four couples have
returned to S. Africa at
least once since their
various departures, and
changes in S. Africa. The
Behrs and Sachars are un-
certain about the future.
“Potentially, it could be
exciting, but unfor-
tunately, there are too
many unknowns,” says
Dr. Behr. Mr. Sachar
declares that “nobody
knows what will happen,
people are uncomfort-
able, and business there is
getting worse—the gover-
nment has lost control.”
Mr. Herson is more pes-
simistic—“Based upon
talks and letters from my
black friends there, it is a
bomb waiting to ex-
plode.” Mr. Wallace, the
most optimistic of the
group, says that “with
hope and luck, they will
reach a peaceful agree-
ment. . .deKlerk is gutsy,
courageous, and genuine:
he’s done a hell pf a job.”
Mandela’s Visit:
When asked to com-
ment on ANC leader Nel-
son Mandela’s current
tour of the U.S., the
couples predict that the
ticker-tape parades and
have mixed feelings about
recent political and social
honorary banquets will
highlight Mandela’s cam-
paign for economic and
political sanctions to be
maintained until all forms
of apartheid are
abolished. Some couples
maintain that Man-
dela truly was a terror-
ist, and are concern-
ed about his recent court-
ship with PLO leader
Yasser Arafat, and Libya’s
Col. Khaddafi, as well as
Mandela and Bishop Des-
mond Tutu’s recent anti-Is-
rael statements. Mr. Herson
emphasizes that “the
problem (one man-one
vote) is more complex
than people realize. . .
because not all Blacks
think alike—what about
Chief Bhutulezl?” (lea-
der of Inkatha, a pre-
dominantly Zulu tribe
composed of about five
million members, with
different views than those
of the ANC) Mr. Sach-
har notes that Man-
dela is “made for a coun-
try like the U.S. ... a
type of man that
Americans dream of, who
can capture the imagina-
tion of the audience, and
fight for freedom.” All
four coupies see the media
portraying Mandela’s
tour as a success, but Mr.
Wallace predicts that for
some, his visit “will cause
problems.”
Jewish Identity—
Dallas Vs. S. Africa:
Ex-S. African Jews
in Dallas often state that
Jewish identity in their
former country is stronger
than in Dallas. Likewise,
most of the couples spoke
of a more close-knit,
unified Jewish commun-
ity in S. Africa, a higher
percentage of affilia-
tion to synagogues and
other organizations
(sports movements-Mac-
cabi), a greater degree of
Judaism in youth organi-
zations, a higher rate of
attendance at services,
and a lower rate of inter-
marriage,, amongst Jews
in S. Africa. But the
couples praised the
synagogues, and Dr. Behr
notes that the Solomon
Schechter Day School,
where many ex-S. African
children attend, has
provided his kids with a
“good upbringing.”
Being Jewish In the U.S.:
The couples point out
further differences bet-
ween living as a Jew in
America versus in S.
Africa. “In Cape Town,
everyone (Jewish) knew
each other, whereas here,
that isn’t true, and being a
Jew is less obvious
because of intermarriage,
says Linda Sachar. In
South Africa, we
wouldn’t have exams on
Jewish Holidays, but
here, yes,” as she recalled
an incident at the Univer-
sity of Texas. Her
husband, Mervyn, says
that for business rea-
sons, more and more Jews
are denying their religion.
Mr. Herson says that in
Dallas, people are
ashamed of being Jewish,
and consider themselves
“Americans first, whereas
in S. Africa, we think of
ourselves as Jews first.”
The couples are insecure
about family members
they have left behind in S.
Africa, due to the rise of
the right wing Conser-
vative Party and splinter
group AWB (African
Resistance Movement led
by Eugene Terre Blanche,
with their Neo-Nazi para-
phanalia, and anti-Semitic
statements). But the Sach-
ars have faced anti-Semi-
tism in Dallas too, Mer-
vyn, who feels “like a
minority” and can “feel
the anti-Semitism here,”
recalled several incidents.
On one occasion, for
example, a customer
asked him if he could stop
two women from smoking
outside one of his shops.
The customer said,
“they’re probably two
Jews from New York.”
Professions:
The couples also point
out differences between
their professions back in
S. Africa and in Dallas.
Dr. Behr, for instance,
says that medicine is more
controlled here by big
business and plenty of
politics. Many decisions
and control are being
taken away from doctors
and given to business. He
says that the number of
malpractice suits is higher
in the U.S. As a result of
these conditions, more
and more American doc-
tors are complaining that
the pleasure of practice
and looking after patients
is not as rewarding as in
years past. Mr. Herson
thinks that training
programs for technicians
in S. Africa are better. He
notes that there are higher
standards there because of
a five-year appren-
ticeship and other condi-
tions that must be satis-
fied prior to rewarding
one with a degree. Mr.
Sachar says that the
“pressured creates an
aggressive highly com-
petitive business environ-
ment.” Mr. Wallace says
that the standards of ac-
counting in Dallas match
those in S. Africa.
Positives and Negatives
In America:
What are the biggest
positives and negatives
each couple feel about
living in the U.S.? Dr.
Behr mentions the various
opportunities avail-
able to him and his
family, yet is concerned
that his children are
growing up without spen-
ding time with their aunts,
uncles, and grandparents.
Ther Hersons likewise in-
clude the opportunities
and lack of family as their
best attraction and biggest
drawback in America.
The Sachars speak of op-
portunities, adding that as
a result of competition,
“everything can be done,
whereas in S. Africa,
there’s not as much need
to achieve.” They es-
pecially dislike the num-
ber of weather disasters
here (tornadoes, floods).
As for the Wallaces, they
don’t feel we have great
leaders in the U.S. Says
Mr. Wallace, “Politicians
don’t seem to be able to
make any headway with
major problems facing
our country, like
education, competition
with Japan, and trade
deficits.” In comparison
to S. Africa, he sees a
“lack of work ethic in our
students.” Yet the
Wallaces are “thrilled” to
live in a democracy which
they remind allows for ...
“Freedom of speech and
religion.” Mr. Wallace
sums up American
democracy best: “It
makes all the hardships
worthwhile.”
T? |
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Wisch, J. A. & Wisch, Rene. Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 44, No. 26, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 28, 1990, newspaper, June 28, 1990; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth754644/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .