‘Spirit of 68’ fund safeguards Mandela’s legacy for students of today
One of British Jewry’s leading figures recalls his anti-apartheid student days, when Natasha Kaplinsky’s dad led a sit-in, and how today’s students will benefit from an award granted on the day of Mandela’s funeral, writes Prof. David Katz.
For four young South African post-graduate students at the University of Cape Town (UCT), Nelson Mandela’s funeral was memorable for another reason: it was the day that the first ‘Spirit of 68 Fund’ awards were announced, which will enable them to continue their studies.
These awards are the outcome of an unusual reunion event which took place in 2008.
Forty years before, in 1968 – in the early days of Mandela’s imprisonment, when South African political protest was at a low ebb – a student group staged a sit-in at UCT, protesting against the authorities’ refusal to appoint a black candidate to a lecturer post.
At the reunion participants – including many Jews – recalled that there had been mixed reactions from their families. Some were enthusiastic but others cut off contact. Holocaust survivor parents who were supportive of anti-racist action nonetheless insisted that their children go home. Several said they had learned lessons about protest and non-violence that had a lasting impact on their lives.
Reflecting on these memories the reunion group (including several now living in the UK), resolved to endow several scholarships for post graduate research, focusing specifically on the theme of social exclusion.
The selection committee – which included Prof Raphael Kaplinsky (father of TV presenter Natasha Kaplinsky, and one of the sit-in leaders) and Prof David Katz (who was then chair of the South African Medical Student Association) – chose very diverse projects from over 60 applicants.
One student will look at the role of theatre-making as a tool for township youth to improve their social situation. Another will explore the approaches to sexuality and relationships needs of young adults with intellectual disabilities. In the medical field there is a project examining low rates of cervical screening among black South Africans, while in architecture the student will look at how new township environments are being created post-apartheid.
“We wanted to create a dynamic memorial which looked at a question that was central to the sit-in ideals but remains topical to-day,” says Prof. Katz.
“The sense of racist exclusion, highlighted by Mandela as one of the most humiliating features of apartheid, may have gone. But there remain other forms of exclusion and intolerance of diversity, which remain to be eliminated in 2013.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
