World Jewish Congress

Lawyer by training, industrialist by profession and a student of archaeology by a consuming passion to better understand the origins of the Jewish people and the environment, in which they were conceived, nurtured and developed.

1. ACADEMIC

Matriculated Wynberg Boys’ High 1953
B Com LLB : Cape Town University : 1957, 1958
MBA : Columbia University : 1960
“Doctor of Philosophy Honoris Causa”, recipient of Honorary Doctorate from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 19 June 1986.
Hon. Doctorate – Yeshiva University – June 1992
Hon. Doctorate – Ben Gurion University - 1993
Hon. Doctorate - University of Cape Town - 1994

Books

From Shtetl to Steelmaking
From Steelmaking to Shtetl
Jewish Roots in the South African Economy
Founders and Followers
Dear Son
In Search of a Minyan
Seeking Tzedakah
Riteve
Riding the Wave

2. INDUSTRIAL

Controls a family business, Cape Gate - manufacturing steel, wire and wire products.

3. COMMUNAL

World Jewish Congress
Chairman – present
Treasurer – 1981 – 1991

Jewish Agency
Chairman of the Board of Governors – 1987 – 1995

Keren Hayesod
Chairman of the World Board of Trustees – 1983 – 1987
Honorary President 1995 – present

Jerusalem Foundation
Chairman 1995 - 1999

United Communal Fund of South Africa
National Chairman 1974 - 1978

Israel United Appeal, South Africa
National Chairman 1978 - 1987

South African Jewish Board of Deputies
Vice President

South African Board of Jewish Education
Vice-President

4. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Involved in a large number of social projects in South Africa and in Israel. These include having provided over 2500 bursaries for tertiary education for children of employees in South Africa and a similar operation has commenced in Israel with the Ethiopian and Druze populations.

About the World Jewish Congress

Mendel Kaplan