I happened to catch Professor Jocelyn Hellig’s interview on Sunday night with Kate Turkington on her Talk Radio 702 show “Believe It or Not”. She was speaking on traditional largely Christian anti-Semitism. To put it mildly, she was brilliant.
She never once lost her cool despite many infuriating questions. When callers claimed that Romans had never been in Israel or that Judea was actually called Palestine in Jesus’ time, her responses were tolerant and yet still convincing. I was not the only one impressed by Professor Hellig. Many non-Jews sent smses after the show imploring the host to invite her to come back. Even Kate Turkington was impressed. In closing she described Professor Hellig as a person of immense tolerance.
To be honest, I don’t always agree with Professor Hellig’s positions and have on a few occasion written letters to the South African Jewish Report (SAJR) in response. But she is certainly one of SA Jewries greatest intellectuals. We are fortunate that she has taken such an active role in the leadership of the South African Jewish board of deputies.
Well done Jocelyn! Warm regards from your cousins in America, Beverley, Ilse and David.
Posted by: David Hoffman | July 04, 2007 at 17:58