Sad Farewell to a Communal Giant, Mendel Kaplan, 73

Mendel Kaplan, aged 73, passed away last night after a sudden illness. His energy and leadership and commitment to Zionism will be forever missed.

The Jerusalem Post reports:

Mendel Kaplan, a prominent leader of the South African Jewish community, died in South Africa on Thursday evening at the age of 73 after suffering a massive stroke on Tuesday. He was a major figure in the world of Jewish organizations, especially renowned for promoting and mobilizing the issue of Soviet aliya after the fall of the Soviet Union. "Mendel was the most well-known southern African Jewish philanthropist, and will be sadly missed both in Israel and abroad," said Maish Isaacson, chairman of Telfed. Kaplan will be remembered as "a very committed Jew who continued to study Judaism until his last day," Alan Hoffman, director-general of the Jewish Agency's Education Department and a close friend of Kaplan's, told The Jerusalem Post. "He was a great Jewish leader who managed to go beyond South Africa," said Hoffman, adding that Kaplan had been gifted with a unique ability to combine "an enormous commitment to Judaism and the Jewish people and the ability to solve problems and deal with global Jewish issues."

Here’s the tribute from the SA Zionist Federation:

It is with great sadness that we notify you of the death last night of Mendel Kaplan. Mendel was a giant among men, a blessed tzaddik, a man for whom the future growth and success of the Jewish community in South Africa, in Israel and indeed internationally was enormously significant. His acts of kindness, charity and warmth will remain forever etched in the memories of all those he assisted and whose lives he touched. His concern and love for the State of Israel gave him international status within the Jewish community. The enormity of his loss cannot be measured, neither in words nor in deeds. The Chairman, President, Executive and staff of the SA Zionist Federation extend deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to his beloved wife Jill, his adored children and all the members of his family. We will never forget him. May he be blessed among all the mourners of Zion.

Comments

[dfo gold]

hehe, you say his energy and leadership and commitment to Zionism will be forever missed.

[Paul Lategan]

Mendel was a an Incredible Gift from our Almighty God and was one of the Greatest Leaders of our time, who our Lord used, to do MIghty Works in his lifetime. He was one of the most humble men on the earth and yet one of the mightiest.
His incredible ability in bringing the Jews, from around the world, back to Israel and the good he has done through out the world is beyond words.
May you rest in Peace Mendel until we meet again