Bernard M. Casper

Early life

He was born in London, his father was from Kovno in the Russian Federation. Both his parents died when he was three years old and he was subsequently raised by his grandparents and a cousin. He won a scholarship to study at Trinity College, Cambridge and also began his rabbinical studies.

Career

He moved to Israel in 1948 to complete his rabbinical studies and then returned to England where he was Head of Jewish Education and then rabbi at Western Marble Arch Synagogue.

On the advice of Israel's Chief Rabbi he took up the position of Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregation of Johannesburg. In 1964 he became Chief Rabbi of the Federation of Synagogues of South Africa. One of his significant achievements was the 1965 concordat he arrived at with Chief Minister of the United Progressive Jewish Congregations, Rabbi Arthur Saul Super. They agreed that from "the religious point of view there is an unbridgeable gulf between Orthodoxy and Reform."

He retired in 1987, made aliyah to Israel and died eighteen months later in Jerusalem.

References

References

1. [https://www.jewishlife.co.za/new/2016/08/14/leaders-to-us-parents-to-them/ Chief Rabbi Moshe Dov Casper, z”l, by his daughter, Batya] ''Jewish Life''. 14 August 2016
2. Rudomin, Rabbi Yitschak. (2022-12-06). "Chaplain of the famed Jewish Brigade: Chief Rabbi B. M. Casper of South Africa".
3. Friedman, Matti. "When the Exodus was now".
4. In 1956, he was appointed the first Dean for Student Affairs at the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]] where he stayed until 1963. During his time in Israel he was deeply concerned about impoverished neighbourhoods, particularly the [[Bukharan Quarter]] in Jerusalem. In South Africa he set up a special fund for their improvement and this was tied with Prime Minister [[Menachem Begin]]'s urban revitalization program, Project Renewal. Johannesburg was twinned with the Bukharan Quarter, and Johannesburg Jewry raised enormous funds for its rehabilitation. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Casper traveled to Jerusalem in 1981 to resolve the hurdles. He consulted with community organizer Moshe Kahan and suggested that they present the dormant agencies with concrete evidence of what could be done. Using a private discretionary fund, he initiated development of several pilot projects, among them a free loan fund, a dental clinic and a hearing center whose successes spurred the municipality back on track.[https://www.jpost.com/local-israel/in-jerusalem/grace-under-fire Grace under fire] ''The Jerusalem Post''. 8 January 2009
5. [https://www.jta.org/archive/south-african-federation-of-synagogues-elects-new-chief-rabbi South African Federation of Synagogues Elects New Chief Rabbi] ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. 26 June 1964
6. [https://www.sajr.co.za/reflecting-on-the-life-and-times-of-rabbi-bernard-casper/ The life and times of Rabbi Bernard Casper] ''South African Jewish Report''. 9 December 2015
7. Super said that this was the conclusion he arrived at “after a thorough examination of the Halachic situation and the Halachic principles involved.” The agreement was welcomed by the Jewish establishment in the country, with the [[South African Jewish Board of Deputies]] describing it as “a very sensible and practical agreement.” However, within progressive Jewish circles it was regarded as a capitulation to Orthodoxy. Super was only representing Johannesburg's progressive congregations in the agreement. His counterpart in Cape Town, [[David Sherman (rabbi)|Rabbi David Sherman]] was opposed to the position taken by Super, stating that it amounted to “allowing ourselves to be read out of the community of Klal Yisrael."[https://www.sajbd.org/media/a-compelling-new-history-of-progressive-judaism-in-south-africa A compelling new history of Progressive Judaism in South Africa] ''Jewish Affairs''. 15 December 2020