Basic HTML Version
16 HASHALOM December
2016 / January 2017
December
2016 / January 2017
HASHALOM
17
COMMUNITY NEWS
Paragons of selfless giving setting a quiet example. These are
the words engraved on the award presented to Anna and John
Moshal recently at GIFT’s Giving Awards 2016 gala dinner at the
Grove Hotel in London last month.
Founded in May 2013 GIFT, Give It Forward Today, is a Jewish
charity group in the United Kingdom with twin objectives: to inspire
and educate people to give whilst simultaneously helping those in
need. Designed to assist those who have fallen on difficult times,
GIFT brings together thousands of young volunteers from across
Britain who are inspired to make a difference. GIFT is currently
helping almost 2,000 people each week.
“The award was to both of us and that’s the bit that I treasure,
because we are really a team”, said John on being honoured
alongside his wife. “Whilst the award was to Anna and myself, I
used my keynote address to speak not about ourselves but of
the Moshal family and our legacy of giving since arriving in South
Africa in the late 1800s”.
The Moshals, who perform their charity work as a family, endeavour
to live up to their credo of spending more on others than they do
on themselves. “I pointed out on the evening that what you see is
what you get, and what you see is a plump little Jew who is trying
his hardest to live up to the family name Moshal, which means
‘example’”.
In his address to the awards ceremony, John shared that he was
fortunate to be born into a family whose uncle, Sol, was the doyen
of the community and sees himself following in his ancestor ’s
footsteps. John and Anna are understandably proud of their
family’s charity work, both within South Africa and around the
world, which was showcased on the evening.
The family trust JAKAMaR (named for the family members John,
Anna, Karyn, Anthony, Martin and Richard) funds various Jewish
community and outreach projects in Durban and across the
country, whilst DIVOTE (Durban Israel Victims of Terror Enterprises)
assists those affected by terrorism in Israel, regardless of their
religion. Other family philanthropic efforts include CHIVA Africa
(Children’s HIV Association), dedicated to improving healthcare
for children and adolescents living with HIV; and the Moshal
Scholarship Program, which currently supports over 900 students
through their tertiary education in South Africa and Israel, amongst
others.
The trophy, adorned with the quote ‘to give is to live’ by Holocaust
survivor Pearl Benisch and the famous phrase ‘we make a living by
what we get, we make a life by what we give’ by Winston Churchill,
was presented to John and Anna by GIFT’s Rabbi Naftali Schiff.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mervis also sent a message to the event.
Although touched by their recent honour, the Moshals show no
sign of slowing down in their community work. “We travel below
the radar and when we go we leave a world of good in our wake”,
said John. “As it says in Pirkei Avot, it’s not for us to complete the
task but neither can we desist from it”.
www.picknpay.co.za. Customer Care 0800 11 22 88. Toll free landline only. Cellphone rates apply.
WE WISH OUR JEWISH CUSTOMERS
A CHANUKKAH HOLIDAY FILLED
WITH LIGHT
John and Anna Moshal honoured with
GIFT Giving Award 2016
By Alana Baranov