Jewish people played a critical role in ending apartheid in South Africa. Meet a few of the most prominent Jews who spearheaded the fight for freedom.

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Sources:

"Nelson Mandela Was a Revolutionary — and These Jews Made Common Cause With Him" - TabletMag.com (2013)

"Legendary Litvak heroes of Africa" - VilNews.com

"Legendary Heroes of Africa" - Wikipedia

#122 Joe Slovo

Ruth First - Wikipedia

"Ruth Heloise First" - South African History Online

Harry Oppenheimer - Wikipedia

"Harry Oppenheimer, 91, South African Industrialist, Dies" - The New York Times (2000) [Archive]

"The Life of Harry Oppenheimer" - EhudLaniado.com

Nadine Gordimer - Wikipedia

"Nadine Gordimer, Novelist Who Took On Apartheid, Is Dead at 90" - The New York Times (2014) [Archive]

"When Mandela’s, and the world’s, fate changed at historic Rivonia Trial" - The Washington Post (2013) [Archive]

Joel Goodman Joffe, Baron Joffe - Wikipedia

"Lord Joel Joffe" - The Jewish Chronicle (2017)

Fun Fact: Joffe’s maternal granfather, Abraham Zevi Idelsohn (Wikipedia) was the teacher of Moshe Nathanson, composer of Hava Nagila.

Arthur Chaskalson - Wikipedia

"SA mourns former chief justice Arthur Chaskalson" - Mail & Guardian (2012)

Legal Resources Centre - Wikipedia

"Arthur Chaskalson, Chief South African Jurist, Dies at 81" - The New York Times (2012) [Archive]

Felicia Kentridge - Wikipedia

Sydney Kentridge - Wikipedia

"Lunch with the FT: Sydney Kentridge" - Financial Times

"Rights campaigner Felicia Kentridge dies" - Times LIVE (2015)

"My legal hero: Sir Sydney Kentridge" - David Lammy via The Guardian

Harold Hanson - Wikipedia

"The men of Rivonia" - The Morning Star (2014)

"Harold Hanson, South African Barrister, Zionist Leader, Dead at Age 68" - Jewish Telegraphic Agency (1973)

"Helen Suzman" - Jewish Women's Archive

"Helen Suzman, Relentless Challenger of Apartheid System, Is Dead at 91" - The New York Times (2009) [Archive]

"Helen Suzman" - South African History Online

"Dr Solomon (Solly) Jacobson, FRCP Edin" - Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

"Nou in die verlede: Die dag toe David Pratt Suid-Afrika se eerste minister geskiet het" - Litnet.co.za [Dutch Language]

Denis Goldberg - Wikipedia

"Denis Goldberg, the man who offered to sign his own death warrant to save Nelson Mandela" - The Guardian

"Denis Goldberg: Anti-apartheid activist who spent 22 years in prison"

Ronnie Kasrils - Wikipedia

"Sabotaging Apartheid" - Jacobin Magazine (2017)

"Operation Vula: A secret Dutch network against apartheid" - Radio Netherlands Archives

Harry Bloom - Wikipedia

"Duchess of Long Street leaves legacy of glamour, irreverence" - WestCapeNews.com (2009) [Archive]

"Episode of the Transvaal – a novel written by Harry Bloom" - LesBonsCaracteres.com

"New exhibitions – Harry Bloom and DocExplore" - University of Kent Special Collections & Archives (2013)

Pieter-Dirk Uys - Wikipedia

"Grinning Through Apartheid: Pieter-Dirk Uys is South Africa’s equal opportunity satirist. He pokes fun at blacks as well as whites." - The Los Angeles Times

Johnny Clegg - Wikipedia

"Johnny Clegg, South African Singer Who Battled Apartheid With Music, Is Dead at 66" - The New York Times (2019) [Archive]

Harry Schwarz - Wikipedia

"1924: Harry Schwarz, South African Lawyer Who Fought Apartheid, Is Born" - Haaretz (2014)

"Harry Schwarz: lawyer, politician, humanitarian" - South African Jewish Report (2018)

Lazar Sidelsky - Wikipedia

"Lazar Sidelsky" - The Guardian

"South Africa’s father and my father" - The Jerusalem Post (2013)

"Remembering Mandela’s first boss" - South African Jewish Report (2018)

"Nat Bregman, Mandela’s ‘first white friend,’ dies at 88" - Jewish Journal (2011)

"Nat Bregman" - Encyclopedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media, and Performance (ESAT)

"Nat Bregman, funnyman with heart" - IOL News (2011)

"Nat Bregman, anti-apartheid activist" - Intermountain Jewish News (2011)

Shulamith Muller - Wikipedia

"Shulamith Muller" - South African History Online

"South African History Online lives of courage series" - South African History Online

"Colin Legum" - The Guardian

"Colin Legum" - The Independent

"South Africa Under Apartheid, Reports and Research by a Journalist, 1949-1995" - British Online Archives

Baruch Hirson - Wikipedia

"Baruch Hirson" - South African History Online

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Wolfie Kodesh - Wikipedia

"Wolfie Kodesh" - South African History Online

"Wolfie Kodesh" - The Guardian (2002)

Albie Sachs - Wikipedia

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Israel A. Maisels - Wikipedia

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"Maisels, Israel Aaron" - Encyclopedia.com

Harold Wolpe - Wikipedia

"Harold Wolpe" - South African History Online

"Marxist scholar Harold Wolpe’s ideas still speak to South Africa’s problems" - Edward Webster via TheConversation.com (2019)

"Philanthropist Mendel Kaplan dies, 73" - The Jerusalem Post

"Newsletter No. 15" - Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies & Research, University of Cape Town

"Mendel Kaplan dies" - The Jewish Chronicle (2016)

"Ina Perlman" - Jewish Women's Archive

Bob Hepple - Wikipedia

"Sir Bob Hepple obituary" - The Guardian (2015)

Lionel Bernstein - Wikipedia

Hilda Bernstein - Wikipedia

"12 Jews honored on African stamps as Apartheid fighters" - The Jerusalem Post (2011)

Arthur Goldreich - Wikipedia

"Arthur Goldreich obituary" - The Guardian (2011)

Bernard Friedman - Wikipedia

"January 8: Jews and the ANC" - JewishCurrents

"Pauline Podbrey" - Jewish Women's Archive

"Pauline Podbrey" - South African History Online

Sonia Bunting - Wikipedia

"Sonia Bunting" - The Guardian (2001) [Archive]

Phyllis Altman - Wikipedia

"Phyllis Altman" - The Guardian (1999)

Harold Rubens - Wikipedia

"NELSON MANDELA’S CLASSICAL PIANIST" - Vancouver Recital Society (2013)

"Yetta Barenblatt" - South African History Online

Benjamin Pogrund - Wikipedia

"South Africa: Journalist And Editor Of Rand Daily Mail Both Found Guilty At End Of Marathon Trial 1969" - British Pathé

Richard Goldstone - Wikipedia

"Lionel Forman" - South African History Online

Sadie Forman - Wikipedia

"Sadie Forman" - South African History Online

"Resilient in the Struggle" - Mail & Guardian (2014)

"Bunim Idel KRILL" - seligman.org.il

"Eli Weinberg" - South African History Online

"Hymie Barsel" - South African History Online

Esther Barsel - Wikipedia

"Esther Barsel" - South African History Online

"Hani's secretary was a brave fighter" - IOL News (2008)

Ray Alexander Simons - Wikipedia

"Ray Alexander (Simons)" - Jewish Women's Archive

"Ray Alexander Simons" - South African History Online

Norma Kitson - Wikipedia

"Norma Kitson" - The Guardian (2002)

"Norma Kitson" - South African History Online

"Ian David Kitson" - South African History Online

"Norman Levy" - South African History Online

"Leon and Norman Levy: Brothers in arms against social injustice" - Times LIVE

"Leon Levy" - South African History Online

Ronald Segal - Wikipedia

"Ronald Segal" - The Elmbridge Hundred

"Ronald Segal" - Spartacus Educational

Jules Browde - Wikipedia

"Mandela's Jewish lawyer Jules Browde dies at 98" - The Jerusalem Post (2016)

"Jules Browde, South African Lawyer Who Defended Nelson Mandela, Dies at 98" - The Jewish Daily Forward (2016)

"Geoff Budlender" - Justice.org.uk

"Biography: GeoffBudlender" - ccnmtl.Columbia.edu