Mythbuster: not all South African Jews are wealthy

A small but increasing number of South African Jews depend on food hampers from Jewish charities that receive almost no government support.

Rich listers such as Nicky Oppenheimer, Wendy Appelbaum, Adrian Gore, Sharon Wapnick, and the Ackerman family are well-known names in the South African Jewish community.

Many South African Jews are wealthy. According to The Jewish Community Survey of South Africa conducted by David Graham in 2019, almost a quarter (24%) of respondents enjoy personal annual pre-tax incomes of one R1 million ($91,000) or more, and 9% earn more than R2 million ($180,000).  

The average South African Jew lives well above the average national income of R287,00 ($26,000), with an average income in the community of R421,000 ($38,000),

It is not surprising, then, that the sentiment “there’s no such thing as a poor Jew” exists in the minds of South Africa’s non-Jews.

But averages can be distorting. The very high income of the rich list hides the reality of life for the 6% of the community who earn no more than R25,000 ($22,700) a year and depend on charitable handouts for food, shelter and education.

Yad Aharon & Michael – The Jewish Food Fund – assists 680 families annually, distributing weekly fresh produce food hampers, running a soup kitchen, providing chickens for Shabbat and school lunch ingredients.  

The fund’s Jody Eberlin said providing raw foods was important because it enabled recipients to cook their own food “allowing them the freedom to be creative and independent”.

Distribution is important: many recipients lack transport, and some are too embarrassed to be seen collecting the food they need.