Judge Goldstone, as everyone now knows, has effectively been barred from attending his grandson's barmitzvah following "negotiations" between the South African Zionist Federation and the Johannesburg shul at which the event was to take place. What pressure, exactly, was brought to bear on the family? Our front-page story raises the possibility that the SAZF was going to demonstrate in front of the shul. Yisrael Medad was told the following:
I understand that all the members of Sandton shul in Johannesburg declared that they would walk out of the shul if Richard Goldstone was given an aliya at his grandson's barmitzvah. As a result of that, the arrangement was made that Richard Goldstone would not attend his grandson's barmitzvah in South Africa.
Perhaps. Either way, everything that needs to be said about this has been said (see also the JC leader this week - not online). Except for this: If the members of my shul decided on masse to walk out when my father was given an aliyah; or if my shul was in any way party to an agreement to have my father excluded from the premesis, I would be saying goodbye to my shul - not my father.
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