South African Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein has invited a counter terrorism task force to the country to assist with the investigation into the recent terror attack in Cape Town, and to make recommendations to protect places of worship, schools, and community centers.
The move, announced in a video on YouTube, comes in response to escalating global threats to Jewish communities worldwide, with an explosive device thrown into the Samson Community Centre in Cape Town on the same day as an attack on a synagogue in Melbourne, Australia.
“There is a growing terror threat from Iran against Jews worldwide, and the task force’s work in South Africa will assist all diaspora communities,” said Rabbi Goldstein. “I have asked the task force to write a report on their findings, including an assessment of the terror threat here in South Africa within the global context, and to make recommendations for protecting places of worship, schools and community centers in South Africa and worldwide from the threat of terrorism.”
A World-Class Counterterrorism Team
The task force is led by Andre Pienaar, co-founder of the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO), known as the Scorpions, an elite law enforcement unit created by President Nelson Mandela in South Africa.
The other task force members include Dean Haydon, former Senior National Coordinator for Counter-terrorism in the United Kingdom and former Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police; Admiral Mike Hewitt, former Deputy Director for Global Operations, Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Defense Department; and Maj. Gen. (Ret.) David Tsur, former Commander of the Counter-terrorism Unit in the Israeli Police (Yamam).
The task force, which is also working with the Security Advisory Council of the World Jewish Congress, has been mandated to investigate recent attacks and develop a comprehensive report with actionable recommendations to safeguard Jewish community spaces.
Shedding Light on the Darkness of Terror
Drawing inspiration from the book of Genesis, Rabbi Goldstein framed the mission in terms of moral clarity and the pursuit of safety for all people.
“God’s very first act of creation was to say, ‘Let there be light.’ For goodness and human civilization to exist, there must be light—the light of moral clarity to distinguish between good and evil, the light of knowledge, information, and understanding,” he emphasized.
“This investigation is about bringing light into our world. To shed light on the darkness of terror so that it cannot hide in the dark corners of society, to shed light on the threats so that we counter them, to shed light on evil so that it may be defeated.”
Beyond the Jewish Community
Rabbi Goldstein underscored the broader significance of this initiative: “By doing this, we make South Africa and the world not just safer for Jews but for all decent people. History has shown that a society unsafe for Jews is unsafe for civilized values, and is not a place where people can truly thrive and prosper.”
The task force will deliver its findings and recommendations in a forthcoming report, marking a critical step in the global fight against terrorism.