6 – Leslie London: The First and Last Jewish Religious Objector in the SADF

6 – Leslie London: The First and Last Jewish Religious Objector in the SADF

Anthony and Caitlin sit down with Leslie London – retired UCT professor, public health physician, human rights activist, and fellow Bad Jew. Leslie talks about his personal experiences growing up in the Jewish community in Cape Town and attending Herzlia school, the way in which his Jewish values have shaped him, and his decision to apply for religious objector status after being conscripted to the SADF during apartheid (and be the first and last Jewish person to do so). Support the podcast on Patreon: patreon.com/badjewspodcast [http://patreon.com/badjewspodcast] Useful links mentioned in the episode: Academics for Peace:    [https://www.instagram.com/reels/DM8GWYoPNQ1/]https://www.instagram.com/reels/DM8GWYoPNQ1/ [https://www.instagram.com/reels/DM8GWYoPNQ1/] ─ Follow:   / badjewspodcast   [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa3FhZUNDeVNSR3JXaU40MVVUVXp6T2VZc01LUXxBQ3Jtc0trZ24tUWNaQVN0WXdWcmxpUE1jLXpYR2tOWGcwRTRqWVRSV2I2Qnhtd09xQks5eXJadnlBQWVuQVZTcDZRLTQwMG55ajhFSXpkM2xaN1A5eXhQY29PanlVclVQWG9LSkk4QlFhQk16X0RrZ2FmMVBDcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fbadjewspodcast%2F&v=vhdO9rv6OQE] ─ Bad Jews Podcast is produced and edited by Evan Wigdorowitz

5 – The BDS Boogeyman

In this episode, Anthony and Caitlin discuss the ABC's of BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions). The phrase "BDS" has become something of a swear word in the South African Jewish community, which has meant that BDS, both as a strategy and as a movement, is rarely discussed (and therefore frequently misunderstood). This episode hopes to provide a starting point for that discussion. Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BadJewsPodcast [https://www.patreon.com/BadJewsPodcast] Useful links mentioned in the episode: *Caitlin le Roith on "International law and the Israeli exception."* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_RVo1iseo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_RVo1iseo] *Shir Hever at the UN (16 May 2025)* https://shorturl.at/1kC41 [https://shorturl.at/1kC41] *About the BDS Movement* https://bdsmovement.net/what-bds [https://bdsmovement.net/what-bds] *Joint Statement by Chief Albert Lutuli, Dr. G.M. Naicker and Peter Brown appealing to the British People to Boycott South Africa, 5 December 1959* https://sahistory.org.za/archive/joint-statement-chief-albert-lutuli-dr-gm-naicker-and-peter-brown-appealing-british-people [https://sahistory.org.za/archive/joint-statement-chief-albert-lutuli-dr-gm-naicker-and-peter-brown-appealing-british-people] *Gideon Levy: Does unconditional support for Israel endanger Israeli voices?* https://youtu.be/DGO3eBxQX7Q [https://youtu.be/DGO3eBxQX7Q] *‘Israeli Society Has Become Completely Genocidal' - B'Tselem Head Yuli Novak* https://youtu.be/RbtHyPcc1rs [https://youtu.be/RbtHyPcc1rs] ─ https://www.instagram.com/badjewspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/badjewspodcast/] ─ Bad Jews Podcast is produced and edited by Evan Wigdorowitz

4 – "Where to for the Jews?" A Response to Prof Adam Mendelsohn's Inaugural Lecture at UCT

On 28 April 2026, Professor Adam Mendelsohn delivered an inaugural lecture at the University of Cape Town titled "Where to for the Jews?". In this episode, Anthony and Caitlin critically engage with some of the arguments made by Mendelsohn in that lecture and the evidence he puts forward in support of his claims. Support the podcast on Patreon: http://patreon.com/BadJewsPodcast [http://patreon.com/BadJewsPodcast] *Useful links mentioned in the episode:* *Prof Adam Mendelsohn Inaugural Lecture - Where to for the Jews?* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAwml3vj9lY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAwml3vj9lY] *Lecture Transcript* https://www.politicsweb.co.za/news/where-to-for-the-jews [https://www.politicsweb.co.za/news/where-to-for-the-jews] *Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism* https://jerusalemdeclaration.org/ [https://jerusalemdeclaration.org/] *Antisemitism and the age of civilizational panic, William Shoki, Africa is a Country, 15 December 2025* https://africasacountry.com/list/campaign/cam:p1k2q3 [https://africasacountry.com/list/campaign/cam:p1k2q3] ─ 0:00 Introduction and overview 6:18 Special expectations of Jews on Israel 14:48 Anti-Zionist "projections" onto Zionism 22:01 Jewish immigration away from South Africa 38:04 Do Zionists instrumentalise antisemitism claims? 52:53 Local antisemitism and Zionist securitisation 1:02:34 Saying Zionist but meaning Jew 1:11:39 Anti-Zionists and antisemitic tropes 1:25:15 Good Jews and Bad Jews 1:33:43 Dissent and disagreement ─ https://www.instagram.com/badjewspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/badjewspodcast/] ─ Bad Jews Podcast is produced and edited by Evan Wigdorowitz

3 – The Rabbi's Cow ft. Mitchel Joffe Hunter

What does the Talmud say about protesting injustices and what does this have to do with a rabbi’s cow? Anthony and Caitlin are joined by local service leader and librarian Mitchel Joffe Hunter to explain. Links to articles and sources mentioned in the episode: *The Rabbi's Cow: A Source Sheet on the Responsibility to Protest* https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/715737?lang=bi [https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/715737?lang=bi] *Isaiah Is this the fast (58.5-7)* https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.58.5?lang=bi [https://www.sefaria.org/Isaiah.58.5?lang=bi] https://www.instagram.com/badjewspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/badjewspodcast/] ─ Bad Jews Podcast is produced and edited by Evan Wigdorowitz

2 – "Jewish Studies"

Caitlin and Anthony discuss their experiences at their local Jewish, Zionist School, Herzlia, focusing especially on the highly curated experience their education offered them on Israel and Zionism. Did you go to such a school? What was it like for you?