Simon Hochschild

Chairman of Beit Emanuel Management Committee

 

 

A tall man with a full head of white hair, striding back and forth among the pews to keep the service running: Simon Hochschild, long-time shammas, now chairman, has for years been the most visible member of the congregation. Simon is also one of the few to know almost every congregant by name – and to also know their personal stories.

Simon has been a pillar of Beit Emanuel for so long that few realize he was one of the founders of the sister synagogue of Bet David in Sandton – his name is on the foundation stone there – before joining Beit Emanuel in 1994. The moment he arrived, then-chairman Stan Abrahams roped him in to do building maintenance “and this and that”.

Simon was born in Johannesburg in 1940, and had his barmitzvah at Temple Israel in Hillbrow, although he did most of his schooling in Grahamstown. He studied quantity surveying for two years, then joined the computer division of a stockbroking firm before moving to the UK for several years where he experienced “all that London had to offer a young man in the nineteen sixties”.

In 1967, he volunteered to work on a kibbutz for six months, and it was there that he met Kito Holz, now Beit Emanuel’s executive director, and the two have remained friends ever since.

Returning to South Africa, Simon began working as a scrap metal trader, an industry he has been in for over 30 years, running his own company for 15 years. Recently, well past the usual retirement age, he joined a major scrap group as a trader.

Simon has been a fixture on the Management Committee for many years, as shammas, in charge of security and maintenance, on the Ritual Committee, as vice chairman, and more.

As Chairman, Simon’s duties are to ensure the smooth running of the shul with the support of the executive director, and to guide and be guided by the Management Committee. He co-ordinates the various sub-committees and ensures that action is taken.

He is involved in every aspect of the day-to-day running of the shul, including the Conversion Classes, liaising with the Rabbi and the Ritual Committee. In addition, Simon sits on the Board of Guardians in his capacity as Chairman of the Management Committee.

Simon is very committed to his position and says the role is challenging, but that he enjoys the responsibility. His greatest wish for Beit Emmanuel is to have a harmonious congregation who also show commitment to the community.

Simon has two adult children, Leanne and Graeme, and one grandchild, Aaron.