History of the Jews in South Africa persons became known as "Boerejode" (Boer Jews). A measure of intermarriage also occurred and was generally accepted. The South African gold rush began after 1886, attracting many Jews. In 1880, the Jewish population of South Africa numbered approximately 4,000; by 1914 it had grown to more than 40,000. So many of them came from Lithuania that some referred to the population as a colony of Lithuania; Johannesburg was also occasionally called "Jewburg". Jews fought on both sides during the Second Boer War (1899–1902). Some of the most notable fights during the three years' Boer War — such as the Gun
The Johannesburg Beth Din The Johannesburg Beth Din The Johannesburg Beth Din is the Beth Din (Court of Jewish Law) of the Union of Orthodox Synagogues of South Africa it serves Jews throughout South Africa, and other countries on the continent. The focus of Beth Din is on areas of family law, divorce and conversion, as well as adjudication of financial disputes. Other areas supervised by the Beth Din are: Circumcision, Stam, Mikvaot and Eruvin. In 2004, the High Court of South Africa upheld a cherem (excommunication edict) against a Johannesburg businessman because he refused to pay his former wife alimony as ordered by