Denis Goldberg: Man of integrity, freedom fighter and true mensch - The Mail & Guardian

Integrity and defence of the truth, whatever the personal cost, was a choice Denis Goldberg made from a tender age, and stuck to throughout his life. It is said that a life lived with integrity, served in a struggle for freedom and equality of all, is a light unto the nations. Denis joins that pantheon of stars in the firmament.

It was his revulsion at the racism he witnessed in South Africa that became the driving force for his life’s journey, marking him out as so different from 99% of the white population. He abhorred racism and discrimination wherever it existed. He experienced anti-Semitism in his school years. He was not religious but imbibed from his mother the Judaic injunction of the sage Hillel: “Treat others as you wish them to treat you.”Already in his teens he had been attracted to the liberation movement.

Then came release from an unexpected quarter. His young daughter, also named Hillary, living on a kibbutz in Israel had enlisted the support of an influential Israeli associate who had negotiated the release of Jewish prisoners, mainly criminals, around the world. Without further ado he flew to London to his wife and his son David, now a man. He was warmly welcomed by the ANC and was soon working full time for them. Among his first international tasks was speaking on the ANC’s behalf in solidarity with the Palestinian people.Having lived through apartheid in South Africa, there’s no doubt in my mind that Israel is an apartheid state. I cannot allow in my name the same kind of oppression to go on against the Palestinians. I have to speak out against it.

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