(Vol. 69, No. 2, Rosh Hashanah 2014)
Rabbi Dr. Dennis Isaacs – HaRav David Meir ben Yitzhak, of Blessed Memory – was born and educated in Johannesburg. After matriculating, with distinction in Hebrew, he attended the Rabbi Zlotnick Avida Teachers’ Seminary of the SA Board of Jewish Education, where he qualified as a Hebrew teacher. Thereafter, he proceeded to London, where he studied at Jews’ College for five years and obtained a Minister’s diploma, as well as a BA (Hons) from London University.
On his return to South Africa, Rabbi Isaacs served for two years as Assistant Minister to the late Chief Rabbi Louis Rabinowitz, ztl, in the Great Synagogue. He was then appointed Minister of the Cyrildene/Observatory Ext. Hebrew Congregation, where he served for thirty four years.
Rabbi Isaacs obtained semicha from the late Rabbi Shlomo Rosenzweig, then head of the Johannesburg Beth Din, Rabbi A Hilewitz, then head of the Hebrew Teachers’ seminary, and Rabbi Jacob Newman. He also furthered his other studies, obtaining an M.A. and thereafter a Ph.D degree from the University of the Witwatersrand through the Department of Hebrew under the late Rabbi Prof Dr. Salo Rappoport. In 1970, he was appointed as registrar to the Johannesburg Beth Din and as a Dayan in 1986, and continued to work in that capacity virtually until his dying day.
From his childhood, Rabbi Isaacs dedicated his life to the Synagogue. His knowledge of Judaism, teaching background and ability to articulate and write fluently in English were formidable gifts. In the pulpit, he was supreme, a brilliant orator, and always carefully prepared his sermons. A prolific writer, he contributed to many publications, including to Jewish Affairs.
The Johannesburg in which Rabbi Isaacs served as a spiritual leader was far more difficult and demanding than is our community today. This writer spent many hours with Rabbi Isaacs, and both of us had in common an ardent and keen understanding of South African Jewish history. We would spend many hours at his office discussing Jewish affairs, as well as a wide spectrum of other subjects – classical music, art and reading, particularly journals of Jewish interest. All this, along with his writings on Jewish literature and communal activities, testify to the many facets of Rabbi Isaacs’ cultural background. He was the epitome of a “scholar and a gentleman”, and in all the years that knew him, I never once heard him speak badly about anyone.
Yiheizichra baruch, May his memory be for a blessing and may his life serve as a legacy for all of us.
Isaac Reznik
