Nowadays the Chevrah Kadisha is mandated by the community to care for almost 1,000 residents in its various facilities and several thousand community members through its financial and social services. They operate aged homes: Sandringham Gardens and Golden Acres; Arcadia Child and Youth Care Centre; Selwyn Segal for residents with intellectual and physical disabilities; and two mental health facilities, Sandringham Lodge and Sandringham Square which house people with mental illnesses. With the exception of the mental health facilities – which were Chevrah Kadisha initiatives created in response to community requests – all of the others were independent organisations that have been incorporated into the Chev Group since 1999.

A brief history of the organisation:

1888 – Established to provide burial and emergency funding;

1999 – Incorporation of Jewish Community Services;

2000 – Incorporation of Sandringham Gardens home for the aged and infirm;

2001 – Incorporation of Our Parents Home home for the aged;

2002 – Incorporation of Arcadia Jewish Children’s Home;

2003 – Establishment of Sandringham Lodge for those with mental health issues;

2004 – Opening of Sandringham Square as part of the Berea relocation project;

2005 – Incorporation of Selwyn Segal home for those with disabilities;

2007 – Incorporation of Kadimah Occupational Centre which provides protected employment.

Since 1888 the Chev has sustained itself through fundraising and some fee generation. Changing demographics and the rapid expansion of the organisation from 1999 to 2009 dramatically altered the landscape, adding significantly to their responsibilities and budget. They accepted requests to assume financial and managerial accountability for various independent Jewish entities. The Donald Gordon Foundation underwrote and enabled the aforementioned consolidation of Johannesburg’s numerous Jewish welfare service organisations into the Chevra Kadisha group. The intervening years have proven this move to have been both far-sighted and wise – the resultant increased efficiency and cost savings have been fundamental to their success.

From humble beginnings as a burial society, today 97% of their activities are focused on the living. In 1999, they were still a ‘small’ organisation with an annual budget of R24m. By 2009, they had grown into a welfare and social services umbrella with a budget of R240m.

With the exception of the mental health facilities – which were Chevrah Kadisha initiatives in response to community requests – all of the others were independent organisations that have been incorporated into the Chev Group since the turn of the century.