Mitzvah School celebrates 21 years

Mitzvah School celebrates 21 years

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THE Mitzvah School celebrated its coming of age at the end of 2007. A birthday party for alumni, sponsors and other guests was held at The Middleton on the grounds of Bet David.

Guest speakers included Khotso Schoeman, CEO of Kagiso Trust and Moshe More, CEO of Dinala Trust, both of whom were among the first pupils of Mitzvah School in 1987.

Other speakers included Mitzvah School founders, Molly Smith and Lesley Rosenberg (current principal), and alumni, Noko Leopeng, who helped organise the event. Current and past Mitzvah School learners provided the entertainment.

Over the past 21 years, the Mitzvah school has touched the lives of thousands of youngsters and put them on the road to achieving success. Doctors, lawyers, businessmen and women, entrepreneurs, actors, musicians and more have graduated from Mitzvah School since its inception in 1987.

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Alumni, current learners, sponsors and other guests attended the Mitzvah School’s 21st birthday celebrations

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Desmond Sweke, chairperson of Bet David, with Rabbi Robert Jacobs, Bet David’s rabbi

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Phineas Khosa, the Mitzvah School bus driver, has driven learners to and from Alexandra since the school began

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The Class of 2002 sing a tribute to bus driver Phineas Khosa

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Former student Noko Leopeng helped organize the 21st birthday celebrations

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Khotso Schoeman, who matriculated in 1987, is now CEO of Kagiso Trust

All together now. Principal Lesley Rosenberg and former students blow out cakes representing each of the school’s 21 years. Each former student represented the graduating class of a particular year, blowing out candles in honour of that year. The cakes were donated by the Bet David Sisterhood

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Related article: History of Mitzvah School

For more than two decades, a unique school at Bet David has enabled hundreds of poor students from Alexandra Township to pass their matric. Principal Lesley Rosenberg tells the story