As a Reform Jew, I was nervous before attending my first service at an Orthodox synagogue. I had to travel to Cape Town, South Africa, for business. The city is home to a sizeable Jewish community with a long and interesting history. There is a Reform community in Cape Town, but they had no events planned during the brief time I would be visiting. Arriving on a Sunday afternoon, with limited time to explore the city, I decided to attend Ma’ariv service at one of the oldest and most beautiful Orthodox synagogues in South Africa.

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