Edith Sher
Name and Surname Edith Sher
Date of birth 23 May 1949
What Year did you begin at Radio CCfm? Time flies! I think it was four years ago.
What did you want to be when you were little? A doctor until I saw a bit of blood.
What is your dream? To see multitudes of Jewish people turn to their Messiah.
Who has influenced you most? A born-again school friend named Cecilia who walked the talk and showed me what Jesus is really like; the late Pastor Eric Wilson who taught his congregation to love the Word of God; Rev. Rodney Mechanic who founded “Messiah’s People” in South Africa and taught me to embrace my Jewish heritage as a believer in Jesus; family and friends too numerous to mention who have encouraged me along the way.
Why a presenter at CCFM? The programme “Messiah’s People” was started by my friend and mentor, the late Doogie St. Claire-Laing. When Doogie’s health took a turn for the worse we didn’t want the great work he’d started to end so John Atkinson and I took over the show. Even though it’s gone in a different direction to the way Doogie began it, I think he would be pleased.
Your greatest fear? I get asked to speak at various churches and groups. My greatest fear is tripping on my way up to the platform.
What makes you laugh? I hope you won’t think too badly of me but I can’t help laughing when I hear people whose mother tongue isn’t English do strange things with the language. My favourites are the Afrikaans-speaking friend who told me she was going to have her hair cut in lawyers, and the Israeli friend who asked me if I’d seen the movie, “The hatchback of Notre Dame.” The only thing I can say in my defence is that I laugh quietly behind my hand.
What angers you? Racism, anti-Semitism, sexism – any form of discrimination or exploitation based on race, age or gender
What's the best piece of advice you've received? To go to Bible school (Christians tried to dissuade me but an unsaved colleague encouraged me!)
Your Most embarrassing moment ? There was the time I interviewed someone on Radio Tygerberg and upset the interviewee with a question she wasn’t anticipating and wasn’t prepared to answer. During the music break she let me know in no uncertain terms how displeased she was with my insensitivity. Unfortunately, the sound engineer forgot to switch off our microphones, so everyone who was listening to the programme that night heard what a klutz I am.
Your biggest triumph? Finally getting my book “Unmasking Esther” into print. What is your favorite verse in the Bible and who is your favorite Bible character? Deut. 33:27 – “The eternal God is your refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.” It reminds me that no matter how far you fall, you can never fall out of the arms of God because his arms are always underneath. My favourite character has got to be Esther. She’s so fraught with human weaknesses and yet God used her.
What do you do when you are not behind the microphone at CCFM? I’m the Cape Town representative of Messiah’s People (also known as CMJ South Africa) an outreach to the Jewish community, which is part of an international organisation with headquarters in Jerusalem. You can check out our website at www.messiahspeople.org
What was the BEST moment of your life? When God opened my eyes to see that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Messiah of Israel.
Which season is your favorite, and why? Winter. I don’t cope well with the heat. When it’s cooler the creative juices flow and I feel much more energetic.
Do you like the wind in Cape Town? Does anybody?