About Us

In 1940, when the world was at war, at this darkest time in our history, a group of brave pioneers came together in Cape Town and said;

“Our people will survive; and not only will we survive, we will flourish and ensure that our young children will be proud, knowledgeable Jews. We will provide them with an anchor, with a safe harbour, where they will thrive and continue to learn what it means to be Jewish, in both good and turbulent times’’I
And so, Herzlia was born.

Our first class opened its doors in 1940.  In 1956 Herzlia offered Grade 12 for the first time and in that same year moved to the present High School campus. The school continued to expand and the modern structure of UHS came into being with the building of Constantia and Milnerton campuses in 1973 and the incorporation of Weizmann in 1976. In 1982, the Middle School was born and in 2000 the Hebrew Pre-Primary Schools were incorporated.

“Im tirtzu”, they said, and it was no dream. No wonder then that these words were chosen to be our school’s motto.

Herzlia stands as a testament to the early visionaries and benefactors who understood the importance of establishing a Jewish Day School in Cape Town.

Today the Herzlia candles burn brightly, lit by the dreams, the vision and the tireless brave actions of so many, who provided us with a stepping stone towards a bright future.

Our school badge tells a story

“An oil lamp, an anchor and a six-pointed star and a banner saying Im Tirtzu”.  These words in our school song reflect on the badge we proudly wear on our chest:

The lamp reminds us that to be Jewish means to learn, and to teach, as it says in the Shema, “Veshinantum levanecha”: you will teach your children;

The anchor reminds us how fortunate we are to live in a beautiful harbour city and how our school and Jewish traditions provide us with an anchor to hold our community steady;

The Magen David reminds us that we are not alone and we belong to a people with a long and proud history;

And finally, our motto is taken from Theodor Herzl, “Im tirtzu, ein zo aggadah”- which translates to ‘If you will it, it will be no dream’. This motto reminds us on a personal level that we should always dream and strive for more, that we are among the most privileged of generations to live in an age when the ancient dream “to be a free people in the Land of Zion and Jerusalem” has become a reality.

We know who we are. We’re proud of who we are.

United Herzlia Schools (UHS) is one of Cape Town’s most prominent academic institutions and a forerunner in Jewish education. Just like we want the best for our pupils, we also believe in providing our staff with a safe and supportive environment and opportunities for growth.

Our professional and friendly environment is structured to be open and encouraging. Each member of our valued team is an expert within their own field but opportunities for development never end.

There are many reasons why educators and support staff should join the Herzlia family:

We’re Proud of our Values –

• We are an independent, financially secure school
• We are a well-known and highly respected brand
• We have had a 100% matric pass rate
• We keep our class sizes small (max 26)
• We are consistently one of the top-performing schools in the Western Cape
• We have an innovative and values-driven way of approaching education
• We maintain our policy of openness and respect

Along with integrity and value on performance, we also keep up with the times and maintain a focus on innovation, technology developments and training opportunities for our staff to master new skills.

Furthermore, each of our staff members is compensated for their time, efforts and passion. Aside from the gorgeous grounds and phenomenal colleagues, we also have benefits.

For job applications, please note that we predominantly use the ISASA website to advertise our vacancies.

Herzlia Highlights

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