Darker shade of pale: shetl to colony

DARKER SHADE OF PALE: SHETL TO COLONY 

Deborah Posel, sociologist and emeritus professor

A sweeping history with intimate roots, Darker Shade of Pale traces a little known chapter in the history of global migration: the journeying of families at the turn of the twentieth century from the Jewish territories of the Russian Empire, called the Pale of Settlement, to the far-flung British colony of South Africa. At the heart of the book by Deborah Posel, is the story of her grandfather, Maurice Posel. An ordinary man whose struggles and disappointments mirror those of

countless others, this book challenges the common narrative of Jewish immigrant successes in South Africa.

Date: 29 January 2026

Time: 19:00

Venue: Lecture Theatre 3, Middle Campus, Kramer Law Building, University of Cape Town

 Webtickets: https://bit.ly/48n1FsI

This is a free book launch however booking via Webtickets is essential.