AUGUST MEETING   (Thursday  13/08/2026)

UNCOVERING OUR IRAQI HERITAGE . . . .

BY  KAREN KALLMANN

For most travellers, Iraq sits firmly in the category of places not to visit. Decades of conflict, political instability and alarming headlines have kept it off the conventional tourist map. But for Capetonians Karen Kallmann and Evan Robins, travelling to unusual destinations with their children has become something of a family tradition.

Over the December 2025 and January 2026 holidays, before the current Middle East conflict, the family spent three weeks travelling through Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan with their five children:  Yael, Eitan, Aryeh, Ma’ayan and Ayelet, aged between 21 and 13.

ABOUT KAREN KALLMANN

Karen Hallmann has an MA in Development Studies, and is a member of the Union of Jewish Women, and of the Cape Jewish Board. She has worked with The Black Sash, as well as with Oxfam. Her family consists of herself, her husband Evan Roberts, and their 5 children.

JULY MEETING   (Thursday  09/07/2026)

FROM LIFESPAN TO HEALTHSPAN

The Science of Ageing Well

BY  DR ANNA THOMAS

Most of us expect to grow older. Far fewer of us know how to remain healthy, active, independent, and engaged as we age.

This talk explores the difference between lifespan (how long we live) and healthspan (how well we live), and examines the latest science behind healthy ageing. We will discuss the everyday habits that have the greatest impact on our long-term health, as well as some of the common myths and misconceptions surrounding ageing.

Join us for an engaging and practical discussion as we explore what accelerates ageing, what slows it down, and how small changes can have a profound impact on vitality, resilience, and wellbeing in later life.

Whether you are in your seventies, eighties, nineties, or simply curious about the science of longevity, this talk will provide evidence-based insights and actionable strategies to help you age with confidence and purpose. 

ABOUT DR ANNA THOMAS

Dr Anna Thomas is a medical doctor based in Cape Town with a particular interest in longevity medicine, preventative healthcare, aesthetic medicine, and healthy ageing. Her approach focuses on identifying and addressing the lifestyle, environmental, and metabolic factors that influence long-term health and wellbeing.

Outside of medicine, Dr Thomas enjoys travel, exercise, and exploring the many factors that contribute to living a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life. She is particularly interested in the intersection between physical health, mental wellbeing, purpose, and longevity, and believes that it is never too late to make meaningful changes that improve health and vitality.

JUNE MEETING   (Thursday  19/06/2026)

MY EXODUS:

FOLLOWING THE FOOTSTEPS OF MOSES

BY MARGARET RAWICZ

As the author of Walking the Exodus: My Journey in the Footsteps of Moses, this is an opportunity to be entranced with her narrative on her personal travels across the Middle East, tracing possible Exodus routes and investigating the landscapes described in the Bible. 

Margaret’s talks are known for being engaging, accessible, and richly informative. What is particularly valuable is her ability to connect disciplines, bringing together science, history, environment, and faith in a way that resonates with her audience. 

ABOUT MARGARET RAWICZ

Alongside her personal ambitions Margaret has spent over 30 years working as an environmental consultant across Southern Africa, advising industry and contributing to the development of environmental management systems and policy frameworks, including work associated with the National Environmental Management Act. Her professional background includes work with major organisations in energy, mining, manufacturing, and government sectors. Alongside her professional career, Margaret has pursued a deep academic interest in Biblical Studies.

MAY MEETING   (Thursday  14/05/2026)

FROM RETIREMENT TO REWIREMENT

BY THEO JANSEN

This talk is aimed at an audience that has spent some time in retirement, but feels, and correctly believes, that we still have a useful role and can still have an impact on our world - whatever that may be.

Good balance is imperative - we need to be able to 'float' freely between relaxing, exploring, interacting, discovering, 'pushing' physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. 

Join this community of seniors for an interactive hour of reflection, challenging thinking and exploring new possibilities and fresh horizons so that we can all rewire our neuron pathways to 'finish strong'! Theo Jansen has done extensive work with people heading towards retirement. This talk will be different and compelling. 

ABOUT THEO JANSEN

Professional:

Theo is the Senior Partner in Phase 5 Consulting, a Management Consulting and Training Organisation based in Cape Town, but works extensively globally. Theo is an Executive Coach and also an Organisational and Personal Development Consultant, Facilitator, Change Agent, and Mentor. He has done Management Consulting around the world with a wide range of clients, and is currently coaching senior executives in global companies throughout the world.

He has held senior human resource management positions within the retail and financial sectors, and worked at the University of the Western Cape, and Stellenbosch University.

Theo also served on numerous Boards of Non Profit organisations including Life Line, where he served as Board Chairperson locally and on the National Board. He was also involved in the training and development of counsellors.

APRIL MEETING   (Thursday  09/04/2026)

OUR HOUSE

A STORY OF A SPECIAL HOME IN THE KAROO

BY ESME SENEKAL

Stories from an amazing Group Home for adults with special needs, in the Karoo.

Esme Senekal served as House Mother for adults with special needs. She relates stirring stories about the challenges, joys, laughter, and occasional heartbreak of this loving Karoo community.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PDF DOCUMENT

MARCH MEETING   (Thursday  12/03/2026)

JULIET PROWSE, BORN TO DANCE

BY JULIET PROWSE (Junior - Her Niece)

A story about her aunt, Juliet Prowse, a South African dancer,  who burst into the international spotlight in her first Hollywood movie, and who was on the global stage for four decades, in many movies, including GI Blues with Elvis presley, and in Mame and Sweet Charity in Las vegas and the West End, London. This is going to fascinate audiences who remember Juliet Prowse for her dynamic talent, and her romance with Frank Sinatra and Elvis.

A snapshot of Juliet Prowse:

She was on the global stage/screen for four decades and one of the highest paid dancers of her era on a $1 million Vegas contract in the mid-1970s.

She was in G.I. Blues with Elvis Presley, engaged to Frank Sinatra after being in CanCan, and married John McCook of The Bold and the Beautiful. 

She was in Mame and Sweet Charity in Las Vegas and London, and won Female Entertainer of the Year in Las Vegas four times in the era of Liza Minnelli, Barbra Streisand and Shirley MacLaine.

About the Speaker

In the Prowse household, Juliets niece, Juliet Prowse (Junior), was known as Little Juliet. She never intended on becoming an author, but when she spotted a little red suitcase in her parents’ attic, full of articles about her famous aunt, the dancer and entertainer Juliet Prowse, she just wanted to tell this story. As a communications professional with a BSc and MBA, Juliet was used to writing, but to ensure the authenticity of her aunt's biography, Little Juliet researched extensively, reading 1000 letters/articles and interviewing many who worked with Juliet. She lives in Cape Town where she is an avid theatregoer and sports lover.

FEBRUARY MEETING   (Thursday  12/02/2026)

KASTURBA, THE EXCEPTIONAL WIFE OF MAHATMA GANDHI

BY ROSALIND SPEARS

Appalled by current world conflict I have focussed on the woman behind Gandhi.  She was a committed Hindu and in spite of her husband's overpowering personality Kasturba remained a person in her own right. The couple spent years in South Africa where Gandhi adopted satyagraha - the art and practice of nonviolent non- cooperation.  Together they used this philosophy to increase the pressure to release India from British rule. Kasturba's story will move and impress you.

Rosalind Spears enjoys researching and writing biographies of famous women and then giving entertaining illustrated talks about her subjects. She is a swallow, spending 6 months of each year in Hout Bay, and the rest at her home in the United Kingdom.