Rabbi Dovid Hazdan was born in 1958 in Warmbaths where his father served as Rabbi and Shochet. In Grade 4, he attended the inaugural year of the Menorah Primary School (later Yeshiva College).
He continued his studies in Kfar Chabad, Israel; New Haven, Connecticut; and Brooklyn and received Rabbinic ordination and a Bachelor of Religious Education (BRE) in 1982.
Between 1978 and 1981 he ran a summer day camp in Encino California and founded a Jewish Centre in North Hollywood, California in 1980, and envisioned settling there permanently after marriage. In 1982 he married his wife Feige. After completing a further year of studies, they considered various options in Jewish Communal work which they saw as their calling. When they wrote to the Rebbe with various options, including the Chabad in North Hollywood which Rabbi Hazdan was running remotely, the Rebbe indicated that he should give preference to Torah Academy.
In 1983, Rabbi Hazdan moved to South Africa and was appointed principal of the Torah Academy Boys High, which had about 16 boys. He remained in the Boys High until he assumed the position as Dean of Torah Academy in 2000.
In 1989 he assumed the additional position of Rabbi of the Great Synagogue on Wolmarans Street in downtown Joburg Shul. For the next five years, he would walk to downtown Joburg, keeping the shul afloat. When that location closed, Rabbi Hazdan moved the shul to his backyard in Oaklands. This became the vibrant Great Park Shul.
Rabbi Hazdan is a beloved communal leader with many seeking him out for spiritual guidance and family counselling. He is a gifted public speaker, and community builder.
In 1998, Rabbi Hazdan launched a bridge-building project called Cycalive with students from Torah Academy along with students from Soweto. Cyclive is now an official Mandela Day Event and helps build tolerance and understanding between students of different religions, cultures and backgrounds. Funds that have been raised have made a significant difference to the participating schools.
Rabbi Hazdan is deeply involved in many initiatives supporting those less advantaged, and is a board member of Afrika Tikkun. In 2014, Rabbi Hazdan was awarded the Kia Community Award for his work with Cycalive, Afrika Tikkun and all of his work in the Jewish community.
Rabbi Hazdan is passionate about Torah Academy, and loves the diversity and soul that is so prevalent at the school. He likes to problem solve, give solutions to challenges, tries to find new approaches to develop the values of our Torahs.
In his position as Dean, Rabbi Hazdan is in charge of the chinuch elements of the school, and connects with the principals of each of the schools to share ideas about vision, purpose and direction. As the proud grandfather of many Torah Academy students, he is delighted to be moving towards a future of possibility at Torah Academy.