Simon Meyer Kuper

Simon Meyer Kuper (1906 – 20 March 1963) was a judge of the South African Supreme Court, and a noted leader in the South African Jewish community. His children include anthropologist Adam Kuper.

Early life Kuper was born in Johannesburg in 1906. He attended Jeppe High School and subsequently gained his B.A. and LL.B. at the University of the Witwatersrand. After practising law for several years, he was appointed King's Counsel in 1946 and became a judge at the South African Supreme Court in 1955.

The South African Supreme Court consisted of several divisions. Kuper sat in the Transvaal Provincial Division,

Kuper was chairman of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies from 1944–49, and was chairman of the South African Zionist Federation from 1950 to 1955.

Kuper was at one time president of the United Hebrew Congregation, honorary vice-president of the Israel United Appeal, and honorary vice-president of the South African Jewish Appeal. He died twelve days later.

Later that year, a hall at the Oxford Shul in Johannesburg, where Kuper had been a member of the congregation, was named in his memory. In November 1963, a new B'nai B'rith lodge, founded in Johannesburg, was named after Kuper.

Mr. Justice Ludorf said of Kuper: