| Mendel Kaplan | |
| Birth Date: | 1936 6, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Alma Mater: | University of Cape Town Columbia University |
| Occupation: | Industrialist, philanthropist |
| Nationality: | South African |
Mendel Kaplan (16 June 1936 – 19 November 2009) was a South African Jewish industrialist and philanthropist. He was an executive in Cape Gate manufacturing company.[1]
Mendel Kaplan was born in South Africa. After graduating from Wynberg Boys' High, he received a degree in law from the University of Cape Town in 1958 and an MBA from Columbia University in 1960.[2]
Kaplan was the honorary president of Keren Hayesod and a former chairman of the Jewish Agency's Board of Governors. He financed numerous philanthropic projects in South Africa, Israel and Jewish communities around the world.[3] In 1980, he founded the Isaac and Jessie Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies at the University of Cape Town. In 2000, he established the South African Jewish Museum.[1]
Kaplan was an Israeli citizen and owned two homes in Israel.[2] He was a keen rugby union fan, and helped set up the South African Jewish Museum.[1]
Kaplan died of a stroke on 19 November 2009.[4]