Benjamin Turok (26 June 1927 – 9 December 2019) was a South African anti-apartheid activist, politician, and economics professor.

Later, seeking safety, Turok's father moved the family to the then Union of South Africa in 1934.

[3] Jewish identification in his household was mostly cultural and his parents were involved in Yiddish theatre: "There were play readings, poetry evenings, political debates and a host of similar events all focusing on the Jewish way of life".

His parents were not religious and he did not have a bar mitzvah, however he was obliged to attend Hebrew school.

[3][1] He was also the African representative on the Cape Provincial Council[5] and served time in police detention,[6] including as a defendant in the 1956 Treason Trial.