Melbourne Jewry to celebrate Koori ties

September 25, 2012 by Michelle Coleman
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Melbourne’s Jewish Community will celebrate its long-standing ties with the Koori community at a Sukkot jazz and piano event next week at St Kilda Synagogue.

The two communities have been on good terms since aboriginal activist William Cooper gathered friends and family and marched to the German Embassy in Melbourne in 1937 with a petition calling on the Nazi German Government to halt its atrocities on the Jewish people.

The concert will feature international jazz musician Albert Dadon (aka Albare) with his band iTD, and internationally renowned, multi-award winning composer and pianist Warren Wills. Both musicians are donating their services to help raise funds for “The Gathering Place” Centre for Aboriginal Health, which has recently had its funding cut by the State Government.

The Gathering Place provides medical, allied health and welfare services, as well as various wellbeing programs to indigenous Australians in Victoria’s Western suburbs.

Elders Uncle Boydy –the grandson of William Cooper – , Aunty Zeta and Colleen Marion, CEO of The Gathering Place will be guests of honour at the event. The Gathering Place Chairperson Jacqueline Marion will give a presentation speech.

Hanna Baum, Melbourne educator, journalist and organiser of the fundraiser is passionate about the event.

“This is my opportunity to unite the two communities as they share so much in common. The indigenous love of the land is so similar to our love of Israel. Kooris here say they belong to the land; we say we belong to the land of Israel. It is our inheritance, just as the land in Australia is the land of all indigenous people. They have suffered genocide and oppression as our people and we share a common bond.”

“I find it very sad that I have lived here since 1984 and yet I am so ignorant of the culture, customs and lore of the indigenous people,” she added.

Baum hopes that the concert will lead to a greater understanding of the gift that indigenous people are not only to the Jewish people but to all Australians.

The Sukkot Jazz event will take place at St Kilda Synagogue’s Adele Southwick Hall on 4 October 2012 at 7pm. Tickets may be purchased pre-sale at $45 or $50 at the door. Entry includes a catered supper in the sukkah.

Enquiries: 0416 438 877 or (03) 9527 4386

Comments

One Response to “Melbourne Jewry to celebrate Koori ties”
  1. Peter says:

    Thank God that Albert is concentrating on this issue now and no longer on directing Israel as to what her policies should be.

    Peter

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