New leadership for AUJS
Michael Fisher, a commerce/law student at Melbourne’s Monash University, and the AUJS National Treasurer in 2015, has been elected as National Chairperson for 2016.
Incoming: Anita Berman, Samantha Khavin, Cameron Graf, Michael Fisher, Ethan Kravietz, Liam O’Callaghan
20-yr-old Fisher will take over the presidency from Dean Sherr on January 1.
AUJS UNSW President Cameron Graf, a 21-year-old commerce/law student at the University of New South Wales will replace Elenore Levi as Vice-Chairperson.
Outgoing Chairperson Dean Sherr paid tribute to Fisher and Graf and the entire new executive, saying, “In Cameron and Michael we have two dynamic and complementary figures with significant leadership experience in the wider community and in AUJS. Their executive is rounded out by a number of AUJS LDP graduates who have impressive credentials and great passion for AUJS. Michael and Cameron have been two of our most impressive and most enthusiastic leaders this year and AUJS will be in safe hands under their leadership.”
“Michael’s work as National Treasurer this year was outstanding and I am excited to hand over the reigns to someone I worked so closely with this year and who I know will be an outstanding Chairperson,” Sherr said of the new Chairperson Michael Fisher.
Sherr, who will complete his time as an AUJS student leader after three years on the national executive, also had high praise for the outgoing executive, saying, “I also pay tribute to the outgoing executive who have given AUJS so much time and effort. They are without doubt the most talented and committed executive of student volunteers I have had the pleasure to work with. With their efforts, it is little surprise we have seen significant increases in participation with all our conferences, regional events and campus membership. They can be proud to leave AUJS in such a great place.”
Incoming Chairperson Michael Fisher also paid tribute to the outgoing executive and expressed his excitement for the year ahead, saying, “AUJS has made such incredible strides this year under an enthusiastic and talented team across the board. I am excited to have the opportunity to build on that and find innovative new ways to interact with Jewish students.”
Outgoing: Julian Kowal, Elenore Levi, Andrew Schnapp, Sam Meyerson, Dean Sherr, Ashleigh Werner, Michael Fisher, Avia Madar, Daniel Brazil
Outgoing MUJSS (AUJS at the University of Melbourne) President Ethan Kravietz was elected National Treasurer. Rounding out the executive, Liam O’Callaghan, outgoing AUJS at the University of Sydney Treasurer, was elected National Political Affairs Director. Samantha Khavin, AUJS NSW Vice-President and a student at UNSW, was elected National Conferences Convenor; and Anita Berman, outgoing MUJSS Secretary, was elected National Campaigns Coordinator. Khavin, Berman and Kravietz were all graduates of the AUJS Leadership Development Program (LDP) in 2014/15.
In addition to the elections, the AUJS National Assembly and AGM ran over two days and included annual reports from national executive and regional, policydiscussions and a cocktail reception featuring over 100 current and former student leaders; as well as Jewish community leaders and AUJS donors.
The reception was addressed by Jewish Parliamentarians Michael Danby and David Southwick; and Monash Academic and author Professor Nick Dyrenfurth, who recently co-authored and published the comprehensive BDS rebuttal, “Boycotting Israel is Wrong” with Philip Mendes. All speakers stressed the significant value of AUJS and activism on and off campus in Australia
At the National Assembly, Sherr highlighted growth in membership, conference attendance, engagement on and off campus; and (at least) five-year highs for the AUJS Ball and both Victorian and NSW Purim Parties; as significant achievements for the AUJS team as fifty student leaders from across Australia and New Zealand attended this year’s Assembly and AGM.
