Anthony Albanese announces $8.5m for the Sydney Jewish Museum
The Albanes Government will gift $8.5 million to the cost of rebuilding the Sydney Jewish Museum.
Tanya Plibersek, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Allegra Spender Photo: Henry Benjamin/J-Wire
Accompanied by cabinet minister Tanya Plibersek and the Independent MP for Wentworth, Allegra Spender Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made the announcement within the museum itself.
He said: “Today, I’m announcing on behalf of the government, eight and a half million dollars to redevelop the Sydney Jewish Museum. This is funding that had been agreed previously through our budget process and is included in my economic forecast that will come down next week.
More than 55,000 people visit the museum this year, including around 31,000 high school students. I want those young people who know this history.
Anthony Albanese said the funding will also education about Jewish culture and to get a greater understanding of the contribution. Jewish Australians have made to Australia.
He said: “That disgraceful act of burning of the synagogue sent shivers down the spine of Australians. We’re a tolerant country that is based upon respect for each other. We will work with all the key authorities to make sure that perpetrators on these crimes will brought to justice.”
The prime minister emphasized support for people’s right to demonstrate, but he highlighted the provocative nature of demonstrating outside places of worship. He said: “To demonstrate outside a place of worship is a provocative act, which undermines whatever the cause may be that people are purporting to advance, because it completely alienates people.”
He added: “I love the fact that in this great country of ours, we are enriched by people of different faiths who come here. I was uplifted by attending a bar mitzvah in Perth synagogue. I found it an interesting experience, a generous experience. I was welcomed with the Rabbi providing them with lollies to throw. It’s the range of religions in this country is one of the things that makes Australia great and strength.”
He said that he supports the right of Israel to exist in secure borders. He added: “I also have been a long-term supporter of a Palestinian state, and that cannot involve Hamas.”
He also called for all of the hostages to be released. Anthony Albanese stated: “There’s no role for Hamas in any future Palestinian state, , has been attempting to advance the issue of a long term-solution that would involve the engagement of the United States in countries in the region That’s a position that I’ve held for a long period of time. That’s a position that the Labor Party.”
The president of the Sydney Jewish Museum, Greg Shand, told J-Wire: “These funds will enable us to enhance our plans for the future, which include expanding the museum to enable it to host more visitors and more education. And the planned extension of our facilities will provide more reasons to visit. The funds also will help the sustainability of the museum.”
Robert Goot, deputy president of The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said: “The Prime Minister’s messaging in calling out antisemitism in clear and unambiguous terms without bracketing it with other forms of prejudice was most welcome and well-received by our community. Of course there continue to be differences of views on the direction of Australian foreign policy, and we have sought a meeting with the Prime Minister to explain our position in detail. Overall the PM’s visit to the SJM was very positive and a hopeful sign for the future.”
Netanyahu is responsible for the rift by actions that even within Israel are seen as reprehensible. $8.5 million AUD can’t bring hostages home or bring back dead innocent Aid Agency workers or children on both sides of the Gaza Israei border. Anathema with politics and religious excuse on all sides; the only slogan should be Save Rescue Treat. That is true to the Ethics of Judaism and the Levitical injunction to care for the Stranger in your Land so often forgotten in the maelstrom of hate.
I just submitted this under my real name Philip Lambert and realised my submitting via Email might link to my moniker “Meredith Burgess”
Much more than this needs to be done to get anywhere near rectifying in any way the damage this government has done to both the Australian Jewish communities and the good ties between Australia and Israel.