A surprise birthday celebration for Frank Lowy
October 7, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Garry lectured Germans on the Holocaust
September 30, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Rogue worshippers defy lockdown
September 8, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
A rogue group of ultra-orthodox members of the Melbourne Jewish community has held Rosh Hashanah prayers violating the lockdown restrictions. Read more
A community in furore
August 27, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
A leaked email revealed a plan to appease the Sydney Jewish community by maintaining requests to NSW Health to give special permission to blow Shofars in various parts of the city and allowing congregants to walk by as they did…but the email to NSW Police from the Community Security Group stated that the application would be withdrawn three days before Rosh Hashanah. Read more
The party is over
August 17, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
They have different political allegiances, but politicians Josh Burns and David Southwick have joined forces to stabilise the COVID fallout created by an irresponsible small group of Melbourne’s Jewish community. Read more
Gav Schneider in the top ten of security experts globally for the third time
August 12, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Brisbane-based Gav Schneider has been placed in the top ten security experts globally by a group of contemporaries. Read more
The Jewish-themed mural whose wall will be a computer, tablet or phone screen
August 7, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Archibald Prize winner Wendy Sharpe has painted a mural in the Sydney Jewish Museum which no member of the public will be able to set his or her eyes on it because of the Coronavirus lockdown and the planned demolition of the wall on which her work “Vu iz dos Gesele (Where is the Little Street)?” is painted. Read more
Sydney Jewish Museum reveals its new CEO
July 19, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
The CEO of the Australian National Maritime Museum has been appointed to succeed Norman Seligman as CEO of the Sydney Jewish Museum. Read more
The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies and dealing with COVID
July 16, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies continues to provide information about the health orders and the services that are available during the lockdown. Read more
Jonathan Coleman, a good friend of Jewish House
July 11, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Sydney’s Jewish House CEO Rabbi Mendel Kastel is personally saddened by the news of the death of TV star Jonathan Coleman. Read more
For the first time, Australia brands an extreme right-wing group as a terrorist organisation
June 17, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security has approved regulations listing the antisemitic far-right Sonnenkrieg Division as a terrorist organisation. Read more
Go behind the Archibald
June 15, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Each year, art-lovers Australia-wide wait with bated breath to learn the names of the winning artist and the subject behind the portrait which snares the coveted Archibald Prize. Read more
Geoffrey Edelsten passes away at 78
June 13, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Geoffrey Edelsten, the former Mount Scopus student who went on to attain degrees in medicine and surgery ahead of owning the AFL teams Sydney Swans has passed away in his home in St Kilda. Read more
My friend Isaac
June 3, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Sydney-based Steven Lowy is the Chairman of the World Board of Trustees of Keren-Hayesod and has worked extensively with President-elect Isaac Herzog. Read more
16 years of community leadership
May 24, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
On May 14, Vic Alhadeff closed his office door at The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies where he had served its CEO for 16 years. Read more
Tale of two rallies
May 24, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Sydney hosted two rallies showing solidarity with Israel. One was in the heavily-guarded Central Synagogue hosted by major community organisations and the other involved a motorcade in the Eastern Suburbs which transported supporters to Bondi Beach where showed their solidarity waving Israeli flags.
A difference of opinion
May 5, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Jonathan Pollard was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1987 for spying for Israel in the United States…and now is the keynote speaker at an event in Jerusalem celebrating Jerusalem Day. Read more
Bob Carr targets Israel again
May 4, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Former NSW Premier and former Minister for Foreign Affairs Bob Carr has sent an email to “to all supporters of Palestine in the Australian Labor Party”. Read more
A farewell to Vic
May 4, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Vic Alhadeff is leaving the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies of which he has been the CEO for 16 years. Read more
Austen Tayshus take six
April 30, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Comedian Austen Tayshus aka Sandy Gutman finds himself once again the subject of a painting entered for the prestigious Archibald Prize. Read more
Surprise for Vic
April 28, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian addressed 330 guests at the NSW Board of Deputies Yom Ha’azmaut cocktail party and followed her message on Israel’s 73rd birthday with a surprise presentation to CEO Vic Alhadeff. Read more
Isi Leibler: 1934-2021. A giant amongst us is no more
April 13, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
The subject of a newly-released book “Lone Voice: The Wars of Isi Leibler” has passed away in Jerusalem at the age of 86. Read more
Jessica tackles the floods
March 24, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Different hands, same work
March 23, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Jewish, Muslim and Christian schoolchildren have gathered at Sydney’s Our Big Kitchen to cook food and biscuits for frontline workers and victims as once in a lifetime flooding ravaged the south-east coast of Australia. Read more
Bluebeard’s Castle to be performed in Sydney for the first time
February 25, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
Sydney bass-baritone Daniel Sumegi will play the title role in Hungarian composer Béla Bartók’s only opera Bluebeard’s Castle making its debut Sydney performance next week. Read more
Israel seeks Aliyah from medicos
February 22, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
A new hall and apartments for the Brisbane Hebrew Congregation
January 22, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
The Brisbane Hebrew Congregation has overwhelmingly given the thumbs up for the design for its new communal hall. Read more
High Ground: a movie review
January 18, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
High Ground shows the audience the natural beauty of Arnhem Land, the ugliness of the treatment of Aborigines by some settlers and the kindness and understanding shown by others in the Top End in the early part of the 20th century. Read more
The lonely mezuzah
January 8, 2021 by Henry Benjamin
1000kms from the nearest synagogue, Birdsville is home for Joseph Szczepina where a mezuzah is proudly displayed on his property. Read more
Ammunition Hill and the last night of Chanukah
December 18, 2020 by Henry Benjamin
Tears glistened in the eyes of the soldiers and visitors to Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem as the site of one of the fiercest battles of the Six-Day War provided a background for the flames of the Menorah. Read more