An Australian pianist hailed a New York taxi driver
In 1983 Sydney pianist Sarah Grunstein, who had moved to NY to study at Juilliard, stepped onto the curb on West 57th St. There were 7 empty taxis coming along. She got into the first, an old yellow checker cab… Read more
The renewal of a community
Recently I returned from a sabbatical in Israel which gave me time for introspection and reflection…writes Rabbi Shneur Reti-Waks. Read more
Meeting the Queen
Imagine you just received a Royal invitation from her Majesty Queen Elizabeth to a one on one engagement at Buckingham Palace. Your first reaction is total excitement you notify your wife, your kids your extended family and friends….writes Rabbi Eli Schlanger. Read more
The Israel-Hamas deal: Escape from Oslo
Extricating itself from President Bill Clinton’s December 2000 “peace” parameters is a supreme Israeli interest. Ironically, this goal is being made feasible by the crystallizing deal with Hamas over the Gaza Strip…writes Gershon Hacohen/JNS. Read more
The strength of the Jews is the Jew next door
To provide great support the supporter must have empathy and understanding of the person – a lesson from the March of the Living. Read more
A once in a lifetime opportunity
Every year JNF Australia and B’nai Brith put on the Changemaker awards which honours young adults in our community who have made a difference to society by volunteering to organisations nationally. Read more
Broadcasters in the spotlight
Australia and New Zealand key broadcasters ABC and TVNZ have received complaints following reporting on Gaza, ABC for the weekend’s Israel’s retaliation following rocket and mortar attacks and TVNZ for the recent riots. Read more
Feintooner illustrates a news story
PA TV to pregnant women: ‘Unborn fetus will be a martyr for Palestine’ Read more
Advertising for a rabbi…a reader’s letter
I note that Kehillat Kadimah, in advertising for a new Rabbi, are seeking someone with essentially the same skills and personality as the previous Rabbi of South Head Synagogue who, together with his Rebbetzen, devotedly served his community for 32 years. Read more
When sports gets corrupted by the Palestinian Authority
The Argentinian national soccer team cancelled its scheduled game in Israel due to Palestinian Arab terrorist death threats against its members…writes Farley Weiss/JNS. Read more
Looking for Leah
Global Law is trying to locate a mailing address for the family of Leah Aharon formerly of Byron Bay NSW, who had emigrated to Israel. Read more
Let’s talk about Jewish day school fees…writes Becci Krispin
I read Rabbi James Kennard’s response to the Gen17 survey results, published in the Melbourne Jewish Report in May 2018, with some disbelief. Read more
Former IDF commander: Hamas are ‘gangsters holding two million Palestinians as hostages’
Former Israel Defense Forces’ South Commander Maj. Gen. Yoav Galant likened the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, as a group of “gangsters” holding Gazans “hostage” and spilling their blood to provoke Israel. Read more
Breath: a film review by Ben Apfelbaum
Simon Baker’s much-anticipated debut feature BREATH held its Sydney premiere recently at Randwick Ritz. Read more
KH-UIA International Women’s Division Independence Day 2018 celebrations
UIA NSW Women’s Division Co-Chair Bev Michaelis shares her impressions of a special week in Israel. Read more
Hamas inspired violent riots on Gaza-Israel border
The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) alerts the Australian public to the real facts on the ground in the past week’s conflict along the Israel Gaza border fence. Read more
J-Wire reader attends Malka Leifer court appearance
Shalom from Jerusalem Read more
Israel bans entry for 20 BDS groups, shows it ‘won’t turn a blind eye’ to delegitimisation
Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry on Jan. 7 published a list of 20 organisations affiliated with the BDS movement that will be barred from entering the country, marking the Israeli government’s first major step to ban entities that seek to undermine the Jewish state since legislation targeting such groups was passed last year. Read more
Davar Acher
I would like to offer a davar acher to the recent J-wire post, “Religious Liberals: On the Way Down?…asks Professor Bill Rubinstein,” and address some of the unfounded assumptions and claims made by its author…writes Rabbi Nicole Roberts. Read more
UN attacks Israel again, this time Australia abstains!
As part of six anti-Israel resolutions it approved on 30 November, the United Nations General Assembly recently voted overwhelmingly to disavow Israeli ties to Jerusalem. The vote was 151 in favour and six against, with nine abstentions (including Australia). Read more
The Prime Minister’s Chanukah greeting
A greeting for Chanukah from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Read more
Israel’s new ambassador presents his credentials
Israel’s new Ambassador to Australia Mark Sofer has presented his credentials to the Governor-General of Australia Sir Peter Cosgrove. Read more
No action in NSW against hate speech
NSW Labor has reintroduced a Private Member’s Bill to strengthen the laws against hate speech. Read more
Researching for a new book
Vieslava Mataczynski and Timothy Scutt, co-authors of a new book under the working title: “Preservation of Life” bringing together memories both individual and collective, of the Jewish people contacted J-Wire in an effort to reach out to the wider Jewish Community in support of this work.
Teaching ‘The Holocaust Survivor’s Anthem’ to the next generation
“On Yom Hashoah, many Holocaust survivors sing ‘Zog Nit Keynmol’ – The Partisan Song. However, a decline in survivors has meant that the song was being lost to history,” explains Australian educator Eli Rabinowitz, who is working to reverse this by teaching the song and the original poem to school children around the globe, in their home language…writes Tali Feinberg. Read more
Holocaust Centre of NZ calls on NZ PM Ardern to press Australia on Manus refugees
The chairman of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand wants Australia to accept NZ’s offer to accept refugees. Read more
Labor MP’s Nazi Germany comparison apology welcomed by ECAJ
Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon likened recent police raids on the offices of the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) to Nazi Germany in an interview on Sky News this week. Read more
Australasian Jewish youth to celebrate the Light Horse centenary in Israel
This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade battle at Beer Sheva, where at dusk on 31 October, 1917, the Australian brigade stormed through the Turkish defence to capture Beer Sheva. This marked a turning point in removing Ottoman rule from Palestine and was a precursor to the formation of the Jewish state. Read more
Justice Rothman responds to David Singer’s SSM article
Justice Stephen Rothman writes to J-Wire on David Singer’s article on how non-voters could influence the outcome of the SSM postal vote. Read more
Babi Yar: Survivor of massacre that killed 33,000 Jews lives in Melbourne
Over two days in September 1941, more than 33,000 Jews were executed by Nazi soldiers in the capital of Ukraine. Read more
