PJ Library Officially Open
The PJ (Pyjama) Library mails free Jewish themed books and music CD’s to families on a monthly basis. It was officially launched in Sydney last week at a big Pyjama Party at Set Café, Westfield Bondi Junction. Read more
AUJS Reports from Canberra
Australian Union of Jewish Students leaders visited Canberra this week for the annual Political Training Seminar (PTS) at Parliament House. Read more
Crown Heights Killing – 20 years on.
On Sunday, Rev. Al Sharpton gave his version of what happened 20 years ago in Crown Heights. But although he purports to have reflected on and learned from the riots, the truth is his recollection is egregiously distorted and sanitized…writes Norman Rosenbaum. Read more
John Searle appointed Chair of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
The Victorian Attorney-General Robert Clark has announced the appointment of Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) President John Searle as the new chairperson of the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC). Read more
Norwegian Ambassador talks to the CJF
The Capital Jewish Forum has conducted an in-depth interview with Norwegian Ambassador Siren Gjerme Eriksen…J-Wire publishes it in full. Read more
Australia condemns attacks in Southern Israel
The Federal Government has condemned the attacks in Southern Israel. Read more
The Greens Oppose Condemnation of Max Brenner Boycotts
The Greens today, requested that their opposition to a motion condemning the boycott and persecution of the Max Brenner chocolate stores be recorded in Hansard. Read more
Parliamentarians at Max Brenner
NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson said his visit today to a Max Brenner café in Sydney’s Met Centre was designed to show support for the chocolate chain following recent protests. Read more
Facebook asked to treat Holocaust Denial as Incitement to Hatred
The Online Antisemitism Working Group of the Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism has called on Facebook to treat Holocaust denial as incitement to hatred. Read more
Tel Aviv Uni Students show their brand of Israeli PR
“Is.Real” is a project initiated by students from the Tel Aviv University (TAU) branch of the StandWithUs Fellowship, in cooperation with the TAU Student Union The “Is.Real” series will cover the lives of four young Israelis from diverse social and ethnic backgrounds, including one from Sydney. Read more
Israel’s Save a Child’s Heart Reaches the Summit of Mt Kilimanjaro
Doctors, volunteers and supporters of Israel-based humanitarian organisation Save a Child’s Heart habe reached the summit of Africa’s highest peak, Mt Kilimanjaro, in an effort to raise $1 million which will save the lives of 100 African children in desperate need of heart surgery. They were partly funded by the Australian Pratt Foundation. Read more
David Mandie passes away
The duty free and travel retail industry has lost one of its truly great figures and pioneers with the sad passing of James Richardson (JR) Group Chairman and Managing Director, David Mandie. Read more
The AJDS on the UN Resolution to Recognise Palestine
The Australian Jewish Democratic Society urges the Australian government, which already accepts the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, to support their bid for recognition of the State of Palestine by the UN General Assembly. Read more
Pratt backed organisation performs first paediatric open heart surgery in Tanzania
A medical team from Israel’s Save a Child’s Heart has successfully performed the first ever paediatric open heart surgery in Mwanza, Tanzania. Read more
NIFAu – The Beat Goes On
The New Israel Fund Australia [NIFAu] has responded to an article published in J-Wire last week…. Read more
Israel Donates NZ$55,000 to Christchurch College
Christchurch’s Linwood College plans to create a digital classroom, with the help of a $55,000 donation from the Israeli Government. Read more
“New Israel Fund does NOT fund CWP” says NIFAu
The New Israel Fund Australia has responded to Ron Weiser’s article published yesterday in J-Wire Read more
Victorian Premier Slams anti-Israel Boycotts
Ted Baillieu, the Premier of Victoria, has condemned the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaigns targeted against Israel. Read more
Eye witness report of latest Brenner BDS incident
Anti-Israel protesters have once again targeted the Max Brenner chocolate store in Melbourne’s inner CBD. Michael Burd was there and reports for J-Wire… Read more
U.S. Ambassador at the Capital Jewish Forum
The Canberra-based Capital Jewish Forum has held had its first event in Melbourne in conjunction with JBD – Jews of the CBD, hosting Jeffrey Bleich, the U.S. Ambassador to Australia. Read more
Synagogue’s views differ from its Rabbi’s
The Board of Management of Southern Sydney Synagogue would like to clarify that the views allegedly expressed by Rabbi Yossi Feldman concerning the reporting of sexual offenders to the police, as reported in the Australian Jewish News (July 28 edition), do not reflect the views of the Board of the synagogue. Read more
Synagogues disassociate from Rabbi Feldman’s statements
A Jewish media report today stated that Rabbi Yossi Feldman called for the handling of sexual abuse cases to be carried out within the community and not to be brought to secular law. The Council of Orthodox Synagogues has disassociated itself from Rabbi Feldman’s views. Read more
ADC call to fight racism
The Jewish anti-racism group ADC has called for more proactive action to fight racism in response to recent events both in Australia and overseas. Read more
Trailblazing dinner – Jewish and Muslim leadership in Victoria
A further significant step in cementing an ongoing meaningful relationship between Victorian Jews and Muslims was marked at the recent executive dinner held for the leadership of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and the Islamic Council of Victoria. Read more
Yair Miller in top 50
The Sydney Morning Herald this week ran a feature on Australia’s 50 most powerful people, with a section dedicated to the five most powerful people in NSW in the world of religion. Yair Miller, President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, was included as one of the five. Read more
Census – Identify as Jews
Australia’s peak national Jewish body is urging all Jewish Australians to write in the word ‘Jewish’ or ‘Judaism’ in answer to the question on the census form that asks ‘What is your religion?’ “This should be done for each member of the household when you complete the form on census night on Tuesday 9 August 2011”, said Dr Danny Lamm, the President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. Read more
Jewish radio station gets stamp of approval from the ECAJ
ECAJ President Dr Danny Lamm has written to Jewish Broadcasting for the Community (JBC) noting the intentions of the new Jewish media organisation and stating that JBC has “the full support of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry”. Read more
Condolences to Norway
Dr Danny Lamm, the president of The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has sent a letter of condolence to the Norwegian Ambassador to Australia following the massacres that took place in the Scandinavian country over the weekend. Read more
The ZFA trains a New Generation of Israel Advocates
Twenty young Australians visiting Israel on IBC, AUJS Aviv or Bnei Akiva shnat MASA programs dedicated three days to an intensive seminar, preparing them to be activists and advocates for Israel upon their return to Australia. Read more
The Minister, The Parliamentary Secretary, The MP and The Chocolate Shop
Michael Danby MP the new chairman of Australia’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, Minister for Communication Senator Stephen Conroy and Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Senator David Feeney shared a hot chocolate at Max Brenner’s South Melbourne premises last night in solidarity with Israel and the Australian Jewish Community. Read more
