Beyond the headlines
March 4, 2022 by Michael Kuttner
According to surveys, on average five times as many people read the headlines as read the news items. Read more
Binding Isaac
March 4, 2022 by Jeremy Rosen
I was reeling from the inhuman aggression of the maniacal Strangelove Putin on an independent country causing the deaths of hundreds of children when I thought of the words of Leonard Cohen in “The story of Isaac.” Read more
Believing the threats of our enemies more than the promises of our allies
March 4, 2022 by Danny Danon
“Promise me, Danny, that you will always believe more in the threats of our enemies than in the promises of our allies.” Read more
UN vote reprimanding Russia brings together emerging Mideast coalition
March 4, 2022 by Mike Wagenheim - JNS
Israel and the Middle East have rarely been this united on a vote. Nearly every United States ally in the region fell in line, contributing to an unmistakable message: It’s not just the West, but the world, demanding that Russia halt its invasion of Ukraine. Read more
Israeli distributor takes Ben & Jerry’s to court
March 4, 2022 by Mike Wagenheim - JNS
Avi Zinger was so upset after Ben & Jerry’s pulled the rug out from under him that he never picked up the phone to speak with them. Instead, he’s taking them, and their parent company Unilever, to a U.S. district court. Read more
Iranian regime supports Putin’s ‘special operation’ in Ukraine
After hesitating at the outset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Iranian regime is now fully backing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special operation” there…writes Micky Segall. Read more
Shabbat Pikudei: The Messiah
March 3, 2022 by Jeremy Rosen
The term Mashiach is usually associated with the apocalyptical idea of a Messiah who will change the world to make it a more peaceful and honest place. Read more
LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program
March 3, 2022 by Community newsdesk
Almost 20 members of the Sydney Jewish community have gathered at Emanuel Synagogue for the launch of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies’ (JBD) LGBTQ+ Mentorship Program. Read more
Israel takes nuanced approach to UN emergency session on Ukraine
March 2, 2022 by Mike Wagenheim - JNS
“We should take a picture together.” Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan strolled across the General Assembly floor on Monday morning, making a direct line for his counterpart from Ukraine. Read more
An inside look at the upheaval for Ukrainian Jews
March 2, 2022 by Faygie Holt
A Chabad emissary had just finished giving an online update on life in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Monday night when an air-raid siren went off and Rabbi Mendel Moskovitz abruptly ended his talk to take shelter. Read more
A shaken German Jewry opens arms to Ukrainian Jews
March 1, 2022 by Orit Arfa - JNS.org
The inauguration of a Torah scroll at the newly refurbished Beth-Zion synagogue in former east Berlin on Sunday was supposed to kick off with a cheerful, musical street procession. Read more
Israel fears Western appeasement of Russia emboldens Iran
March 1, 2022 by Israel Kasnett - JNS.org
The United States, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and Germany—known as the P5+1—appear to be closing in on a deal with Iran over its ongoing nuclear-weapons program. Read more
From Australia’s Jewish Past: Leonard “Jock” Livingston – some say he was the best ever Australian Jewish batsman
March 1, 2022 by Features Desk
Jock was born on 3 May 1920 in Sydney’s Hurlstone Park. Read more
Israel is navigating perilous diplomatic terrain in Ukraine
Ever since biblical times, the people of Israel have had to navigate the harsh terrain between clashing global powers. Now, here we are again, in Ukraine, having to maneuver between Russia and the West. The terrain this time around is exceedingly difficult, with significant security and ethical pitfalls along the way…writes Michael Oren. Read more
Will Israel find itself on the wrong side of the ‘changing’ world order?
March 1, 2022 by Alex Traiman - JNS.org
With fighting raging in Ukraine, Israel finds itself torn between supporting independent Ukrainian sovereignty and not wishing to anger a newly belligerent world power in Russia. Read more
What Israel must learn from Ukraine’s war
February 28, 2022 by Professor Gerald Steinberg
The first lesson to be learned (or relearned) from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is that the absence of deterrence can be fatal for any nation. Read more
Feintooner
February 28, 2022 by Feintooner
This week’s cartoon…Maintaining Balance. Read more
Why do we need the Seven Laws of the Sons of Noah when we already have the Ten Commandments?
February 28, 2022 by Rabbi Raymond Apple
Ask the rabbi… Read more
On Putin, the Jews and the Future of the World
Jews and dictators normally don’t get along. History is replete with examples of strongmen who reviled the Jewish communities in their midst. Read more
Boycotting art? There must be another way
Philip Feinstein from Music for Refugees introduces Ben Adler, a Sydney-based Jewish Australian violinist and the son of an Egyptian refugee, and Nawfel Alfaris, an Iraqi-born Australian Mandaean who arrived here as a refugee in 2005. Read more
L’Chaim to Life: Archbishop Tutu was anti-Semitic
February 27, 2022 by Features Desk
Morry Frenkel speaks with David Hersch, Chairperson of the South African Israel Public Affairs Committee, about the anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist nature of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Make no mistake Tutu was anti-Semitic ….. Read more
A general’s perspective on peace: a conversation with MK Yair Golan
February 27, 2022 by Community newsdesk
NIF Australia is to host Meretz Knesset Member Yair Golan who will discuss his career trajectory as the former Deputy Chief of Staff for the Israel Defense Forces to a parliamentarian speaking out against settler violence and the threats to Israel’s democracy. Read more
On the other hand
February 27, 2022 by Michael Kuttner
If COVID has kept you from visiting Israel for the last two or more years be prepared for major surprises when you eventually do make it here. Read more
UN should use Israel-bashing model to oust Russia from Ukraine
February 27, 2022 by David Singer
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly needs to stop its pious bleating and move to immediately set up a network of Ukrainian-dedicated agencies to try and force Russia to end its invasion and occupation of Ukraine – adopting the same model it has established in trying to force Israel’s withdrawal from Judea and Samaria (West Bank) over the last 50 years. Read more
How Biden has empowered evil in both Russia and Iran
February 25, 2022 by Melanie Phillips - JNS.org
The contrast could scarcely be more glaring. America’s strategy to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression against Ukraine is to impose sanctions. But its strategy to deter aggression by the Iranian regime is to lift sanctions. Read more
New Zealand Foreign Ministry briefing misinforms
New Zealand claims to have a balanced and even-handed approach to the Israel Palestinian conflict. However, New Zealand’s voting record at the UN does not support this view and we are increasingly out of step with traditional allies. Read more
Perilous omens
February 25, 2022 by Michael Kuttner
Quote: “There is something coming this way and I don’t want to be here when it arrives.” Read more
Controversy swirls around UN Commission of Inquiry
February 25, 2022 by Ian Dunwoodie
The controversial UN Commission of Inquiry set up by the UN Human Rights Council following the Hamas-Israel Conflict in April 2021, has just got more controversial. Read more
Jewish Care appoints new Chief Medical Officer
February 25, 2022 by Elana Bedwell
Jewish Care Victoria has announced the appointment of Dr Simon Grof as its inaugural Chief Medical Officer. Read more
NCJWA training series “Identifying and responding to prejudice, discrimination and hate”
February 25, 2022 by Community newsdesk
The National Council of Jewish Women in Australia has developed a three-part training series for Jewish Australian women to build knowledge and skills around identifying and responding to prejudice, discrimination and hate, to interrogate current experiences of antisemitism in Australia and online, and to understand how sexism and misogyny manifest for Jewish women. Read more
