From Australia’s Jewish Past: Jewish divorce and its problems in Australia’s early Jewish history
It is well-known that a number of first convicts transported to Australia were Jewish. What is less known is the problems that this created for Jewish marriage and divorce in the nineteenth century. Read more
Abbas’s snubs work like a charm on Biden
April 7, 2021 by Ruthie Blum - JNS
Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas may be facing serious challenges to his reign in Ramallah, but he’s having no trouble playing the powers-that-be in Washington. Read more
Popular language-learning app Duolingo launches Yiddish course
April 7, 2021 by JNS
Duolingo, the world’s most popular language-learning platform, launched a Yiddish course on Tuesday. Read more
Is it permitted for women to wear tallit and tefillin?
April 6, 2021 by Rabbi Raymond Apple
Ask the rabbi. Read more
Video: Meet comedian Michael Shafar
April 6, 2021 by Henry Greener-The Shtick
Stand-Up Comedian Michael Shafar has had a challenging time, having been diagnosed with testicular cancer but he has made a laughing matter out of his serious health condition. Read more
Israel’s voting system needs urgent reform
April 6, 2021 by David Singer
A million or more Israelis did not vote in each of the four indecisive elections held in the last two years – costing Israel an estimated $4.24 billion – whilst causing political upheaval and electoral instability as a result. Read more
Global freedom on the decline
April 4, 2021 by Ben Cohen
Passover is a celebration of freedom, but its underlying story is a salutary reminder that freedom is a fragile thing and that achieving it often requires extraordinary sacrifices. So it seems fitting at a time when Jews ponder the broader significance of the Exodus from Egypt to examine how the cause of human freedom is faring around the world today. Read more
Yad Vashem online exhibit emphasizes the power of family
April 4, 2021 by Deborah Fineblum
The world will mark Yom Hashoah—Holocaust Memorial Day—on April 7-8 with particular attention on the 80th anniversary of a campaign against the Jews of Eastern Europe that was nothing short of mass murder. This deadly Nazi plot would put the close and loving Jewish family to the most painful of tests. Read more
On the other hand
April 4, 2021 by Michael Kuttner
The intermediate days of Passover have seen Israelis flock to the Kinneret, nature reserves and trails and enjoying the fresh outdoors. Read more
Henry Greener talks to Dan Rosen about Michael Gudinski
April 2, 2021 by Henry Greener-The Shtick
President of Warner Music Australia, Dan Rosen has been CEO of ARIA and PPCA for the past 10 years, after studying International Law on a Fulbright Scholarship in New York. [Video] Read more
Missing Children
April 2, 2021 by Jeremy Rosen
One of the darkest episodes in the history of Israel is the ghastly story of the missing children of poor immigrants from Arab lands, airlifted to Israel (on the Wings of Eagles project) in the early years of the State. Read more
After the election
April 2, 2021 by J-Wire News Service
The Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council’s (AIJAC’s) latest webinar on “Israel has voted: What now?”, featured Israeli author and columnist, Shmuel Rosner widely published in Israel and internationally, and is an analyst for Israel’s public broadcaster Kan News. Read more
WIZO honours Ron Weiser
April 2, 2021 by J-Wire Newsdesk
Dr Ron Weiser was presented with the inaugural Rose Fekete Community Hero Award at last week’s WIZO NSW AGM. Read more
We tracked antisemitic incidents in Australia over four years. This is when they are most likely to occur
This is the first in a series of two articles looking at antisemitism in Australia by Matteo Vergani, Deakin University and Dan Goodhardt, Deakin University
Mirror, mirror on the wall
April 2, 2021 by Michael Kuttner
“Mirror mirror on the wall
Please can you differentiate
Between real and fake
Among them all.” Read more
Zikaron BaSalon: dealing with society’s memory of the Holocaust
April 1, 2021 by Danny Hochberg
Zikaron BaSalon is a social initiative that takes place around the world on Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) as well as on other dates throughout the year. Read more
Yemen’s place in the Mideast strategic equation
April 1, 2021 by Jonathan Spyer
In an early and significant policy reset, the administration of President Joe Biden decided to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen on Feb. 5. Read more
Melbourne: A shabbat dinner with the UAE Consul-General
April 1, 2021 by A J-Wire community service announcement
COVID-19 vaccinations underway at Montefiore Residential Care
March 31, 2021 by J-Wire
The first Montefiore residents received their COVID-19 vaccinations at the Hunters Hill campus in Sydney today.
Read more
From Australia’s Jewish past: Some interesting facts relating to the Goldfields and Immigration
One of the problems faced by the early Jewish gold-mining community was gender imbalance. Read more
On the other hand
March 31, 2021 by Michael Kuttner
As predicted Israel will be in a state of limbo as our politicians scramble to cobble together a workable and stable coalition following the latest inconclusive elections. Read more
Feintooner
March 30, 2021 by Feintooner
This week’s cartoon: Two’s company, Three’s a crowd Read more
More thoughts about Pesach?
March 30, 2021 by Rabbi Raymond Apple
Ask the rabbi. Read more
Violetta dies, but La Traviata will live forever: an opera review by Victor Grynberg
March 30, 2021 by Victor Grynberg
Two of the most popular operas of all time are Giacomo Puccini’s LA BOHEME and Giuseppe Verdi’s LA TRAVIATA. Read more
Wanted: a partner for Jean Kittson
March 30, 2021 by J-Wire Newsdesk
Acclaimed producer Adam Liberman and Emanuel Synagogue invite expressions of interest for professional actors to audition for a dramatised reading of the play Two Sisters, to co-star with celebrated actress and comedian Jean Kittson. Read more
Israeli matzah tower breaks Guinness World Record
March 26, 2021 by JNS
Residents of the Azrieli Palace assisted-living facility in Modi’in broke a world record this week by building a matzah and chocolate spread tower 5.4 meters (17.7 feet) high. Read more
Freedom
March 26, 2021 by Jeremy Rosen
The New York Review of Books has recently devoted a lot of space to a review of “The Sword and the Shield: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King” by Peniel E. Joseph. Read more
End Netanyahu-hatred – start advancing Israel’s national interest
March 26, 2021 by David Singer
It is surely time for Netanyahu-haters – Naftali Bennet and Avigdor Liberman – to end their feuds with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by joining a national right-wing coalition Government – headed by Netanyahu – to advance Israel’s national interest in Judea and Samaria – with the backing of a comfortable parliamentary majority. Read more
From slavery to sovereignty
March 26, 2021 by Michael Kuttner
As we sit around the Seder table this year it will be an ideal opportunity to reflect on the real reason we are celebrating. Read more
Unforgettable Passover memories from prominent figures
March 26, 2021 by J-Wire Newsdesk
Passover begins tomorrow night and the National Library of Israel has launched the “Passover Memories” project to share personal memories from a number of prominent figures who celebrated the holiday under “normal” and not-so-normal circumstances. Read more
