Short+Sweet with a Jewish Flavour

A host of Jewish artists appear in this week’s plays at Short+Sweet in Sydney. Read more

The People have Spoken – What does it all Mean?…writes Michael Kuttner

With the soldiers’ and other special ballots counted, the hard part of coalition building is starting to get underway. Before going into details about the almost impossible task of satisfying diametrically opposed positions on a variety of topics, it is important to analyze and explain why the electorate voted the way it did. What motivated voters to punish Bibi and give their support to a political novice? Read more

Yes Virginia, there is Antisemitism in Australia…writes Jeremy Jones

Modern Australia is less engaged in pondering whether Jews are legitimately “insiders” or “outsiders” than virtually any other Christian (or Muslim) majority state.
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Palestine – Morsi Minces Two-State Solution…writes David Singer

Any hope of a negotiated two-state solution being achieved under the Oslo Accords and the Bush Road Map has been blown away following the publication of statements made by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in September 2010 – which have recently surfaced and come back to haunt him in January 2013. Read more

Palestine – Carr Crash Cause For Concern…writes David Singer

Australia’s Foreign Minister – Senator Bob Carr – and his advisers at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are obviously unaware that the Palestinian Authority (PA) no longer exists – following the issue of a Presidential decree to this effect by Mahmoud Abbas on 3 January. Read more

Good news and Bad from Joint Australian and UK Ministers’ Meeting…writes Peter Wertheim

For those unfamiliar with diplomatic-speak, AUKMIN (Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations) is the annual day-long summit between the Foreign and Defence Ministers of Australia and the UK.  This year’s summit was held in Perth on Friday, January 18. Read more

It’s Good to be Crazy

‘Crazy’, ‘insane’ or ‘irrational’ are all words normally associated with something negative.  If someone acts crazy we encourage them to be normal. Calling someone insane would be an insult, not a compliment, and for those that behave irrationally we always hope that the world of the rational will prevail….writes Rabbi Michoel Gourarie. Read more

Palestine: Trojan Horse Exposes Duplicitous Doublecross

Any doubt that the Oslo Accords and the Bush Road Map are dead and buried has been put to final rest by John V Whitbeck – an international lawyer who has served as an advisor to the Palestinian negotiating team in negotiations with Israel…writes David Singer. Read more

Liberal Jewish Israel Bashers: Ignorant or Malicious?

I must confess to a rising sense of frustration and rage when observing the increasing number of ill-informed and fallacious critiques of Israel by liberal Diaspora Jews…writes Isi Leibler. Read more

University: bad “misguided strategy”

Sad to say, moves to put a ban on contacts between the University of Sydney and the Technion  is a misguided strategy, as with the boycott  involving the Centre for Conflict Studies…writes Larry Stillman. Read more

Palestine: Abbas, Attitude and Annexation

Annexation of large areas of the West Bank by Israel has now become a distinct possibility with the unilateral decision this week to scrap any trace of the existence of the Palestinian Authority by its President Mahmoud Abbas…writes David Singer. Read more

Cone of Silence Envelopes Media & Politicians

As reported by the Director of the Israel Resource News Agency, David Bedein, the much vaunted “moderate” and erstwhile “peace partner”, Mahmoud Abbas, gave a very important speech via video link a week ago…writes Michael Kuttner. Read more

Hagel Nomination Conveys Chilling Message

In light of the opposition generated when former Senator Chuck Hagel’s candidacy for Defense Secretary was initially mooted, most analysts predicted – mistakenly – that President Obama would not proceed with the appointment…writes Isi Leibler. Read more

Bayit Yehudi: Don’t Blow this Opportunity

Over twenty years ago, I published a booklet titled “Religious Extremism: A Threat to the Future of the Jewish People” which was translated into many languages and widely distributed.  It dealt with extremist trends in the religious world, stressing that the greatest danger emanated from messianic nationalism inspired by rabbis claiming to know precisely what the Almighty desired and were willing to suspend traditional societal behavior to promote their beliefs…writes Isi Leibler. Read more

Palestine: Creative Compromises Can Conquer Conflict

It has taken less than a month for the euphoria generated by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution conferring non-member observer status on the “State of Palestine” to dissolve into a farcical denouement…writes David Singer.
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Election Fever takes Hold

With election day on 22 January fast approaching the political temperature is rapidly rising as the multitude of political parties vying for votes strive to prove that they are worthy of entering the next Knesset…writes Michael Kuttner. Read more

Israel election may define 2013…writes Julie Bishop

The Israeli parliamentary election on 22 January is ostensibly a political contest between the left and the right, as it is in many countries throughout the world. Read more

Habait Hayehudi – Religious Zionism at the Crossroads

As a lifelong religious Zionist, I was saddened observing the ongoing collapse of the movement which had made a unique and valuable contribution to the welfare of the nation, upholding enlightened Jewish values, striving for unity and promoting tolerance…writes Isi Leibler. Read more

It’s the Candle, not the Place

I recently returned from a four week trip overseas where we celebrated various Simchas and enjoyed family time in different places…writes Rabbi Michoel Gourarie. Read more

Palestine: Violating Vatican Vows

Diplomatic relations between Israel and the Vatican are set to considerably cool following the Pope granting a private audience to Mahmoud Abbas on 17 December…writes David Singer. Read more

Hagel – a Litmus Test of Obama’s Attitude to Israel

The possible nomination of former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense will represent a litmus test as to whether President Obama is poised to resume his anti-Israeli campaign, despite supporting Israel during Operation Pillar of Defense and only last week employing a US veto in favor of Israel at the UN…writes Isi Leibler. Read more

Work is not stress

Nowadays, pursuit of a completely stress free life is a very common goal. There are thousands of books and programs on relaxation techniques and stress management and there are millions of prescriptions written for tranquilizing medications…writes Rabbi Michoel Gourarie. Read more

Palestine: Reunification Trumps Confederation

 Reunification of the Arab populated areas of the West Bank with Jordan – as existed between 1948-1967 – has again emerged as the most viable solution to the Jewish-Arab conflict…writes David Singer. Read more

A Wrong Turn

The United Nations General Assembly vote on November 29, upgrading the Palestinian mission at the UN to the status of an “observer state” was a unilateral move which violated a core tenet of the Oslo Accords, stipulating that neither party would attempt to unilaterally change the legal status of the West Bank and Gaza…writes Dr Colin Rubenstein. Read more

Retirement Home AGM

The Annual General Meeting of the B’nai B’rith Retirement Villages Ltd. was recently held in Sydney. Read more

The Election Season: An Unedifying Spectacle

Most of us would be relieved if the election season could be considerably shortened. The worst aspects of our dysfunctional politics have been highlighted in this campaign, commencing with primaries which tended to promote the lowest common denominator, frequently involving seamy deals and even outright corruption…writes Isi Leibler. Read more

Yasmin Levy reviewed

Yasmin Levy is a passionate woman. But not in an overt way. If passion can be understated, hers is. She isn’t bursting an appendix, a la Joplin, to get her music, or her meaning, across…writes Lloyd Bradford Syke. Read more

Julia Gillard’s collapse in authority

The claim this week by Labor MP Michael Danby that Minister for Foreign Affairs Bob Carr undermined Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s authority on a crucial United Nations vote has serious implications for the Government and its foreign policy…writes Julie Bishop. Read more

Chanukah Chips

Following his long tradition of creating unusual menorahs, Rabbi Mendel Kastel lit a Chanukeah in Bondi this week…made out of Pringles chips containers. Read more

E1 “cutting the West Bank in half”?

The Australian’s Middle East correspondent John Lyons filed back to back stories on December 7 and 8 sounding the alarm over Israel’s decision on E1. In those articles, Lyons made the erroneous and unsubstantiated claim that E1 would bisect the West Bank…writes Ahron Shapiro. Read more

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