My take on music reviewing

While the 2024 SSO concert season looks to be pretty exciting, there is not much public scraping, plucking, blowing and walloping until February. Read more

2023: Israel’s Year in Photos

As 2023 ends, here is a selection of the year’s most memorable photos taken by the Tazpit Press Service’s photographers. Read more

‘Nothing prepares you for it’: The volunteers collecting human remains from Hamas massacre

WARNING! DISTRESSING CONTENT:  “We’d walk into a room full of blood and see no sign of shooting or bombing. There, Hamas terrorists didn’t use a gun to kill their victims; they used an axe to chop them into pieces,” said Simcha Greiniman, volunteer emergency responder with the ZAKA organisation. Read more

UN & NYT make bad choice burying Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine

Thomas Friedman – foreign affairs Opinion columnist at the New York Times (NYT) – could have well been passing judgement on the NYT, himself and the United Nations (UN) for their failure to mention the existence of the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution (HKOPS) even once after its publication on 8 June 2022. Read more

John Foreman’s Aussie Pops Orchestra New Year’s Eve & The Night Before Gala Concerts

 A music review by Alex First Read more

Wisdom Grows in My Garden: a book review by Rabbi Jeffrey Cohen

If the writings of Rabbi Paul Plotkin were anything like the sermons he gave, then people would be flocking to hear him. Read more

On the other hand

Living in Israel, one is generally unaware that the calendar is about to flip to 2024. Read more

What can we learn so far from the war on Hamas?

The war on Hamas is not over, but certain lessons already seem very clear. Read more

Dream Scenario

A movie review by Alex First

Read more

You’re not antisemitic? Sure?

Amid the current debate over whether a new front will open up in Israel’s war against Hamas and its regional allies, it might be observed that this is already happening. Read more

There was more to Leonard Bernstein than his sex life or his nose

It turns out the least of the sins of Bradley Cooper’s new film “Maestro” is the size of the prosthetic nose the actor wore to portray Leonard Bernstein. Read more

Unfinished tasks

As the world switches over to the year 2024 in the civil calendar, those who are still sober will be aware that major pitfalls lie ahead. Read more

Why The Bible Began?

I pick up any academic book on the Bible with trepidation. First of all, because the very term needs clarification. Are we talking about the Old Testament or the New? For Jews, there is only one Bible. Read more

Next Goal Wins

A film review by Alex First         –        and Alex’s top twelve movies for 2023…and the worst Read more

Let’s come together for Israel – a pre-Shabbat service in Sydney

We invite you to join us for an uplifting, outdoor pre-Shabbat service where we will recite prayers for Israel with IDF soldiers, sing songs of solidarity with singer Ilan Kidron and send a strong message of support to Israel and to all Jews around the world. Read more

Anyone But You

A movie review by Alex First Read more

Shabbat Vayehi – Fear not

As we complete the book of Bereishit, Genesis, this week, Jacob has died, and the brothers now turn to Joseph and say, “Our father asked us to beg you to forgive us for what we did to you”( Genesis 50:15-21 ). Read more

Poor Things

A movie review by Alex First Read more

Dry Bones: Semantics 101

In Gaza, we can’t “stop” until we “finish”… Read more

South African Jews—a community under threat? 

Jews have been an integral part of the fabric of society in South Africa since the seventeenth century when some arrived with the early Dutch settlers…writes Rolene Marks. Read more

National Library of Israel’s mobile library set to lighten life for children

The National Library of Israel (NLI), in cooperation with the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Ministry of Education, launched its new bookmobile and offsite educational program yesterday at a festive event attended by children from displaced communities. Read more

Israeli hi-tech may hold key to draining Hamas’s finances

An investigative report published earlier this month purports to show that senior Israeli and American officials had in hand financial intelligence showing the flow of tens of millions of dollars to Hamas and failed to act on it. Read more

Coup De Chance: a movie review by Alex First

Alain Aubert and Fanny Moreau went to school together. Read more

From Australia’s Jewish Past: Lena Brasch – Actor and Artists Model – Part 1

Selina Venus Brasch was born in North Melbourne on 9 November 1874. She was the youngest child of Wolfe and Esther Brasch. Read more

Doing good deeds or praying – which is more important?

Ask the rabbi. Read more

Feintooner

This week’s cartoon:  Papal Bull 1943-2023 Read more

Maestro: a film review by Alex First

American conductor, composer, pianist, teacher and author Leonard Bernstein (25^th August 1918 to 14^th October 1990) was feted the world over for his talent. Read more

UN and Biden continue to ignore Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine

The passage of United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 2720 on 22 December signals that the UN and President Biden will not be playing any constructive role in resolving the future of Gaza and its population after the Israel-Gaza War is ended. Read more

Iconic Jewish Women

The inspiring life stories of fifty-nine remarkable Jewish women from past and present come together to create the perfect gift for young girls on the precipice of their teenage years as well as the adults in their lives. Read more

L’Chaim to Life: Michelle Pearse – Silence no more: confronting antisemitism in Australia

Michelle Pearse, CEO of The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL), calls out this rampant spread of hatred that demands our collective voice and strong, decisive leadership. Read more

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