Israel’s post-democracy moment

The political crisis in Israel over the government’s judicial reforms has deepened. Read more

L’Chaim – To Life: Martin Imber

Training my neuroplastic brain Read more

Passover or Passout?

Moses had trouble understanding Rebbi Akivah who lived about a thousand years later (according to the Talmud). Read more

March Madness

As explained by Wikipedia, “mad as a March hare” is a common British English phrase, both today and in Lewis Carroll’s time in the 1800s. Read more

Trust is a key factor here

The Israeli government’s proposed judicial reforms continue to advance, at the same time as being unilaterally modified by the government itself. Read more

Shabbat Vayikra: Sacrifices

At this time of the year, the Torah readings are all to do with sacrifices. I shall confess that the thought of killing animals does not fill me with any great enthusiasm. Read more

Anti-reform protests reveal police double standards

What began as Saturday evening mass protests against the government’s judicial reform program have morphed into “days of disruption” and increasingly extreme behaviour as demonstrators block highways, clash with police, blockade Knesset members in their homes, refuse to show up for reserve duty, and, in one instance, barricade the prime minister’s wife in a hair salon. Read more

Tackling our extremism problem

The sight on the steps of the Victorian Parliament on Saturday, black clad neo-Nazis throwing Hitler salutes over and over for half an hour, as Victoria Police stop by protecting them from on lookers, has shocked the Jewish community. Read more

From Australia’s Jewish Past: Hyman Goldstein

With NSW heading for the polls this weekend, it is fitting that this week’s story is about the first Jewish MP to represent the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. Read more

Hakoah AGM: J-Wire Photogallery

Did you attend the Hakoah AGM in Sydney? Read more

UIA VIC Major Donors: Photogallery

Were you at this event. Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett was. Read more

UIA Melbourne Gala event: Photogallery

Were you at this event? Read more

Is a shul with more than 500 members is too big?

Ask the rabbi. Read more

Singaporean Academy brings Israeli martial art KAPAP to Perth

Read more

MBS: Is Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution dead or alive?

Following the announcement that Saudi Arabia and Iran intend resuming diplomatic relations within the next two months – Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister – Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) – needs to urgently answer this one question: “Is the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution published on 8 June 2022 by your confidant Ali Shihabi dead – or is it still alive?” Read more

On the other hand

Our youngest grandson is doing a project at school concerning the experiences we, as grandparents, faced when we made aliyah. Read more

‘Auf Wiedersehen,’ Roger Waters?

Once upon a time, Roger Waters was a hero in Germany. In July 1990, a few months after the razing of the Berlin Wall, the former Pink Floyd frontman performed the group’s 1979 album “The Wall” on the Potsdamer Platz in the newly reunified city. Read more

Same old story

I never cease to be amazed at how certain themes of Jewish history keep on repeating themselves. Read more

Dershowitz: ‘Judicial reform will not undercut democracy’

U.S. attorney Alan Dershowitz said the Netanyahu government’s judicial reform program does not endanger Israel’s democracy and might even enhance it, speaking on Wednesday during an online debate with Professor Eugene Kontorovich. Read more

Israel’s two-faced allies

America and Britain claim to be allies of Israel. There is no gainsaying the deep links between them of military assistance, intelligence and trade. Israel is an invaluable strategic asset for America and Britain in the Middle East, a crucial bulwark in the defense of the West. Read more

Silly Little Things: A Melbourne theatre review by Alex First

Rosie is a 20-something-year-old florist shop owner and party girl for whom life has its challenges. Read more

Don Quixote (The Australian Ballet):  Reviewed by Alex First

I was mesmerised by the performances of the two leads in an intoxicating production of Don Quixote by The Australian Ballet. Read more

Opinionated Pronouncements

At the best of times, Israel is the target of unsolicited verbiage from all and sundry. Read more

Prodigious pianist brings Roaring Twenties to the 2020s

When Simon Tedeschi plays the nostalgic notes of Rhapsody in Blue, the virtuoso hears the story of his family in the Roaring Twenties. Read more

Green Day’s American Idiot: A Melbourne theatre review by Alex First

Three disaffected young men are at the centre of punk rock band Green Day’s rock opera American Idiot. Read more

L’Chaim – to Life: Josh Burns

Morry Frenkel speaks with Josh Burns MP, Federal Member of Parliament for Macnamara, about his recent motion in Parliament, in which he strongly criticised the opposition by the Greens to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. Read more

Shabbat Vayakhel Pekudei: Repetition is Good

It is an interesting phenomenon that the major events of the Torah that play a crucial role in the life of the people from a philosophical point of view are repeated in slightly different ways. Read more

Living: A movie review by Alex First

The expressive question “you call that living?” may well be asked of the chief protagonist in the movie Living. Read more

Inside the memoirs of Palestinian Oslo architect Ahmed Qurei

On February 22, Ahmed Qurei, the Palestinian architect of the 1993 Oslo peace accords, died of a blood infection at the age of 86. Read more

From Australia’s Jewish Past: Ruby Sophia Rich-Shalit – feminist, pianist and an outstanding community identity

In continuing the celebration of International Women’s Day, this story is of one amazing Jewish woman whose efforts for all Australian women should be applauded. Read more

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