religion Archives – J-Wire https://www.jwire.com.au/tag/religion/ Australia, NZ and worldwide Jewish news that matters Sun, 10 May 2026 05:44:41 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 6446428 NSW passes laws to shut down illegal places of worship in response to Bondi https://www.jwire.com.au/nsw-passes-laws-to-shut-down-illegal-places-of-worship-in-response-to-bondi/ https://www.jwire.com.au/nsw-passes-laws-to-shut-down-illegal-places-of-worship-in-response-to-bondi/#respond Sun, 10 May 2026 05:44:41 +0000 https://www.jwire.com.au/?p=180986 The NSW Parliament has passed legislation giving local councils stronger powers to shut down unlawful places of public worship, including the ability in serious cases to seek court orders to cut off water, electricity and gas to venues that continue operating in breach of planning laws. The NSW state government said the Local Government and […]

The post NSW passes laws to shut down illegal places of worship in response to Bondi appeared first on J-Wire.

]]> https://www.jwire.com.au/nsw-passes-laws-to-shut-down-illegal-places-of-worship-in-response-to-bondi/feed/ 0 180986 Zionist Federation states Kotel must remain a home for the whole Jewish people https://www.jwire.com.au/zionist-federation-warns-kotel-bill-could-criminalise-non-orthodox-worship/ https://www.jwire.com.au/zionist-federation-warns-kotel-bill-could-criminalise-non-orthodox-worship/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2026 08:04:32 +0000 https://www.jwire.com.au/?p=180248 The Zionist Federation of Australia has raised concern about proposed legislation before Israel’s parliament that would place prayer arrangements at the Western Wall under the authority of the Chief Rabbinate, as Progressive and Masorti groups warn the move could criminalise non-Orthodox worship. ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said the issue goes to the core of Israel’s […]

The post Zionist Federation states Kotel must remain a home for the whole Jewish people appeared first on J-Wire.

]]> https://www.jwire.com.au/zionist-federation-warns-kotel-bill-could-criminalise-non-orthodox-worship/feed/ 1 180248 Jack’s journey from dairy farm to Judaism https://www.jwire.com.au/jacks-journey-from-dairy-farm-to-judaism/ https://www.jwire.com.au/jacks-journey-from-dairy-farm-to-judaism/#comments Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:40:29 +0000 https://www.jwire.com.au/?p=178264 Jack O’Shea grew up on a dairy farm in northern Victoria where he had never met a Jew. Today he is preparing for an Orthodox conversion, keeping Shabbat and documenting his journey to Judaism on Instagram, where his account has attracted close to 20,000 followers. Raised in the small town of Cohuna, about 40 minutes […]

The post Jack’s journey from dairy farm to Judaism appeared first on J-Wire.

]]> https://www.jwire.com.au/jacks-journey-from-dairy-farm-to-judaism/feed/ 2 178264 Shabbat Bo https://www.jwire.com.au/shabbat-bo-2/ https://www.jwire.com.au/shabbat-bo-2/#respond Thu, 22 Jan 2026 03:52:57 +0000 https://www.jwire.com.au/?p=176737 Mezuzah This week, we read about the Israelites’ preparations to leave Egypt. “This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you. Speak to the community leadership of Israel and say that on the tenth of this month, each of them […]

The post Shabbat Bo appeared first on J-Wire.

]]> https://www.jwire.com.au/shabbat-bo-2/feed/ 0 176737 Albanese faces pressure from religious groups over hate speech laws https://www.jwire.com.au/albanese-faces-pressure/ https://www.jwire.com.au/albanese-faces-pressure/#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2026 05:04:21 +0000 https://www.jwire.com.au/?p=176558 A coalition of faith leaders has urged the Prime Minister to reject a deal with the Greens on proposed antisemitism laws. The group, including Anthony Albanese’s spiritual adviser, Anthony Fisher are calling for the entire bill to be rewritten and its introduction delayed. In Brisbane on Friday morning, the Prime Minister left the door open […]

The post Albanese faces pressure from religious groups over hate speech laws appeared first on J-Wire.

]]> https://www.jwire.com.au/albanese-faces-pressure/feed/ 1 176558 Shabbat Miketz https://www.jwire.com.au/shabbat-miketz/ https://www.jwire.com.au/shabbat-miketz/#respond Thu, 18 Dec 2025 01:18:30 +0000 https://www.jwire.com.au/?p=175503 More on Frailty The themes of human frailty continue. Last week, we read about Tamar and the way she dealt with her personal crisis. Yehudah accepted that she was justified in her breach of law and custom. Even though offering oneself up as a prostitute was hardly the act of a God-fearing human being. But […]

The post Shabbat Miketz appeared first on J-Wire.

]]> https://www.jwire.com.au/shabbat-miketz/feed/ 0 175503 NSW Parliament passes new laws to protect places of worship https://www.jwire.com.au/nsw-parliament-passes-new-laws-to-protect-places-of-worship/ https://www.jwire.com.au/nsw-parliament-passes-new-laws-to-protect-places-of-worship/#comments Fri, 28 Nov 2025 06:24:15 +0000 https://www.jwire.com.au/?p=174707 The NSW Parliament has passed legislation ensuring people can attend their places of worship without being blocked, harassed or intimidated, with police retaining powers to move on protesters who interfere with access. The Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Amendment (Places of Worship) Bill 2025 was passed by Parliament on Thursday, 27 November. The legislation confirms […]

The post NSW Parliament passes new laws to protect places of worship appeared first on J-Wire.

]]> https://www.jwire.com.au/nsw-parliament-passes-new-laws-to-protect-places-of-worship/feed/ 2 174707 The Lost Ark https://www.jwire.com.au/the-lost-ark-2/ https://www.jwire.com.au/the-lost-ark-2/#respond Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:13:30 +0000 https://www.jwire.com.au/?p=174473 So many people love conspiracy theories, fantasies, and lost causes. Best-selling books and movies focus on myths of missing people, cities, and treasures such as Atlantis and Treasure Island. And going further back in time, to the Golden Fleece or the Ten Lost Tribes. Christianity, of course, is the champion of fantasies and relics. For […]

The post The Lost Ark appeared first on J-Wire.

]]> https://www.jwire.com.au/the-lost-ark-2/feed/ 0 174473 Shabbat Chayey Sarah https://www.jwire.com.au/shabbat-chayey-sarah-2/ https://www.jwire.com.au/shabbat-chayey-sarah-2/#respond Thu, 13 Nov 2025 23:41:12 +0000 https://www.jwire.com.au/?p=174239 Was Hagar Abandoned? Hagar was the maid servant that Sarai (later Sarah), the wife of Avraham, took as a surrogate when it appeared that she would remain barren and therefore Avraham would be without an heir. Sarah chose Hagar for this role after consulting with her husband. It is a heart-rending story that can be […]

The post Shabbat Chayey Sarah appeared first on J-Wire.

]]> https://www.jwire.com.au/shabbat-chayey-sarah-2/feed/ 0 174239 Online course on Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks https://www.jwire.com.au/online-course-on-lord-rabbi-jonathan-sacks/ https://www.jwire.com.au/online-course-on-lord-rabbi-jonathan-sacks/#respond Mon, 10 Nov 2025 06:29:04 +0000 https://www.jwire.com.au/?p=174079 Israel’s Bar-Ilan University has launched a groundbreaking new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), The Jewish Philosophy of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.” Timed to coincide with the fifth yahrzeit of the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, this innovative course opens access to Rabbi Sacks’s profound intellectual and moral legacy to learners worldwide—free of charge and in multiple […]

The post Online course on Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks appeared first on J-Wire.

]]> https://www.jwire.com.au/online-course-on-lord-rabbi-jonathan-sacks/feed/ 0 174079