Comments on: The urgent need for proper Jewish leadership

By: Michael Burd

Michael Burd — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 10:39:53 +0000

Melanie Phillips right on the mark as usual. Our woke main stream organisations need to read this very insightful piece very much targeted at them in Sydney and Melbourne.
Is it any wonder there was a need for a Jewish politically conservative non woke organization in Australia and the reason not withstanding the huge pushback by both our woke organizations and Jewish media AJA have been hugely successful .
Is it any wonder when Skynews presenters want a Jewish representative to discuss Israel or Jewish related issues without all the woke and spin they have AJA,s DrDavid Adler on speed dial .

By: Rabbi Chaim Ingram OAM

Rabbi Chaim Ingram OAM — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 09:22:17 +0000

Another right-on-the button-article from Melanie Phillips. In America, the land of the free, immigrants at the turn of the 20th century either jettisoned Shabbat (sadly sometimes because they weren’t able to secure employment without working on Saturdays) or saw it as a burden to be borne, an attitude which was conveyed to the children. Consequently, Orthodoxy didn’t stand much of a chance. The long-term result is what we have today. Thankfully US Jewry isn’t typical of most Diaspora Jewries though of course they have weight because of their sheer numbers. This too will start to change as as non-Orthodox communities assimilate and charedi communities burgeon..

By: Liat Kirby

Liat Kirby — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 09:17:58 +0000

The American Jews have always been significantly different to Diaspora Jews elsewhere (not only to British Jews), and it’s not only their leaders who cause this difference. It is, I think, more due to their not wanting to be singled out as ‘other’ (which you have already referred to in discussion) and, for some reason, not being comfortable with a tension they perceive between being American and being Jewish. Then you add the current narrowed liberalist thinking pervading the West, and it’s a nasty recipe.

This is not something that bothers Australian Jews, who feel perfectly adequate as Australians and as Jews and allegiance to both takes its place naturally. Jews in Australia do not feel like outsiders as you mention they do in Britain due to Britain’s ‘indigenous and ancient culture’ – read entrenched class attitudes that still have their day, causing polarisation – as, despite the racism generally that will be found anywhere also existing, Australia is a more egalitarian society. Political correctness and stereotyped liberal attitudes preventing a more eclectic tolerance are though taking their toll, It is our First Nation’s people, the Aboriginals, who have suffered the most here and it’s that that needs redress.

Jewish education is extremely important for better understanding and pride, however, we need to educate not just ourselves (which is what we tend to do), but extend that education to non-Jews, too. If that could be achieved, stereotypes and assumptions would perhaps start falling away, not for rabid antisemites though.