the Sydney jewish report - November 2018 Edition

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W W W. J C A . O R G . AU

FREE

VOL. 46 Friday, 9 November 2018 / 1 Kishlev, 5779

Fostering a closer Jewish community

Free subscription to electronic copy go to www.thejewishreport.com.au

WE STAND WITH

PITTSBURGH

COA - Y0UR MEAL, OUR PASSION

PITTSBURGH NO ANSWERS, JUST CHOICES

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THE SHABBAT PROJECT WRAP UP In response to the Pittsburgh attack, Masada College students recited Tehillim for the wounded and Senior Students participated in a solidarity tekes

CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS

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community

November 2018

COA Sydney announces new CEO COA COA Sydney have announced the appointment of their new CEO Rachel Tanny who takes over from Julia Golding OAM. Golding has served the organisation for over 35 years and has nurtured and developed it into the successful aged care service provider it currently is.

Whilst Julia is stepping down as CEO, she will be taking up the role of DirectorClient Liaison which will allow her to concentrate her efforts on enhancing relationships with members and helping COA to raise much needed funding.

“Rachel is a dynamic and highly experienced leader with a ‘can do’ attitude and the ability to think outside of the box.

We look forward to working with her to ensure the continuity and future growth of COA Sydney,” said President Frank Marks.

Rachel Tanny has had a wide range of professional experience. She has a law degree and was an associate court attorney in the US. Moving to Sydney in 2010 Rachel has worked within the community in Sydney at Central Synagogue as well as in Adelaide as a community leader for the Adelaide Hebrew Congregation. She has successfully run her own social media business and blog and was integral to the start-up Hyperlab and was responsible for Implementing projects to expand

their innovation interface with women in local and international communities. She also drafted and submitted requests for government grants and private funding for female-led innovation projects.

Rachel is looking forward to taking on the CEO role at COA. “It is an honour to be given the opportunity to work with this

well-established organisation and to be part of the Jewish aged care sector as it moves forward. I am keen to be able to make a direct positive impact on individual lives, as well as making a communitywide impact. It will be exciting to be able to pursue new and innovative initiatives designed to promote independence and

higher quality of life well into the latter years. My prior work as a proactive Rebbetzin and my extensive involvement in the Sydney Jewish community help me to connect with Jews from all walks of life. My previous experience as a project manager and legal background have honed my time management skills, which I plan to use to further the COA’s vision for the Jewish aged care community. In short, this position will bring together my myriad of passions and experiences which, combined with what I will gain by actively seeking feedback from clients and the community, will help the COA to accomplish even more amazing things.”

In addition to providing kosher meals on wheels for some of the most vulnerable members of our community, COA ensures that our seniors are connecting socially and emotionally through their activity centre and social workers. A large team of volunteers ensures the effective delivery of their many programs that are heavily relied upon by seniors and their families.

Paying tribute to Julia Golding Frank Marks continued,”Julia had been the backbone and lifeblood of COA. She will mentor Rachel in her new role and ensure that there is a smooth and professional handover. Rachel will be meeting all our clients and friends over the next few months and will be working closely with the management committee”.

Changing the world one ticket at a time HUMANITIX Very quietly, out of the leafy suburbs of St Ives, two best friends from Masada High School teamed up and created a social enterprise which just landed them Social Entrepreneurs of the Year 2018 in Australia – its called Humanitix.

What is Humanitix? It is a social enterprise flipping the ticketing industry on its head by turning ‘annoying’ booking fees into sustainable funding for scholarships for indigenous children and literacy programs for disadvantaged young girls in developing countries.

The boys first came up with the idea in their 20’s when working in good jobs, Adam was a management consultant at Accenture, and Josh was working in a hedge-fund, yet both of them eager to find meaning in their careers. Since graduating Masada College, through university and the first part of their careers they’ve now lived together, travelled together, started a charity together, and even shared a salary for 16 months to get Humanitix off the ground. “At the start it was tough, as a tech-charity we have no investors, so when we came up with the idea I quit my job, Josh stayed at his, and we literally shared his salary for 16 months with Josh helping me on weekends and weeknights”, said Adam.

Since then the boys have gone on to raise multi-year funding from none other than the Atlassian Foundation, and on the 1st of November it was announced

Google is funding Humanitix too.

When asked about the role the community has played in their success “Beyond giving us our education, the fist 16 months of Humanitix was lonely and we are super grateful to the community for helping us during this time, some of our early donors are Jewish. JCA and MDA as organisations were incredibly helpful – they shifted all their events onto our beta platform at the very start and were happy to be the friendly test-client, for that we will always be grateful!”, said Josh. Humanitix is now used by event organisers of all types – conferences, gala dinners, schools, festivals and more.

Josh and Adam aren’t slowing down, in the next 12 months they want to expand into New Zealand and the US. They are still working within the community, but their client list is now in the thousands and is very much general Australia ‘We’ve recently won a couple of schools over, where at no extra cost we can turn the booking fees leaking to Trybooking into funding for the most disadvantaged kids in Australia (or the world), we’ve just engaged with Barker on the North which is a major school, and are hoping to start conversations with Masada, Moriah, Bialik, Mt Scopus etc over the coming months” said Adam.

So if you’re running an event, be it for-profit or not-for-profit – reach out to the guys at www.humanitix.com and help change the world one ticket at a time:)

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community

November 2018

Jumpstart Volunteer

Bobba Knows Best

Jumpstart, which is the division at JCA that caters to the next gen, has recently launched an incredible new initiative called Jumpstart Volunteer. This is an online platform that allows Jewish organisations who are doing meaningful and life-changing work to post professional volunteer opportunities online.

Professionals can log onto the platform and browse the opportunities that are available.

They can then apply for an opportunity that matches their skills and capacity. This is a way to leverage off the array of skills that our community has and import those skills into organisations that will benefit. It also provides an avenue for those who are looking to give back in a highly impactful and direct way. There are so many powerful stories from those who have volunteered in our community. Lauren Koseff, Human Resource Manager at Moriah said the following, ““By placing an advert on the Jumpstart Portal, we received a number of applications of great individuals who were all keen to get involved and lead our MIT Club Launch Project. We were so lucky to find Jonathan Herman, who is a Moriah graduate (class of 2015). Jono has used his academic qualifications in Commerce and Information Systems together with his work experience in the start-up world to lead and guide our students.” Erez Rachamim, who has worked across private equity and venture capital said the following “Jumpstart has created a platform for me to contribute tangibly to the Jewish Community and

Grandmothers perform different roles in different families. Every grandchild will have a different name for their grandmother; something deriving from geographical origins, or age-old habits that stick over time. Sometimes grandchildren call their grandmothers by what their parents called their own grandmothers; sometimes grandchildren develop their own affectionate names when they are young.

When crowd-sourcing photographs and stories of relationships with grandmothers for its current exhibition, Bobba Knows Best, the Sydney Jewish Museum’s curators discovered another element of language that exists between grandmothers and grandchildren: one that transcends words.

The beautiful story of the bond between Ilan Kidron with his Nana Peggy Sorger expresses the intimate language of dance that connects the two generations.

“Dancing has always been part of the language Nana and I have spoken.

Ever since I remember being measured on the wall next to the pantry in her kitchen, we danced. We danced to the radio, to our own voices, to records,

JUMPSTART

develop professional skill sets at the same time. Working with Magen David Adom has been a hugely rewarding experience.” This initiative has the potential to drive internal innovation and transform how business is done at our communal organisations.

Some of the opportunities available on the platform at the moment are: • NSW Board of Jewish Education is looking for a videographer • Australian Jewish Historical Society is looking for a Communications Specialist • Jewish Care are looking for Big Brothers for their Big Brother, Big Sister Program • The Sydney Jewish Museum is looking for an SEO Specialist If you would like to make a huge impact on our community and give of your time and talent then please log onto jumpstartvolunteer@jca.org.au and register your interest.

SYDNEY JEWISH MUSEUM

then CDs and now to songs on our iPhones. When we hold each other, letting ourselves become one with the music, it allows us to relax and bathe in the sunshine of our love. There is no need to say anything at all. Just to dance.

“Over the years the moves have slowed a little, but I don’t care one bit.”

– Ilan Kidron.

Bobba Knows Best is an exhibit of intimate photographs of grandmothers, taken with love. Now on display on the Sydney Jewish Museum’s ground floor, the photographs show the unique and unconditional bonds between the generations through which life lessons and traditions are passed down.

Galina Lablochtnik with Galina Druc, 2015.

Skills!

Impact!

Experience!

R E G IST ER TODAY !

'Bridging the gap between skilled volunteers and community organisations’

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community

November 2018

National Apology ARK CENTRE RABBI GABI KALTMANN

On Monday, 22 October 2018, I, along with thousands of Australians, watched Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologise to Australian victims and survivors of child sex abuse. This apology, made from Parliament House in Canberra, apologised on behalf of the nation for failing and abandoning the thousands of survivors of institutional child sex abuse.

The chamber of Parliament itself was silent as Prime Minister Morrison outlined the terrible toll that the abuse of children and minors has had on our society to this day. He noted: Today, Australia confronts a trauma – an abomination – hiding in plain sight for far too long.

Today, we confront a question too horrible to ask, let alone answer.

Why weren’t the children of our nation loved, nurtured and protected?

Why was their trust betrayed?

Why did those who know cover it up?

Why were the cries of children and parents ignored?

Why was our system of justice blind to injustice?

Why has it taken so long to act?

Following with a heartfelt sorry, in which blame was not shifted and responsibility accepted, meant that there were not many dry eyes left in the chamber.

The Prime Minister stated: Mr Speaker, today, as a nation, we confront our failure to listen, to believe and to provide justice.

And again today, we say sorry.

To the children we failed, sorry.

To the parents whose trust was betrayed and who have struggled to pick up the pieces, sorry.

To the whistleblowers who we did not listen to, sorry.

To the spouses, partners, wives, husbands and children who have dealt with the consequences of the abuse, cover-ups and obstruction, sorry.

To generations past and present, sorry.

I felt extremely overwhelmed when I watched this apology.

Not just because our Jewish community has been blighted by the insidious scourge of child sex abuse, but because of the sheer number of children who were abused by men and women of faith, in houses of worship of G-d across this country.

I felt that there was little wonder that the rates of religious adherence and worship have drastically reduced year on year in this country. If this was my personal experience with G-d and people of faith, I too would not be able to continue forward in my role.

But at the same time, the fact that there has

Stopping Domestic Violence JEWISHCARE CLAIRE VERNON JewishCare deals with the impacts of domestic violence (DV) against women throughout the year, and over the past year we have supported over 60 women, often with their children. The type of help provided typically includes finding suitable accommodation and schooling, dealing with legal and financial issues, helping clients to move forward in a very different and unknown, day to day environment.

There are often deep psychological scars which may benefit from professional counselling which JewishCare can facilitate.

As well as providing practical support to those experiencing DV, JewishCare is leading the community in developing strategies that will reduce DV in the long term.

This year alone JewishCare has presented the Love Bites program to over 800 high school students. Love Bites aims to help young people to develop respectful relationships, to challenge gender stereotypes, attitudes, values and social institutions that perpetuate male violence and to deconstruct the myths that exist in local communities and society generally on DV. JewishCare ran a ‘Women’s Support’ group over 6 weeks, followed by a further up series.

JewishCare works with Rabbis and community leaders supporting families affected by DV. JewishCare is an executive member of

the Eastern Suburbs Domestic Violence Network JewishCare actively participates, develops and implements community awareness and prevention strategies to eliminate violence against women.

For over a decade JewishCare has staged a White Ribbon Day Mens Breakfast to encourage men to take responsibility to STAND UP, SPEAK OUT and ACT to prevent men’s violence against women.

This year’s Breakfast will be held on Tuesday November 27th (7.45 to 9am) at our premises in Woollahra. Our guest speaker will be Dr Michael Salter, a senior lecturer in criminology at the School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University. Dr Salter researches violence against women and children with a focus on the intersections of gender, violence and culture.

We invite all men to attend. For more information call us on 1300 133 660

been an admission and reckoning of sorts amongst some faith leaders, (definitely not all, and there is still a long way to go), hopefully brings a level of comfort for some survivors.

Tzedek, the Jewish child sex abuse advocacy group noted that it invited a group of community leaders, including Jewish faith leaders, to watch the apology and internalise its message.

I felt almost hopeful, that while there is still much more that can be done by leaders of faith to try and heal this terrible reality, there have, at the very least, been steps in the right direction.

This week I read Parshat Veyeira, which details the promise of the impending birth of Isaac, the event of the birth of Isaac, and the binding of Isaac, amongst other events. Such a Parsha demonstrates the full cycle of life from the highest highs to the lowest lows.

The Torah records that when Sara is told that after many years of being barren she will have a child, she laughs. It is so beyond belief that she would become a mother in her old age, that when she is finally promised a child, she can’t believe

it to be true.

As this promise comes to fruition and she bears a child, G-d asks Avraham to sacrifice Isaac in a test of faith! That this could be requested of Avraham and Sara after waiting such a long time for their child feels cruel and once again beyond belief.

Avraham dutifully takes Isaac and binds him to a rock to sacrifice only to be granted a reprieve from G-d at the last minute. G-d lauds Avraham’s faith and notes that “because you have done this thing, and not withheld your only son, I shall surely bless you and greatly increase your offspring like the stars in heaven and like the sand of the seashore…’

After such a terrible situation, the commentators note that this seemingly cruel situation was intended to send a relevant and pertinent message to human kind: human sacrifices, particularly child sacrifices, are not acceptable and should not be performed under any circumstance.

In fact, the ultimate takeaway message from this situation, was that children should be loved, protected and cherished. Any attempt to harm a child should not be tolerated nor accepted by anyone. We have an obligation to protect children from harm.

As I finish this week and reflect on the terrible atrocities that were perpetrated against innocent children across Australia, I can promise that I, in my position as a faith leader at the Ark, will be better.

This week, I was elected to the Rabbinical Council of Victoria (RCV) to represent the ARK. I promise to do my best to work towards bettering the Jewish community, particularly in areas where we as Rabbis have power.

In this way, I can be a part of the solution that brings healing to those who have been hurt and make amends and ensure that as a Rabbi and faith leader I work towards bettering the world around me.

SHABBAT PLAYGROUP For 0-4 year olds

Fridays @ NSTE* 9:30am - 11:30am Valerie Jaye Hall Parents, grandparents, and carers are welcome to join with their little ones for this weekly gathering, featuring crafts, music, stories, and welcoming in Shabbat together!

For more information, please contact Natalie Choo at playgroup@nste.org.au or 9419 7011 *During school term

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community

November 2018

Join Us on the Frontline at UIA’s 2019 Campaign Launch UIA United Israel Appeal NSW is excited to launch its 2019 Campaign at the organisation’s Eastern Suburbs event on 19 November, North Shore event on 20 November and Young Leadership event on 18 November. Ohad Hemo, Palestinian Affairs Correspondent for Channel 2 News in Israel will be the guest speaker at the functions.

Hemo has been reporting on the Middle East, West Bank and Gaza Strip for over 14 years. He is sure to inform and surprise with stories of closely following recent major events including the al-Aqsa Intifada, Hamas takeover in Gaza, Arafat’s death, kidnapping of Gilad Shalit, Operations Cast Lead and Pillar of Defense.

Hemo also meets regularly with the leaders of Hamas and Fatah, as well as with wanted people from Palestinian organisations, prisoners and ordinary citizens. He is one of the few Israelis who regularly enter the territories and is considered very knowledgeable about the mysteries of Palestinian politics and society.

During his career, he has created memorable reports which included armed Palestinian gun battles, terror activists in refugee camps, joining a flotilla to Gaza; and entering hostile and radical Muslim centres in Europe.

Alongside his television career, Hemo has edited many magazine articles and short documentary films.

In addition to launching the 2019 Campaign at the Eastern Suburbs and North Shore events, the 2018 Campaign results will be presented.

These events will also mark the conclusion of Lance Rosenberg’s term as UIA NSW President, as well as Bev Michaelis and Judy Stromer’s term as UIA NSW Women’s Division Co-Chairs.

“This year’s Campaign Launches have an extra dimension to them as we farewell three of the most dedicated and passionate volunteers in our community. Collectively, they have collected millions of dollars for Israel through UIA, and spent thousands of hours building our community and working for the People of Israel. We will also be hosting one of the most informed journalists in Israel when it comes to the situation on the ground with

the Palestinians. Our community should make every effort to attend one of these events, as on top of all that we will also announce our incredible speaker for next year’s Campaign,” UIA CEO Yair Miller OAM said.

2019 Campaign Launch AGM - Eastern Suburbs: Monday 19 November at 7.30pm North Shore Briefing: Tuesday 20 November at 7.30pm

Light refreshments will be served.

No charge, no appeal.

Young Leadership Event: Sunday 18 November at 5pm – Eastern Suburbs location $30 per person including light dinner and drinks.

RSVP by 12 November 2018 (all events) To RSVP and for venue information, contact UIA NSW on 9361 4273, info@uiansw.org,au or visit uiaaustralia.org.au/our-events/nsw

The Annual Chanukah Luncheon Concert Join COA and JNF at the social event of the season Tuesday 4th December 2018 at 12 noon National Council of Jewish Women’s Fanny Reading Hall 111 Queen St, Woollahra NSW 2025

Dancing, Raffles, Entertainment, Fine Food Book your seat today or make a table of up to 10 people $45 for COA Members, $50 for Non-Members RSVP to COA Tel 9389 0035/ Email operations@coasydney.org or JNF Tel: 93895466/ Email: info@jnf,org.au and

Partnering for our Community

Eat Well Every Day

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community

November 2018

Your Meal, Our Passion COA

It was produced by a group of concerned Jewish seniors led by Myer Kangan AO OBE. Myer was a visionary, a recognised developer of educational programs (such as TAFE and CES). Myer was also an older bachelor who kept a kosher home, and recognised that soon he may lose the skills to prepare a kosher meal on his own.

After extensive interviews with Jewish seniors in Sydney, in which over 800 people were visited at home and surveyed for needs, the result was that many people had the same fear as Myer—that they would be forced to give up kashrut if they wanted to access a traditional meals–on-wheels service.

Wolper Jewish Hospital prepared the first meals which COA delivered, and within a few months COA was delivering over 2,000 meals a month to the community. Soon a permanent Kosher caterer was sought out and our Kosher meals service was truly off the ground.

Then we hit a very strange problem.

Unfortunately there is a certain stigma that comes with the name “Meals-on-Wheels” - a feeling that because the meals are provided by a “charity” they will somehow be inferior in quality and choice to those provided by private organisations.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

COA’s meals are sourced from three different kosher caterers, each with their individual styles and strengths. COA demands samples from the caterers regularly, and these samples are checked for quantities to ensure enough protein and vegetable is present, and they are taste tested by both nutritionists and COA staff for

excellence.

We are gifted with meals staff who are also passionate “foodies” and are not afraid to suggest changes to meals to ensure food with a great balance of nourishment and flavour.

This service can help to get you past a rough patch, or simply take the stress out of shopping and cooking on your own. COA

meals are available to whoever genuinely needs them; seniors and retirees, younger people with disability, on return from hospital, during illness or while recovering from an injury.

Having a meal delivered to your home by friendly volunteers can take away the stress of worrying how you will feed yourself when you are not up to cooking a meal on your own, as well as providing social and community connection when people are perhaps at their most disconnected.

Providing meals is part of COA’s wellness and reablement policy for the individuals we serve – ensuring good nutrition for all those people who for a short or long term cannot prepare their own food.

When it comes to providing our meal service, we foster your independence and your right to choose. We only take out one step—the preparation of food - everything else is up to you; choice from a large menu, choice of soups or desserts, choice of what time you will have your main meal, choice to freeze a meal for later in the week, choice of stopping COA delivered meals if you feel you no longer need them. It is all up to the individual.

So if you have the need, don’t hesitate, join the COA Meals on Wheels program delivering kosher food to you at home.

Sydney Jewish community shows strong support for couples struggling with infertility AJFN Laughter and tears flowed freely as over 250 men and women joined together with the Australian Jewish Fertility Network (AJFN) to support the one in six couples in our community experiencing infertility.

The eye-opening documentary, ‘One More Shot’, screened on the night to give the audience a first-hand account of the financial and emotional burden of infertility.

Through the generosity of the community, over $60,000 was raised, supporting up to 12 rounds of IVF for couples who would otherwise be unable to afford treatment.

“That’s 12 chances at creating a miracle for those longing for a baby of their own,” said Shterny Dadon, AJFN founder.

The evening also gave people a deeper understanding of the infertility journey. Ms Dadon said that we all know someone who has struggled to conceive. “But we often don’t know the right thing to say or how to provide support.

“At AJFN we aim to get rid of the stigma and open up the conversation.”

As stated by an attendee at the event “It was incredible to be surrounded by such compassion and support from our community. We’ve been feeling so isolated until now and we haven’t felt comfortable talking about it to anyone. Last night gave us the strength that we needed to pluck up the courage for our first round of IVF. We now have hope, thanks to AJFN and all those amazing people who came to support.”

The Australian Jewish Fertility Network

(AJFN) believes that no couple should be alone on their infertility journey. The organisation provides financial and emotional support to couples struggling to conceive, including a free peer-to-peer mentor support program.

Since AJFN’s inaugural function over a decade ago, 18 babies have been born through assistance from AJFN and there is an increasing demand for assistance.

For couples trying to start a family, AJFN can offer a range of support. Visit the website www.ajfn.org.au for more information.

AJFN Committee Rob and Terri Lederer, Lauren Placks, Yael Super, Jenna Pinchuck, Kerry Gonski, Shterny Dadon, Leigh Goldberg, Lori Levin

Natalie Brownstein, Denyse Bernstein, Dr Joel Bernstein

Lian Winterfeld, Janine Davidowitz, Dina Savitz, Shira Lavan

Lauren Joshua, Rena Levy, Rachelli Neuman, Tova Moss

Kerri Blackstone, Shterny Dadon, Monica Shor

Natalie Chesler, Sarah Reid, Dina Bloom

Nikki Janks, Chana Chaiton and Robyn Sharp

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community

November 2018

WIZO Launches Graduate Association WIZO NSW PRESIDENT DIANE SYMONDS WIZO Israel launched their Graduate Association at a festive event that drew hundreds of alumni from WIZO schools to the CHW Hadassim Youth Village, seeks to expand WIZO’s social work by enabling alumni to give back to the organization responsible for their education which shaped their lives and improve the social situation in Israel.

Hundreds of former WIZO students gathered at the CHW Hadassim Youth Village in Even Yehuda on the evening of October 10th, for the official and historic launch of WIZO’s Graduates Association, a network of alumni from WIZO’s schools and youth villages that will serve as a new volunteer body working for the improvement of Israeli society. More than 3,000 WIZO graduates have already joined the association.

Since its establishment in 1920, WIZO has established many educational institutions, including youth villages and boarding schools throughout the country, as well as special schools for youth at risk. The goal of the Graduates Association, which was initiated and established by World WIZO Chairperson, Prof. Rivka Lazovsky, is to expand the social work of the organization and to create a basis for social activity

and contribution to the community among the tens of thousands of WIZO graduates.

Additionally, the association is to establish a community of graduates to support and develop fellow WIZO graduates wherever they may be, including graduates of boarding schools who lack family support. The organization will work alongside the WIZO Executive, to realize the WIZO values of volunteerism, promote equal opportunities in education and society, support weaker populations and promote the status of women.

An important feature of the Graduates

Association is a new volunteer project entitled “Adopt a Graduate”, in which the graduates of the organization will guide young graduates at important stations in their lives, in order to assist them in their military service, academic studies and integration into employment. WIZO currently operates more than 800 institutions and services throughout Israel in the areas of education and welfare, including a network of youth villages and vocational schools with over 5,500 youth, some of whom live in boarding schools and come from a background of risk or distress. Some of the youth villages were

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established prior to the establishment of the state, and were agricultural farms for the training of women. Among the graduates of WIZO’s youth villages are the late Hannah Szenes, the late IDF Chief of Staff and Defence Minister Moshe Dayan, former MK Shevach Weiss, actress Gila Almagor, and many others.

“The establishment of the Alumni Association is a significant milestone in the history of WIZO and its dedication to society, and it reflects our commitment to the resilience of Israeli society and the entire country,” World WIZO Chairperson Prof.

Rivka Lazovsky said. “Today, thousands of our graduates are leading in all areas of life and constitute a social force capable of influencing, changing and acting in the spirit of WIZO values ​​to improve society and promote the welfare of diverse populations.

We have already been approached by thousands who feel the need to “give back” to the organization in which they were educated and shaped at the outset and to influence the social situation in Israel.

We call on all our graduates to join the organization and embark on a journey of giving and influencing life in the State of Israel.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL THE WIZO OFFICE ON 9387 3666

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community

November 2018

Hundreds attend Limmud FSU Festival in Sydney ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA Some 300 members of the Russian speaking Jewish community of Australia, gathered on Sunday 14 October 2018 for the most celebrated volunteer-driven festival of Jewish learning, organized by Limmud FSU (Former Soviet Union.)

The full-day conference took place at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, and included more than 70 seminars, lectures, presentations and workshops, given by an array of international and local speakers, as well as a full-day program for children.

“We are proud to have sponsored and partnered with Limmud FSU for the third Limmud FSU festival in Australia, the second to be held in Sydney” said Dr Danny Lamm AM, President of the Zionist Federation of Australia. “It’s a fabulous example of how the Russian speaking Jewish community has become more engaged and connected with Israel and with Jewish identity, as a result of the ZFA’s Kangarusski initiative which was established in 2013”.

One of the prominent speakers at the event was Emmanuel Gruzman, a PhD Candidate at Monash University in Melbourne, who talked about his ongoing PhD research on the Jewish identity of Russian-speaking Jews in Melbourne, where the majority of them reside today (7,000 out of an estimated 11,000 in Australia).

Among keynote speakers at the festival were Mark Sofer, Israel’s Ambassador to Australia; Dr. Danny Lamm AM, President of the Zionist Federation of Australia; Ruta Vanagaite, a bestselling Lithuanian

writer about Holocaust in Lithuania; Emile Sherman, an Academy Award winning film producer; Rabbi Dovid Slavin, Executive Director of the Rabbinical College of Sydney; Emma Lippa, former concertmaster of the Bolshoi Ballet of Moscow; Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, spiritual leader of the Russian-Jewish community of Sydney, and many more.

Ambassador Mark Sofer said during the event; “The main reason I am here today is because I think that the FSU communities around the world, including here in Australia, are among the most beautiful, wonderful, and contributing communities to Jewish history and its future. “

Chaim Chesler, founder of Limmud FSU, said; “We are proud to continue to develop our activities here in Australia, so as to contribute to strengthening the integration of Russian-speakers into the country’s Jewish community.”

Semyon Teplitskiy, one of the participants, remarked; “I really admire the volunteers’ effort, and hope to be able to join this wonderful team the next time Limmud FSU takes place in Australia.” Another participant, Laya Slavin, said; “It is such a pleasure to see so many happy faces of people enjoying this special and unique celebration of Jewish learning.”

Limmud FSU Australia is made possible

by a team of local leaders and volunteers, led by the Project Manager Anna Maylis who is the ZFA’s Coordinator of programs for the Russian Speaking Jewish Communtiy.

She was joined by a committed team including Rina Kuczko, Inna Polura, Anatol Romanov and others. Maylis said: “I have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback from the participants, who so genuinely appreciate the efforts made by the volunteers in organizing such an important and remarkable event for our community.

The festival has brought together hundreds of Russian Jews and demonstrates the unity of our community and its strong connection to Israel, Jewish culture and heritage.”

The festival was organized in partnership with the Zionist Federation of Australia, and took place thanks to the generous support of ZFA - Kangarusski’s major sponsor Mr Harry Triguboff AO, and Meriton, Genesis Philanthropy Group, Shalom Institute, the Conference for Material Claims against Germany and several other Limmud FSU donors.

The ZFA, under its Kangarusski banner, is looking forward to sending 40 young people from a Russian-speaking Jewish (RSJ) background on Taglit Birthright Israel in December to experience a 10-day trip to Israel which is a free gift to the lucky participants.

To find out more about Kangarusski, our Russian Speaking Jewish Community department, contact Anna Maylis on 0410 558 624 or email anna@kangarusski.org.au.

Photos courtesy of Veda Kucko

Did you know JNF has been providing monthly activities for seniors for over 20 years?

JNF JNF is proud to offer monthly activities for members of the 60+ community, which are both entertaining and educational. Our senior’s morning tea meetings focus on creating opportunities where likeminded members of our community can regularly meet. These meetings feature inspirational speakers who craft their presentation specifically for our guests and are coordinated by our incredibly dedicated volunteer Sheila Lazarus. They occur every 2nd Tuesday each month at COA. Our senior mornings have cultivated new friendships, provided enriching activities for our guests to look forward to each month and most importantly have encouraged our participants to connect and engage with the Jewish community, their heritage and Israel.

JNF is committed to giving back through education. Recently, our seniors enjoyed

an insightful address on Zionism from Rabbi Freedman as well as the humorous reflections and advice of aging in the Jewish community by Nitzar Lowenstein. We were privileged to hear from Alex Ryvchin about how the conflict with Israel has shifted from the battlefield to every forum that touches our lives and at our next meeting we look forward to hearing from Ron Gerstenfeld, Deputy Chief of Mission, from the Embassy of Israel (16th October).

JNF’s 1-3 day seniors tours are another amazing initiative which makes local travel easy. These tours allow our community members to experience travel in comfort and security and are another wonderful way to connect with both new and old friends.

If you would like to hear more about JNF’s senior activities, please call Robyn on 02 9389 5466 to register your contact details.

community

November 2018

Spark of life ignites a passion for traumatised kids

HADASSAH AUSTRALIA

A traumatised child can easily impact a family if the trauma is unresolved. What happens when the unresolved trauma places the entire community at risk?

This is the question at the heart of the Jerusalem Trauma and Crisis Intervention Center, JCIC, a remarkable institution that is changing the face of one of Israel’s most conflicted cities.

Jerusalem has a disproportionate number of dysfunctional children and families as a result of bullying, domestic violence, sexual abuse and terrorism.

Based at Hadassah Hospital, the JCIC has been supported by the Australian community since it was established in 2006 in the wake of the Second Intifada. Australians are stepping up again with a fundraising initiative planned for December 6.

‘The Spark of Life’ campaign for children in crisis is aiming to raise $137,500 on one day with the amount to be quadrupled by generous donors. The total of $550,000 will fund a critically-needed medical health care team for one year comprising a psychiatrist, two psychologists, and four therapists.

Ruth Ramone Rosen, Executive Director of Hadassah Australia, said the work of the JCIC has proven to be a game-changer for affected children, their families and the wider community.

“The director and founder of the JCIC, Dr Esti Galili-Weisstub, recognised from her work in child psychiatry at Hadassah Hospital, how the problems affecting the children of greater Jerusalem were impacting on the city,” Ms Rosen said.

“If left unchecked, over time the resources available to Jerusalem would be overwhelmed

in providing treatment for the children and their families. It would impose an unacceptable economic burden that the city cannot afford.

“Dr Galili understood very well that a timecritical and comprehensive treatment regime was a matter of ‘now’ and not ‘if’.”

Unlike any other similar service in Israel, the JCIC has the ability to tailor its therapy to suit the individual needs of children. Its therapists are often used by communities throughout Israel, most recently in the areas bordering Gaza.

The JCIC is a walk-in crisis centre where children dealing with early stage post-traumatic stress disorder and psychological stress can seek immediate evaluation and treatment.

Before it opened, the waiting time for children to access public mental health services in Jerusalem was up to 12 months. There was a desperate need for an alternative service for children in psychological distress.

Ms Rosen says that Australia has maintained its status as the largest non-government funder of the JCIC. In keeping with the ethos of Hadassah Hospital, the JCIC provides its services to children in need up to the age of 18 irrespective of their religion, nationality or gender.

“The ‘Spark of Life’ campaign is possible because of the incredible generosity of major donors who are willing to quadruple every dollar raised up to $137,500. This will help us achieve our total of $550,000,” Ms Rosen said.

Please contact Hadassah Australia on australia@hadassah.org or 1800 423 277 to become a matching sponsor or to make a donation.

Further details are www.hadassahaustralia.org.

available

at

Masada Cottage

Early Learning Centre Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 6:00 pm For children aged 2-5 years old Limited places- enrol today for 2019

ELC-Yr 12 College Campus: 9-15 Link Road, St Ives To enrol email or call 9449 3744

hiveofpotential.com.au

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community

November 2018

Free Genetic Screening to Save Lives in Our Community the population screening test for Tay

AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS OF SHAARE ZEDEK INC MIRIAM PACANOWSKI A capacity audience filled the Goldberger Hall at Mizrachi Melbourne recently for the first in a series of community presentations in a ground breaking medical research project.

JeneScreen is led by Prof Martin Delatycki and is funded by generous donors. It is supported by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Wolper Hospital and Ovarian Cancer Australia.

The project offers genetic testing to men and women in the Jewish Communities of both Melbourne and Sydney. Participation in the study is free of charge to participants.

It screens for 3 of the BRCA gene faults which lead to an increased risk of ovarian, breast and prostate cancer.

At the community event, genetic counsellor Jane Tiller explained that whilst 1 in 500 of the general population has the BRCA fault, in the Ashkenazi Jewish community the incidence is 1 in 40.

Until now, testing for these faults in BRCA1 and BRCA2 has been offered to Jewish people with a personal or family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer through genetic clinics. However, many Jewish people who have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 fault do not have or

Sachs disease amongst the Ashkenazi community in Australia.

And Shaare Zedek Medical Centre has played a crucial role in medical genetic breakthroughs.

As

Jerusalem’s

most

central hospital, treating around 750,000 patients per annum, it is uniquely placed to understand the medical challenges facing specific ethnic groups.

Shaare

Zedek’s

Head

of

Medical

Genetics, Prof Ephrat Levy-Lahad was recently

awarded

Israel’s

prestigious

EMET prize for her significant contribution to society. She has advocated widespread testing for BRCA mutations to members of Jewish communities worldwide.

When Prof Levy-Lahad received her EMET award she noted, “We stand Genetic Counsellor Jane Tiller with Prof Martin Delatycki at Mizrachi Melbourne: Genetic Screening for BRCA mutations will save lives in our community.

poised at the beginning of a revolution that genetics is making in all areas of medicine throughout the world… Such efforts lead

are unaware of a family history of cancer, especially if they have small families.

Whilst the implications of knowing that you carry the gene mutation can be significant and confronting, “Knowledge is power, and these tests will save lives,” said Jane.

At the information session, DNA was collected from participants through a cheek swab. Participants could choose to

do this immediately after the information session, or were offered the option of taking the DNA collection kit home to be mailed back to JeneScreen.

The Australian Friends of Shaare Zedek Inc are closely involved with the JeneScreen project. Clinical Geneticist Professor Agnes Bankier OAM is Deputy Chair of AFSZ Inc. Prof Bankier, together with Prof Martin Delatycki pioneered

to scientific insights and greatly improve patient care.”

Now the Australian community is directly benefitting from these lifesaving initiatives.

To express your interest in participating in JeneScreen, please visit the website at jenescreen.com.au. www.shaarezedek.org.au facebook.com/shaarezedek

B’nai B’rith Contributing to communities B’NAI B’RITH NSW After 175 years internationally and 75 years in Australia, making the world a safer, more tolerant and better place is the mission that still drives B’nai B’rith.

This value system is reflected in the many events, activities and charity drives run by the organisation. At a recent Sukkot dinner, B’nai B’rith presented $25,000.00 to the Australian Lions Foundation Drought Appeal to assist farmers and rural families in this terrible time of drought. In his note of thanks Ken Hallam, Grants Chairman and Director of the Australian Lions Foundation mentioned that this was the second largest contribution made by an organisation. The Lions Foundation has so far raised a million dollars for farmer relief.

Over the past few months, B’nai B’rith’s new Womanpower Unit has been collecting “life’s little luxuries” in the form of soaps, shampoos and other toiletries. These were finally delivered to the The Beauty Bank, a registered charity in Sutherland that provides gift bags for women, men and older teens who have left a place of domestic violence or other hardship situation. Items donated are packed into gift bags and distributed via social and case workers from other charities, agencies, women’s refuges and community centres across the Greater Sydney Region.

B’nai B’rith also continues to provide stimulating workshops and activities for the community. During the recent school holidays, two photography workshops on Miniature Photography were run by Viv Radomsky and photographer Giselle Haber.

Young participants were encouraged to

Nina Blair, Womanpower President, Janine Zimbler, Belinda Levy, Denise Dolan The Beauty Bank

Dylan Budai, Adam Forman look at the work of Japanese photographer Tatsuka Tanaka and a trip to the Newtown Button Shop provided innovative subject matter for them to photograph.

Three First Aid workshops have been held at the B’nai B’rith Centre in the last few months. These included First Aid for kids, First Aid for grandparents and First Aid for teens that babysit. These courses, provided

by MDA as part of their First Aid training for Youths campaign, were interactive and gave the participants an opportunity to learn how to respond in case of an emergency.

Genealogist and founder of the WE ARE HERE Foundation, Eli Rabinowitz, gave an inspiring talk on the Partisan Song. This foundation makes use of stories of Jewish Partisans to inspire young people to stand up in the face of oppression and prejudice.

With the support of B’nai B’rith NSW the first Safe Conversations workshop in Australia was held at the BB Centre. Clinical Social Worker and Relationship Therapist Janine Zimbler underwent training in New York in order to bring this workshop ‘down under’. The one day workshop was well received with participants learning skills to strengthen their relationships.

B’nai B’rith NSW President Anna Marks OAM was honoured to celebrate the 175 Anniversary of B’nai B’rith International at the International Leadership Forum in New York. Charles Kaufman was elected and installed as President of B’nai B’rith International.

Morris Tobias, District Chairman of B’nai B’rith Australia and New Zealand was elected Senior Vice President of B’nai B’rith International.

Anna Marks OAM President BBNSW, James Altman OAM Chairman B’nai B’rith Foundation, Ken Hallam Grants Chairman and Director of the Australian Lions Club and Christine Hallam

The Fate of Things: Memory Objects and Art

SYDNEY JEWISH MUSEUM

A person’s memories are comprised of recollections of their own experiences, and those that they have inherited through photographs, home videos and family storytelling. Children and grandchildren of survivors of trauma, such as the Holocaust, often live with both the burden and the duty of remembering experiences that were not their own, from a time when they were not alive. Everybody is a product of those who came before; their experiences, their hardships, ambitions and achievements.

In the Sydney Jewish Museum’s new exhibition, ‘The Fate of Things: Memory Objects and Art’, two Australian-born artists remember memories of the Holocaust they have inherited from their parents through the lens of contemporary art. In the development of this exhibition, artists Anne Zahalka and

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November 2018

Sylvia Griffin undertook a process of selfdiscovery by taking objects symbolic of their family histories and transforming them with their personal interpretations of how they experience those traumas today.

Through video, sculpture, photography and textiles, Anne and Sylvia memorialise lost family members they were never to meet, specifically their female predecessors.

Via the motions of knitting and embroidering with or onto inherited yarns and linens, the artists try to trace the formation of who they are today and how their characters have been moulded over time.

The Sydney Jewish Museum invites you to come and see Anne Zahalka and Sylvia Griffin’s own processes of self-discovery, to spark some curiosity into your own personal history.

Exhibition open now until 28 February 2019.

Anne Zahalka, A thousand kisses across the sea, 2018

Sylvia Griffin, Inhabit, 2016-18

The More We Get The More We Give ELLA’S TOY BOX Our daughter Ella has spent sometime in the Emergency Department of a Sydney Children’s Hospital. I have noticed the same toys on the shelves each time we have been there. Recently, Ella required a procedure that involved sitting still for an extended period. Not an easy task for an energetic three and a half year old! Eventually we found a Peppa Pig microphone which kept her occupied for some of the time. When Ella asked if she could take it with her to the Emergency Department, she was told ‘no’ as there aren’t enough toys in the hospital.

Hearing about the lack of toys in the hospital really bothered me. Like many of the young patients, Ella had been transported by ambulance to a strange environment and although the doctors, nurses and clown doctors work tirelessly to put the children’s’ and parents’ minds at ease, it can be a frightening experience for families. I decided I would take positive action to rectify this situation.

I began by clearing out ELLA’S TOY BOX and donating new or slightly used toys to the Emergency Department. I soon realised everyone has good quality toys they are happy to pass on. Initially, just through word of mouth, ELLA’S TOY BOX had enough toys to take to the hospital each week. As more and more people have heard about us, we have received goods such as, children’s clothing and baby equipment. As a result, we have expanded the assistance we give and now support many charities within New South Wales.

As items arrive, they are sorted ready for distribution. THE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL can only accept toys that can be washed – no books or soft toys. RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE needs brand new toys and games,

whilst CLOTHESLINE will happily collect cuddly, stuffed toys. The participants in the teen pregnancy program are very grateful for baby equipment and children’s clothing up to size 4 When I received a request for Christmas presents for children in drought affected farming areas, I was thrilled to help. I then thought of the children in our own community who don’t receive Chanukah gifts. In response to this, ELLA’S TOY BOX has now joined forces with THE JEWISH HOUSE, who will provide us with the gender and age of these children. Brand new games etc, still in their boxes, will be wrapped and returned to THE JEWISH HOUSE for distribution.

Please help continue the work of ELLA’S TOY BOX .For your convenience we have three drop off locations: Bondi, St Ives and Kellyville. Contact us for the addresses: ellastoybox18@gmail.com “THE MORE WE GET THE MORE WE GIVE” We wish Ella Rivka bat Chaya a Refuah Shlema

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feature

November 2018

Mitzvah day – you can make a difference

MITZVAH DAY KERRYN LOWE Mitzvah Day is an annual event where individuals and groups of all ages and abilities around Australia and internationally, join together to spend one day volunteering in a variety of activities (that we call Projects). Groups and individuals arrange their own Projects which are chosen and organised entirely by each volunteer group.

This year will be the 8th annual Mitzvah Day in Australia and will occur on Sunday 18 November 2018. Affiliated with Mitzvah Day International which was launched in the UK in 2008, the movement has grown so that in 2017, over 40,000 people in 24 countries participated. In Australia last year, we had 60 volunteer groups organising 80 diverse activities that took place around the country and involved over 3,000 people.

How it works – Organisation or individuals develop a mitzvah they will perform on Mitzvah Day. When you register the Project on our website, we send you a Welcome Pack and free merchandise including our good looking and distinctive green t-shirts to wear on the day, stickers, balloons plus support from us.

Mitzvah Day brings the community together, young and old and from many diverse backgrounds. We see reducing hardship and poverty, helping the environment and bringing joy through volunteering with an emphasis on supporting existing charities and building

(L-R) Eve Reed, Vicki Israel and Julia Selby from North Shore Temple Emanuel’s Mitzvah Day 2016 Project involving making and wrapping of gifts for children at the Mirabel Foundation stronger communities, as good community qualities that should be encouraged.

Each year we have had great support in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney and some Projects registered in Adelaide and Brisbane. We encourage individuals, groups

of friends, youth groups, shules, sporting groups and any other Jewish organisation to create or joining in a Mitzvah Day Project for 2018.

Some of the Projects that are already registered for this year include cooking, collect-a thons and packing care packs for

Aboriginal communities in remote areas.

Interstate, Projects include distributing meals for residents of public housing; a “Bra drive” for the Uplift Project; wrapping Christmas presents for donation to children living in women’s refuges from family violence; concerts at local Jewish nursing homes; preparing floral bouquets for nursing home residents and visiting seniors with the volunteers’ furry friends (dogs) for a pat, play and conversation!

There are 3 easy steps to become involved: 1. Create or join a Project – this can be by choosing a charity that interests you.

Make contact to enquire how you could provide help. This could include a clean-up of their premises, collection or distribution of goods, or receipt of a hot meal.

2. Register your Project or join a Project at www.mitzvahday.org.au 3. Ask your friends, family, colleagues and community to join you.

Please register your Project on our website and we will arrange to forward our complimentary merchandise. There are many deserving charities you could reach out to on Mitzvah Day. Mitzvah Day is taking place on Sunday 18 November 2018. Registrations for Projects are now open. This is your opportunity to get involved. For inspiration, there is an abundance of project ideas on the website. www.mitzvahday.org.au

Saving lives in lieu of gifts MDA Have you considered asking your guests to make a donation in lieu of gifts?

Today, many of us may just about everything we need, so why not consider giving a gift that will really make a difference. A simple gesture of a gift donation to Magen David Adom will help save every day in Israel.

Donations in lieu of gifts are a memorable way to celebrate your special simcha, whether it’s a birthday, wedding anniversary, Bnei Mitzvot or chagim.

Just recently, Carolyn Ziegler, the wife of MDA President, Tony Ziegler, requested

MDA medicycle in our schools MDA Australian Friends of Magen David Adom has recently created their very own first responder medicycle, an exact replica of the bikes used in Israel.

The medicycle will be touring local schools, synagogues and community events, helping to showcase the vital work of MDA in Israel.

Recently the medicycle has featured at Moriah College and Bellevue Hill Public Scholl with many others to follow. The students were absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to sit on the bike and

jump into the shoes of our paramedics and dedicated volunteers.

“The presence of the bike was invaluable as it heightened the kids’ natural curiosity, motivated them to engage and ask questions. Interactive experiences like this will help foster a genuine connection with not just the work of MDA but with Israel” – Doron Lazarus CEO, Australian Friends of Magen David Adom.

For more information or to arrange a medicycle visit please contact Rivkah Lazarus on (02) 9358 2521 or events@ magendavidadom.org.au

that guest donate to Magen David Adom.

This simple gesture raised almost $5000, which will go directly to assisting us with the purchase of emergency vehicles and other lifesaving equipment.

MDA will provide you with everything you need to make it simple, including your own customised web page with your personal message and a donation link to send directly to your guests.

Helping to save lives could not be any easier.

For more information please contact Rivkah Lazarus on (02) 9358 2521 or events@magendavidadom.org.au

community

November 2018

The Pittsburgh Massacre: No Answers, Just Choices SARAH BENDETSKY

teachers and friends in Pittsburgh were finally

Pittsburgh was my home for 2 years. Although, it was very different from anything I’ve ever experienced in Moscow − from architecture, food, weather, lifestyle to the stubborn foreign language − one thing that stood out was its people.

See, people are nice in Pittsburgh. And by nice I mean people, who take time to greet a stranger, ask how your day is and genuinely wish you ‘Shabbat Shalom!’ − Jewish or non-Jewish − it’s irrelevant.

I remember the mid-aged lady who was a crossing guard on one of the streets. She instantly ‘scanned’ my mood while crossing the road and asked what was going on in school and why wasn’t I smiling…

Well, what could I tell her? In Russia, where I grew up, it’s uncommon to smile at strangers.

Historically, one never knew who was a traitor and who was a decent person so people opened up their souls to friends… But once trust was built, such friends were equal to your family. … By the end of the week, the crossing guard noted that I had a beautiful smile. I was disarmed.

Another thing that astonished me in Pittsburgh were the entrance doors. Made of wood and secured with a wobbly lock that was barely used, it drove me nuts. − But what if someone breaks into the house in the middle of the night? − I asked in bewilderment. − Like a squirrel? It’s a quiet area, there is nothing to worry about… − was the typical answer.

Those fluffy squirrels loved jumping from one leafy tree to another; there were plenty to choose from. I loved looking at them as I walked to school, passing through the Jewish neighbourhood of Squirrel Hill.

Fascinated by a myriad of synagogues and kosher & Judaica shops, I finally understood what it meant to be openly Jewish, not having to hide your Magen David underneath layers of clothes; not turning back to make sure no one was following your Dad who wore a yarmulke…

Suddenly, I felt like Harry Potter who found himself in the magical world of Diagon Alley where being a wizard was completely normal.

Soon after moving to Pittsburgh, I bought my first Chanukiah candelabra designed as the Kotel wall. The salesperson asked whether I wanted to pack the Chanukiah in a coloured or a seethrough wrap. The answer was clear; there was nothing to hide and so much to be proud of. … Pittsburgh, the city where I met extraordinary people who opened their homes and hearts to strangers − including myself − on a daily basis… who volunteered in community centres, hospitals and nursing homes and shared their passion with everyone around them.

Each Friday, together with the rest of Yeshivah School girls, we boarded the minivans and buses operated by volunteers and went to aged care facilities around the city. It was a part of the curriculum and, more importantly, a vital component in setting the values right.

I was ‘in charge’ of the Russian-speaking seniors. Throughout the week, they wrote down the questions about Judaism they were too afraid to ask under the Communism regime…

I looked forward to these deep, philosophical conversations… and cookies the residents shared

online.

The police had no doubt that the innocent people who came to the synagogue to pray were slain by blind, vicious hatred. The attacker screamed “Death to all Jews”… and the year was 2018, not 1939…

It’s hard to comprehend that such things can happen in our times, in a so-called free, democratic country like the US. But if you think about it, Germany was also an educated, intelligent, progressive country with a huge Jewish population pre-World War II… the rest is history.

Several years ago, I was lucky to interview a sole Holocaust survivor in Melbourne. L. led a secluded life and wasn’t interested in religious conversations

unlike

the

Russian-speaking

seniors in Pittsburgh. Eventually, he shared his story with me.

Sarah Bendetsky with a crossing guard on the streets of Pittsburgh in 2004

L. grew up in a religious home in Poland; his father was a distinguished Rabbi and the Head of a synagogue. L. graduated from a prestigious yeshivah, got married to a beautiful girl and had a baby. And then the war broke out…

Like so many other survivors, L. witnessed the unbearable; his whole life was crushed in one day when the Nazis locked down the synagogue where his family was praying and set the building on fire… Later on, they grabbed his 18-month-old son and smashed his head against the brick wall in front of his eyes… … Is there a way to forget such level of pain and move on? I doubt it. Do I have the right to judge him for being disturbed by G-d’s plans? Not for a second. All I can say is that L. was brave enough to start anew. He moved to Australia, got married and had children, and generously gave of his time to help other survivors.

We will never have all the answers; all we have is choices − some, just like thousands of years ago, prefer to blame the Jews as the scapegoat

Yeshivah School students Sasha Sheftel and Sarah Bendetsky visiting an aged care resident in Pittsburgh in 2003

for all the wrongdoings out there, as it is easier

that no matter what happens in our own lives, the cities of our past remain the same. And then the reality strikes when you expect it the least.

This Sunday morning I logged onto Facebook in my Melbourne home to find out about the Pittsburgh massacre. It was surreal; out of all places in the world, Pittsburgh seemed untouchable.

I couldn’t believe the shocking images of distressed people waiting for the updates about their loved ones and those of the police storming The Tree of Life Synagogue I passed by a million times as a schoolgirl… As the victim numbers grew, I frantically checked if my classmates,

busy holding someone’s hands at the time of need

with me.

However, for Mrs Schulman, our Maths teacher who was always busy assisting someone in the community, it wasn’t enough. Almost at sunset on Fridays, I religiously followed her to another aged care facility where she helped a 103-year-old lady with Parkinson’s to light the Shabbat candles.

Mrs Schulman gently held her shaky hands; a twinkle of light illuminated the room; together, they covered their eyes and whispered the everlasting blessing, making this world a brighter place…

It’s been a while since I left Pittsburgh to discover Montreal, New York and finally settling in Melbourne. As it often happens, we tend to believe

than fixing one’s own issues, while others are and making the world a brighter place.

May the memory of 11 Jewish martyrs − Joyce Feinberg, David Rosenthal, Cecil Rosenthal, Richard Gottfried, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Rose Malinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Daniel Stein, Irving Younger and Melvin Wax − who died in Pittsburgh for the “crime” of being Jewish be a blessing.

May we find the strength to continue bringing the light into the world.

GUEST SPEAKER

OHAD HEMO

CORRESPONDENT FOR ARAB AFFAIRS

Ohad has been covering the Middle East, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip for more than 14 years.

For e People of Israel AGM MONDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2018 7.30PM

13

2019 CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

NORTH SHORE BRIEFING OR

TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2018 7.30PM

RSVP 12 Nov 9361 4273 info@uiansw.org.au www.uiaaustralia.org.au Light refreshments NO CHARGE NO APPEAL

Ohad Hemo is one of few Israelis who enters the Palestinian territories and has special access to important figures in the Palestinian Authority including Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President and other sources in Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian factions.

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community

November 2018

We stand with Pittsburgh Our Community Pays Tribute

O

ver 700 people came together at The Great Synagogue to pay their respects to the victims and survivors of the Tree of Life synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh.

Rabbi Benjamin Elton read condolence messages from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and NSW Governor General David John Hurley, AC, DSC, FTSE .

Rabbis from numerous congregations took part in the memorial service and the community was joined by representatives from many

religious and cultural communities in addition to: Bruce Notley-Smith MP, representing Premier Gladys Berejiklian; incoming Member for Wentworth Dr Kerryn Phelps AM for Wentworth; Walt Secord MLC representing Opposition Leader Luke Foley; Paul Green MLC; and Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies President Lesli Berger urged the community to stand firm and not be cowed by the tragedy in Pittsburgh.

PRIME MINISTER

MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER COMMUNAL VIGIL FOR PITTSBURGH I was deeply touched to hear of the community vigil being held for the victims and survivors of the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, USA. Although I cannot be there with you, I thank you for this chance to share some thoughts.

Last week’s shooting was the worst attack against the Jewish community in United States history. The murder and injury of innocent worshippers was an unspeakable crime that resonated around the world – an attack not only on human life, but on all civilised human values.

If anything matters at a time like this, it is the strength that comes from community. Not just the local community, but the wider international community who have been deeply affected by what we’ve seen.

As the Australian Jewish community gathers in respect and solidarity, I join you in mourning the lives tragically lost, and honouring the courage and resilience of those who survived.

May the words of the Psalmist hold true “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart” and may the Jewish community throughout the world draw strength and comfort from the thoughts and prayers of all.

The Hon Scott Morrison MP Prime Minister of Australia 31 October 2018

In response to the Pittsburgh attack, Masada College students recited Tehillim (psalms) in the Shul for the wounded and called our Senior Students to a solidarity tekes during recess.

November 2018

community

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community

November 2018

More than One Million Jews across 1417 cities shared in the Global celebration of Shabbat SHABBAT PROJECT There was a real buzz in the community last week with The Shabbat Project campaign taking place across Sydney. From Shabbat arts and crafts to Challah bakes, cooking classes, mindfulness sessions and in school programs, thousands participated in events & activities to prepare for the global celebration of Shabbat over 26/27 October 2018.

A solid line up of over 125 events were held, which saw many community organisations collaborate to deliver new ways to engage the community.

There was a Challah bake to suit every crowd with over 14 to select from.

The atmosphere was electric at Dover Heights where 300 women and girls gathered to make challah & dance the

night away with Sincopa.

At Bondi Pavilion, the Shabbat Tent, put on by Shalom together with The Shabbat Project Sydney + JCA + UIA was experienced by over 1000, culminating in an energy filled Havdalah concert with international and local guest performers.

There were plenty of Shabbat meals to select from across Sydney, many of which sold out in the week leading up to the event. A standout was the Communal Shabbat Lunch in Dover Heights which was attended by over 600, bringing several Eastern suburbs communities together.

At Wylies Coogee beach, over 300 came together for an inspiring musical Kabbalat Shabbat by the Sea, hosted

by Coogee synagogue. Guests were entertained with live music, childrens activities and a beautiful BYO picnic

dinner overlooking the sunset following the service.

In Vaucluse, over 200 attended the BINA Pop up Shule on Shabbat day, which delivered an in depth and meaningful Shabbat program.

With over 125 Shabbat project events, from across 50 community organisations Danny Sekers, Chairman Shabbat Project Sydney said that “it was incredibly inspiring to see the broad communal engagement this year and huge effort that so many organisations put into making this Shabbat truly memorable”.

“This is the one time in the year when our community can come together to experience the joy of Shabbat, the spirit of togetherness and a special connection to Jews around the world,” he said.

“The Shabbat Project gave us the opportunity to disconnect from technology to truly connect with

ourselves, our families, and our community,” said Daniel Sekers, Chairman Shabbat Project Sydney.

Sydney joined 1417 cities across the global with this year’s first time participants including Naypyidaw, Myanmar; Hobart, Tasmania; San Luis, Argentina; Accra, Ghana; and Curaçao, a Dutch Caribbean island. Globally some of the most interesting events included: A group of mountaineers’ summiting Kilimanjaro paused for 25 hours to keep Shabbat, 4,000 feet above sea level and more than a thousand Tel Avivians had Friday night dinner in a shipping hangar at the Tel Aviv Port.

To see more of the Shabbat Project in action visit Facebook Shabbat Project Sydney or Instagram @shabbatprojectsydney.

Moriah College

Kabbalat Shabbat by the Sea at Wylies

November 2018

community

At my Shabbat Table- PJ Library & Shalom - OBK

Chefs of Shabbat Cooking Circle - OBK

Communal Challah Bake - Dover Heights

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international

November 2018

Candidly Speaking: A call to General Assembly participants

BY ISI LEIBLER Trump is your president and as Americans you can hate him or love him.

First, permit me to open this column by expressing my distress that for the first time, the Jewish Federations of North American are holding their General Assembly in Tel Aviv rather than Jerusalem. I doubt this was a coincidence. Israelis are delighted with the US government’s relocation of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. I hope JFNA’s diversion of the GA from Jerusalem does not reflect an anti-Trump paranoia.

One should assume that the representatives of Federations are more conscious of their Jewish identity and better informed than the average American Jew. They are surely concerned with the loss of Jewish identity among increasing numbers of young Americans of Jewish ethnic origin who were not even provided with an elementary Jewish education. Lacking any foundation of Jewish identity, many are alienated from Israel and seek to distance themselves from Zionism and the Jewish state.

Some leading American Jews falsely accuse Israel of not supporting them and of conducting an extremist policy in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. In addition, they accuse Israel of discriminating against non-Orthodox Jews as exemplified by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s retraction of an agreement to allocate an egalitarian prayer space at the Western Wall. One might argue that he should have ignored haredi extortion and dissolved the government. But, rightly or wrongly, he gave precedence to the urgent security issues of the day.

Besides, American Jewish progressives, few of whom visit the Western Wall, would have been nonplussed had their rabbis not whipped up hysteria over the issue.

So, my message to American Jewish leaders is not to blame Israel for your shortcomings and the escalating intermarriage rates.

Take responsibility, prioritize Jewish education and overcome Jewish illiteracy.

That should be your overriding concern and objective.

You should also realize that the creation of a Jewish state following the Shoah was supported by all Jews and was a key

President Donald Trump speaks with Jewish leaders via phone . (photo credit: COURTESY WHITE HOUSE) component in fostering a healthy Jewish identity among the entire Jewish people.

Unfortunately, today, this is not the case and I lay the responsibility primarily on Jewish leaders – especially since the election of President Donald Trump.

In the past, mainstream Jewish organizations strove to be nonpartisan.

But alas, no longer, with the majority of the non-Orthodox strongly opposed to their president.

This would not be so bad if they did so as Americans, but to do so as an expression of their supposed Jewish identity, or in their capacity as Jewish leaders, is incomprehensible.

But what is utterly outrageous is the attitude displayed by Jews toward Trump’s Israel policies.

Trump is your president and as Americans you can hate him or love him. But as Jews, you should appreciate what he has done for us by being the first American president to openly ally himself with Israel and avoid moral equivalency by telling the truth about Palestinian duplicity and terrorism.

• He transferred the United States Embassy to Jerusalem, which may mean little to you but overjoyed Israelis. His predecessors promised to do so but always backed out.

• He merged the Jerusalem consulate with the embassy to ensure that there is one clear message directed toward the Palestinians.

• He told the Palestinians that he would take punitive steps if they refused to negotiate toward peace and closed their Washington mission.

• He warned them that he would not tolerate hundreds of millions of dollars being paid as an inducement and reward for killers and their families.

• He exposed the sham of the “five million” Palestinian refugees and curtailed funds to UNRWA, an organization that perpetuates the refugee problem.

• Unlike former President Barack Obama, who appeased the Iranians who have pledged to destroy us, Trump applied sanctions and warned that he would not tolerate Iranian nuclear weapons.

• For the first time, the United States has spoken up uninhibitedly for Israel at the United Nations and other international bodies. Trump even orchestrated a joint statement with Russian President Vladimir Putin supporting Israel’s security.

That is why Trump has a 69% approval rating in Israel and almost 80% of Israeli Jews approve of his handling of US-Israel relations.

As committed members of the American Jewish community, even the liberals among you who clearly dislike Trump (as is your right) should recognize and appreciate what he has done for Israel.

Finally, while you may not like Netanyahu (that, too, is your right), Israelis would

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undoubtedly re-elect him today.

As residents of a country on the other side of the world, you should display respect for the will of the majority of a democratic Jewish state – a beacon of light in a region that has returned to the Dark Ages.

You should respect our security requirements, which are endorsed by the clear majority of the nation. A two-state solution remains the long-term goal, but today that would lead to the emergence of a terrorist state that could become a launching pad for Iran, a country committed to our destruction. This view unites the government and opposition and has the greatest consensus of any issue since the failed Oslo Accords.

Israel is not perfect and I have frequently penned criticisms of aspects of our policies.

You, too, may feel free to criticize us, but you should hesitate before condemning our security policies. It is we and our children – not you – who will live or not with the consequences.

But differing on individual policies should not deter you from supporting our one and only Jewish state.

These are your challenges. Give your children a Jewish education and provide them with a Jewish identity. Teach them the history of the Jewish people and explain to them how powerless we were until the establishment of a Jewish state, just 70 years ago.

November 2018

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What If Kavanaugh Were A Liberal Muslim?

ALAN DERSHOWITZ As a law professor for half a century, I tested the consistency and strength of my students’ arguments by constructing thought experiments in the form of challenging hypothetical cases – we called them hypos. So let’s construct one to test the arguments being offered in the Kavanaugh case.

A thought experiment: President Hillary Clinton nominates the first Muslim American to the Supreme Court. Let’s call him Amir Hassan. Republicans oppose him and accuse him of being a judicial activist.

Then several witnesses place him at a mosque at which terrorism was advocated. He claims he went there to hear all sides of the issue. One witness places him in a terrorism training camp but that account is not corroborated. One final witness identifies him as the man who planted the bomb that blew off his leg at a demonstration. He categorically denies any association with terrorism.

How would the Senate, the media, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the public deal with these accusations?

The answer seems clear: the sides and arguments would be largely reversed. The shoe would be on the other foot and the hypocrisy of double standards would be

A WOMAN protests against Brett Kavanaugh. (photo credit: REUTERS)

exposed for all to see.

Surely the ACLU would not be arguing, as they have in the Kavanaugh case, that doubts should be resolved in favor of guilt. Radicals would not be insisting

that terrorism survivors must always be believed as to identification. My left-wing colleagues would not point to the anger displayed by the possibly falsely accused nominee as proof of his disqualifying

injudicious temperament.

To the contrary, the ACLU would be demanding due process, a presumption CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Palestinian ‘Support’ for Saudi Arabia GATESTONE INSTITUTE KHALED ABU TOAMEH As Mahmoud Abbas was busy praising the Saudis for their “justice, values and principles,” the London-based Action Group for Palestinians of Syria issued a statement in which it accused the Saudi authorities of preventing Palestinian refugees from entering the kingdom.

Many Arabs and Muslims can hardly afford to alienate a country as rich as Saudi Arabia. This is a good example of “money talks.” However, this does not mean that the Saudi money will ever change the hearts and minds of Palestinians, especially regarding a peace agreement with Israel.

The mistreatment of Palestinians at the hands of their Arab brethren has never been of concern to Abbas and his leadership.

They are silent when Palestinians are killed and expelled from their homes in Syria. They are silent when Palestinians face discrimination and apartheid laws in Lebanon. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas did not wait for Saudi Arabia to admit that Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in its consulate in Turkey. Days before the

Saudi announcement, Abbas decided that he and the Palestinians have “absolute confidence” in King Salman bin Abdel Aziz and this son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

As Abbas was busy praising the Saudis for their “justice, values and principles,” the London-based Action Group for Palestinians of Syria issued a statement in which it accused the Saudi authorities of preventing Palestinian refugees from entering the kingdom.

“Palestinian refugees fleeing warravaged Syria have been denied access into Saudi territories,” the group said. It pointed out that the Saudi ban excluded Palestinians heading to the kingdom to perform the Islamic hajj, or pilgrimage. The group also pointed out that Palestinians who fled Syria to Saudi Arabia “have been shorn of their right to visas, education, and health care, among other vital services.” Saudi Arabia, the group added, “continues to opt for a closed-door immigration policy regarding Palestinian refugees seeking asylum in its territories.”

This is only one example of Saudi discrimination against the Palestinians.

The group’s announcement was published on the same day that Abbas

was heaping praise on the Saudi leaders.

In a statement issued by his office on October 14, Abbas, who described himself as the “President of the State of Palestine,” said he “appreciated the positions of Saudi Arabia, a country that has always stood, and continued to do so, on the side of our just cause and the rights of our people.” The statement quoted Abbas as expressing “absolute confidence” in the Saudi monarch and his son and said that “Palestine has always stood next to Saudi Arabia, and will continue to do so.”

This announcement of blind support for the Saudi king and crown prince came as the international community was still demanding answers from the Saudi government concerning the disappearance of Khashoggi.

No one knows on what basis Abbas decided to voice, on behalf of all Palestinians, “absolute confidence” in the Saudi leaders at a time when the Saudis were still denying responsibility for the disappearance and murder of the columnist.

Abbas’s support for Saudi Arabia could be directed against Qatar, which he believes is backing his rivals in Hamas.

Relations between Abbas’s Palestinian Authority and Qatar have been strained after the emirate decided to buy Israeli fuel for the power plant in the Hamasruled Gaza Strip as part of an effort to solve the power shortage there. Abbas’s aides have accused Qatar of “meddling in the internal affairs of the Palestinians” by helping the residents of the Gaza Strip and Hamas.

Last year, Saudi Arabia and several Arab countries severed diplomatic relations with Qatar over the emirate’s alleged support for terrorism, especially the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.

On the same day the Saudis finally admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside their consulate, Abbas released yet another statement in which he again expressed full support for Saudi Arabia.

This time, Abbas went a step further by publishing the statement on behalf of the “State of Palestine.”

Here is what the statement, which was released in Ramallah, said about the Khashoggi affair and the Saudi admission that the columnist was killed during a “fight” inside the diplomatic CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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November 2018

Palestinian ‘Support’ for Saudi Arabia FROM PAGE 19

mission in Turkey: “The State of Palestine affirmed that Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdel Aziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, shall remain the country of justice, values and principles.

The State of Palestine has praised the decisions taken by the Custodian of the Holy Sites (King Salman) to implement justice, fairness, truth and law.”

First, it is worth noting that Abbas and the Palestinians were not the only Arabs and Muslims publicly to embrace the Saudi leaders in the wake of the controversy surrounding the Khashoggi affair. Several Arab and Islamic countries, including Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Djibouti, and Mauritania have also issued similar statements expressing full support for King Salman bin Abdel Aziz and his son.

The Arab League has also come out in support of the Saudi leadership. A statement issued by the Arab League praised Saudi Arabia for its “measures to achieve justice and hold accountable” those responsible for the Khashoggi killing.

It is not hard to imagine why so many Arab and Islamic countries would rush to heap praise on Saudi Arabia even before the full details of the Khashoggi case remain unclear. Many Arabs and Muslims can hardly afford to alienate a country as rich as Saudi Arabia. This is a good example of “money talks.”

However, this does not mean that the Saudi money will ever change the hearts and minds of Palestinians, especially with regards to a peace agreement with Israel.

Some Palestinians have been suspicious

The Saudi government says they have given the Palestinians $6 billion in aid since the year 2000. So Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has good reason publicly to declare his support for Saudi Arabia in the standoff with the rest of the world over the Jamal Khashoggi affair. Pictured: Abbas presents Saudi King Salman bin Abdel Aziz with a gift on December 30, 2015 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

(Photo by Thaer Ghanaim/Palestinian Press Office via Getty Images) of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s intentions.

Earlier this year, Palestinians across the political spectrum launched a scathing attack on the crown prince after he was quoted as having told Jewish leaders in New York that Palestinians should accept US President Donald Trump’s upcoming plan for peace in the Middle East or “shut up.”

Abbas is not different from the rest of his Arab and Muslim brothers. His statements of support for the Saudi leadership are in the context of his wish that the Saudis will give his Palestinian Authority financial aid.

The Saudis claim that they have given

the Palestinians $6 billion since the year 2000.

Abbas, therefore, has good reason publicly to declare his support for Saudi Arabia in the standoff with the rest of the world over the Khashoggi affair. The $6 billion that the Palestinians received in the past 18 years from the Saudis are sufficient to make Abbas and other Palestinian leaders declare their support for the king and his son even if they commit a crime as bad as demolishing the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Saudi money also explains why Abbas and his top aides have been silent over the way Saudi Arabia treats Palestinians. This is not the sort of

treatment that makes the Palestinian leadership proud. However, when a wealthy country like Saudi Arabia humiliates your people, it is not a good idea to complain too loudly.

Last month, it was reported that Saudi Arabia has banned Palestinians holding temporary Jordanian passports from entering the country. The move, according to the reports, basically affects more than 600,000 Palestinians, who will not be able to perform the hajj to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

Another report said that Saudi Arabia has issued new directives banning up to 300,000 Palestinians in Lebanon from performing the pilgrimage.

Perhaps these reports about the Saudi discrimination against Palestinians have not reached Abbas’s ears. Or perhaps they have, but why should he or any other Palestinian leader care about the plight of his own people if the perpetrators are so wealthy and influential?

In fact, the mistreatment of Palestinians at the hands of their Arab brethren has never been of concern to Abbas and his leadership. They are silent when Palestinians are killed and expelled from their homes in Syria. They are silent when Palestinians face discrimination and apartheid laws in Lebanon. This is because Abbas and the Palestinian officials do not seem to care much about what happens to their people in the Arab countries. Now, it is also clear that they do not care about what Saudi Arabia does to their own people (or to a dissident Saudi columnist) -- just let that Saudi cash keep flowing into the Palestinian coffers.

Khaled Abu Toameh, an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem, is a Shillman Journalism Fellow at Gatestone Institute.

What If Kavanaugh Were A Liberal Muslim?

FROM PAGE 19

of innocence and a high burden of proof before so serious a charge could destroy a life, family and career. My colleagues would be defending the righteous anger of a falsely accused victim of ethnic prejudice.

The identity politics accusations would not be directed against old white men, but rather against those who would stereotype Muslims as terrorists. The Jewish Forward would not be featuring an article entitled “Is Amir Hassan every Muslim man?” as it is now featuring an article entitled “Is Brett Kavanaugh every American man?”

Many right-wing Republicans would now be making arguments similar to those being made by their left-wing Democratic colleagues in the Kavanaugh case. This is just a job interview, not a trial. Believe terrorism survivors. There is no burden

of proof; mere suspicion is enough to deny a possible terrorist a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. Look how angry he is, demonstrating a lack of judicial temperament.

Hypocrisy is the coin of partisanship. It affects both sides. It may be better than simply not even caring whether people think you’re being fair. As Francois de La Rochefoucauld once put it: “Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.”

It is precisely because of the pervasiveness and apparent acceptance of hypocrisy that I insist on applying “the shoe on the other foot test” to all aspects of politics, law, morality and lives. It drives my colleagues and friends crazy when I challenge them to pass the test.

Few are willing to take it. Even fewer pass it.

Applying that test to the Kavanaugh case doesn’t provide a perfect resolution. But it does supply some

guiding principles. Ask yourself what you would be thinking and saying about my Muslim American hypothetical thought experiment. One’s first instinct is to try to distinguish the cases: rape is not like terrorism; stereotyping a MuslimAmerican as a terrorist is different than stereotyping a privileged white man as a rapist; rape survivors are more reliable witnesses than terrorism survivors; the burden of proof should be higher for proving terrorism than rape.

None of these distinctions are compelling in the context of a Supreme Court confirmation process. They are make weights designed to weaken the force of the shoe on the other foot test and to justify the hypocrisy of shifting arguments when it is your ox that is being gored.

So now back to Kavanaugh. The test for him should be the test that would have been demanded had the first

Muslim American been nominated to the Supreme Court by a Democratic president and been accused of engaging in terrorism as a 17-year-old.

A full investigation, a fair process of judgment, no presumption of truth telling by alleged victims, no presumption of guilt against the nominee because he has so much to lose, a standard of guilt that varies with the seriousness of the accusations, and no identity political stereotypes as substitutes for hard evidence. These and other neutral rules should be applied to this case and every case going forward. Only then could we be confident in the fairness of the outcome.

The author is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law Emeritus at Harvard Law School and author of The Case Against Impeaching Trump, Skyhorse publishing, 2018.

November 2018

Restore Deterrence In Gaza Now ISSI LIEBLER

All of us abhor military confrontation or war, which inevitably leads to casualties.

Today Israel faces a major threat from Hamas in the south where Iran and Hezbollah could become involved if we go for the military option.

I am not privy to military strategy or intelligence and neither am I aware of what other diplomatic elements are in play which may inhibit us from acting.

The Jewish state was created as a haven for the Jewish people who were powerless in the face of persecution in their countries of birth. Israel has developed as a serious military power and has the obligation to provide security to all its citizens. Yet, it has failed to do so for months and effectively neglected those residents in the south who feel like helpless refugees in their own country. Such inaction would not have been tolerated if the target was Tel Aviv rather than Sderot.

The time has come to say to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman: “Enough is enough.”

Israel has always taken pride in the ability to deter adversaries. Yet the Hamas presence in Gaza – not an existentialist threat – not only undermines our deterrence but causes us to lose credibility on the international scene.

Let us summarize the situation: Hamas shamelessly prides itself on the fact that its unyielding objective is the destruction of the Jewish state and murder of Jews. Its spokesmen barbarically recite their genocidal objectives like a mantra at every possible opportunity.

The bulk of foreign aid to the Gaza Strip has been diverted by Hamas to military purposes, even though most residents there are unemployed and impoverished.

Hamas receives financial and military support from Iran and has created a military infrastructure throughout the country utilizing mosques, hospitals and schools as weaponstorage bases and missile-launching sites from which they regularly launch rockets into Israel.

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Hamas dispatches terrorists into Israel to murder Jews and those who succeed are hailed as heroes and financially rewarded.

Hamas has built many tunnels leading into Israel with the objective of infiltrating terrorists behind Israeli lines in the event of a conflict. The IDF now possesses sophisticated equipment that has succeeded in identifying and destroying the majority of the tunnels.

Since March 30, additional red lines have been crossed. Hamas has orchestrated protests that regularly brought thousands to the Israeli border, intentionally misleading the international community by defining the action as peaceful demonstrations.

However, Hamas spokesmen repeatedly stated that the objective was to break through the border and kill Israelis, thus obliging the IDF to position many troops to defend the border.

The “peaceful demonstrations” included hurling firebombs, firing weapons, throwing rocks and trying to break through into Israel. The IDF sought to avoid lethal responses by mostly using rubber bullets, but when endangered, they took firm action and over 200 Palestinians – many of them identified as Hamas operatives – have been killed.

In addition, the Palestinians have been floating incendiary balloons into Israel carrying flammable material and bombs. To date they have destroyed thousands of acres of prime agricultural land, impoverishing many farmers in the area.

The mutual hostility has led the PA under President Mahmoud Abbas to cut off electricity to Hamas in Gaza and threatened to cease paying their civil servants.

Under such circumstances Hamas became desperate and intimidated and announced it was willing to enter a temporary truce with Israel if the blockade of goods and services was lifted.

Negotiations, with the Egyptians as intermediaries, have led to little progress to date, although in recent weeks statements have been repeated that a truce was about to be implemented. As a condition, Hamas have the ultimate chutzpa to demand $15 million per

month to maintain the calm in the area.

In the meantime, the world has become accustomed to the border protests and destructive incendiary balloons. In fact, many – including some misguided Jews – are accusing us of being too tough and needlessly killing “peaceful demonstrators.”

Hamas has repeatedly pledged that it will not halt the border protests or cease the launch of balloons. Can one visualize any other country in the world tolerating this situation and merely responding to it with tit-for-tat bombing sorties that cause minimal disruption, only destroying buildings used by Hamas after warning the inhabitants to evacuate?

This situation evokes a strong feeling of déjà vu. For months we have heard hollow statements from the prime minister and defense minister threatening Hamas with dire consequences. One day, the defense minister demands drastic action and the next day, he backtracks by suggesting that an outright military conflict must be avoided. It is not surprising that Hamas spokesmen now mock these empty Israeli threats.

The horrible reality is that, despite being perceived as a tough high-tech superpower, we are in fact negotiating with a terrorist entity while our own military acts as though Hamas represents an equal, mutual deterrent. The government even stooped to the depths of providing safe passage through Israel to Gaza for Saleh al-Arouri, a Hamas deputy leader who is responsible for a series of bestial terrorist acts and who has even boasted of involvement in the notorious kidnap and murder of three youths in 2014 (a claim doubted by Israel).

If Israel is to restore any vestige of deterrence, it should announce that unless the border provocations and incendiary balloons cease, its military will take drastic action.

The nature of the action can only be determined by the IDF. It does not require the conquest of Gaza – which would lead to many casualties and we have no desire to reoccupy the area and take responsibility for its inhabitants. But it requires a significantly tougher response than what we have seen until

now. We should consider destroying the homes of the leaders and, if matters deteriorate, even targeted assassinations, which achieved a dramatic impact some years ago.

Israel is a military superpower. It is time for the IDF to impose a solution in which Hamas is punished to the point of deterrence. If not, its leaders should sit in a conclave until they devise a solution.

A “semi-truce” is the worst of all options.

Acting with restraint does not inhibit the terrorists and is perceived by Hamas leaders as cowardice. It allows the barbarians to continue to engage in terror and gives them the opportunity to strengthen themselves and determine when they find it most advantageous to strike. They admit that any truce is temporary, and they remain committed to our annihilation.

Last week, Lieberman predicted a quite weekend and another truce was proclaimed. But just one day later, on Friday, Hamas launched 37 rockets into Israel, allegedly orchestrated

by Iran, injuring two Israelis. Sixteen thousand people protested along the Gaza border and bombs, grenades and rocks continued to be hurled at the IDF in further unsuccessful efforts to penetrate the border. Five Palestinians were killed in the violent protests and a sixth was killed from the premature explosion of a bomb he was preparing to throw at IDF soldiers.

The IDF claimed it struck 95 targets in Gaza in response – merely destroying more buildings and weapons manufacturing locations.

Prime minister: The people, including your supporters, demand action. You should warn our adversaries and allies that if this terrorism continues, Israel will act like any other nation and employ the full might at its disposal to protect its citizens. Failure to act now guarantees a full-scale conflict at a later stage with a strengthened Hamas having accumulated more effective and lethal weapons to use against us.

Otherwise, you must address the nation and convince it that the government has some strategy and intends to restore deterrence.

This column was originally published in the Jerusalem Post and Israel Hayom

Digitally close, emotionally far from Pittsburgh YISHAI FLEISHER On Saturday, a madman entered a synagogue in Pittsburgh and slaughtered 11 Jews. It was a horrific, heinous crime. But sadly, rather than reminding us what’s important and bringing Jews closer together, it seems to be dividing us apart.

In the past, after terror attacks in Israel plunged our country into mourning, I have looked at my Instagram feed and felt resentment towards my American brothers and sister, who seemed to be living life as usual, posting pictures of their cute kids and delicious meals while families in Israel have been shattered.

“How cold. How detached,” I thought to myself.

Now, strangely, I find myself on the other side.

My American family is suffering and scared, but since they are so far away and since the images are not flooding my own social-media news cycle, I feel slightly detached. And I lament that. Even though the technology brings us closer, the distance is still real.

After having this experience, I will be more forgiving in the future. But I pray I won’t need to be.

Maybe it’s also the nature of the horror that has caused the disconnect. From Israel, the alleged gunman, Robert Bowers, looks like a nut—some kind of American psycho with an arsenal and cultish delusions of Jewish world domination.

This massacre must not be minimized or excused in any way. But it was, ostensibly, an isolated one, committed by a deranged lone actor. He probably belonged in a mental

hospital with good (Jewish) doctors and padded walls.

Robert Bowers is an enemy of the Jewish people, but the Jewish people are not at war with Robert Bowers.

The nature of the fight against antiSemitism in America and Israel are very different, which also leads to a divide and disconnect.

While American Jews feel a growing concern over the kind of anti-Semitism bred out of conspiracy theories and blood libels, in Israel, our terrorists are numerous, organized and motivated by a collective national hatred, which makes our struggle a daily existential one.

Everyone can agree that Robert Bowers is pure evil. But imagine a scenario in which Bowers was actually a respected teacher who taught his young students or followers to kill Jews systematically in a society with many like-minded teachers and leaders. Imagine that his society backed his teachings, and that his government paid for weapons and weapons training. Imagine if he knew that after his death, his family would be cared for.

That is how many of us in Israel think about the jihadist terror that we face from the Palestinian Authority, from Hamas, from Hezbollah and others. We are at war with a systemized, mechanized, effort to kill Jews and destroy Israel. An army of Robert Bowerses.

Sometimes, it feels like our American brothers and sisters don’t get what we’re facing here in Israel, with some even suggesting that the violence against is justified. Maybe this tragic moment will bring us closer in understanding what dangers we both face.

That is my hope, and why I remained determined not to take part in what seems to be a firestorm of politicization which has activated every American.

So massive and heated is the discourse that from Israel, American looks like one big reality TV show, one featuring a society caught up in some kind of desperate inner psychological battle. It seems that they don’t view themselves like we see them—as people who are privileged to live in what is, at the end of the day, a great country with wonderful freedoms and opportunities, but rather relish engaging in needless and infighting.

Every day, the American news reports seem fixated on left vs. right, MSNBC vs. Fox News, and anything else that might provide an opportunity for division. And it’s always, always, about finding someone to blame: Trump killed those Jews; guns killed those Jews; Netanyahu killed those Jews; whites killed those Jews; incivility killed those Jews.

So powerful is the reactionary atmosphere of hatred that when Israel’s Minister of Education and Minister of Diaspora affairs dropped everything to fly to Pittsburgh and show solidarity and offer comfort to the community, some American Jews, in a hyperjudgemental ultra-polarized mode, claimed that they did not want him there because he supports the settlements—is a racist, a killer, a Zionist.

Indeed, Bennett heads the leading nationalist party. But he is also a democratically elected minister in the government of Israel. His portfolio includes keeping our brothers and sisters around the world close to Israel.

So forget the man for a minute. Is there no

respect for the office which he occupies? The nation he democratically represents? The State of Israel, not Bennett, was coming to the Diaspora to grieve and show support.

Can we not set aside the arguments to come together? Should not the value of unity defeat the value of winning a political point in this moment?

Moreover, if you do look at Bennett the man, he was an officer in one of Israel’s most elite special forces units. This man led clandestine missions to strike at the enemy and save Jewish lives.

Ask yourself: When was the last time you stayed up for 48 hours straight in dangerous enemy territory, trained and prepared to strike a hardened enemy of the Jewish people?

Have you ever physically stopped a Robert Bowers from committing the next heinous murder against a Jew? Naftali Bennett has.

Doesn’t he deserve enough basic respect to welcome him in this moment of crisis?

Many good people were taken from us in Pittsburgh, murdered in a horrific fashion. I think that if we could ask them now how they would like us to commemorate their untimely deaths, they would say: come together, sisters and brothers, over our tragedy. Let’s not disappoint them.

Remember: Left and right, Orthodox and Reform, American or Israeli, we are all one people. If ever we are to bridge the left-right rift and the Diaspora-Israel divide, this is the moment.

Yishai Fleisher is the international spokesman for the Jewish community of Hebron.

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November 2018

Masada Cottage Pre Literacy Programme: Preparing Our Pupils for Life MASADA COLLEGE “Our pre- literacy or early- literacy program is designed to try prevent children from experiencing reading difficulties while providing them with skills that are needed in Year K,” says Glynnis De Klerk, educational leader and room leader at Masada Cottage Early Learning Centre (ELC). Both Glynnis and Lianne Shuan, teachers of the Masada Cottage four-year-old group, recently attended the PreLit PD Early Literacy Preparation Program at Macquarie University.

The course, which was a whole-day workshop, showed teachers how to use and implement a pre literacy kit designed specifically for the ELC classroom.

“The kit gives tools and resources to teach children phonological awareness; to break up words into sounds which in turn enables oral language skills,” says Glynnis. However, Glynnis stresses that the classes are not aimed at teaching children to read, but supports their literacy skills.

In addition to the pre literacy program, Masada Cottage also implements the “Pencil Case Program” whereby all children are given their own pencil case with a variety of writing materials inside.

These are used to introduce the children to tools like pencils and scissors, while

Glynnis De Klerk with a Masada Cottage student

encouraging responsible behaviour by looking after their own belongings. “It’s important to note that all our programs and classes allow children to practise school-readiness in a creative and playbased manner. It’s not prescriptive; we simply want our students to be giving their best and functioning at their own developmental level,” says Glynnis.

Masada Cottage students who are going to Year K the following year get oriented to “big school” by going into the Year K classrooms in the fourth term. They get to experience a full day in a Kindy class, which ensures a smooth transition from preschool to junior school as well as creating a great sense of excitement for the children. During this time they also

get to have lunch with their “buddies” and the Year K students, which means they’ll recognise some familiar faces when they start school the following year. “Our aim is to give all the children the skills required to be comfortable in a classroom environment,” says Glynnis.

“Our students get particularly excited to go to the weekly Junior School assembly where they are also given merit awards just like the big children,” says Glynnis.

“This really makes them feel integrated into the whole school and enhances the community feel of Masada College.”

Masada Cottage students are also given specialist lessons from primary school teachers in sport, Hebrew and music and participate with the rest of the school in celebrating chagim and special days like Yom Haatzmaut. “Our aim at the ELC is to develop the skills that will eventually enable our student to read, write and cope with formal schooling,” says Glynnis.

“Introducing the Pre Lit and Pencil Case programs are additional ways that we enhance school readiness in a fun way which builds our children’s confidence and provides them with the nurturing they require to grow and learn.”

To find out more about Masada Cottage ELC, go to hiveofpotential.com.au

Emanuel School powered by sunshine EMANUEL SCHOOL Emanuel School has joined the solar power revolution happening across Australia by installing one of the largest solar power systems in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.

The 92kW systems on the roofs of the Kleinlehrer Family LINC Building and the Lehrer Family Building will produce clean green energy to power learning facilities, providing a real-life lesson about renewable energy and local climate change solutions to the School’s Years K-12 students. This is the School’s third photovoltaic installation over the last 10 years.

Andrew Watt, Principal, who is an avid supporter of renewable energy, believes that education is key to making real change. “The message that we are sharing with our students is that everyone can make a difference to repairing the world. There are many ways that they can work together to reduce their personal and familial environmental footprints.

“Emanuel School is leading the way in reducing its environmental footprint and is one of only three schools in Randwick City that is currently using substantial renewable solar energy, with the help of Solar My School.

The system will help save the School close to $20,000 on its annual energy bills, produce renewable energy equal to powering 645 school computers each

Noa Wajsman and Arella Codorean, Year 6 Environmental Leaders, share the view of part of the solar panels

year, and help avoid 115 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, like taking 40 cars off the road annually.

The panels were a great hit with Emanuel School Year 6 Environmental Leaders, Noa Wajsman and Arella Codorean. Arella, who was impressed by the extensive view of the panels, commented: “I think these panels will really help the School with its energy needs. They will help us to use less electricity from the grid and move towards more sustainable power.”

The School’s Primary Environmental Leaders very busy with other

environmental Tikkun Olam projects. Noa explained: “Our main focus is trying to make the School as waste and plastic free as possible. But, we have lots of other problems to solve and the use of solar energy will help a lot.”

Emanuel has been able to go solar with the help of the Solar my School program.

This award-winning initiative is jointly run

by Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick Councils to help schools across the Eastern Suburbs access the benefits of solar power easily. Mr Watt commented: “We appreciate the Councils’ substantial support in this project. They provided a

professional streamlined process, helping us with the many aspects of implementing this initiative.”

“Lots of local schools want solar but there’s so much information out there they don’t know where to start,” said the 3-Council Regional Environment Program Co-ordinator, Anthony Weinberg.

“We connect parents, kids and school administrators with the experts and resources they need to achieve solar success,” he said.

For more information visit: www.solarmyschool.org.au

23

schools/shuls

November 2018

Drawing a Silver Lining amidst the Middle-East Overcast MANDELBAUM HOUSE JIAYIN FOO “From macromolecules to the Israeli right wing” was Professor Shindler’s recount of his political endeavours. Following a degree in Chemistry, Professor Shindler pursued his passion in the field of Political Studies, and the rest is history. An emeritus professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies in the University of London, Professor Colin Shindler is the first professor of Israel Studies in the UK as well as an esteemed author in his field of academia.

Looking critically at the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, Professor Shindler sees the Jewish communities beyond the edge of the lens and telescopes the question of identity and belonging into view.

As Professor Shindler chronicles the rise of the Jews in 1948, his talk fits squarely within the Zionist narrative, heralding reclamation, triumph, and hope for a Jewish nation in exile.

Following the birth of the Zionist vision and its practice into new territory was the implementation of this vision across the West Bank over the next fifty years.

This mid-century mark, however, has been punctuated by a series of

Mandelbaum House residents at Professor Shindler’s Formal Dinner talk.

tumultuous events between the Jordan

as a black and white zero-sum game, the

River and the Mediterranean Sea. The

Israel-Palestine dispute has become an

dominant narrative in the Middle-East is

insoluble question to solve.

one of burgeoning insecurity. “How did

While Professor Shindler rubs on the raw

this all come to pass?”; Professor Shindler

edges of race, religion, and ethnic history,

probes into the heart of the scourge.

he fosters a safe space for thought and

Following the rise of Arab & Jewish

engages in a stimulating and intellectually

nationalism in the same century were

honest conversation on Israel-Palestine.

conflicting claims to the right of land

He implores us to eschew glib cynicism

between Jews in Israel and Arabs in

and misguided perspectives in the age of

Palestine. A conflict too often construed

media distortion as the media often fails

to recognise the inherent intricacies and complexities of the mare’s nest.

As a nebulous cast reigns over the fate of the Middle-East, Professor Shindler is frank to dismiss a happy ending. We are faced with an even greater quandary as he leaves an ending open to our interpretation, a void for us to fill. We, as the youth dividend, are implored to mend our social fabric, to repair the world, and to mediate our discords.

The sheer urgency of the conflict had engendered a thought: To listen & understand; to treat no proposition as sacred & no objection as impious; to be willing to entertain unpopular ideas & cultivate habits with an open mind; such are the growing imperatives amidst the upheavals in our contemporary world.

Despite a conflict mired in stalemate, a silverlining exists beneath the sombre overcast.

While Professor Shindler confronts us with the realities of our world, his talk is a sonorous call to our social and moral responsibility as youth and leaders of the future, to strive towards peace, compromise, and reconciliation for Israel-Palestine.

Mandelbaum House is the Jewish residential college at the University of Sydney. Applications for 2019 are now open - wwww.mandelbaum.usyd.edu.au

Do you live in Rose Bay, Bellevue Hill, Dover Heights, North Bondi, Bondi or Vaucluse?

Interested in having the Sydney Jewish Report delivered to your front door?

Sign up today by emailing your address to: subscriptions@thejewishreport.com.au

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Haimishe home-away-from-home for 38 university students.

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Fully furnished bedroom including linen, housekeeping & free Wi-Fi. Friendly & supportive multicultural community.

Plenty of study & social opportunities.

Contact us to arrange a visit: (02) 9692 5200 or admin@mandelbaum.usyd.edu.au

www.cherylthesleepcoach.com.au

24

international

November 2018

Debating Win for Masada

MASADA COLLEGE

What an exciting year for debating at Masada College. The year started with the Heads of Independent Co-educational Schools (HICES) Debating Competition.

Our new recruits in year 7 shone in their ability to think on their feet when they inadvertently engaged in an impromptu debate for their first round. Our Senior A team did particularly well, qualifying for the Elimination Finals in which they narrowly lost in a very heated debate against The Pittwater House School.

A big congratulations to Ella Herrman who received the Equal Overall Winner of the HICES Best Debater Award in the Senior Division. Jack Wang, Tyla Aronson, Illana Stitz and Romy Milch received awards for Runner Up of the HICES Best Debater in their divisions.

In October we had the honour of hosting the Inter Jewish Day School Debating Competition against Kesser Torah College and Moriah College.

Students from all three schools had some very engaging debates centred on environmental issues, politics & ethics.

History was made by our Senior Girls who acquired The Carole Fisher Trophy.

The girls won two out of the three rounds giving some very strong disputes as to why The Australian Government should

Open team win the Caplan trophy

Senior and Middle teams working together

monitor all communications. Our Open Team battled it out against Moriah College to break their 3 year winning streak and commandeering the Caplan Trophy.

The Open Team undoubtedly persuaded the adjudicator that The Federal Government should ban leadership changes during the terms of sitting Prime Ministers.

Well done to our dedicated 2018 team of debaters who are commended for their team work and integrity in discussing complicated topics calmly, clearly and passionately.

Senior Girls win the Carole Fisher Trophy

The year 7 debaters

Young Families Grow With Us at NSTE NORTH SHORE TEMPLE EMANUEL North Shore Temple Emanuel (NSTE) has always nurtured the needs and Jewish identity of future generations through its young family programs, especially for those in early childhood (under eight years old).

“Now we are taking it to the next level,” says Rabbi Nicole Roberts, referring to the vision of creating a ‘community of families’ through NSTE’s new Early Childhood Engagement Channel (ECEC).

“I realised that our synagogue offers so many programs for this age group, but that the leaders of those programs rarely came together to share ideas and best practices, to align our educational goals, and to find the efficiencies and synergies that always emerge when leaders come together around the table.”

So that is just what they are doing.

Each month, the leaders of NSTE’s Playgroup (age 0-4), Apples and Honey Preschool (age 3-5), Young Family Shabbat & Festival program (age 8 and under), Hebrew School K-1 program, and Kids Circle After School and Holiday program come together, along with NSTE’s marketing director and Rabbi Roberts. They discuss each program’s goals, challenges, and opportunities for what Rabbi Roberts calls “cross-pollinating.” Launched just before the Yamim Noraim, the Early Childhood Engagement Channel (ECEC) has met three times in 2018.

It is hoped that the ECEC will help families discover that there is something for every age and stage of early childhood Jewish

development at NSTE, and encourage them--early on in a child’s life--to call the Temple “home.”

“Families should feel that the synagogue is a robust partner in raising a Jewish child, from cradle to grave. We want them to feel a natural sense of progression as their children grow up,” says Rabbi Roberts.

“With the ECEC in place, our programs will

become more integrated, and families in one program will come to know the families in another, as they move through the stages of Jewish life at NSTE.” If you have young children or grandchildren, here is a snippet of what’s available: Shabbat Playgroup (0-4 years old) Held from 9:30am to 11:30am on Fridays

during school term, Shabbat Playgroup features crafts, music, stories, and the opportunity to welcome in Shabbat together!

Apples & Honey Pre-School (3-5 years old) Apples and Honey Preschool offers a caring and nurturing environment for preschool-aged children. It is an inclusive, community-based preschool providing children with quality, meaningful and inspiring education in a multicultural and progressive Jewish environment.

Young Family Shabbat & Festival Celebrations (8 years and under) Shabbat and the Jewish festivals bring parents and children together with Rabbi and Cantor, for engaging and educational services, celebrations, and activities. In 2019, NSTE will also hold early evening family Shabbat dinners.

Kids Circle (5-12 years old) Run by an NSTE member, Kids Circle offers a unique After School Program where extracurricular classes taught by specialised teachers are included as part, all under one roof. A school holiday program is also available.

Meah Hebrew & Religion School (5 years old to bar/bat mitzvah age) Our Hebrew School creates an environment for our students that encourages them to embrace their Jewish identity, learn to read and write Hebrew, and make life-long Jewish friends.

To find out what NSTE has on offer for Chanukah and in 2019, visit https://nste. org.au/kids or call the Office on 9419 7011.

lifestyle

November 2018

Life on the Bucket List

ROBIN ESROCK

Bestselling author and National Geographic TV host Robin Esrock travelled across Australia with his family to research his latest book, The Great Australian Bucket List. Born and raised in South Africa and based in Vancouver Canada, Robin has visited over 110 countries on 7 continents sharing his adventures in books, on TV, and in major publications worldwide. Below he shares how he landed the dream job, what he’s learned along the way, and some of the best, and strangest Australian experiences featured in his new book.

Have you ever watched a travel show on television and wondered: how does one get a job like that? How did I build a career ticking the world’s most unique experiences off my bucket list? Well, it’s not the kind of opportunity I could apply for in the job ads, in fact, it all rather happened by accident.

After emigrating from Johannesburg to Vancouver, I found myself working for a local music agency. One day, on the way to work, an unlicensed driver didn’t see a stop sign and crashed into my bike. The accident resulted in a broken kneecap, a $20,000 insurance settlement, and a painful reminder how much there is to do, and how short our time can be. I quit the job, sold my stuff, and travelled frugally to 24 countries on 5 continents, pioneering a travel blog along the way. Soon enough I was getting published around the world, and if you can pitch an article, why not pitch a TV show?

The stars aligned and I was able to continue ticking off my bucket list in 36 countries on 6 continents, filming a series called Word Travels for National Geographic and Travel Channel.

I’d been drawn to

unique and memorable experiences from the beginning, which is why I ended up Lithuania exploring a town called Kupiskis, the former shtetl where my grandfather was born. I sandboarded an active volcano in Nicaragua, raced horses in Mongolia, scuba dived in the Philippines, bartered with tribes in southern Ethiopia, and dogsled in the Yukon. I interviewed thousands of people from all walks of life, and picked up some insights that have held me in good stead: People will rather help you than hurt you; Don’t Panic; Wherever you are is where you’re supposed to be. It’s amazing how more inspiring the world becomes when you turn off the negative 24-hour news cycle, and commit to positive words, images and experiences.

I compiled my favourite experiences into a book called The Great Global Bucket List, which found a publisher in Melbourne, and lots of readers in Australia. With all the travel blogs, videos, articles and websites, it felt to me we’re drowning with information, but lack inspiration. We know how to travel, but not why. The Great Global Bucket List followed my personal journey to each powerful experience, from the Galapagos to Antarctica, from the Amazon to Zanzibar.

It also follows my search for family roots in Tarnow, Poland, leading to the horrors of Auschwitz. I believe a bucket list should teach us about the world we live in, bring cultures together, and make the world a better place. Bucket lists should be more than just beaches and cocktails.

Having already penned a bestseller about my personal journey to discover Canada’s most unique experiences - think polar bear safaris, kayaking with icebergs, snorkelling with thousands of salmon – I was invited

to apply the same format and curiosity to Australia. My 4-year old daughter Raquel had yet to start school, and my son Galileo was only 18 months old. It seemed like a now-or never opportunity for a big family adventure. We travelled like lunatics for six months, staying in over 50 hotels, driving around 20,000 kilometres, and taking a dozen flights. Just about every day we’d tick something off the Australian bucket list, juggling exhausting travel with inspirational experiences.

Here are some of my favourites: In South Australia’s Victor Harbour you can put on a wetsuit and swim with over 80 large blue-fin tuna. Studied by marine biologists in their permanent enclosure, it’s a test of nerves hand-feeding sardines to tuna blitzing underwater. In southwest Tasmania, I conquered the world’s highest commercial abseil, dangling off the stunning Gordon River Dam. I got the pre-requisite quokka selfie on Rottnest Island, and entered the Cage of Death with giant crocodiles in Darwin. Reefsleeping in swags on the outer Great Barrier Reef in the Whitsundays was spectacular, hiking the Larapinta Trail magical, and taking The Ghan through the Red Centre an easy contender for the world’s best train journey.

In Margaret River, I start the chapter explaining the concept of dayenu, as the region boasts incredible beaches and surfing (it would have been sufficient to add to the list) vineyards (it would have been sufficient), show caves (dayenu), the best forest drive in the country (dayenu) and a spot to hand feed giant stingray off the beach (dayenu!)

Using dayenu in such a context will probably go over my non-Jewish readers heads, but I went for it anyway.

25 We listened to signals from the far reaches of the cosmos at the NASA Deep Space Communications Centre in ACT, drilled for gold deep underground in central Victoria, raced along the world’s fastest, highest, longest and first treetop rollercoaster on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Each chapter showcases more than just an activity.

There’s a lot history, a lot of trivia, and plenty of inspiring characters too. My books are written to inspire kids, grey nomads, and everyone in between. Spanning adventure, culture, history, nature, food, and every experience is available to everyone. It has been the journey of a lifetime, and there’s so much more to discover.

Typing these words as I pack for our return flight to Canada (I’ll save you the adventures of enduring 16 hours on a plane with two kids under five), I believe Australians should count themselves incredible fortunate.

The lifestyle, the food, the weather, the wildlife, the diversity of adventures and overall stability make this country the envy of the world. Despite the doom and gloom paraded in the news, it is a remarkable time to be alive, and we have remarkable opportunities to chase unique experiences.

Don’t wait around for a painful accident to kickstart your dreams, although in my case, it seemed to work out just fine.

The Great Australian Bucket List and The Great Global Bucket List (Affirm Press) are available in bookshops like Dymocks, Collins and on Booktopia.

Visit www. aussiebucketlist.com for your chance to win 2 tickets on The Ghan, including airfare and accommodation in Darwin and Adelaide.

Follow Robin Esrock at robinesrock.com or on Instagram and Twitter at @robinesrock.

Fiddler on the Roof – Moriah College celebrates seventy five years of community MORIAH COLLEGE, BONDI Fiddler on the Roof is a disarmingly difficult musical to get right. Like the play itself, it has to be the perfect mix of tradition and contemporary flare that creates the right context for a production’s individuality.

Seemingly simple, the musical has enjoyed reprises as diverse as Broadway to the local High School since it first opened in 1964. Essential to its enduring quality is the musical’s ability to adapt phenomenologically to a community. While it’s essence (traditions) remain true, like the culture it represents, modern imprints make themselves seen while the musical itself embodies the complex tension it represents.

A ‘perfect’ representation of Fiddler on the Roof is a combination of the production’s immersion in a community and the right adherence to certain production values. The dance and song of Fiddler on the Roof can’t engage too much polish or it risks corrupting the vibrating soul of the musical’s authentic charm. Equally great pride, skill and energetic display are essential to connect deeply with an audience. In this way, Fiddler on the Roof is unique among musicals, as it very properly represents the complexity of the culture it chooses to put on display.

That is not to suggest (of course) that all Jewish people see themselves properly represented in Fiddler on the Roof. But it does mean that done properly Fiddler on the Roof has the ability to transport the audience to a way of life that is represented in its essence.

It is for this reason this current production of Fiddler on the Roof is one of the best you are likely to see on a Sydney stage. Part of the Moriah College’s seventy fifth anniversary celebrations, the powerhouse strength of the production lies in the flawless balance

Images: Nadine Saacks between ‘authentic’ and ‘professional’ essential to any worthy rendition. Almost nothing beats flawless production values but they are always bested by the exuberant energy of individuals performing at their very best. Director Roberta Goot has an intimate understanding of this positing of humanity against excellence, and successfully calls forth a passion in her cast and creatives that moves far beyond the burdensome perfections evoked by strident professionalism. Art is nothing if it is not properly representative and when Moriah College decides to do Fiddler on the Roof, you have the proper makings of great art. Place that opportunity in the hands of an artist like Roberta Goot, and that rare, unrepeatable magic happens.

For this Gen X, middle class WASPgirl and her partner the night was one to remember. A rare opportunity to experience

contemporary Jewish culture from the inside, we felt the joyful exuberance of an intimate united community having a ‘Me’ moment. Fiddler on the Roof was not only an axis point on a wheel of connectivity and joy for those around us, it was a familiar and warm invitation to my partner and myself to see what this famous musical meant to those for whom it spoke. Fiddler on the Roof is marvelous for its superb musical numbers that exude a timelessness, but to see it reflected on the face of a large, strong Sydney Jewish community was another thing altogether. This comes back to the talent and downright cleverness of Roberta Goot and her enormously high standards. Sure there were missed notes and the occasional forgotten line, but who cares when an auditorium of hundreds is clapping joyfully and clasping hands at their grandmothers performance? Therein lies

the true power and passion of this musical.

Of course, what makes such a connection possible is enormously high standards in production values. A combination of professionals such as Benjamin Brockman (whose superb lighting imprint is all over this production) Simon Greer (with his remarkable history in set design) and support like stage manager Ned Matthews, production manager Danny Lander and rehearsal pianist Shirly Frumar, Roberta Groot and producer Tara Ende build each performance on the shoulders of professionals familiar with amateurs and students. Overwhelmingly evident is Roberta Groot’s desire to call forth high standards on behalf of tradition, culture and passion for performance and all the transformative power that goes with those standards. The very glossy program is filled with beautiful stories of families and Moriah alumni performing together as a cohesive unit. In a cast of over one hundred and fifty that is no small thing. It genuinely seems that being in this production of Fiddler on the Roof is as marvelous as watching it, and an action that will forge bonds inside this community for decades to come.

This is an excellent opportunity for those of us outside this vibrant society to experience their culture, their familial love and the great respect for tradition and history the musical represents. There will inevitably be many opportunities to see Fiddler on the Roof in a lifetime, but very few so deeply inside the community the musical celebrates. This production lives up to such a promise and is a marvelous night of theatre for anyone who loves this musical.

26

lifestyle

Is Melattonin A ‘Band-Aid Fix?’ THE SLEEP COACH CHERYL FINGLESON The pattern of waking during the day when it is light and sleeping at night when it is dark is a natural part of human life at any age.

Melatonin is a natural hormone secreted by the pineal gland after the sun goes down.

Responsible for causing drowsiness, Melatonin is inhibited by daylight and is therefore barely detectable during the day. Research indicates improves sleep when taken for jet-lag and shift work in the appropriate dosage, efficacy for particular sleep disorders and safety risks will only become clear with further study.

Social commentary and the media suggest that it may be a useful product and an “easy fix” in helping children fall asleep quickly.

But is it safe for growing little bodies?

What about the long-term side-effects?

Alarmingly, there is a lack of clinical research to indicate whether long-term use of Melatonin is safe for children. It may be assumed that giving a hormone to a child on a regular basis, over months or sometimes years, would inevitably produce some effect.

In addition, long-term usage of the supplement could result in psychological and even physical dependency. Children may then “need” it in order to fall asleep.

A small percentage of children suffering serious sleep disorders caused by reduced Melatonin levels will benefit from supplementation but healthy children really don’t need Melatonin!

With this in mind, why are an increasing number of parents turning to Melatonin to “cure” their children’s sleep problems?

It is hypothesised that stress and exhaustion suffered by working parents could be a major factor accelerating this trend. These parents often arrive home late, tired and impatient expecting to “flick a switch” for their children to fall asleep.

Understandable?

Perhaps.

Unfortunately, even parents working diligently to institute satisfactory

sleep patterns become frustrated when predictable daily schedules and consistent bedtime routines fail to produce the desired result. Weary of the struggle, they become tempted to adopt a “quick fix” like Melatonin.

With the right advice, encouragement and assistance these disheartened parents will recognise that time, patience and support will result in their babies and toddlers learning to sleep through the night and enjoying long restful naps.

I urge parents to take the time and do the work to truly solve their children’s sleep problems, provided it is not a sleep disorder and has resulted from behavioral habits.

There are several gentle sleep training techniques available that will comprehensively address the needs of the entire individual child. Harmony and peaceful sleep will ensue when nutrition, environment, routine, disposition, family principles and developmental junctures are assessed.

Avoid Melatonin supplements, teach your child healthy sleep habits, routine and be consistent.

No “band-aid” supplement can replace sound sleep practices.

Sometimes we need tough love for the best results.

Cheryl Zzz For more sleep tips and advice, please visit www.cherylthesleepcoach.com.au Or why not like our facebook page? www.facebook.com/thesleepcoach Check out part One of This article @ at www.wordpress.com/ cherylthesleepcoach

Cheryl Fingleson is a paediatric sleep consultant. As a mother of two, she very well knows the feelings of agony and desperation when you have a child that struggles to settle and sleep. She doesn’t believe in leaving babies or children to cry it out, nor in the practices of controlled crying. Her approach is to empower parents with the right tools and techniques to teach their babies and children to go to sleep calmly, happily and independently.

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WHY JERUSALEM IS community

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SO EXPLOSIVE

AARON DAVID MILLER

is above all a matter of faith, of belief and of religion. The notion that the three Abrahamic faiths -- Islam, Christianity and Judaism -share common values concerning peace, Even back in the days when you could still social justice and humanity may well be use the term “peace process” true. But that has never with a straight been the case when face, the odds of solving the Jerusalem issue it comes to this city.

History is filled with were already pretty long.

Then, I would have claims, conquests, crusades, occupations, put those odds a bit north massacres and violence of impossible and in the name of a little south ofI 14, 5774 Things hopeless. possessing Jerusalem, are even 2014 / Adar not sharing it. worse now.

Friday, 14 February And nowhere has the religious complexity FREE VOL. 1 I remember day eight of the Jerusalem issue of the Camp David been clearer than summit in July 2000, when on the question of who discussion turned controls and what to Jerusalem. That day, will happen to the Haram it was clear to me al-Sharif (Noble that as far Camp David Enclosure) and Har was concerned, it Habayit (Temple was game over. There Mount). That platform, were some intriguing situated within the moves on Israel’s part, walls of Jerusalem’s Old but nothing that could City, is in essence a have settled the issue. physical manifestation Indeed, Ehud Barak, of overlapping sacred but globally, too; and as Yasser Arafat and Bill the last few months space.

Clinton could have but not always a result suggest, it is also fallen into the yawning of the perception a matter of security Atop activities gaps that separated sits the goldened Dome among Palestinians Tu B’Shevat of the Rock, fraught and framed now Israelis and Palestinians that including Israel is trying aNSW by an intimacy of Boardcentury Islamic seventh on this issue and to change the activities, shrine built by by the killing reflected in the never have been heard status of some slayings of Israeli and aspect of the Caliph Abd al-Malik from again. a project initiated Jerusalem. The and that houses the Palestinian teens this Fast forward a decade reason for this latest past summer and of round foundation and a half, and stone, a massive rock that figures of tensions, violence of Deputies. last week’s savage Palestinian being a part not much has changed. and ourselves on Jerusalem is still attack on a a perfect is prominently in Jewish and Islamic pride bloodletting report but synagogue in west Jerusalem. tradition. storm of We weAnd insoluble we it now seems factors that include on which news’ butand nearby there’s a site of the more explosive sense of isolationtheand communities even greater news is good then ever.inSoa what don’t pretend frustration on theandsignificance is it about Jerusalem/ that They say ‘no -- the al-Aqsa mosque part of the Palestinians be everywhere We believe PROXIMITY CAN BE started Yerushalayim/al-Quds we can’t of East Jerusalem by Caliph Abd lot DEADLY. that makes it so think differently. there is a al-Malik in the seventh who don’t have the know everything.

Ben Franklin quipped that community potentiallyitcontentious to benefit of the social century.bravery, to the will proximity breeds and deadly? thriving Jewish services and economic Quran, it is reputed a story of dedication, According children, and contempt, Three things stand out: and that sharing If there’s advantages of towhich too. In this regard, be theinspires ascension point where Israelis in the west; Israel’s of good news; even further. the Prophet achievement, Jerusalem is unique in or to effort that it is one of the Mohammed expand also leadership our community inspire others. rose to heaven on his Jewish their communities and strengthen it will only places where Israelis growing Night IT’S A PERFECT STORM OF been chances are and Palestinians Jerusalem; in East Journey. a vibrant and Below you, presence COMPLEXITY. (the you’ve the platform are the remains Sydney has connected Hamas’ efforts to know. vast majority who aren’t Similarly, if Jerusalem us are is a microcosm of almost Arab citizens the flames; forgotten Let us incite and fan of both temples, which housed or Jewish but few of or all of Israel) mix and the grim the the community issues in the Israeli-Palestinian bureaucracy, every day and have realization relationships that over by the Ark of theIf Covenant there’s and the Holy almost future seems immediate packed conflict unrestricted of Holies. know. almost walked certain to be more access to one another. beyond our into While letofus The one small place that is participate. area is so the It is a the same. With marked stunning by the system, in which we by a big to a sector of sensitive to Jews that they the Israel-Gaza testament to the pragmatism be well war sub-groups were until or enjoined not campaign a over enable us history. It combines territory (who self-interest and the next round, ourto set foot on the Mount cause, throw internet a and and will the should of control West often Israelis and Palestinians Bank relatively out of fear that they could the news we areland in the east and west, not you think we -- as quiet, it’s Jerusalem be treading on that citizens’, well as the imbalance And if you community to mention that has emergedlet know. ground. the four quarters -of power -- that the as us sacred informed ‘global Jewish, city has remained the epicenter of unrest. what is happening or want to weight behind, unaware ofMuslim, Armenian, as quiet and functional down Christian -- of the It is quite completely some advice extraordinary that despite as old it has these many few Ithouses living a city). involves have a solution, years given such passions incidents community political identity (conflicting Telling of violence -- October important an to someone OVERLAPPING to bridge!). and politics.

1990, SACRED claims to the city as a your voice over the add SPACE. September 1996, September to change capital); it is driven by Things in Jerusalem would (never mind 2000 and of But it should be no us know. course one way letenough be bad (see below) involving surprise that given if stories isreligion and children what’s and debate, transpired in recent not just Jews, those shuls the perfect each other’s year --begins storm were driven weeks politics and passions Muslims and Christians new by attend different that the themselves thatmembers As the only Jerusalem area has not been a proximity as well as nationalist Report, in the Middle East, has often become scene of this. alike are opening a bloodywhen and political and strengthen flash point, often conflict.

Sydney Jewish adults the and and But that inaugural enlighten was not to be. Jerusalemchapter of learning Continued on page In compiling of schools. create a newspaper 34 from this, our • Connect, Page 20

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CANDLES Friday, November 2, 2018

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27

lifestyle

November 2018

Killer Queen BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (M) ALEX FIRST Apart from the exaggerated teeth, which I found off-putting, Bohemian Rhapsody is an absorbing biopic of a man, his music and a far from straight forward life.

That man is of course the ultimate showman in Freddie Mercury, supremely talented, unconventional and a show pony.

He fronted one of the most successful rock bands of all time in Queen and the film’s title is highly appropriate for what I regard as one of the finest pieces of music ever conceived.

Mercury passed away on 24th November, 1991 at the age of 45 from bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. Apart from Queen’s music, with which I am familiar, I didn’t know the story of Mercury or the band, so the movie was quite an insight for me.

It was fascinating, absorbing even and highly entertaining.

The picture starts and ends with Queen’s iconic Live Aid performance.

Live Aid was one of the most important cultural events of the time, bringing together the world’s biggest musical names in a benefit concert on two stages on 13th July, 1985.

The venues were Wembley Stadium in London and the John F Kennedy Stadium

in Philadelphia.

Organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for those affected by the famine in Ethiopia, the concert was one of the largest satellite link-ups and TV broadcasts of all time.

It was watched by an audience of 1.9 billion in 150 countries.

You get the impression from the movie that in spite of Mercury’s strong self-belief, he was forever trying to prove himself.

His relationship with his fiancé Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton) was complicated

by his growing awareness of his sexual leaning towards men … and yet, according to this representation, she remained one of the two loves of his life.

Rami Malek (Mr Robot), complete with disastrous buck teeth, impresses with his representation of the troubled singer.

Gwilym Lee (Jamestown) for all the world looks like the group’s actual lead guitarist Brian May. Much of the story is a classic music industry rags to riches tale, with conflict between band members and those looking

to exploit them, overindulgence and a price to pay.

The grand scale concert footage is impossible to ignore and leaves a lasting impression.

As for the music, I never grow tired of it.

Directed by Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects) from a script by Anthony McCarten (The Theory of Everything) from a story by he and Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon), Bohemian Rhapsody held my interest throughout and scores a 7½ out of 10.

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28

sports

November 2018

2018 Maccabi Outstanding Athlete Awards Now Open MACCABI Maccabi announces that nominations for the 2018 Maccabi Outstanding Athlete Awards are now open. Maccabi Australia together with Maccabi States work to connect our Jewish community through sport and to this end seek to recognise and reward exceptional sporting achievements.

The following are the 2018 awards for which Maccabi is seeking nominations at this time: • Maccabi Outstanding Sportsman & Sportswoman • Maccabi Outstanding Junior Sportsman & Sportswoman • Maccabi Outstanding Masters Sportsman & Sportswoman • Maccabi Outstanding All Abilities Sportsperson Simultaneously, Maccabi Australia would also like to invite eligible athletes to apply for the Maccabi Australia Rudi Roth and Nachum Buch Scholarships.

Winners of the 2017 Awards include Rhythmic Gymnast and Commonwealth Games medallist Alexandra KiroiBogatyreva and recently retired international cricketer Michael Klinger.

In its fifth year, the Maccabi Australia Rudi Roth scholarship will be awarded to an emerging athlete.

Rudi had a long-time involvement with Maccabi and was a passionate squash player, also coaching and founding a number of squash clubs in both Sydney and Melbourne. He established the Rudi Roth Maccabi Australia Scholarship Fund to offer

exceptional young athletes assistance in reaching their goals. Last year’s winner was International Cyclist Riley Hart, whose future goal includes attending the 2020 Olympic Games.

This is the second year of the Nachum Buch Scholarship which seeks to recognise swimmers and assist them on the path to

achieving at the elite level. Last year the award had 2 worthy winners. Matt Levy who represented Australia at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games winning a Gold Medal and Benno Negri who recently competed at the Singapore Open and won a Gold and Silver Medal.

Maccabi Australia President, Jeff Sher

noted, “the quality of Jewish athletes continues to rise each year and we look forward to another year with an exceptional calibre of nominees.”

Nominations close: 30 November 2018 For more information about the awards or to nominate go to www.maccabi.com.au

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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Maccabi works to connect our Jewish community through sport. It is important that as part of this, sporting and leadership achievements are identified, recognised and rewarded.

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR:

2018 Maccabi Outstanding Athlete Awards Maccabi Australia Rudi Roth & Nachum Buch Scholarships

Maccabi Annual Awards: Recognising sporting achievements from the 2018 calendar year.

Maccabi Australia Rudi Roth Scholarship Available to junior and open age emerging athletes seeking additional funding to support their sporting goals.

Maccabi Australia Nachum Buch Scholarship: Recognising emerging swimmers with the aim of assisting them on the path to achieving at the elite level.

maccabi.com.au

For further information, including eligibility and nomination form go to: www.maccabi.com.au or email awards@maccabi.com.au Nominations close 30th November 2018.