the melbourne jewish report - rosh Hashanah edition 2019

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VOL. 57 Friday, 27 Sept 2019 / 27 Elul, 5779

Fostering a closer Jewish community

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UNITY GATHERING

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FIRST AUS SCREENING OF JOJO RABBIT PAGE 6

SHANA TOVAH

Celebrating Rosh Hashanah at Mount Scopus College

ROSH HASHANAH

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Rosh Hashanah 2019

Unity Gathering ARK CENTRE

Writing an article about a gathering of Jews, Muslims and Christians could sound like the start of a bad joke.

But last month at ARK Centre was quite the opposite. Together with the Jewish Christian Muslim Association (JCMA) and Together for Humanity (TFH) we collaborated in a genuinely warm and wonderful event at our Centre.

Around 50 people came to hear from three speakers and then participate in small group discussions. After a warm welcome from Rabbi Gabi, we heard from Reverend Ian Smith, followed by Rufiath Yousuff and finally Rabbi Zalman Kastel. Each spoke about their personal story and their journeys within their own faith.

Their stories were layered, moving and deeply interesting. What struck me, and what I’ll share with you today, is the extent to which choice played such a part in each person’s story.

Oftentimes it can be easy for people who aren’t observant to look at those who are and think (and indeed I’ve heard it said many times) that the religious person is blinkered, they don’t know any different or, even the more extreme perspective, that they’ve been brainwashed.

Listening to each of the three speakers I heard three very different experiences and three very different choices that were made in regards to observance of the three respective faiths.

Ian spoke about being a young surfer who had dropped away from the church and religion. He shared how he had discovered his spirituality through surfing, through

Rabbi Zalman Kastel, Rev Ian Smith, Rufiath Yousuff, Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann connection to nature that led him back to the church where he has been a pastor now for 36 years.

Rufiath spoke about how her family moved from India to Brisbane when she was six years old. They were conscious of fitting in and so her parents didn’t enforce religious observance and even ensured she and her brother had a Christmas present to show off at school so they didn’t feel different to their friends. She came to a more observant way of life as an adult; she said she didn’t pray five times a day, fast over Ramadan or wear a headscarf until she was at Uni. Zalman spoke about the evolution of his faith and the choices he has made over the years of his life being an observant Jew. He referenced his evolution in terms of hats: the yarmulke he wore as a youth, the black hat

Caulfield volunteers honoured at awards night

CAULFIELD VOLUNTEER AWARDS

On Monday 9 September at the Glen Eira Town Hall Theatrette, a full house of over 120 local residents attended the Caulfield Volunteer Awards.

Organised in partnership between David Southwick MP and the Caulfield Park Branch of the Bendigo Bank, the Caulfield Volunteer Awards aim to celebrate the wonderful volunteer-based work local residents provide to a wide range of community groups throughout Caulfield.

Community groups were invited to nominate a long-standing volunteer, who has contributed significantly to the local community, from which organisers selected the 13 recipients.

Each recipient was awarded with a framed certificate, a $1,000 cheque addressed to their respective community organisation, and received a promotional video to help raise awareness of the work and mission of their organisation.

Award recipients included Helen Gelber (Access Inc.), Adrienne Sylva (Caulfield

David Southwick with Caulfield Volunteer Awards recipients.

South Community House), Ezra Susskind (Chabad Youth), Avi Susskind (Hatzolah), Gary Mallin (J-AIR), Cynthia Pollak OAM (Jewish Bereaved Parents), Di Gunn (Knit One Give One), John Park (Mackie Cricket Club), Ella Sandler (Netzer), Sandra Whitbourne (Oakwood School), Kylie Jeffares (Ripponlea Primary School), Gillian Schofield (Rotary Club of Caulfield), and Gary Brand (10th Caulfield Scout Group).

“The Caulfield Volunteer Awards recognise the unsung local heroes behind Caulfield’s most important community groups,” said Mr Southwick.

“Volunteers are the lifeblood of community and these awards acknowledge the selflessness, passion and wonderful work of Caulfield’s community organisations.”

Without the hard work and dedication of local volunteers, valued community organisations and the services they provide the community would not be able to exist.

The Caulfield Volunteer Awards celebrate Caulfield’s unique community spirit and thank all involved for the wonderful work they do.

L-R: Gary Hershan (Chairman of Bendigo Bank, Caulfield Park Branch), Helen Gelber and David Southwick. Photo: Paul Topol

he was given when he became Bar Mitzvah, the larger, white yarmulke he chose to wear when first going into a Muslim environment and the basic black kippah he chooses to wear day-to-day now. He talked about his choices in how he presents himself as reflective of what he has learned and gained via his interactions and collaborations with the Muslim community over the last several years.

After a tea break, the group divided into five smaller groups to discuss their own stories.

Testament to the nature of those involved the discussions it didn’t feel like there was enough time in those small groups. I don’t know that any amount of time would have felt enough.

Some very big questions were posed including how an event like that one can be

parlayed into the wider world where so much hate and fear is prevalent and growing. As one person said, it takes action at all levels to stem the tide. We do need better education at all levels, we need our leaders to stand up and actually lead, and we need grassroots activities.

The impact that breaking down barriers and building connections between individuals has cannot be underestimated, and I know I’m far from the first person to say it.

On Sunday I stood as a proudly Jewish woman with men and women just as proud of their faiths. We shared stories, we shared space and we clearly have a great deal in common. Much more than one might think at first.

As we head into Shabbat this week, I am more conscious of the choices that others around me are making. Part of my awareness, I admit, comes from the planning stages of the event when we needed to take into account three different religious prayer schedules and requirements when selecting a date and time. I am acutely aware of the differences that exist among Jews ourselves, let alone between Jews and people from other faiths. And I have more hope and optimism than I did last week about our future. The world is terrifying and there are dangerous people looking to do bad things.

That hasn’t changed. What has is that I know how many people there are who, like me, are just trying to live their best life, making choices that suit me and my family.

And that doesn’t include one iota of wishing ill will or harm on anyone else. Just the opposite in fact.

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Supporting the children of Israel this Kol Nidre UIA CARLI DVASH In 2020, Keren Hayesod - UIA will celebrate its centennial – 100 years for the People of Israel. We acknowledge the incredible momentum building as we near this full century of being partners in Israel’s growth and progress.

At its core, Keren Hayesod — UIA is about a commitment to the People of Israel, the realisation of the Zionist vision of creating a Jewish homeland and the value of mutual responsibility among the Jewish people.

Yom Kippur is considered to be the pinnacle of the Jewish Calendar following the intense celebratory period of the New Year. During this time of reflection, and as we come together as “a people” to pray and ask for forgiveness, we must remember our fellow Jew; those who may be doing it a bit tough and those who need a helping hand.

We must not forget those in our homeland.

This year, the UIA is continuing to support the Children of Israel through the Kol Nidre Appeal. We are supporting Respite Camps for Children in the South who are victims of constant terror threats.

The continuous threat of rockets, kite bombs and tunnels coupled with smoke from the fires, the frightening sound of bombs and gunshots from protests, the “Red Alert” sirens and the presence of soldiers in their backyards can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and renew a sense of fear among the children grappling with profound trauma.

Respite Camps enable us to remove the children from areas of immediate danger and allow some relief to experience a normal, carefree childhood. Such interventions help them learn and master empowering responses and behaviour in times of crisis. The Keren Hayesod – UIA supported Fund for Victims of Terror (FVOT) offers therapeutic, enjoyable camps during school breaks, which support Israeli children who have suffered from bereavement and profound trauma, as a result of prolonged exposure to violence and acts of terror.

Numerous studies show that severe emotional trauma can have widespread effects on a child’s mental and emotional development, such as undermining a child’s sense of security and causing children to believe that their parents cannot protect them from harm.

Traumatised children are often preoccupied with danger and vulnerability, and frequently display intense fear, helplessness, or anger. For children suffering from PTSD, unstructured time can be a serious challenge, as breaks in routine and unpredictable schedules can have negative consequences. Without enriching, supervised, and structured programming to keep them occupied and safe, such children are vulnerable to isolation from their peers and acute emotional and psychological distress.

However, many families who are victims of trauma lack the financial resources to provide such activities for their children.

The primary goals of these respite camps

are to provide a safe, structured environment during school breaks for children who have been victims of terror, build resilience, relieve their stress, overcome isolation, and improve their social skills through therapeutic activities and identify children who may need more intensive assistance and connect them with appropriate resources.

We encourage the community to get behind this important project and support the

UIA this Kol Nidre.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the congregations, the Rabbinical Council of Victoria and the Council of Orthodox Synagogues of Victoria, as well as the community for their support.

To make a donation, visit uiaustralia.org.au or contact UIA on 1300 ISRAEL (1300 477 235)

Bialik Creche Now Open

Book now for a personal tour: creche@bialik.vic.edu.au or call: 9822 7982 www.bialik.vic.edu.au/creche

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Rosh Hashanah 2019

‘Nursing’ our Ethiopian brethren to a better life HADASSAH AUSTRALIA RON FINKEL, PRESIDENT The world marvelled at Israel’s daring as it brought thousands of Ethiopians stranded in that war-torn country to Israel under cover of darkness.

Operation Moses (1984) and Operation Solomon (1991) were emblematic of Israel’s commitment to Jews in distress. However, Israel’s Ethiopian community was recently thrust into the spotlight following the tragic death of a 19-year-old teenager in June this year. Solomon Teka of Haifa was shot by an off-duty policeman under controversial circumstances.

I was in Israel when the event occurred and it was heartbreaking to see the anguish of the family, their friends and the wider Ethiopian community. Equally, I saw how the riots impacted many other Israelis who believe the social fracture may be difficult to heal. The challenges involved in integrating young Ethiopians into Israeli society are many.

However, I was fortunate to witness a wonderful Hadassah program in Jerusalem which is going a long way towards integrating young Ethiopians into Israel’s healthcare system. That system, arguably one of the best in the world, has the capacity to change society for the better.

Our interest relates to the number of Ethiopians attending university. Only 11 per cent of Ethiopian Israelis aged 22 to 35 have an undergraduate degree, compared with 42 per cent of all Israeli Jews of the same age.

Hadassah Australia, with the UIA, has

decided to offer nursing scholarships for young Ethiopians. Together we are supporting an initiative called Achotenu (“our nurse”), which allows young EthiopianIsraelis to enrol in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at the Hadassah Henrietta Szold-Hebrew University School of Nursing.

Significantly, all of the students currently enrolled were accepted without the requisite psychometric exam, which has been an impediment to students from Ethiopian and other marginalised communities from studying at Israeli universities. In place of the psychometric test, there is an alternative pathway program to ensure that important competencies for nursing are thoroughly addressed and assessed in a preparatory year, qualifying students for entry into the

mainstream university nursing program.

Hadassah Australia and the UIA realised that we have an opportunity to assist the integration through the Ethiopian Nursing Scholarships.

And we have “skin in the game”. Over the years, Australians have given generously to the airlifting and resettlement of Ethiopian Jewry, and we recognise that not only is the integration multi-generational, it is a key to the social and economic development of the Ethiopian community and to Israel more broadly.

Importantly, many young Ethiopian-Israeli men and women have expressed a strong desire to become hospital nurses, seen as a respected and well-paid career.

Nursing is part of Hadassah’s DNA.

Henrietta Szold, the founder and inspiration behind the Hadassah story, introduced westernised medicine to Palestine at the turn of last century, through the agency of nursing.

And yet, the nation is struggling to produce enough qualified nurses to overcome a chronic shortage, with a recent OECD study revealing that nurse-to-patient ratio in Israel was ranked 31 of 35.

While this is a disturbing statistic, it augurs well for the future of the Hadassah Ethiopian Scholarship program. The program provides the means by which Ethiopian-Israelis can fulfil their dreams of becoming qualified medical professionals while boosting overall nursing numbers to deliver quality care for patients.

Aussies in Israel making a real difference ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA As thousands of Israeli kids started the new school year two Aussies, Lori and Gil joined them as two of the new fellows of the prestigious Masa Israel Teaching Fellows program.

It was not an easy feat leaving friends and family for 10 months to teach English in an Israeli primary school but for Lori and Gil, it was about making a real difference to Israeli society by helping Israeli kids from disadvantaged communities, and giving them the best tool in life - an education.

Masa Israel Teaching Fellows is a 10-month, hands-on service program which brings exemplary University graduates from English-speaking countries to teach English in Israel. The main objective of the program is to address Israel’s educational achievement gap and the widespread underperformance of youth in low-income communities.

Fellows initially engage in an orientation in educational methods which is facilitated by Israel’s Ministry of Education. Seminars and discussions with top educators from across Israel provide pedagogical training and prepare the fellows for the Israeli classroom experience. While prior knowledge of Hebrew is not necessary to participate in the program, the Fellows do receive weekly Hebrew ulpan lessons.

Lori, who is a 25-year-old from Bondi, had just completed her Bachelor of Education and was teaching casually when she decided that it was the right time to start the program.

She said, ”I chose to do the Masa Israel Teaching Fellows program after I went on Taglit Birthright a few years ago and fell in love with Israel. I knew I wanted to come

back to do the program when I graduated.”

Lori was placed at the Neve Oz Elementary School in Rishon Letzion.

MITF is a partnership between Masa Israel Journey and Israel’s Ministry of Education.

The Zionist Federation of Australia is the local partner for Masa Israel Journey, and recruits and markets MITF in Australia. The program is highly subsidised and costs $US 1000 for 10 months. The price includes accommodation and the fellows are paid a weekly salary of up to $1700 a month. They also receive a significant flight reimbursement upon completion of the program.

The program is for qualified teachers but is also open to fellows with an undergraduate

degree. The qualified teachers participate in what is called the ‘Teachers Track’ and receive extra educational pedagogical training. During the program, they also have the opportunity to study for their Masters in Education through Hebrew University.

Of the opportunity, Lori said, “I am going with the hopes of making a difference to the education of Israeli students by using the teaching strategies I gained in Australia, to enable Israeli students to use English in order to become confident and competent global citizens.

I also hope to learn a lot about myself personally, as well as develop skills that further my teaching practice and career

professionally.”

“I am so excited to immerse myself in Israeli culture, and learn more about the “Israeli way” of education. Additionally, I get to live in Israel by the beach in Tel Aviv and meet like-minded young people from around the world, all while fulfilling my passion and pursuing my profession. What more could you want? All of this is possible thanks to the generous grant I received from Masa and Israel’ s Ministry of Education. I cannot wait for the journey and the authentic Israel experience that awaits”, Lori concluded.

For more information on the Masa Israel Teaching Fellows program email masa@zfa.com.au

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Shaare Zedek: Proud to be Jews AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS OF SHAARE ZEDEK INC MIRIAM PACANOWSKI The Australian Friends of Shaare Zedek have finished the Jewish year on a high.

For the first 2 weeks of September we have hosted Rabbi Prof Avraham Steinberg, Jewish medical ethicist, paediatric neurologist, ordained Rabbi and appointee to Pope Francis’ Pontifical Academy of Life in the Vatican.

His final public appearance was to a capacity crowd that packed the Auditorium at Beth Weizmann.

The lecture was entitled The Rabbi in the Vatican and Prof Rabbi Steinberg outlined his role as author of a position paper signed by the heads of other monotheistic religions regarding a response to physician assisted suicide.

At the close of the event, Prof Agnes Bankier OAM, Deputy Chair of the AFSZ thanked Prof Rabbi Steinberg and noted,.

“You made us proud to be Jews and delighted to be supporting your and our hospital in Jerusalem, Shaare Zedek.

“At the opening of the Royal Children’s Hospital 11th National Bioethics Conference you presented a tour de force review of medical ethical issues, and the cultural sensitivity for dealing with them, at Share Zedek, where there is zero tolerance for discrimination among staff and patients

Prof Rabbi Avraham Steinberg, Dr Allan Garfield, Prof Agnes Bankier OAM, Ruth Epstein at the lecture entitled The Rabbi in the Vatican

alike.

“At the Alfred Hospital Grand Rounds you challenged the staff on end-of-life care issues.

“At two public forums in Melbourne and Sydney, with superb clarity you reflected on the Assisted Dying Act, Euthanasia and Life.

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“Your shiurim went to the core of critical issues relating to stem cell research, PGD and brain death and it was a treat to hear how you have worked with government and interfaith to address critical issues of our time.

“What crystallised for me,” Prof Bankier continued, “is your role as connector.

“You have had the gift and opportunity to be the conduit to communicate medical ethical issues to the Rabbis and the understanding to probe their responses from the Talmud until the questions were answered and then to publicise the words as your direct mission for benefit of all.

“At all times you have earned the respect and admiration of your audience, and willingly engaged with all with extraordinary compassion and intelligence."

The evening concluded with the audience participating in the final moments of a successful crowdfunding campaign which raised funds in support of Shaare Zedek’s Australian born doctors who are world leaders in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Their work and their discoveries have inspired similar studies in Australia and are having important ramifications for the health of Jewish communities both in Israel and around the world.

The Australian Friends of Shaare Zedek would like to thank all our supporters for their magnificent generosity. We are proud to promote an organisation that represents so much that is good about Israel and our Jewish nation.

We wish our community a year filled with health and joy and look forward to continued achievements. www.shaarezedek.org.au

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Rosh Hashanah 2019

Kickstart your career with Masa Israel Journey ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA Just imagine: You are in your early twenties, in your final years of Uni and you are starting to feel the hysteria surrounding work experience, internships and getting ahead of the pack in the competitive job market.

You are spending your evenings filling out what feels like hundreds of internship or job applications and attending group interview after group interview just to receive another generic email saying ‘thank you but we had thousands of applications and you have been unsuccessful, we wish you the best of luck’.

Well, luck is not what you need because your big break is waiting for you, halfway across the world – in Israel.

Take Oliver Rose. Oliver was in his final year of a Medical Engineering degree when he stumbled upon Masa Israel Journey. Founded by the Prime Minister’s Office of Israel and the Jewish Agency for Israel, Masa Israel Journey offers young Jewish Adults from all corners of the globe the opportunity to Intern with some of Israel's leading companies and organisations, start - ups and multinational corporations across all fields and industries.

Unlike the tedious internship applications in Australia, Oliver found the Masa Israel Journey application process easy and hassle free (no three-page essay questions or online psych tests.) With the Zionist Federation of Australia being Masa Israel Journey’s local partner Oliver also engaged with the local ZFA Israel Program representative who helped him source the right internship and assist him with the entire process.

Oliver selected to intern at an in Israeli startup, LifeBEAM – a leader in bio tech and bio wearing technology. Oliver was thrown into the day-to-day operation of the business, integrating himself into the company. He was tasked with researching relationships between LifeBEAM

sensors and body functions, designing trials in the nearby Olympic Centre and developing the user experience. He also acted in a support role for the Chief Operations Officer, helping to redesign the company’s website, analyse website traffic, manage customer support and oversee product deliveries. Over the 6-month internship he gained invaluable experience from leading start-up minds and was mentored by his bosses and colleagues.

Oliver said, “I wanted work experience where I would not be repeating the same task over and over. I wanted to prove my creativity, learn about starting and growing a business, and make a lasting impact. Israel’s start-up culture was the perfect opportunity.”

“Israel is a hub of social, commercial and technological innovation offering exciting internship opportunities that are simply not available at comparative companies and organisations in Australia,” ZFA Israel Program Coordinator Sarit Braver said. ”Masa Israel internships provide young Jewish adults

the opportunity to live in Israel like a local and gain professional experience in their field. Israel has so much to offer in terms of business development, growth and industry advancements and these companies and organisations are eager to recruit interns from around the world. With Masa Israel being a project of the Israeli Government and Jewish Agency, it has the connections and network to offer impressive internship placements at some of the country’s most impressive companies such as Teva Pharmaceuticals, Jerusalem Post, Soda Stream, We Work and even Google.”

Masa Israel offers research opportunities in all of Israel’s top Universities and institutions, hospitality internships at Israel’s leading hotels, architectural internships at some of Israel’s most well-known architectural firms and finance or accounting internships at the "Big Four". Masa Israel also offers Government Fellowships within Israel’s Ministries; an opportunity unheard of in Australia for those

looking to advance their political career. Masa Israel is about opportunities; - opportunities to advance your career, break away from the pack and give yourself the competitive edge you need to break into the workforce.

The benefits of a Masa Israel internship are not only the work experience opportunities but the social ones as well. “I made friends for life, learned to live independently, and grew up emotionally. Masa added tremendous value to the internship program by providing enjoyable educational and cultural activities, including weekend tours around Israel, during which our group of 40 grew very close. I made friends from all over the world and will never forget swimming in the desert oasis at Ein Gedi, or rafting down the Jordan River,” said Rose.

Upon returning to Melbourne to complete his Biomedical Engineering Degree at Melbourne University, Oliver was offered a part time job with LifeBEAM. He has watched and been a part of the company’s growth from its early stages. After 6 months working with the company, he was relocated to New York to open their first office abroad.

“These Israel-based internship programs are a fantastic but untapped resource for the Jewish community. They provide valuable experience in a country that has the leading edge in so many fields. The 6 months I spent living and working in Israel was one of the happiest and most successful times of my life,” said Rose.

Aside from internship opportunities, Masa Israel Journey also offers gap year, volunteer, service learning, university study and Jewish learning programs for young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 and provides generous funding for all of their programs.

For more information on Masa Israel Journey and the internship opportunities available email masa@zfa.com.au

JIFF presents the first Australian screenings of Jojo Rabbit JEWISH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (JIFF) The Jewish International Film Festival (23 October – 21 November) will host a special Australian preview of Jojo Rabbit, the highlyanticipated World War II satire by Oscarnominated director Taika Waititi, as JIFF’s Closing Night film.

Jojo Rabbit will have its first Australian screenings on Wednesday 20 November at Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick in Melbourne, and on Thursday 21 November at Ritz Cinemas, Randwick in Sydney, ahead of its national release on 26 December. The film will also close the Festival in Brisbane, Canberra and Perth on Sunday 17 November.

Drawing on his own Jewish heritage and his experiences growing up surrounded by prejudice, writer-director Taika Waititi – whose mother is Jewish, while his father is Maori – makes a powerful statement against hate in his latest film.

This World War II satire follows Jojo, a lonely German boy whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler

(Taika Waititi), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.

“Fresh from its premiere as a Special Presentation at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, we are very excited to present Australian audiences’ very first chance to catch this incredible film from the storyteller behind Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Thor: Ragnarok,” said JIFF artistic director Eddie Tamir.

“Based on the novel, the film boldly manages the delicate balance of tackling hate through satire. It’s one of the strongest films we have ever presented.”

Tickets for JIFF’s Closing Night film Jojo Rabbit are available now online at www. jiff.com.au. Melbourne’s closing night is on Wednesday 20 November at Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick. Drinks and live music will be available from 7:30pm ahead of the 8:30pm screening of Jojo Rabbit.

The full JIFF program for Melbourne is on sale from 23 September online and at participating cinemas. Visit www.jiff.com. au for the full program and dates in each capital city.

Rosh Hashanah 2019

ROSH HASHANAH community

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Rosh Hashanah 101 MJL

The Jewish New Year is a time of rejoicing and serious introspection.

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is a fall holiday, taking place at the beginning of the month of , which is actually the seventh month of the Jewish year (counting from Nisan in the spring). It is both a time of rejoicing and of serious introspection, a time to celebrate the completion of another year while also taking stock of one’s life.

The two days of Rosh Hashanah usher in the Ten Days of Repentance (Aseret Yemei Teshuvah), also known as the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim), which culminate in the major fast day of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The Days of Awe represent the climax of a longer process. Starting at the beginning of the previous month, called Elul, the shofar is traditionally sounded at the conclusion of the morning service. A ram’s horn that makes a trumpet-like sound, the Shofar is intended as a wake-up call to prepare for the Tishrei holidays. One week before Rosh Hashanah, special petitionary prayers called Selichot are added to the ritual. Rosh Hashanah itself is also known as Yom Hadin or the Day of Judgment, on which God opens the Books of Life and Death, which are then sealed on Yom Kippur.

world was created, or of the day on which humanity was created. Another explanation can be found in the significance of Tishrei as the seventh month, hence the Sabbath of the year.

Rosh Hashanah History The origins of Rosh Hashanah may be sought in a royal enthronement ritual from biblical times, though the Bible itself never mentions the “New Year” or “Day of Judgment” aspects of the holiday. Even though Rosh Hashanah falls in the seventh month, later rabbinic tradition decided to designate it the beginning of the year.

Although the origin of this tradition may have been adopted from the Babylonians, the rabbis imbued it with Jewish significance as the anniversary of the day on which the

Celebrating Rosh Hashanah At Home The challah (traditional bread) that is eaten for the Rosh Hashanah season is round, symbolizing the eternal cycle of life. The Challah is traditionally dipped in honey, symbolizing the hopes for a sweet New Year. The same is done with apples, which are made even sweeter with the addition of honey. Some people avoid eating nuts at this time, since according to a somewhat convoluted gematria (mystical numerical interpretation) the Hebrew words for nut (egoz) and sin (het) have the same

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numerical value.

Rosh Hashanah Liturgy The prayer book for the High Holidays is called the Mahzor. Three unique sets of prayers are added to the morning service during Rosh Hashanah. These are known as Malkhuyot, which address the sovereignty of God, Zikhronot, which present God as the one who remembers past deeds, and Shofarot, in which we stand in nervous anticipation of the future.

Each of these sections culminates in the blasts of the shofar, the most potent symbol of the holiday. The shofar is alluded to in the most memorable Torah reading for the holiday, the Akedah or Binding of Isaac (Genesis 22). The story and the shofar serve as reminders of the covenant between

God and the people of Israel, carrying with them the message of sacrifice, hope, and continuity. Among the popular traditions associated with the holiday is a ceremony performed on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah called Tashlich, when people throw crumbs or pieces of bread, symbolizing their sins, into flowing water.

Rosh Hashanah’s Theology and Themes This is the time of year during which we are to atone for both our individual — and on Yom Kippur, our communal — sins committed over the course of the previous year, before God literally closes the books on us and inscribes our fates for the coming year. God’s rule over humanity and our need to serve God are stressed time and again over the course of the holiday.

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New year: New beginnings CAREERSUPPORT365 GREG WEISS

Often a New Year brings on new resolutions and the desire for change. In my field, that means career transitioning.

But before you think of moving on in your career, be aware the recruitment landscape has radically changed in recent years.

Whether you are a graduate coming into the job market for the first time, or are a more seasoned manager with a number of career moves under your belt, you will find changes to the way employers are now recruiting.

This is going to change even more as attention is increasingly focused on the recruitment function mostly motivated to reduce errors, standardise processes, and drive the control of the process more so in-house.

First impressions count The reality is that at best, recruiters and/or Talent Acquisition Managers will interview around eight people to yield a shortlist of three to five qualified candidates.

According to researchers, the human brain is binary. It instantly sorts all stimuli in to one of two tracks, good/bad; safe/unsafe; interesting/boring.

The implication for applicants is that résumés, LinkedIn profiles and any interaction with recruiters or Talent Acquisition Managers need to be viewed as interesting, regardless of how strong the

applicant is.

Otherwise, the applicant risks being sorted into the pile of also-rans for that job.

ATS Systems In the late 1980s, I recall manually sifting through résumés of hundreds of applications.

The process was tedious, error prone, tiresome and time consuming.

Then along came optical character reading (OCR) software that allowed résumés to be scanned for keywords. This revolutionised the recruitment process; the turnaround times plummeted, and job throughput spiked.

Today, sophisticated Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) to streamline the résumé process are used by almost all employers and recruitment firms.

LinkedIn and Résumé keywords For applicants the key to getting a look-in

Desire in 5780 CONNECT ENRICH PTY LTD MIRAH TEICHTAHL What if you could have what you desire in the coming year? What if you could co-create with G-d the reality that you yearn for?

I am referring to deep, eternal desire that emanates from your soul (such as that for authenticity, alignment, connection to G-d, more joyous, loving and peaceful relationships with self and others, contribution,… or the confidence, health and prosperity needed for these lofty goals) as opposed to temporary desires that emanate from your body (such as food), or desires that emanate from your ego (such as craving honour and respect).

Consider for a moment that these deep desires are given to us by G-d, and are therefore achievable because our potential is known to the Creator who is kind and only gives us desires we can fulfil. Consider that by acknowledging these desires and that by partnering with G-d, we can attain them even if that seems to be an impossible feat for our logical mind.

The energy of every year is completely different: The Slonimer says in “Yesod Ha-Avodah” (Vol.4 Chapter 1) quoting the Arizal, “ ‘Since the creation of the world every day and every single moment is utterly unique, every person is utterly unique , and no-one has the capacity to

repair what his fellow repairs.’ The way in which one performs one’s mission of ‘selecting the holy sparks’ is determined according to the particular year, day, moment and the nature of the individual.”

Our will is the driving factor: “In the way that a man wants to go, in that way, he will be led,” or, to be specific, “in that way they will lead him”, meaning that our will creates angels who help us discover how to fulfil it. Nothing stands in the way of will.

Overcome your beliefs that it can’t happen. Stay focussed on it. Connect to your desire by envisaging yourself in the fulfilment of it and see how you are different in the acquisition of it compared to how you are being in the present. Now, what do you need to do to get there? How do you need to be?

By engaging with our desires and overcoming the obstacles in the way, we can work with Gd to get what we want.

Life can be easier and more enjoyable but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to work hard. It means we can choose to put our efforts into building what we do want rather than blaming or fighting what we don’t want to take up space in our reality.

What becomes possible if you overcome or learn how to deal with your current challenges and begin working proactively towards creating the life you want?

We can connect to our desires safely and enrich our lives manyfold.

The first step is often to learn to manage that ‘out of control’ feeling in our current reality. I find people benefit from the six minute Finding Composure Meditation on my website. I invite you to try it.

by recruitment firms and employers is the strategic use of seeded keywords in their résumés and LinkedIn, where the keywords will be scanned by ATS software or by LinkedIn’s ‘Recruiter’ package to yield a long list of potential candidates.

In essence, the more keywords are found in the résumé or LinkedIn profile, the higher the ranking of the applicant and the better the chances of gaining an interview.

Video Screening Video interview platforms, are designed to enhance the early stages of the interview process by giving potential employers a better view of applicants and facilitating a greater opportunity to differentiate from other job candidates. Questions at the video interview stage are intended to get a sense of the applicant and cut down the time to yield a list of qualified interviewees.

Rosh Hashanah 2019

In most video interviews, applicants can expect about three to four questions, which usually fall into four distinct categories: • An introductory question: “Tell us a little bit about you?”

• A motivation question: “Why do you want to work for us?”

• A technical question about your skills: “Give an example of when you have helped a customer?”

• A personality question: “What would you do if you didn’t have to work for a month?”

It pays to practice on Skype, Zoom or Facetime video and record it so you can see how you are perceived via this medium. Coopt a friend or significant other to assist and give critical feedback or get a career coach to help you.

Insider information Finally, don’t expect to go into any interview completely blind. Applicants can visit Glassdoor.com for tips on what prior applicants have encountered at their own interviews and what to expect at an interview with a specific company.

Greg Weiss is Australia’s Leading Career Coach. He is the author of “So You Got The Job! WTF Is Next?”: proven steps to succeed in any new role and “So You’re Career Confused!”: proven steps to pinpoint your ideal career direction.

Find out more about the books at https://www.wtfisnext.wtf/

Rosh Hashanah 2019

rosh hashanah

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Rosh Hashanah 2019

New year brings new opportunities ASIA PACIFIC, VANECK ARIAN NEIRON With the Jewish New Year upon us, the time is ripe to review our portfolios and assess the year that was. All of us are wishing for a sweet, happy, healthy and prosperous New Year and one of the ways we can do this is by preparing our portfolios for optimal financial health.

As we celebrate Rosh Hashanah with our loved ones and dip our apples in the honey, the festive period is a good time to pause and reflect on the year that was and the year to come. Ensuring our portfolios are robust and as best equipped as possible to provide for our families, our children and the wider community is something we should all aspire to do.

But where to start? With stock market gyrations, record low interest rates and concerns surrounding residential property, it’s understandable that many are wondering which asset class is the safest. Wellregarded investor Warren Buffett’s first rules for investing are simple: 1. Never lose money and 2. Never forget rule number one.

While protecting our wealth and not losing money is important, a key objective for investors is wealth accumulation through capital growth which involves taking risks.

While volatility may scare investors, the old age adage still applies, ‘it is time in the market, not timing the market’.

This leads to another fundamental rule of investing, diversify. We can all achieve

better diversification by investing overseas.

Today’s global corporate leaders are not listed on the ASX but listed on other share markets such as NYSE, Nasdaq and the Shanghai stock exchanges. Technology companies such as Apple, Google, Amazon and Tencent are creating shareholder wealth on an unparalleled scale and, in some instances, disrupting the business models of Australian companies.

Beyond the technology giants, significant companies such as Starbucks, Hasbro and Estée Lauder are growing profits in new markets to create significant shareholder wealth. These are companies that are relevant to the lives of everyday Australians, whether you drink coffee, buys toys from the world’s largest toy maker or are a makeup and perfume aficionado. Others, such as Oracle, are leaping ahead with the movement to cloud computing, an investing theme barely available in Australia.

Investors are also seeking to capture the next phase of growth in emerging markets, where 60 per cent of the world’s population resides. It is in countries such as China that middle classes are growing rapidly and consumers are demanding more.

Traditionally, these markets have been costly and difficult for Australian investors to access. However, the financial innovation that is exchange traded funds (ETFs) have changed that.

ETFs are the most convenient and transparent way to invest in offshore opportunities. ETFs are revolutionary; they have made it cheaper for investors of all backgrounds to conveniently access share markets and other asset classes across the globe. ETFs are managed funds that are traded on the ASX. That means you can buy and sell them in the same way listed shares are bought and sold, all with a brokerage account. ETFs are liquid and pass on all

It’s where I...

dividends and franking credits.

Another revolution is the rise of ‘smart beta’ investing. Unlike traditional market capitalisation weighted benchmarks such as the S&P/ASX 200, smart beta indices have an investment outcome in mind.

Smart beta combines the best of active and passive investing: having the potential for outperformance while being rulesbased, transparent and cost efficient. Many tried and tested smart beta strategies are available for investors to access due to ETFs that track such indices, these include equal weight investing, investment in quality stocks, or stocks possessing other factors such as being undervalued or having high growth prospects. Smart beta strategies can help investors achieve diversification and risk management and, very often, targeted outcomes when compared to much more expensive actively managed funds.

Since the firm was founded in 1955 VanEck has prided itself on providing investors with access to new and exciting opportunities to grow and defend their wealth. Today, we are one of the largest issuers of ETFs. The possibilities for investors who embrace ETFs are endless.

We implore you to speak to your financial adviser or stock broker, or contact us at vaneck.com.au.

Now is the time to consider and plan for the year ahead and get your investment portfolio in order. Shanah Tovah Umetuka to all!

Arian Neiron is the managing director and Head of Asia Pacific for VanEck

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Rosh Hashanah - the centrality of history GLOBAL AMBASSADOR, MORIAH COLLEGE & CEO, MOSAIC UNITED RABBI BENJI LEVY If you were to stand at the base of a mighty mountain, at the front door of an extravagant palace, or an inch away from a sweeping tapestry, you might know that you were standing in the presence of something special, but you would fail to grasp its greatness. A single stone of the Kotel or a solitary chunk of rock at the base of Mount Everest can fail to impress. Retreat to a point at which you can take in the magnificence in its entirety and only then will you be able to truly appreciate what your eyes behold.

On Rosh Hashanah, we spend a great deal of time mentioning remembrance. Indeed, a centerpiece of the main prayer service is called Zichronot, or remembrances, during which we invoke many heroic deeds of our ancestors in the Bible (such as the righteousness of Noah, the self-sacrifice of Isaac and the ironclad faith of the Jews in the Desert). We beseech God to remember these great individuals - and in their merit, to remember us too. Like all compositions of prayer, these paragraphs are not addressed solely to God - they are equally written with the intention of impacting each of us. While we will never be able to fully comprehend the notion of God ‘remembering’, this focus

on memory and on memories teaches us a crucial lesson about the underlying meaning of Jewish living.

To be a Jew is to remember. To actively remember. Zachor.

This principle constitutes the essence of our existence and permeates throughout the contours of our calendar. Every Friday night we lift a glass of wine to remember that there is a Creator behind creation, every Seder Night we engage our senses to relive and remember the salvation from oppression of the Exodus, every Tisha B’av we remember and commemorate the tragedies of a long, painful history, and every Yom Ha’Atzmaut, we remember and celebrate our miraculous national resurrection.

To be a Jew is to set aside time for intense and active remembrance - affording us an opportunity to reflect upon our history, our mission, and our lofty purpose in this world. As Jews, we must learn the art of contextualization - to orient our internal paradigms until we perceive ourselves not only as individuals (which is important in and of itself), but as an essential element of an enormous tapestry of breathtaking beauty and irreducible meaning.

Rosh Hashanah, as the first moment of the Jewish year, represents the opportunity to put this into action. This is the time to step back and contextualize. The ‘memories’ that we invoke in our prayers compel us to recalibrate, to take the time to remind ourselves to see beyond our own interests and understand our larger contexts as we create new memories. This process reminds

5780

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For the People of Israel

Visit us at www.uiaaustralia.org.au or contact 1300 ISRAEL (1300 477 235)

us that we do not stand alone before God rather, we are linked to vast networks that imbue our lives with purpose, significance and commitment. We remind ourselves that we are part of a global Jewish community that lives in a time of both obstacles and opportunity, and therefore we pray for the strength to overcome the challenges.

We remind ourselves that we are part of the magnificent Jewish story, a narrative replete with heroines and heroes, whose faith and righteousness serve to guide our own decisions in the service of God and our people. We remind ourselves, finally, that we are part of humankind as a whole, whose peace and prosperity we yearn and pray for every day.

Through remembering the greater context in which we live our lives, we give meaning to our existence that exceeds the fleeting

pursuit of our own individual ends alone. This expanded consciousness and broadened perspective enables us to connect to something infinitely greater than ourselves.

May we merit, this Rosh Hashanah, to truly grasp the greatness of our existence, to experience this deeper level of meaning throughout the upcoming year, and to spread our light throughout the entire world.

Rabbi Benji Levy is the CEO of Mosaic United, a partnership between the State of Israel and the global Jewish community dedicated to addressing wide-ranging approaches to Jewish engagement and raising the playing field to ensure a stronger Jewish future. A recent Oleh from Australia, he previously served as the Dean of Moriah College and now is their global ambassador.

Our President Hayley Southwick, Executive Director and Shaliach Idan Goldberger, the Executive and staff wish you and your family a Shana Tova U’metukah — a year of good health, peace and prosperity.

As we approach Keren Hayesod – UIA’s centennial in 2020, we acknowledge our tremendous impact and contribution to the People of Israel. In particular, we recognise our work at the forefront of Israel’s growth and progress in partnership with the global Jewish community to advance Israel’s national priorities.

We thank you for being our partners in this important work and for supporting our forthcoming Kol Nidre Appeal for the Children of Israel.

We pray for a peaceful, safe and prosperous 5780 all around the world.

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Rosh Hashanah 2019

A psychological glimpse into the shofar ZIPPORAH OLIVER O.A.M. M.A.P.S.

inspire us to mend our ways as we approach the “Judgement Day.” It is a positive but The sounding of the​ solemn expression, arousing awe and shofar​ , is a biblical reverence. The very same shofar is sounded commandment over at the culmination of Yom Kippur and this time which we recite a it is a joyous expression of simcha, relief, a blessing. feeling of unity, of victory and confidence Traditionally it is that G-d, our Father and King has blessed from a ram’s horn and each of us from the fullness of His bounty for is certainly invested the coming year. with an overflowing Crying during the process of psychotherapy treasure of meanings. may be associated with uncovering deep Reflecting as a Jewish psychotherapist, there insights. The ensuing process of working are many insights that can psychologically through these understandings may lead to help us and inspire us about this “call of the catharsis, relief of tension and a desire and hour”. preparedness to embrace more healthy I would like to share several psychological ways of being. viewpoints` into the “cry of the shofar” and The crying may come from an intimate the shofar as a “wake-up call.” place, a place that transcends even words, The Talmud in Tractate Rosh Hashana like the sound of the shofar. The cries come connects the blowing of the shofar with a from a narrow place deep within us, which is crying emanating from deep within. The not usually revealed to the world. Through commandment to blow the shofar on Rosh therapy we are able to express what was Hashana is composed of three different hidden in our hearts, our minds and our past. types of sound. The first is a “​tekiah,​” which Crying may be transformative when we is a long continuous blowing. The second take the newly-obtained insights to inform sound is the “​ shevarim​ ” which is three an improved way of being. It is interesting shorter blowings. The third sound is the “​ that the shofar seeks to positively awaken teruah​” which is nine short staccato sounds. that process within us.

Through a psychological lens, what might As mentioned earlier, crying can also ‘crying’ mean? Crying has one important be an expression of a deep simcha which aspect in common with the sounding of the transcends language. Tears of joy can give shofar; both can indicate the expression of us a sense of relief, gratitude, inner peace, opposite emotions. As humans we may cry appreciation and many positive feelings. at times of great sadness, loss and grief; and Breaking through and travelling from the we can sob uncontrollable tears of joy and narrow to the expansive, like the shofar relief at a simcha, or salvation of some sort. blowing, may be symbolic of a joyous The shofar is sounded daily during the breakthrough and achievement. month of Ellul and on Rosh Hashana to Crying at times can be an expression

of anger, including when we feel that we cannot bear any more suffering. Probably the most common reason for crying is when we feel pain. An extremely painful injury may elicit crying from even the strongest and most stoic individual. When we are in pain we often sob and we may cry out. The three sounds of the shofar are a soulful crying.​ Teruah​, the short sharp sobs, s​ hevarim​the medium length wailing and the long ​tekiah​ symbolising both a protracted moan or a victorious declaration.

Often it is therapeutic to be able to cry, to be able to release what has been pent up deep inside. Sometimes crying is a communication with oneself such as grieving the loss of a dream, something that can no longer ever be. Crying can also be a type of communication between oneself and another. Crying can demonstrate regret and a yearning to reconnect. The shofar may be externalising our regret and our yearning to reconnect with G-d after some level of estrangement.

So, the shofar is repeatedly referred to as an instrument to provide us with a “wake-up call.” Maimonides in his “Laws of Repentance” tells us that the shofar is saying “Sleeping Ones! Awaken from your sleep! Slumbering ones! Awaken from your slumber! Examine your deeds. Remember your Creator and do ​ t’shuva (​ T’shuva​ meaning return to G-d)​...”

Within the process of therapy, a client may often explore existential questions such as; who am I? What do I hope to achieve in my life’s journey? How can I do a better job with the life that G-d has given to me? What do I regret and what do I want to change?

How can I heal my relationships? Of course, the list goes on, but suffice it to say that many of the existential issues explored in psychotherapy may be similar to our individual “wake-up calls” from the shofar.

Rabbi Dr. Avraham Twersky says “Spirituality means being the best human being that you can be.” The shofar is a wakeup call to each of us to strive to be more spiritual and to be the best human being that we can be within our individual contexts.

As a consequence of our shofar blowing which is our impassioned cry to G-d from the core of our being, G-d responds in kind by blowing His shofar, as it is written “G-d will blow the shofar (Zechariah 9:14).” He reveals His essence to us, that is otherwise beyond revelation. This is one reason that through the blowing of the shofar we draw down the blessings from G-d for the coming year.

May the cries of the modest shofar awaken us and may we optimise our individual potential and be inscribed for a good and sweet New Year.

Zipporah Oliver O.A.M. has over 24 years of experience in the field and is committed to applying her skills to help clients achieve the optimum outcome.

She brings to her practice her personal dedication to integrity and a lifetime commitment to helping people cope with life challenges. In 2006 Zipporah was awarded the Order of Australia for her honorary work in disability and for her broad-spectrum community service.

If you would like to contact Zipporah, feel free to call on 0438 345 770 or visit www.zoliver.com.au.

Insuring your fresh start this Rosh Hashanah

THUNDER INSURANCE EAYL MACHLIS

As Rosh Hashanah is all about ‘new beginnings,’ our team at Thunder Insurance know a lot about creating ‘new beginnings’ ourselves!

Over two and a half years ago, Paul Cowley and I – both armed with extensive corporate insurance experience – decided to journey on a ‘new beginning’.

After attending PAX Australia, one of Australia’s largest gaming conferences that attracts over 100,000 people over

three days, we quickly realised that one of the fastest growing industries in the world had little support and understanding of some of the most important aspects of gaming risk – whether that be in eSports, game development, consulting, and other associated industries.

In conjunction with Australia’s largest insurer AIG, we set about creating a new insurance product specifically aimed at gamers young and old who want to protect their most valuable items: their gaming equipment. For a fraction of the cost of cover through home and contents policies, and in a sign-up process completed online in a matter of minutes, gamers can now protect their phones, tablets, laptops, consoles, desktops, headsets, and more through our Thunder Electronic Device Insurance!

We also offer a range of insurance products suitable for business, individuals and households, including cyber liability insurance, professional indemnity insurance, home and contents insurance, landlord insurance, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, motor insurance, and travel insurance.

So, what is the connection between Rosh Hashanah and insurance?

Insurance holders tend to roll their insurance policies over year after year. This is often done automatically, with little thought given to how appropriate one’s current policies are for their circumstances, which may have changed significantly since the policy was purchased. It is widely reported that underinsurance effects both business and personal means, with some reports

NEW : ONLINE SUBMISSION FOR CONTENT 4 Log onto - thejewishreport.com.au 4 click on Submit Article in the top right hand corner 4 follow the prompts and submit the article You will receive an email confirming submission Any problems or queries please contact Bindi Bettman on prepress@melbournejewishreport.com

listing 80 per cent of businesses as not having adequate insurance to protect their interests in an event of claim.

As we take time to reflect on ourselves and on our experiences over the past year at Rosh Hashanah, with intentions to start the new year afresh, we are urging customers to take a similar approach to their insurance policies.

We encourage everyone at the end of this Jewish New Year to spend a few minutes reviewing and reflecting on your insurance policies. Our team at Thunder Insurance would be happy to assist you in taking a ‘new beginning’ approach to your insurance program.

To find out more about Thunder Insurance and how their team can help you, please visit their website: www.thunderinsurance.com.au

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Rosh Hashanah 2019

The sound of the shofar SUSAN SARA FEIGA ZIMMERMAN What we see is more immediate in a physical sense than what we hear hence the saying ‘seeing is believing’.

However, sound can have a spiritual dimension capable of reaching the depth of our souls. A beautiful piece of music relaxes and uplifts the listener as does the sound of a waterfall or a gentle breeze rustling the leaves on a tree. One of the most awe filled experiences of sound on this planet emanates from the throat of a small Australian creature called the Lyrebird. A born mimic, it imitates all the other bird calls it has heard, magnifying them three-fold.

Several decades ago, I was fortunate enough to be in a Victorian forest in Tarra Valley National Park together with my family.

It was springtime and we were able to walk through the habitat of a lyrebird, and actually heard it calling to its mate. The sounds of its throat echoed throughout the length and breadth of the forest track, bird melodies reverberating in quick succession like trills and arpeggios on a gigantic pipe organ played by a concert maestro. All this from a brown-grey bird hardly bigger than a chicken, standing on the forest floor. It danced in the clearing among emerald green ferns underneath the spidery canopy of silver gum trees. Its tail like white gossamer strings was shaped like a man-made lyre.

There is only one other sound I have experienced that contains within it such powerful ‘animalistic’ grandeur and ethereal splendour at the same time. It is the sound of a simple ram’s horn blown by man.

As the breath flows into the small end of the Shofar it escapes into the air through the larger end which is held upward.

Symbolically this reflects the human desire to move from a place of trouble or restriction to a place of tranquillity or expansion, from suffering to joy, from entrapment to freedom.

The sound of the shofar soars upward to the heavens. It is the call of the soul of the nation of Israel to G-d.

The ram’s horn is G-d’s creation not ours

but we breathe into it as G-d’s breath gave us life. The sound is primitive, not confounded and unbounded by words. It seems to echo a natural cry from the depth of our collective souls. The short, broken sounds in particular seem to come from a place of brokenness, of crying, the long resilient sounds from a place of victory. It creates a sense of awe.

On Rosh Hashanah, as we listen to the sound of the Shofar, we remember the ram, caught by its horns entangled in the

thicket, at the Akeidah (the binding of Isaac) (Bereishit 22:13) The Shofar’s sound has been heard at times of great significance throughout Jewish history. It was heard at Sinai before the giving of the Ten Commandments: “On the third day, as morning dawned, there was thunder, and lightning, and a dense cloud upon the mountain, and a very loud blast of the horn; and all the people who were in the camp trembled” (Shemot 19:16), while seven rams’ horns blown in unison brought the walls of Jericho down: “And when a long blast is sounded on the horn….all the people shall give a mighty shout. Thereupon the city wall will collapse.” (Yehoshua 6:4-5).

The soul-filled sounds of the Shofar awaken our Rosh Hashanah prayers with yearning and joy. Our Yom Kippur davening (praying) ends with the sound of the Shofar that brings celebration, completeness and relief. A new light of thankfulness comes into the world each new year accompanied by the sound of the shofar.

The material about the shofar in this article was sourced from a shiur by Yasmin Swartz, a talented young Torah scholar, who in turn sourced her material from a book called Shofar by Rabbi Yonatan Emmett. Susan Sara Feiga Zimmerman is a published author of two books, Journal of Disability to Ability and Like Streams in the Negev.

She is also a committee member of the Australian Jewish Association (AJA).

Find out more about the AJA at https://jewishassociation.org.au/

Shana Tova from Insurance!

For a ‘new beginning’ with your insurance program, contact Eayl Machlis.

P: 0412 949 892 E: eaylm@thunderinsurance.com.au W: www.thunderinsurance.com.au thunderinsurance

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ׁ‫ הַשָּׁנָה רֹאש‬New Year greetings from AJA The Australian Jewish Association wishes all our members, supporters and the entire Jewish community a happy, healthy, fulfilling new year. May this new year bring peace, health and success to Jews and good people everywhere, particularly throughout all Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel. ‫כְּתִיבָה וַחֲתִימָה טוֹבָה‬‎ Be inscribed and sealed for a good year Now how about a “New Year’s Resolution” to come to Israel with AJA!?

We have planned a special tour 17-25 March 2020, in conjunction with Israel News Talk Radio, which will address ancient and modern history, security and political issues and connect you with wonderful people knowledgeable and passionate about Israel.

For information on the AJA Israel tour itinerary, inclusions, costs and booking link, simply go to the tour web page: http://www.truth2u.org/israel-tour/

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL is available now! www.cherylthesleepcoach.com.au

Join us for the experience of a lifetime in Israel!

14

rosh hashanah

The bitterness of conflict

RABBI DANIEL RABIN

Berel borrowed $10 from his friend Chaim, promising to return it within three weeks.

The three weeks goes by and Berel doesn’t repay, citing a number of excuses.

Another few weeks passes and yet again Berel, now with even more excuses, neglects to pay his debt. Weeks turn into months and finally one day, a number of years later, Berel approached Chaim holding a $10 note in his hand. “Chaim here is the $10 I owe you” he announced.

Chaim, took one look, waved him away and said “No, you keep it, for $10, I’d prefer to remain angry with you”.

In the Jewish lexicon we don’t only have one word for having a grievance or grudge against another, but rather three; Faribel, Broyges and Machlokes. Sadly, there is no shortage of stories that I have heard of families, business partners, Shule members and others who have had a faribel, broyges or machlokes with one another, often resulting in parties not seeing or talking to each other for years on end.

This theme certainly rings true as we approach Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the day in which we seek forgiveness and to forgive. There is some timely advice that we can glean in relation to understanding conflict from a Parsha

which epitomizes conflict. In Parshat Korach, Korach brings a grievance or complaint against Moses. He inspires a crowd to join him, he incites them, riles them up and they all “gang up” against the leadership of Moses and Aaron.

Their end, however, is not a very pleasant one. The ground opens up, swallows the protesters, and of course their voices are now silenced.

There is a strange episode that occurs soon after. Doubts still remained in the camp, challenging the leadership of Moses and Aaron. God initiates a spiritual test in the strange form of a competition: which disputant could make an almond branch bloom. Aaron is successful and his branch bares fruit for all to see. In a

sense this now provides a final stamp of approval regarding his leadership.

The question, however, is why almonds?

Furthermore what relevance does this incident have with Korach and his mob?

There is a beautiful insight which explains how the properties of almonds, teaches us about the danger of dispute and machlokes. There are two types of almonds; sweet ones and bitter ones.

(Disclaimer- I am by no means an almond expert but I will rely on the insight I heard).

The striking difference between the two is their reversal qualities. The bitter ones are usually sweet when they are small, but become bitter when they ripen. The sweet ones begin bitter, but as they ripen they become sweet. This captures in a vivid

The team at The Melbourne Jewish Report wish all our readers, advertisers and contributors a

Shana Tova U’metukah

Rosh Hashanah 2019

way the difference between conflict and peace.

Conflict, initially, generates excitement, something to talk about and often allows people to feel needed. People might feel idealistic, fighting for a cause, and it can provide and outlet to some basic human instincts such as aggression, power, animosity, or egotism. This can taste very sweet at first. But as it matures, people start to get scathed. It turns destructive and extremely bitter.

Peace on the other hand, is usually bitter at the start. It is difficult to say I am sorry, to apologize or tell someone that they are right. To show humility, to set boundaries and admit you’re wrong, is not an easy feat. But once peace is established, the sweetness is palpable.

In response to Korach and his followers, God sent a strong message to the Jewish people back then and for all time. When conflict arises, be aware and beware of the lure of the sweetness. Realize that whilst it may seem exciting and energetic at first, the bitterness will inevitably arrive.

Rather take a stand early on. This may require you to admit you were wrong or say you are sorry, but as challenging as this might be; it will ultimately result in sweetness.

So this Yom Kippur, re-examine any conflicts or broiges that may exist in your life and hopefully with a fresh lens you can see a way to bring it to an end and enjoy the true sweetness, that of peace and harmony.

rosh hashanah

Rosh Hashanah 2019

Mount Scopus Rosh Hashanah

Bialik Celebrates!

Braided, Twisted Babke SHARON GLASS DOUGH 2¼ cups flour ¼ cup sugar 20g (2 packets) yeast pinch of salt 4 tbs (60g) unsalted butter, softened 1 jumbo egg ½ – cup warm milk Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixmaster.

Then whisk the milk, eggs and melted butter together.

Add them to the dry ingredients and

knead until the dough is smooth and sticky.

Leave to rise for about 1 hour.

FILLING cup cinnamon cup sugar ½ cup cream cheese 2 tbs melted butter Combine the cinnamon and sugar together. Line a medium loaf tin with baking paper.

Roll out the dough into a rectangle.

Brush with the cream cheese and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the

cream cheese. Roll up into a log.

Place the dough in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Then cut it in half lengthwise.

Take the two pieces and loosely twist together, leaving the cut side up.

Place the twists in the baking paper lined bread tin, cut side up.

Drizzle with the melted butter. Sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar. Squish the ends in. Let the loaf rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 170°C and bake for 40-45 minutes until browned. Allow to cool before serving.

15

16

international

Rosh Hashanah 2019

Former Israeli ambassador: Why we have to prepare for war and peace

MICHAEL OREN

Israeli forces are on high alert after members of the Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah launched anti-tank rockets at a military post and vehicle along the border.

Israel responded by firing 100 mortar rounds into Lebanon. At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is purportedly urging President Donald Trump not to negotiate with Iran.

Americans may not be fully aware of the severity of the crisis -- but for Israel it is acute.

While trying to avoid war and discourage diplomacy, it must urgently prepare for both.

The countdown to crisis began over a year ago when President Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) -- or Iran nuclear deal -and reimposed punishing sanctions on Iran.

The decision effectively undermined Iran’s grand strategy of exploiting the international contracts and legitimacy granted it by the Iran deal to conquer much of the Middle East.

The JCPOA enabled Iran to maintain key parts of its nuclear infrastructure, to preserve its blueprints for producing atomic bombs, and to develop the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of carrying them. With many of the deal’s provisions

expiring in less than a decade, Iran could have eventually carried out plans to make hundreds of nuclear weapons and mount them on ICBMs. Overnight, Iran would become a global power. Only one obstacle remained.

The Israelis, of course, would not have sat passively by while Iran nuclearized and threatened their existence. But Iran clearly had another plan: to surround Israel with tens of thousands of terrorist rockets and proxies. Any Israeli attempt to stop an Iranian nuclear breakout would inevitably be met with devastating fire from Lebanon, Syria, Gaza, and Iraq, as well as from Iran itself. Paralyzed, Israel would be helpless to prevent the Islamic Republic’s emergence as a nuclear power.

Then came Trump’s decision to end the nuclear deal, followed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s demands on Iran -- including an end of all support for terror, withdrawal from Syria, and the cessation of the ICBM program. With its economy buckling under the sanctions, Iran had to choose between negotiating under Pompeo’s severe terms or proving that it could plunge the entire Middle East into chaos.

Whether Iran assumed that Trump would be reluctant to take on the Iranian militarily ahead of the 2020 election or believed that

he would fail to win a second term, the regime apparently concluded that provocations would suffice to lift the sanctions. The results: Iran’s harassment of US forces, seizure of a British oil tanker in the Persian Gulf, accelerated enrichment of uranium, and heightened hostilities against Israel.

Such actions were ostensibly designed to show the United States that Iran could exact a price for sanctions in terms of regional stability and global oil prices.

But this strategy is also primed to fail.

With a Trump reelection looking feasible, the Iranians face the specter of at least five more years of sanctions. Hopes that Europe might help Iran circumvent the sanctions have proved futile. The Israelis, meanwhile, repeatedly bombed Iranian bases in Syria and destroyed some of Hezbollah’s missileproduction machinery. Israeli forces also retaliated against Hamas and other Iranianback terrorist groups in Gaza that fired rockets into Israel. Tensions escalated in August and nearly erupted when Israeli jets preempted an Iranian drone attack from Syria that could easily have triggered a war.

The possibility of a war is still considerable.

And should war erupt, it could be Israel’s most desperate clash since the 1973 Yom Kippur War -- and far bloodier. In Lebanon, alone, Hezbollah has placed some 130,000

rockets in as many as 200 villages -- some inside homes, schools and mosques. Israel Defense Forces have predicted that 1,000 rockets could hit Israeli cities every day -enough to knock out Israel’s airports and other vital facilities, and overwhelm defense systems. Israelis would have no choice but to employ devastating means to defend themselves Rising civilian casualties on the Lebanese side would inevitably result in accusations of war crimes against Israel -- precisely what the Iranians want -- and boycotts that can strangle the Jewish state economically.

Those dire prospects no doubt contributed to French President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative to restart US-Iranian negotiations.

President Trump seemed open to the idea.

“If the circumstances were correct or right I would certainly agree,” he said about a potential meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at last week’s G7 summit.

Trump even suggested easing some of the economic pressure on Iran.

Israelis were nonplussed. While gearing up for a potentially catastrophic war, they had to grapple with the prospect of talks between Washington and Tehran. While these conversations might result in harsher CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

Rosh Hashanah 2019

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international

Henry Kissinger’s War Against Rabin MOSHE PHILLIPS Until now, the controversy over inviting Henry Kissinger to speak at an upcoming Jewish conference in Manhattan has focused on his actions during the Yom Kippur War, his hostility to Soviet Jewry, and his mistreatment of Ambassador Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

But there is another important aspect to the debate: Kissinger’s harsh and vulgar treatment of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

The details of Kissinger’s mistreatment of Rabin are set forth in Prof. Gil Troy’s recent book, Moynihan’s Moment. Basing himself on previously unpublished internal memoranda and transcripts of Kissinger’s conversations with his aides, Troy presents a side of Kissinger that is not widely known—but should be.

The story began in early 1975. Kissinger undertook what was termed “shuttle diplomacy,” and it was aimed at getting Israel to make one-sided concessions to Egypt. He demanded that Prime Minister Rabin surrender the Mitla and Giddi mountain passes, two of the most strategic points in the entire Sinai Peninsula. Kissinger also insisted that Rabin surrender the Abu Rudeis oil fields in Sinai, which had the potential to make Israel energy-independent.

And what did Kissinger offer in exchange? A vague five year pledge of “non-belligerency” from the Egyptians. In other words, Israel would give up vital, tangible assets, and Egypt would be free to invade the Jewish state again in five years. No wonder Rabin hesitated to agree to those outrageous terms.

Kissinger was furious that Rabin was not immediately surrendering to all his demands. Israel was “bringing the world to the edge of war for three kilometers in the Giddi and eight kilometers in the Mitla,” Kissinger complained to his aides, according to Prof. Troy. Yes, the secretary of state accused Israel of provoking World War Three.

Yitzhak Rabin and Henry Kissinger: Pinterest

Kissinger’s ego was on the line. He wanted the shuttle diplomacy to produce a “success,” and whether it harmed Israel or not clearly did not matter to him at all.

So Secretary Kissinger went to President Gerald Ford to announce that he was “outraged at the Israelis,” and he wanted Ford to be outraged, too. Kissinger accused Rabin of being “irresponsible” and even “fomenting antiSemitism.” Prof. Troy reports that “in one of many White House tantrums,” Kissinger denounced Rabin and his aides as “fools,” “common thugs,” and “the basic cause of the trouble.”

Think about that. Because Rabin didn’t immediately give in to all of Kissinger’s demands, he was, in Kissinger’s view, “a common thug.”

The secretary of state also said of Rabin, “I have never seen such coldblooded playing with the American national interest.”

Believe it or not, there’s more. The nearly hysterical Kissinger could not contain his

seething hatred of Rabin. He called the Israeli prime minister and his cabinet “a sick bunch” and “the world’s worst s—ts.”

Kissinger finally got his way, of course.

He convinced President Ford to announce that the United States would undertake a “reassessment” of its relationship with Israel. The “reassessment” consisted of a total cut-off of U.S. arms shipments to the Israeli army and air force. After two months, Rabin capitulated to Kissinger’s pressure.

It’s not shocking that public officials sometimes lose their temper in private.

Henry Kissinger is not the first U.S. secretary of state to use vulgarities behind closed doors when he became frustrated.

What’s shocking is who he used them against—Yitzhak Rabin, the moderate Labor Party leader of America’s only reliable and democratic ally in the Middle East. Rabin was not some champion of “Greater Israel” or a builder of large numbers of Jewish communities in Judea-Samaria. This was the flexible,

Former Israeli ambassador ...

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 restrictions on Iran and its nuclear program, the conciliatory nature of negotiations means that at least some of Secretary Pompeo’s conditions are unlikely to be met.

Having enthusiastically supported those demands, and applauded the renewal of sanctions, Israelis could be left with an American president engaging with his Iranian counterpart much as he did with Kim Jong Un -- and an Islamic Republic still uncontained.

That is why Israel must act now, unambiguously and on the record. If the continuing sanctions do press Iran into war,

Israel should seek pledges of unconditional military support from the United States, including the resupply of vital ammunition.

America should also provide Israel with what could be called a diplomatic and legal Iron Dome, committing in advance to veto Security Council resolutions condemning Israel and to block decisions to boycott Israel by the International Criminal Court.

Should fighting break out on other fronts such as Gaza, the US, together with its allies in the Gulf, should undertake to rebuild any area successfully freed from terrorist rule.

And if, instead of embarking on war, the Iranians return to the negotiating table, Israel must state its expectations unequivocally.

These should include the verifiable dismantling of Iran’s nuclear facilities, the rescinding of any recognized Iranian “right” to enrich uranium, and the complete exposure of Iran’s previous bomb-building projects.

No more ICBMs or guided missiles for Hezbollah; no more base construction in Syria or rocket shipments through Iraq. And no more Iranian support for terror and efforts to kill Jews both in Israel and abroad.

The sanctions, Israelis must insist, will remain in effect for as long as it takes to achieve these objectives. Any lessening of pressure on Tehran will, at this critical time, only reward its aggression.

Israel should do everything in its power to avert the outbreak of war but

conciliatory Rabin who was ready to make concessions—if only the Arabs would reciprocate. But that was too much for Kissinger.

Rabin struggled to defend Israel in the face of Kissinger’s brutal pressure.

Kissinger’s mistreatment of him and Israel was disgraceful.

The decision by the Jewish Leadership Conference to invite Kissinger to be the featured speaker at its conference in November is a grave mistake—and an insult to the memory of Prime Minister Rabin. But, it’s not too late to rescind the invitation and correct this mistake.

Moshe Phillips is national director of Herut North America’s U.S. division; Herut is an international movement for Zionist pride and education and is dedicated to the ideals of preWorld War Two Zionist leader Ze'ev Jabotinsky. Herut's website is https:// herutna.org/

should employ all means necessary to defend its citizens. It can only welcome a negotiated removal of the Iranian threat if it a deal proves ironclad, substantive, and permanent.

But whether girding for war or bracing for diplomacy, Israel must be prepared.

Michael

Oren,

formerly

Israel’s

ambassador to the United States and a member of Israel’s government, is a consultant for the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. https://michaeloren.com/

18

schools / shuls

Rosh Hashanah 2019

Alef Early Learning Centre official opening ALEF EARLY LEARNING CENTRE Friday, 23 August was a warm, sunny afternoon. The Honourable Ms Nina Taylor MP officiated at the opening of Alef Early Learning Centre (formerly Cheder Menachem Early Learning Centre) together with a representative of the Victorian Department of Education and Training.

Alef ELC’s newly upgraded facility will house programs for 40 children aged 6 months to 5 years, including a government funded kindergarten program.

“From my observations, I can sense the sincerity of the educators at this service,” said Ms Taylor.

“The staff and children are happy to be here.”

The official opening kicked off with a tour of the upgraded facility, funded by a major capital grant from the Victorian Department of Education and Training, together with generous donations from members of the community.

Rabbi Levi Kurinsky, centre director, introduced the Honourable Ms Taylor who spoke warmly about the new facilities and how they would benefit the children and the community. Rabbi Kurinsky drew a parallel between the current Hebrew month of Elul, when G-d, the King is readily found amongst the people, “in the field”, and the visit of a member of parliament to

our centre. Ms Taylor read the children a playful book about Shabbat, “Fishy Friday”

by Sashi Fridman. A beautiful plaque was unveiled, and delicious refreshments were enjoyed by the adults and children alike.

The staff put in great effort to make the event smooth and pleasant.

Alef ELC is a small, friendly Jewish early education facility. The service’s philosophy emphasizes traditional Jewish values, a wholistic educational approach, and a commitment to quality improvement.

The upgraded facility contains three children’s rooms, comprising a baby room

Scopus Alumni to celebrate 70 years of excellence

MOUNT SCOPUS COLLEGE

Mount Scopus College old collegians and friends are invited to celebrate 70 years of excellence in education at a special Alumni Breakfast. A panel of old collegians from across the decades, will share their thoughts on how we prepare for what’s next.

On 8 February, 1949, Mount Scopus College opened its doors to 116 students. 70 years later, we salute the founders and visionaries who created a school which has changed the face of the Melbourne Jewish community and far beyond. Over 12,000 graduates owe their Jewish and general education, their guidance towards adulthood and their sense of who they are to Scopus, and have gone on to make their mark in Australia, in Israel and around the world.

Today, Scopus remains true to the vision of its founders, and delivers timeless values of excellence in learning, holistic development, Jewish identity and community and service.

More than 1500 students, aged 2 to 18, learn and grow across three campuses, forming lifelong friendships and a strong Australian Jewish Identity.

While Scopus’ mission may have stayed the same, the Scopus experience has

evolved and expanded, as students prepare for an ever changing world with limitless opportunity. In and out of the classroom the curriculum and programs offered have grown and today sees students involved in learning activities, workshops, excursions, camps and experiences their forbearers never imaged.

Our Girls Prayer Service sees young women in secondary meet each week for tefila, followed by discussions on topics ranging from empowerment, wellbeing and personal development, to Judaism, Israel and current affairs. Some seasons include a ‘How To’ activity working on practical life skills.

Project BeYachad matches Year 7 students with mentors from Year 10, helping to foster a supportive and inclusive secondary school community. The inaugural Festigal in Primary, celebrated Israeli culture and performing arts while giving students the opportunity to showcase their talents.

As we contemplate the future and celebrate the past, we invite all Old Collegians to celebrate 70 years of Scopus at our Alumni and Friends Breakfast on Thursday 24 October.

To book, please visit www.trybooking. com/529401. Enquires: Judy Prager, Alumni and Families Relations Manager on 9834 0256.

for children aged 6 months to 2 years; a toddler room for children aged 2 to 3 years; and a kindergarten room for children aged 3 to 5 years.

A government funded kindergarten program will be available from February 2020. Uniquely, Alef ELC will be offering flexible kindergarten sessions for families who would like to select kindergarten attendance days.

A community Open Day will take place on Sunday, 15 September from 10am to 12pm at Alef ELC, 67 Hotham Street, St Kilda East. Family friendly activities will

be available. Information regarding staff, programs, fees and enrolments will be provided.

“I’m very impressed with the sustainable practices I see at this centre,” said Ms Taylor,

noting

efforts

around

waste

management, rainwater collection and composting. Alef ELC aims to educate children to be caring stewards of the environment, appreciating the beautiful world that G-d created for us all to enjoy.

For more information, please contact us on 99945611 or info@alefelc.org.au.

Barmi/Batmi program ends on a sweet note THE SOUTH CAULFIELD HEBREW CONGREGATION The South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation recently concluded their 2019 Bar & Bat Mitzvah program after a half year of exciting, interesting and engaging classes and activities. They all had delicious ice-cream as a treat for the last lesson.

The girls also had a beautiful ceremony as part of their graduation and the boys will enjoy a fun dinner celebration after the Chagim as a farewell.

The highlight for the participants was the weekend away Shabbaton in Daylesford where they enjoyed a beautiful Shabbat together. Rebbetzin Sarah Rabin said the group were exceptional.

“They bonded incredibly well and were a real pleasure to teach!”

Rabbi Daniel Rabin said they are looking forward to the 2020 program and parents can already enroll for the program.

Visit www.schc.org.au or call the office (03)9578-5922.

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school/shul

Rosh Hashanah 2019

Year 3 Discovery Centre at Scopus MOUNT SCOPUS COLLEGE Mount Scopus Memorial College has announced a significant change to its lower Primary campuses, and the creation of a dedicated ‘Discovery Centre’ for Year 3.

Previously, children in all years up to Year 2 were split between the Fink Karp Ivany campus in South Caulfield, and Gandel Besen House in East St Kilda. Although this worked well in the past, Mount Scopus has concluded that the duplication is no longer the best model for the needs of the College and its community.

Instead, commencing in 2021, families will be better served by having all Primary children educated at the same campus.

Therefore all Scopus students in Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 will be learning in Gandel Besen House, and Year 3 children will enjoy their own unique facilities in South Caulfield.

Buses will run between the two campuses at the start and end of each day to maximise convenience for parents.

Mount Scopus Principal, Rabbi James Kennard, said; “A dedicated Year 3 Discovery Centre will allow us to provide facilities and a tailored program to bring out the very best in this Year group - which truly marks the transition from the ‘infant’ to the ‘senior’ part of their Primary education.”

Deputy Principal and Head of the Primary School, Greg Hannon, commented;

“Planned facilities to be used by the Year 3 students include an ‘Innovations Lab’ which will give hands-on experience with the technologies of the future, such as robotics, 3D printing and coding; a ropes course providing both fun and physical challenge, and a kitchen garden, where children can ‘learn by doing’ about horticulture, nutrition and cooking.”

An increased use of Hebrew, children having greater input into the running of ‘their’ campus, and pastoral care targeted at this age group will be other benefits.

Scopus believes that the new arrangement will create a more efficient use of resources, and will provide a greater number of places for children.

Scopus announced earlier this year a long-term plan to move its main campus to the site of Caulfield Hospital.

“That move will facilitate a very significant reconfiguration of our campuses,’’ explained College President, Amy Hershan.

“But that project will take many years until completion, and in the interim we are fully committed to using and maintaining our existing campuses. So, although the Year 3 Discovery Centre is not directly part of Caulfield Plan, the bringing together of all children in lower Primary and the integration into ‘one Scopus’ sets the scene for even greater alignment in the future.” www.scopus.vic.edu.au

Making Judaism accessible for Jews and converts alike ST KILDA HEBREW CONGREGATION What started as an aspiration to create a conversion-friendly Shule has now become a reality. In late 2018, St Kilda Shule announced it would be offering Introduction to Judaism classes free of charge to anyone in the community, for both Jews who wished to strengthen their Jewish knowledge and for non-jews who were converting to Judaism.

Both these groups have taken up the offer and today, the Shule’s group classes have gone from strength to strength.

“The response has been quite phenomenal” said the Shule’s Rabbi Yaakov Glasman, “As soon as we made the announcement last year we received numerous expressions of interest and since then the group classes have been highly successful”.

“Most of the people who enquired about the program were not associated directly with a Shule but our Shule has become a first port of call for many people seriously considering conversion” Rabbi Glasman said.

The weekly classes are taught by highly popular lecturer David Solomon. David is an internationally acclaimed scholar and educator who teaches Judaism with passion and zest, a love for G-d and Judaism, and a practical application of what it actually means to live in a Jewish way.

Participants of the Shule’s group classes who attend for the purpose of conversion have all registered with the Melbourne Beth Din and are completing its formal curriculum in one-onone sessions with a private tutor. Although the weekly classes at St Kilda Shule do not take the place of the Beth Din’s formal curriculum, to the Shule’s delight, all the students enrolled in the group classes have reported that these classes have made their private sessions

South Caulfield & Elwood Shules raise money through soccer THE SOUTH CAULFIELD HEBREW CONGREGATION AND ELWOOD SHULE

David Solomon and Rabbi Yaakov Glasman with some members of the group classes. Photo credit: Paul Topol significantly easier, as the classes are geared towards supplementing the formal Beth Din program.

“The knowledge I’ve obtained through attending St Kilda Shule’s classes has meant that my conversion studies are much easier for me to complete, because by the time I reach a particular part of the curriculum I’ve already become familiar with many of the concepts and practices through my weekly classes at St Kilda Shule”, one participant said “I also feel a strong sense of support and camaraderie among fellow participants who are travelling the same road as I am”, she said.

“Our Rabbinic and lay leadership team at St Kilda Shule decided to invest in the yearly program in order to make Jewish learning more accessible for anyone who wishes to benefit from it” Rabbi Glasman said.

“There’s no doubt in my mind it’s been a huge success and we look forward to helping many more people in the future”.

South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation and Elwood Shule joined together for their second annual Charity Fundraiser Soccer Match. The funds were raised for the Melbourne Jewish Charity Fund to assist families for their Chagim needs.

It was a wonderful day of unity and fun

and both teams enjoyed the spirit of the day. Their was a juniors and seniors game with Elwood Shule securing the junior title and South Caulfield Shule the seniors.

Rabbi Daniel Rabin and Rabbi Shmuel Karnowsky both participated and said that it was a wonderful way to promote physical activity, unity and supporting a very important cause at the same time.

They both look forward to next years match.

20

school/shul

Rosh Hashanah 2019

King David School celebrates Rosh Hashanah KING DAVID SCHOOL

This last term, students from Pre-School to Year 2 had the opportunity to welcome grandparents and special friends to a Kabbalat Shabbat where they showcased their learning of the beautiful Shabbat rituals and songs and have clearly been engaged throughout their Jewish Life learning.

Lieber Yavneh artwork and celebrations

The simple cries of the Shofar blast through Yavneh LEIBLER YAVNEH COLLEGE RAV CHAIM COWEN As our students know, Rosh Hashanah is about many things; apple dipped in honey, family time, eating new fruits, writing new years cards, davening and Shofar. And there’s the problem, the “and Shofar.”

The Shofar stands at its helm. With its simple cry, a new year is heralded. The Shofar is what our Sages call mitzvat hayom (the mitzvah of the day). Of course, it looms large, but does it loom large enough? How hard do we work to ensure that we, our family (kids and adults) don’t miss this one? Do we make it our business to ensure that those less abled have the opportunity to hear it?

At Yavneh, in the lead up to Rosh HaShana, each morning is peppered by the sounds of the Shofar blasts. A troop of Grade 6 students ensure that our primary students hear the Shofar daily.

In our secondary minyanim we close with a moment of introspection, quiet but for the piercing blasts of the Shofar. Our curriculum spirals as it tackles the mitzvah of the Shofar, from re-creating its sounds and forming model shofarot in our junior years, to studying the nuances of Hilchot Shofar (the Laws of Shofar) in Mesechet Rosh HaShana as well as its underlying meaning in our senior years.

Yavneh has been a beehive of activity in preparation for Rosh HaShana. The children have roller painted, pasted, printed and stencilled on artwork representing all the symbols of the Chag. They have listened to the Shofar each morning, learnt about how bees make honey and sang new songs in both Hebrew and English.

Our juniors also had fun creating greeting cards.

We wish you a Shana Tova, may it be one of blessings and sweetness for us all.

Caleb Epstein, Gilad Lowinger and Gilad Junger Year 6.

21

lifestyle

Rosh Hashanah 2019

Jockeying for position RIDE LIKE A GIRL (PG) ALEX FIRST

I am delighted to say that I got a lump in my throat when I watched Teresa Palmer as Michelle Payne atop 100 to 1 shot Prince of Penzance cross the line to become the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. That is despite knowing and remembering a great deal about that fateful day on the first Tuesday in November 2015 and its aftermath.

I was actually concerned that that knowledge may detract from my enjoyment of the film, but to be frank it didn’t.

Make no mistake, it is an against the odds crowd pleaser and it makes no attempt to be anything but.

Many will know the backstory of how Michelle and her nine siblings were brought up by their father after their mother tragically died in a car accident when Michelle – their youngest – was only six months old.

Further, that eight of the siblings entered the racing industry.

Much is understandably made of an accident Michelle had while in the saddle at the end of a race ... an accident that for the vast majority would have ended their careers.

What shows through is her determination and courage.

I thought Palmer was well cast in the title role as she straddles Payne’s familial and

professional responsibilities.

We learn little about many of her siblings, save for strapper Stevie, who plays himself.

Veteran actor Sam Neill ensures he plays down Michelle’s father Paddy. He is represented as an insular persona, loved and respected by his clan but someone who – like Michelle – has a strong stubborn streak.

Sullivan Stapleton makes a lasting impression as Darren Weir, the now disgraced trainer of the Melbourne Cup winner.

Magda Szubanski is hard to forget as a sister wanting Michelle to continue her education at the Ballarat Catholic secondary school she attends, only to land a lucky wager later in the piece.

I really like how the film transitions from a documentary start (only a couple of minutes) to a straight narrative.

The story arc – as written by Andrew Knight (Hacksaw Ridge) and Elise McCredie – is well set up that way.

It is also the first time Academy Awardnominated actor Rachel Griffiths (Hilary & Jackie) has sat in the director’s chair and she makes a fair fist of it.

While Ride Like a Girl hardly presents any surprises, it is a solid family film with a strong message about female empowerment.

Rated PG, it scores a 7 out of 10.

GIVEAWAY: Five double passes for Michal Aviad’s film WORKING WOMAN Critically-acclaimed Israeli film Working Woman is coming to Australian cinemas in October. Written and directed by Michael Aviad, the film focuses on an ambitious, hardworking and talented protagonist Orna, and her experience of sexual harassment at work.

Life at work has become unbearable for Orna. Her boss appreciates and promotes her, while making inappropriate advances.

Her husband struggles to keep his new restaurant afloat, and Orna becomes the main breadwinner for their three children.

When her world is finally shattered, she must pull herself together to fight, in her own way, for her job and a sense of self-worth.

“Making films from the point of view of women is a way to remind us that women’s ways of understanding and acting in the world matter, and are worth showing,” said Aviad.

“Feminism for me is the political lens through which I see that the lives and happiness of all

human beings, including women, matter.”

Aviad started working on Working Woman in 2012, after hearing daily about sexual harassment, especially in the workplace, from women around her.

“I was fascinated by the process of change I was witnessing. From the generation before me in which society was blind to the phenomena, to my generation and the younger generations who seek a deep change in the ways women and men relate sexually to each other.”

Working Woman will be shown at the following cinemas from 10 October: Cinema Nova in Carlton, Classic Cinema in Elsternwick, Lido Cinema in Hawthorn, Pivotonian Cinema in Geelong, and Thornbury Picture House.

The first five readers of the Melbourne Jewish Report who email lisa@ potentialfilms.com their name and address to see Working Woman will win a double pass! For the full cinema list go to www.potentialfilms.com

For your FREE electronic copy of the Melbourne Jewish Report register at www.thejewishreport.com.au

NEXT ISSUE: 8 NOVEMBER

22

lifestyle

Rosh Hashanah 2019 news

T RS ON FI ITI ED FREE

Sleep tips from tiny tots to teens THE SLEEP COACH CHERYL FINGLESON One question I am constantly asked is: How much sleep does my child need?

The amount of hours can vary from person to person, this only a guide! Newborns need approximately 17 hours per day; toddlers between 10 and 14 per day; primary school aged kids need 8-12 hours per night; and a teenager needs approximately 10 hours sleep per night.

Tips to help parents get the sleep your child needs 1. Keep it boring and predictable The most important part of establishing great sleeping habits is predictability and consistency. It allows little people to know what’s coming next, that sleep time is near and it helps them to unwind.

2. Keep it clean and quiet Avoiding over-stimulating activities right before bed is crucial, as is keeping the child’s room dark, having clean natural linens and a safe comforting sleep environment.

3. Sleep boosts your child’s immune system and mood Most of the growing babies and children do takes place during the sleep phase.

Sleep impacts young people’s mental and physical development, comprehension, memory, alertness and wellbeing. Rested children are more alert and happier, they are more even-tempered and they have stronger immune systems.

4. Sleep helps your child to grow The sleeping brain produces a growth hormone, which is vital in stimulating muscles, organs, blood and bones.

Research shows that growth can be slowed or even stunted if a child does not get sufficient sleep.

5. Dealing with nightmares and fears Some children’s sleep is affected by nightmares, which can be disruptive.

In most cases though, it’s a temporary phase. Parents need to remain patient and comforting, stay with their child for a short while until the fear passes, and to remind them that the dream is not real.

Repetitive, soothing verbal prompts

such as ‘I’m here, its just a dream, its not real, I won’t leave you’ can be helpful, as well as offering a comfort item like a toy or a blanket, leaving the bedroom door slightly ajar and a night light on, as well as producing a hastily re-labeled bottle of ‘anti-nightmare spray’ (a water diffuser with glitter in it) which can do wonders.

6. Teenagers need no technology before bed I recommend turning your teen's bedroom into a quiet place, devoid of technology.

Adopt a policy of handing these in at a certain time each evening, and retreating to a cool quiet room with blackout blinds if needed.

7. Teenagers need sleep guidance too!

Teenagers may benefit from a hot bath before bed, essential oils, learned meditation techniques (there’s an app for that!), sleeping on natural linens or cotton as well as a caffeine-free diet. In the mornings, open their curtains to allow natural light into the room. This provides vital cues for the brain to begin the circadian rhythms of waking appropriately.

Sleep is vital for growth, development, health and happiness. I always advise my clients to take control of their children’s sleep routine regardless of their age or circumstances. It’s not worth deferring, as sleep loss and poor routine has been proven to have significant impacts on the wellbeing of these precious young people.

There are plenty of tools available to improve sleep and settling. And if parents can’t do it alone, there is professional help on hand too. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Sleeping makes a happy family.

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 Our Blog has gone live! Check it out 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.

YOM TOV AND SHABBAT TIMES DATE

LIGHT

CANDLES Friday, Sep 27, 2019 6:02 pm Eve of First day Rosh Hashanah Sunday, Sep 29, 2019 6:04 pm Eve of Second day Rosh Hashanah Monday, Sep 30, 2019 7:02 pm Shabbat Friday, Oct 4, 2019 6:09 pm Eve of Yom Kippur Tuesday, Oct 8, 2019 7:12 pm Shabbat Friday, Oct 11, 2019 7:15 pm Eve of First day Sukkot Sunday, Oct 13, 2019 7:17 pm Eve of Second day Sukkot Monday, Oct 14, 2019 8:16 pm Shabbat Friday, Oct 18, 2019 7:22 pm Eve of Shemini Atzeret Sunday, Oct 20, 2019 7:24 pm Eve of Simchat Torah Monday, Oct 21, 2019 8:23 pm Shabbat Friday, Oct 25, 2019 7:29 pm Shabbat Friday, Nov 1, 2019 7:36 pm

END

VOL. 1

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23

lifestyle

Rosh Hashanah 2019

This Jewish mom, geneticist, and Nazi refugee made pregnancy safer for all women LIOR ZALTZMAN Kveller via JTA: You may not be familiar with Liane B. Russell — who was known to all as Lee — but this incredible Jewish mom and Nazi refugee has likely touched your life in a very meaningful way: She helped make pregnancy safer for women all around the world.

A geneticist, Lee — who died on July 20 at age 95 — helped determine that x-ray radiation can have serious adverse effects on fetuses.

Lee was born Liane Brauch to a well-todo Jewish family in Vienna. Up until the age of 14, she lived an ideal life — her father was a successful chemist; her mother, a voice teacher. Then came the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria to Nazi Germany, which transformed Austria into a hostile and perilous environment for Jews.

The Brauchs were able to make a deal — Russell’s father gave up his business and home in exchange for being able to leave for London. The family later immigrated to New York.

The Brauchs wanted their daughters to receive an education, believing that women are capable of the same scholarly achievements as men. (Hear, hear!) Lee originally wanted to be a doctor, but that all changed when she attended a summer program ran by her future husband, zoologist Billl L. Russell, while she was a student at

Hunter College. She said her fascination started when she first saw a fertilized mouse egg.

Lee later got her masters at the University of Chicago, attending the same program her husband attended 13 years prior.

Together, the Russells built the “mouse house” in Oak Ridge, Tenn., one of the biggest mice labs in the world, which held more than 200,000 mice. The lab was the former home of the part of the Manhattan Project, which helped develop the United States’ first atomic bomb.

After the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and with the looming Cold War,

Lee noted that there was pressure from the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission “to investigate the hereditary effects of radiation because the country had suffered from some degree of the fallout from atomic weapons testing.” And, indeed, the Russells did discover that radiation caused birth defects, especially when embryos are exposed to it during the early stages of development.

Thanks to their discovery, we now know to avoid doing x-rays on pregnant women — that’s why you’re always asked if you’re pregnant or planning to be whenever you get an x-ray.

But couple also made other amazing

discoveries. Namely, Lee discovered that mice with a Y chromosome were male, and that female mice only had one X chromosome.

Her groundbreaking achievements earned her many awards. In 1973 she was the first woman to receive the internationally awarded Roentgen Medal. She also won one of the highest honors of the Department of Energy, the Enrico Fermi Award, in 1994 — and she remains one of the few women to have garnered the prestigious award, including Mildred Dresselhaus, the legendary Jewish scientist dubbed as the “queen of carbon.”

In her spare time, Russell was an avid conservationist and environmental activist.

In June of 1965, the Russells went on a paddling trip that changed their life. They fell in love with Tennesse’s Obed River, and when they learned a dam was supposed to be built on the site, the couple fought against its construction, purchasing around 170 acres surrounding the river.

For two decades, they fought to make the river a designated National Wild and Scenic River, under the protections and the care of the National Park Service, and succeeded.

The couple had two kids. Lee was also the stepmother of William’s three children from a previous marriage, and had four grandchildren.

What an inspiration! May her memory be for a blessing.

From the Armchair: A sweet year AMANDA GORDON On Rosh Hashanah, we wish everyone we meet, “A sweet year”.

A quaint phrase in English – what are we really hoping for them?

In my mind, the honey should also be thought of in the context of the bread and the apple which we dip into it. The bread could perhaps be seen as life itself, mostly stolid fare, studded at this time of year with fat sultanas, extra sweetness and joy of family gatherings, song, new starts, but mainly just life. From time to time during the year our life may be completely joyous and sweet as honey but much of the time it is just bread. A life of mere survival is one thing, but may it be sweeter than that, throughout this coming year.

The apples – they remind us of our connection with the natural world. The apple and honey together are to be as new sweet beginnings and connections.

Bite into the apple – its crispness should not be overwhelmed with the sweetness of the honey. We need to be sharp and thoughtful in our connection with the world.

Psychologists spend much of our time with people assisting them to find a life balance. I believe that at this time of the year we can really apply some thought to the way we balance our lives. It is important to not drown the bread or the apple in the honey. If we avoid dealing with the ordinary things in life, flitting from flower to flower, we will miss out on the depths of life that are the rich connections we need to

attain real joy. Masking the feelings other than sweetness and not facing them will eventually cause distress and no amount of honey will save it.

Balancing our lives of course can be seen as ensuring that we take time for ourselves, for our family and other social commitments, putting energy into work and into play.

Balancing can be tough, as many people – especially those with young families but increasingly those baby boomers who may still be working, supporting aging parents and helping out with the grandchildren – are just exhausted with the daily tasks ahead of them, and may not have much space to think.

However, taking the space for yourself, to ensure you are truly living and experiencing life and connections – the bread and the apples – will allow you to make choices about the way you are living and your place in the world. Once you take the time to breathe, to acknowledge the breadth of your existence and even revel in it, you will no doubt find that sometimes the challah without sultanas, the rawness of emotions that prove we are human, is worth facing.

When you allow the complete range of emotions to be part of your life, you will have more honest connections with the world and with yourself.

As a psychologist, I think about the message of sweetness and fresh beginnings, of mindfully connecting in the world and not just plodding within it. As we dip our bread in the honey, or lavishly pour honey over our bread, let’s also allow for honest connectivity.

Dr Amanda Gordon is a psychologist and the Clinical Director of Armchair Psychology, based in Edgecliff, Sydney.

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sports

Rosh Hashanah 2019

AFL Jewish Schools Cup AFL JEWISH SCHOOLS CUP

This year marked the 5th year of the AFL Jewish Schools Cup, which is co-presented

by AFL Victoria and the St Kilda Football Club.

Since 2015, approximately 735 girls and boys have participated in the AFL Jewish Schools Cup. This year, teams across the boys and girls divisions represented Bialik College, Sholem Aleichem College, Mount Scopus Memorial College, Leibler Yavneh College, Beth Rivkah Ladies College, Yeshivah College and The King David School, which ensured a total of 6 male teams and 6 female teams.

The students were treated to some special surprises to help celebrate the cup’s fifth year, including visits from AFLW Saints player Jess Sedunary, VFLW Saints player Amy Silver and VFL Sandringham player Sam Fox. As well as playing in the competitive round-robin competition of AFL 9s, the students were able to jump on the AFL’s inflatables and all students were treated to a free gift from the St Kilda Football Club.

After a hard-fought day of games, Mount Scopus Memorial College won both the girls and boys grand finals, taking home the 2019 AFL Jewish Schools Cup. We were so pleased to have representatives from the AFL, St Kilda

Football Club, and Macabbi with us on the day. Josh Burns MP and David Southwick MP also both made the trip down to St Kilda’s Linen House facility on the day to cheer on the schools and help celebrate 5 years of the AFL Jewish Schools Cup.

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