Following 12 months of heartbreak and anguish for Israel and the global Jewish community, we wish all our readers a brighter year ahead. We live in hope that the remaining hostages will be freed.
THE COMMUNITY
DICK GROSS AM AROUND
With council elections fast approaching (they will be held next month), it is important to talk about what a Jew can do if elected to a local council.
So, why is this election different from all other elections?
For many years, my time on Council was completely uninformed by my Jewish faith. I was just another Councillor and Mayor, but that is changing.
In 2017, when I made a decision that disappointed the Greens, two people thought it was appropriate to place 30 pieces of silver in the form of 10 cent pieces – a palpable reference to Judas' betrayal of Jesus – on my desk in the Council Chamber. It was mortifying, for this moment in the Gospels has haunted Jews for all of Christendom and been used as justification for pogroms and oppression.
In 2020, when I ran for Council, I had prominent signage. For the first time, it attracted antisemitic bile. Some posters were daubed with Hitler moustaches and the devil’s number, 666, a blatant antisemitic trope.
In the first week of this current campaign, again the posters attracted three lots of unwanted attention. They were covered in antisemitic graffiti and stickers. Each time that was removed, it reappeared.
So, I come to October 7, which continues to dominate the minds of many. Unfortunately, unprecedented antisemitism is raging at home and abroad. So, as a Jew it is all but impossible to fly under the radar.
What should a Jew on local council do?
October 7 is a date that will live on in infamy. I use these words deliberately, as October 7 is analogous to the Pearl Harbor bombings in 1942, when a sovereign state was murderously attacked out of the blue. Thousands were killed in both, although when comparing relative populations, the 2,400 who died at Pearl Harbor was a much smaller percentage of the US population. In response, America waged war for four years, against more than 10 nations and dropped two atomic bombs. I have strong views about the
will only muck it up. I am driven by the historical ignorance of the local hacks north of the Yarra flying Palestinian flags. I am also driven by the sheer hubris of a municipal office bearer thinking that they have a role in this complex conflict.
However, local antisemitism is another matter. Promoting a sense of local safety and inclusion is exactly what councils should concern themselves with.
With unprecedented antisemitism, all tiers of government are reacting, as they should. Local government must play its role in advocacy, immediate removal of vile graffiti and in partnering with local community groups to engage in community building. Let me illustrate the latter by example when I was last a Mayor of Port Phillip Council.
After the 2019 massacre of Muslims at prayer at two sites in Christchurch, my council reached out to a local group who used one of our community centres for Friday prayers. Together, we organised Friday prayers on the front lawn of the Town Hall. It was well attended and attracted a lot of media. The congregation felt supported. I was also keen to collaborate with the Anti Defamation Commission and supported events with Glen Eira Council. Chairman Dvir Abromovich was always on hand to give me support.
asymmetry of the criticism of Israel compared with other nations defending themselves, but the point is who cares what a local government contender thinks on these issues? Councillors have no political role in international affairs. Local government should stay the hell out of these issues because the sector
All Jews elected to office have the opportunity to use council to reach out to the Jewish community and make us feel safer and more included. If elected, we should grasp that opportunity and collaborate with the righteous to lance the poison of antisemitism. It is an eternal struggle and local councils should be front and centre.
Dick Gross AM is a four-time former Mayor at the City of Port Phillip and a contender in the October election in Alma Ward.
AROUND THE COMMUNITY
BRENDAN PERERA
I am running as an independent candidate for the Port Phillip Council, representing Alma Ward. I have lived in Port Phillip for 10 years and own a unit in Alma Ward, so I am a true local. I am a civil engineer by profession, a member of Engineers Australia, and I am not affiliated with any political parties, unions or activist groups.
Why am I running for Council?
There have been several bad decisions and proposals made by the Council (such as the approval of the Carlisle Street murals, the Inkerman bicycle lane proposal to remove 114 carparks and the decline of our main streets – these are just the tip of the iceberg). It may be an unpalatable truth to many, but our Council seems only interested in pandering to vested interest groups and playing divisive identity politics, rather than listening to our community.
The time has come for fresh leadership – someone with integrity, who will listen and act in the best interests of the community. This is where I need your help to get the politics out of Port Phillip Council and let us get back to putting the community first.
Building bridges: a shared future for Port Phillip
Building bridges
After the tragic events of October 7, I understand that some may feel reluctant to vote for or endorse someone outside their community, but I see the pain and fear your community is enduring and I understand. From major political parties showing tacit approval for pro-Hamas-led Palestinian protests in Melbourne to the shocking arson attack on a Jewish MP’s office in St Kilda, the rise of antisemitism in Port Phillip is deeply disturbing. I stand with you. I want to assure you that I am a friend and ally to your community. An attack on any community is an attack on all of us.
Shared values and ideals
My grandparents endured the brutality and indignity of the Japanese occupation of Malaya, and my parents lived through the racial riots of May 13, 1969, in Malaysia, where ultra-nationalist Muslim Malays, armed with machetes, went house to house, searching for minorities to take out their frustrations over their perceived loss of power at the electoral ballot. In both times of crisis, what became clear was that our neighbours,
regardless of race, religion or creed, stood by us. In those moments, shared values of humanity and decency united us. I carry those same values with me today. I believe that by focusing on our shared values, we can overcome division and build stronger, more inclusive communities.
As a candidate, I will be direct. Whether I am elected or not, I will never support Council overstepping its remit on issues that belong at the state or federal level. Neither am I here to pit one community against another. My goal is to listen to the community, build bridges, unite us around our shared values and make Port Phillip a better place for everyone.
The way forward
If elected, I will push for an immediate rate freeze without cuts to existing services. We are currently in a cost-of-living crisis and the City of Port Phillip has a budget of $250 million, with a high staff count of 850. This does not benchmark well, compared to other councils. Council must find efficiencies.
Council must come up with better design proposals for bicycle lanes,
to minimise the impact on resident parking and economic damage to businesses. While I am supportive of having a live music venue in the St Kilda Triangle, from experience I believe the current plan lacks a clear Return On Investment and is unlikely to revitalise Acland and Fitzroy Streets, as intended. We need to take a broader, more holistic approach to the projects we undertake.
Unlike previously elected councillors, I will not support frivolous expenditure, like foreign aid to East Timor or symbolic gestures, such as motions against nuclear weapons or declaring a climate emergency. The Council’s role is to provide essential services to our residents and ratepayers, and I intend to keep the focus there.
I am running to bring practical, effective leadership to Port Phillip Council, free from political gamesmanship. I am focused on delivering real results for our community. I hope to earn your trust and your vote to help build a brighter future for all of us.
Brendan Perera on a visit to Jerusalem in 2022
HELP US PUT RESIDENTS FIRST AND POLITICS LAST
• Putting residents first and politics last
Our council has been hijacked by political parties, unions and vested interest activists. They only care about their own political futures and holding their stranglehold on our council. The evidence of their ideologies and ineptness can be seen all around us. Our community is suffering. We have empty shops on Carlisle, Acland, Fitzroy, Clarendon and Bay Streets. Once the jewels in our crown, they are overrun no-go zones, with drugs, street sleepers, antisocial behaviour and violence, seeing the closure of shops and institutions. They are unsafe for residents and families.
And the council does nothing … because it has been overtaken by self-interest activists and political wannabees that don’t care about our community. And they don’t care about you. But you have the power to change this. Together, we can claw back our beautiful retail zones. We can clean up our streets by voting for an independent candidate who has no vested interests or political agendas. Our team of candidates (pictured above) will ensure that were gain better control of our council and get the outcomes you expect from a decent, independent politics free council.
• Freezing rates without cutting services
• Improving council’s customer services
• Cleaner, safer, greener streets
• Protecting carparking and cyclist safety
• Improved lighting, CCTV and stronger policing
to combat crime
• Calling out vested political groups
• Prioritising road improvements
• Holding council's 850 bureaucrats
• Listening to the community's needs accountable
ELIAS AROUND THE COMMUNITY
With Yom Kippur just around the corner, it is important to reflect on the concept of atonement and to consider this from a psychological perspective.
Atonement is defined as reparation for a wrong or injury.
During periods of self-reflection, it is important to atone for wrongs we believe we have committed against others. Known as teshuva, this is a process of self-evaluation and accountability, which results in self-improvement.
To take ownership of our actions, we need to recognise when we are behaving in ways that are hurtful. This acknowledgement can be confronting, as we are viewing behaviours that are not pleasant or acceptable.
If our behaviour has adversely impacted others, first up we need to acknowledge that. Depending upon what we did, we may need to make amends with more than a verbal communication. As the saying goes, “actions speak louder than words”. For instance, one of my clients decided to donate to charity.
After someone behaves badly, they can experience shame and guilt. This
Atonement
can result in cutting themselves off from others, becoming isolated and not resolving the issue.
We need to be courageous and willing to hear the negative impact our behaviour has had on others or, potentially, to listen to our own inner voice if the behaviour involved is selfsabotage or self-harm.
A conscious decision then needs to be made to not repeat the action. Ask yourself, what would be a more effective way to handle the situation if it ever arose again? Thus, the development of
new behaviours for the same events or triggers.
This enables us to maintain attachment to others and ourselves. Conversely, people who struggle with self-harm or self-sabotage become depersonalised and detached from self and others.
Up to this point we have atoned, become attuned and created attachment. These three concepts are necessary for us to move forward.
Finally, we need to look at the concept of forgiveness. We can spend an inordinate amount of time looking
for a reason for why this bad behaviour happened in the first place. While on occasions it may be clear, often it isn’t. We can behave as if on auto pilot … as a reflex to how we are feeling. I have seen and heard patients yell at reception staff at the medical centre at which I consult. An example is a patient who is angry because they have been waiting a long time to see the doctor. Without thinking through how best to communicate this, they simply “blow up”.
To move towards forgiveness, we also need to find acceptance. Remember, we don’t need to like something in order to accept it. Like and accept are two different concepts. For example, if I was the patient I mentioned above, I may not like that I yelled at someone, but I need to accept that I did it.
We also need to stop over-analysing bad behaviour. Sure, we should reflect on it so we learn to behave differently, but we also need to let it go in order to move ahead.
I leave you with a quote from an unknown author, which has strong relevance to this discussion: “Making amends does not indicate weakness. It’s a willingness to embrace self at its most difficult.” ”
Anne-Marie Elias is a psychologist in clinical practice for 25 years.
Kosher Crossword Rosh Hashanah
12. The Big Bang is this
13. It's better, in a phrase
18. Baldwin of "The Hunt for Red October"
21. Doeg or Avimelech ben Gidon, e.g.
22. 101 instructors, perhaps
23. Alaska's neighbor
24. Rabbi Norman of note
28. Engaged, and then some
30. Xenomorph, notably
31. Health care pro
34. Marlins' locale, briefly
e.g.
Annual tefillah
Paper fragments 32. Damascus's land: Abbr.
64-Across
"The Parent Trap" actress 38. "He blew the shofar strongly, loudly, with gusto, zeal, and alacrity." e.g.
Like Esmerelda's troupe in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"
As a true independent who is funding their own political campaign for Elwood Ward, I am free to speak out about the issue of Jewish safety.
I also had a Jewish safety policy when I stood in the last State election and was the only candidate to have one. It was before October 7 and, even then, appreciated by community members who told me so. Hence, it is part of my current local government campaign.
Unfortunately, political party-endorsed candidates in this election seem to be, so far, quiet on this issue. There is a lot of ‘double think’ going on. Big mistake.
The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. I cannot walk past. Like many of you in the community, I am suffering cognitive dissonance around what I am seeing and hearing.
I do not object to protesting.
I do not object to people taking sides. However, I am incredulous to clearly detect so much antisemitism in the vociferous protests about the Israel/
Action on Jewish safety
Sally Gibson
I write as someone who grew up hearing about our Jewish heritage. Further, through my sister, I have grown a tribe of community members and I
The threatened safety of one group in society destablises the entire social fabric and I, for one, won’t stand for it. Antisemitism, as reported in The Jewish
Jewry recorded 662 antisemitic incidents in late 2023 compared to 79 in the same period the year before. That’s a 738 per cent increase. Horrifying.
That’s also where my cognitive dissonance comes in. After so many decades of the community, including elderly Holocaust victims, educating about anti-Semitism and ‘Never Again’, here we are — again…
If elected, and using my extensive experience – which amounts to almost three decades – in every area of the State Government, including Justice, I would seek to convene a meeting with Victoria Police, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, the Premier and Attorney, as well as supportive councillors together with senior community members to develop a Jewish Safety Strategy and Plan.
Unfortunately, our current explosion of antisemitism will not just blow over, as some of our politicians suggest.
If you do me the honour of supporting my campaign in Elwood Ward, it would
CONSIDERED OPINION
YONI DILLER
Israel’s recent exploding pagers operation against Hezbollah was a dramatic and daring move that grabbed attention across the Middle East. In a highly coordinated attack, thousands of pagers used by Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon and Syria were destroyed in an instant. This wasn’t just a military strike – it was a statement. Israel showed that it could disrupt Hezbollah’s communication networks and damage its ability to operate effectively.
But what happens next? The operation was a bold step, but it leaves Israel, Hezbollah and the region on edge. Will this stop Hezbollah and Iran, or will it lead to a bigger, more dangerous conflict?
A tactical masterpiece
The exploding pagers strike was a stunning example of Israeli intelligence and technological capabilities. It wasn’t just about blowing up some devices; it was about sending a clear message to Hezbollah and its backer, Iran, that Israel can infiltrate their systems. Hezbollah’s communication network was crippled and it’s likely their operations were thrown into chaos.
This move was reportedly intended to be the opening act of a larger military campaign. Israel has been facing increased aggression from Hezbollah, which has launched rockets and drones at northern Israel for almost a year. The goal of this operation was to weaken Hezbollah enough to prevent further attacks and allow the thousands of Israelis who have fled the north to return home.
But even after this successful operation, Israel has chosen not to follow up with a full-scale ground invasion – at least not yet. This decision has left many wondering about the next steps and what opportunities and risks now lie ahead.
What Israel hopes to achieve
The exploding pagers operation provides Israel with several strategic opportunities.
• Reestablishing Deterrence: Over the past year, Hezbollah has grown bolder, pushing the limits of what it can get away with. Israel’s action is a clear warning: We can strike at any time, anywhere. By crippling Hezbollah’s communications network, Israel has shown that it can get deep inside its enemy’s systems and cause serious damage. This could force Hezbollah to think twice before launching another attack, knowing that Israel can hit back harder.
• Strengthening Regional Alliances: Hezbollah isn’t just a problem for Israel. Iran, which backs Hezbollah, is seen as a growing threat by other countries in the region, particularly Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. These nations, which have been quietly improving ties with Israel, could view this operation as a sign that Israel is a reliable partner against Iranian aggression. This could lead to stronger alliances in the region, with Israel playing a key role in countering Iran’s influence.
The exploding pagers: Israel’s game-changer
• Negotiation Power: Israel is currently facing threats from multiple fronts: Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and, even, Iran itself. The exploding pagers attack gives Israel leverage in negotiations for peace or ceasefire deals. If Hezbollah knows that Israel can strike without warning, it may push them to the negotiating table to avoid further losses.
The risks of escalation
While the operation was a major success in terms of strategy and execution, it also comes with significant risks.
• Hezbollah’s Likely Response: Hezbollah is not known for backing down. In fact, the group has already vowed retaliation. Over the past year, Hezbollah has steadily increased its attacks on Israel, launching rockets, drones and, even, attempting assassinations of Israeli leaders. The exploding pagers strike may provoke Hezbollah into stepping up its attacks, possibly leading to missile strikes on northern Israeli cities or even deeper into Israeli territory. This could escalate the conflict quickly and dangerously.
• Iran’s Role: Hezbollah is heavily backed by Iran, which provides it with funding, weapons and strategic guidance. Iran sees Hezbollah as a key part of its influence in the Middle East. If Iran feels that Hezbollah has been seriously weakened by the attack, it could respond by increasing its own involvement. This might mean more support for Hezbollah or, even, direct Iranian action in the region. Tehran could escalate tensions in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, where it has other allied militias. A broader regional conflict involving Iran would greatly increase the stakes for Israel and could drag other nations into the fight.
• Full-Scale War: The biggest risk is that this situation could spiral into a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah, possibly drawing in Iran and other regional players. Israel is already managing conflicts in Gaza and the West Bank, and a war with Hezbollah – one of the most powerful and wellequipped terrorist organisations in the world – would be far more intense. Israel’s military could be stretched thin and the conflict could last for months, if not longer. Such a war would not only be devastating for Israel, but could destabilise Lebanon, Syria, and possibly, even, Iraq.
The uncertainty ahead
Israel now finds itself at a critical decision point. Should it take advantage of Hezbollah’s current state of confusion and launch a ground invasion to further weaken the group? Or should it hold back, hoping that the attack has sent a strong enough message to prevent further escalation?
The Middle East is a region where every move can have far-reaching and unpredictable consequences. If Israel decides to press forward with military action, it could spark a wider conflict involving Iran and its allied militias across the region. On the other hand, if Israel doesn’t act, Hezbollah might see it as a sign of weakness and continue its attacks on northern Israel.
The role of Iran
Iran plays a central role in this conflict. As Hezbollah’s main backer, Iran’s reaction to the exploding pagers operation will be critical in determining what happens next. Iran has long used Hezbollah as a proxy force to push its interests in the region and a weakened Hezbollah could threaten Iran’s strategy. If Iran feels its influence is being undermined, it could escalate the
situation by providing Hezbollah with more advanced weapons, or by encouraging its other militias in Iraq, Yemen and Syria to step up their attacks on Israeli or Western interests.
At the same time, Israel must be careful not to provoke Iran too much. A direct conflict with Iran would be a far more dangerous and complicated affair, potentially dragging the entire region into chaos.
What happens next?
The exploding pagers operation was a tactical victory for Israel, but the future remains uncertain. Hezbollah and Iran are likely plotting their next moves, and Israel must now decide how to respond. A fullscale war would be costly and risky, but doing nothing could allow Hezbollah to regroup and become an even greater threat in the future.
The choices Israel makes in the coming weeks will have profound consequences not only for its own security, but for the entire Middle East. The region is watching closely and the decisions made now could reshape the balance of power for years to come.
Israel’s bold move has opened up opportunities to strengthen its deterrence, build alliances and gain leverage in negotiations, but it also comes with the risk of escalation into a broader conflict that could engulf the region. The exploding pagers operation is just the beginning and the Middle East is on edge, waiting to see what happens next.
Yoni Diller is an Israeli terror attack survivor and advocate who focuses on Jewish resilience, fighting antisemitism, Israeli affairs and geopolitics. He has a degree in political science and extensive experience in leadership, activism and public speaking.
AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Now is the time to step up
on behalf of the Jewish community and broader community.
ALEX KATS
It is coming up to the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, a date forever seared into the memory of all Jews, for all the wrong reasons. Initially, when I heard about the atrocity, I was in shock and paralysis, but then I hunkered down and continued to do the things that I am good at. That included hosting events as part of my role as co-chair of the Council of Christians and Jews and joining the antiracism sub-committee, as part of my role on one of the advisory councils within the City of Port Phillip. The latter was to specifically address antisemitism in the local community.
In recent months I have decided to step up further. I am now running for local council in the City of Port Phillip,
My desire to be more involved is underpinned by Jewish values. In many ways, the concept of ‘think globally,
Prayer is essentially a solo endeavour, but Judaism elevates it and makes it a shared experience when 10 men pray together. It is only then that communal prayers and the Torah can be read. I
My desire to be more involved is underpinned by Jewish values.
act locally’ has been one of my driving forces. The phrase itself originated in the 1970s, but from a Jewish perspective, the ideas behind it reach back to biblical times. Even the simple concept of a Minyan falls into that category.
believe this is because only when you think about others can you truly achieve your personal goals.
Local government is all about that too. Global, federal and state issues may affect how councils operate, but their
main concern is, or at least should be, how people within the local area are touched by it.
The sub-committee that I am now part of is looking only at how the residents of Port Phillip are impacted by antisemitism, not at the global conflict itself. I believe that at this time in our history and as we head towards the first anniversary of that fateful day, now more than ever is the time to be with our community and think globally, but to do so locally. I have been doing that for many years in various capacities, and I hope to be able to do it even more on behalf of the people of the City of Port Phillip.
Alex Kats is a Melbourne Jewish community activist and an independent candidate for the Balaclava ward at the upcoming City of Port Phillip council election.
How many common words of four or more letters can you spell using the letters in the hive? Every answer must use the centre letter at least once. Letters may be reused in a word. At least one word will use all seven letters and have a direct Jewish connection.
Proper names and hyphenated words are not allowed. Score 1 point for each answer and 3 points for a Jewish-related word that uses all 7 letters.
Rating: 9 = Good; 14 = Excellent; 20 = Genius
Yoni Glatt has published more than 1,000 crossword puzzles worldwide, from the LA Times and Boston Globe to The Jerusalem Post. He has also published two Jewish puzzle books: "Kosher Crosswords" and the sequel "More Kosher Crosswords and Word Games".
ANSWERS PAGE 26
AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Last month, a milestone event drawing together five streams of Judaism took place for a young adult audience experiencing antisemitism on campus, in the workplace, online and in the arts.
There has always been more than one way to be Jewish. In the beginning there were no Orthodox Jews, Reform’ Jews, Conservative’ Jews and so on. We were all Jews!
It is only as the Jewish community has evolved, integrating into society and being exposed to new ideas, that these ‘labels’ describing how we practice Judaism have been established. While they give the opportunity for all Jews to find a way to connect with Judaism, they can also divide us, creating invisible barriers that can weaken our response in challenging times.
Today, more than ever, we need to create pathways for working together as one strong Jewish community, united to combat rising antisemitism.
To address the need for a coordinated approach, the Under 25 Representative on the Progressive Judaism Victoria (PJV) Committee, Ashleigh Harris, championed bringing together spiritual leaders from different streams of Judaism to gain their insights.
How working together gives our community strength
The guest speakers were a panel of rabbis and a rabbanit, namely Senior Rabbi Allison Conyer (Temple Beth Israel), Rabanit Ellyse Borghi (Shira Hadasha), Rabbi Menachem Wolf (Spiritgrow), Rabbi Ralph Genende OAM (AIJAC/Kesher) and Rabbi Yonatan Sadoff (Kehilat Nitzan). Held on the night that we learnt of the deaths of six hostages, together the spiritual leaders led us in prayer for those slain and their families. Being together as one gave us strength and resilience. In the round table discussion that followed, the
Shana Tova U’metuka
panelists provided strategies for uniting to fight the fight we all face against antisemitism. The image of the different streams sitting alongside each other, engaging in constructive conversation, demonstrated how readily we can work together to support and strengthen our collective Jewish community.
Most importantly the conversation resonated with the young adult audience. One made it clear that she and her friends “got a lot out the discussion”. She said that not only was it interesting, but it was “very comforting/ healing to be in a room with so many Jewish spiritual leaders, especially (considering) recent events.”
With a solid community foundation, centered on respecting and celebrating our uniqueness, we have the power to stand up and fight against adversity.
Going forward, Progressive Judaism Victoria is committed to supporting the needs of young adults and welcome their involvement and suggestions for future initiatives. Please connect through our PJV Facebook page or via our email info@pjv.org.au
From left, Rabbi Yonatan Sadoff (Kehilat Nitzan), Senior Rabbi Allison Conyer (Temple Beth Israel), Rabannit Ellyse Borghi (Shira Hadasha), Rabbi Ralph Genende OAM (AIJAC/Kesher) and Rabbi Menachem Wolf (Spiritgrow) at PJV’s community forum.
CONSIDERED OPINION
RABBI SHRAGA SIMMONS COURTESY: AISH.COM
Dear Jon and Rachel,
It hasn’t yet been a month since the crushing heartbreak of Hersh’s murder.
Day after day, throughout this 11-month nightmare, you shared with us your slow-motion torture – likened to getting hit by a truck, while every minute of every day the truck is still crushing your chest.
You wanted to lie on the floor, curl up in the foetal position and weep hysterically. But you realised that won't help Hersh. So, rather than sink into despair, you chose the path of courage. “Hope is mandatory,” you declared.
Despite the anguish and uncertainty, you mustered superhuman strength to form “Team Hersh”, a public advocacy campaign with professional strategy and staff – its mission to keep Hersh and all the hostages at the forefront of our collective consciousness.
Day by day, in hundreds of media interviews and dozens of trips to the global halls of power, you devoted every moment and every possible resource toward rescuing Hirsch – leaving no stone unturned.
As Hersh himself testified in the recentlyreleased video: “I know you’re doing everything you can, out in the streets trying to bring me home.”
Day by day
Throughout this ordeal, one constant has been the piece of masking tape on your shirts: a new number every day, corresponding to the days of hostage captivity.
An emblem of pain over your hearts: Day 39 at the mass rally in DC; Day 47 meeting with the Pope; Day 67
An open letter to Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s parents
addressing the United Nations; Day 98 on the cover of Time magazine; Day 131 in the Wall Street Journal; Day 184 on Face the Nation; Day 186 at White House
with the President; Day 320 speaking to audience of millions at the Democratic National Convention. On social media, the “Bring Hersh Home” campaign acquired hundreds of thousands of followers. Around the world, Hersh’s photo was posted everywhere: bright red "Bring Hersh Home" stickers on lamp posts, banners hanging from apartment balconies and store windows, graffiti and t-shirts.
In the process, you helped unite the Jewish people and became an international symbol of hope.
Every night before getting a few restless hours of sleep, you could honestly say, “We tried deeply and desperately every single thing possible today to bring Hersh home.”
Moral clarity
Beyond any politics and media hype, you spoke with a universal humanitarian message that advocated for all the hostages: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists, from dozens of countries.
From the steps of the U.S. Capitol, you showed humanity how to fight evil with resilience, projecting a voice of moral clarity: “Why is the world accepting this [hostage situation]?” you shouted. “What will your excuse be?”
Long distance blessings
As observant Jews, your faith and relationship with God was the anchor to guide you through this extraordinary challenge.
You spoke with God throughout the day, showing us how all life is really a dialogue with God.
Amidst constant torment, you refused to succumb to grief and sorrow. Your constant mantra of “Stay strong and survive” enabled you to maintain a degree of mental and emotional stability.
You tapped into the power of Psalms, drawing wellsprings of strength from ancient words where, from a deep, dark cave, King David cries out to God amidst pain and despair.
Your dignity, poise and eloquence penetrated our hearts and gave us an anchor to survive.
You showed the world what it means to be Jewish parents: unconditional love for Hersh that has grown and developed even in his absence.
You displayed fierce maternal identification with Hersh’s plight, eschewing socialising, sweets and music. You consumed one bland meal a day. On Friday evenings, you’d stand on your apartment balcony in Jerusalem, face south toward Gaza and scream out to Hersh the traditional blessing over children. It was a blessing you recently repeated at the gates of Gaza, on what would be Hersh’s last day.
At the funeral, you showed the power of gratitude by publicly thanking God for the privilege of being Hersh’s parents. You wish it could be more, yet grateful for the precious gift you had.
Jewish family
Through your relentless efforts, Hersh became our brother, son and friend. Beneath the surface, all Jews – regardless of age, gender, politics, ancestry, wealth or beliefs – are one interconnected family.
We are a nation in mourning, our hearts shattered into pieces. Your pain is our pain, because the Jewish people are one family. Like a single body, an attack on one Jew is an attack on us all. When one limb hurts, we all feel the pain.
In Jerusalem, thousands of people lined the streets as you went to the funeral
Throughout the shiva, thousands of people waited in line to offer you words of comfort. You greeted everyone with a warm and friendly smile, and a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
Blessing forward
As you get up from sitting shiva, we bless you to stay strong and survive. We pledge to never lose focus that what unites us is greater than what divides us. Thank you for the privilege of inviting us to be part of your extended family. The heart of our nation is now linked with yours forever.
May you be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin z"l
From left, Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg
More than 1,100 members of Melbourne’s Jewish community gathered at Caulfield Shule on September 5th to show their unwavering support for Israel’s southern communities, which have been deeply affected by the war. Hosted by JNF Victoria, the annual event was a powerful demonstration of solidarity and hope, as attendees came together to support JNF Australia’s Healing Israel’s South campaign, which is aimed at rehabilitating and rebuilding the shattered communities of Israel’s southern region.
The evening was filled with stories of bravery and resilience, with guest speakers offering a glimpse into the strength and determination of those living in Israel’s south. It was a night of inspiration, as community members heard firsthand accounts of the challenges faced and the steps being taken to ensure a strong, secure and prosperous future for the region.
JNF Australia’s Healing Israel’s South vision is more than just a response to immediate needs. It is a carefully considered roadmap to long-term recovery. The campaign is structured in three key phases: emergency relief, rehabilitation and, ultimately, rebuilding and return. Each phase is designed to empower southern Israeli communities
A beacon of hope for Israel’s south: a vision for healing and renewal
to regain stability, heal from trauma and look toward a brighter future.
As part of the Healing the South efforts, JNF Victoria will raise funds for the ImagineBox program – an innovative learning and therapy space specifically tailored to address the urgent mental health needs of children in Israel’s south. As the region continues to grapple with the emotional and psychological aftermath of conflict, mental health
challenges – particularly among children – have surged by a staggering 400 per cent.
The ImagineBox offers children a safe environment where they can express their emotions, engage in therapeutic activities and build resilience.
Through advanced technology and creative therapeutic approaches, this initiative seeks to help children process their trauma, regain confidence and
dream again. The iconic JNF Blue Box campaign remains a symbol of hope and renewal. This year, JNF Australia is calling on the community to help bring the ImagineBox to life.
“Through your support, you’re not just donating to a cause – you’re giving children a chance to heal, to dream again and to find hope,” said JNF Victoria executive director Ilana Maizels.
“This Rosh Hashanah, join JNF in this crucial mission to heal Israel’s south.
As we approach the High Holidays, JNF’s message to the community is clear: ‘With collective effort and unwavering support, we can help bring healing and renewal to the families and children.
“As we welcome the Jewish New Year, may we also welcome peace, prosperity and healing for Israel and the world at large.”
Rosh Hashanah e-cards are available at jnf.org.au/roshHashanahpomegranatee-card, with proceeds going towards the ImagineBox and other vital rehabilitation efforts.
For more information on how to help turn the ImagineBox from a vision into a reality, visit jnf.org.au/bbrh24 or contact the JNF Victoria office on 1300 563 563.
CONSIDERED OPINION
KYLIE ORA LOBELL COURTESY: AISH.COM
Yehudah Pryce had just spent three years in county jail. The 22-year-old gang member was involved in an armed robbery, where he robbed some drug dealers with the help of an accomplice. The accomplice turned him in for a plea deal and Pryce ended up behind bars.
After being in jail, he was set to receive his sentencing: 24 years in prison. The court gave him four years for robbery, 10 years for a gang enhancement and 10 years for a gun enhancement. He was promptly sent to Pelican Bay State Prison, a maximumsecurity prison in California.
“I thought prison was cool,” Pryce said in an Aish.com interview. “I understood what it meant to be a gangster and a thug and in this sort of environment. It made sense to me. I was aggressive and confrontational. I felt like I could outsmart my adversaries. And I didn’t care if I lived or died.”
Becoming a gangster
Pryce grew up in Orange County, California, a sunny SoCal enclave. He is the son of a Sri Lankan mother and a Jamaican father. His parents were divorced, so his mother and Caucasian stepfather raised him. He felt out of place because in his neighbourhood, he was a minority.
“Before I turned 8, my identity crisis started,” he said. “If I got into an argument with a friend who was black, he’d bring up my family. I viewed it as my Achilles heel. Everyone what super invested in race and what I looked like. I couldn’t enjoy my life.”
Pryce didn’t fit in at school and he didn’t feel like he belonged at church, either.
“We only went on specific holidays,” he said. “When my biological father took me to church, we’d try to get there late and leave early.”
By the time Pryce was a teenager, he was lost – until he discovered the gang lifestyle. He started selling drugs, stealing and carrying guns at 13.
“I wanted to take control and belong to something,” he said. “I was living the way I wanted and not being weighed down by my family’s or society’s ideas of what I should or shouldn’t do. I was not excited by the idea of going to work every day, getting married and having kids. It wasn’t enough for me. I was trying to actively avoid that.”
He didn’t have a role model, so he admired the gang members.
“I didn’t look up to anyone or see myself in anyone,” he said. “Once I got connected to the gang members – who were violent and sold drugs – I looked up to and respected them.”
When the teen became a gangster, he didn’t belong to any one gang and that was on purpose.
“That’s how I could gain notoriety amongst a multitude of gangs and in the subculture generally,” he said. “Your reputation precedes itself when you go from gang to gang.”
Pryce was sent to juvenile hall a few times for robberies and selling drugs. When he was 16, and his entire family was at home, his house was shot up. No one was hurt, thankfully. The dramatic event didn’t stop him from leaving the gang lifestyle.
“I felt like I belonged,” he said. “There was a camaraderie. When you are doing crimes together, it builds a bond among people. No one questioned my identity, either. Maybe it was out of fear. Beyond that, I loved having guns. There was a sense of power, where you controlled life
Gang member and convict turned Orthodox Jew
and death. It solidified me in this world. I liked being feared and respected.”
When Pryce legally became an adult, he decided he’d rob drug dealers, since he thought they wouldn’t call the cops. He’d be less likely to get arrested. But after his robbery at 19 – when his accomplice turned on him – his days on the streets were over.
He was now facing over two decades behind bars.
Finding his faith in prison
At Pelican Bay, where prisoners spend all day in their cells and are rarely allowed to go outside, Pryce suddenly had a lot of time to fill. He picked up some books on Christianity, Buddhism and Islam, but didn’t connect with any of them.
And then, Pelican Bay brought in a rabbi to speak to the prisoners. The rabbi came during lockdown and was there to meet with a few incarcerated individuals. The prison offered him a chair but, instead, he sat on the floor with the prisoners.
“It wasn’t meant to make a statement of any kind,” Pryce said. “His natural character traits stood out to me.”
That rabbi was only temporary; Pryce would go on to form a six-year relationship with the next one who came in.
He’d argue with the rabbi about organised religion, calling it the opiate of the masses. One thing that stood out about the rabbi’s talks was he said that to be a good person you didn’t have to be a Jew.
“That made so much sense to me,” Pryce said. “My problem with religion was people saying their religion was the only way. I thought, how could you claim that?”
He also learned about discrimination towards the Jewish people throughout history.
“The Jews were persecuted wherever they lived and they thrived,” he said. “This, to me, was evidence that God existed. I wanted to be more connected to it.”
After reading books on Judaism, Pryce turned to the prayer book, which resonated with him. He memorised the silent Jewish prayer, the Amidah. “I wanted
to be able to pray by heart in case we went into lockdown,” he said. “Then, I could daven three times a day.”
Pryce’s fellow inmates were anything but encouraging. Race and identity meant everything behind bars; Pryce was once stabbed simply because he’s black. Once they saw him learning about Judaism, they taunted him.
“They told me the Jews wouldn’t accept me,” he said. “They said I wouldn’t fit in.”
Still, Pryce had to follow his heart. He got hold of a smuggled smartphone and read up on Judaism as much as he could. He also ordered a tallit and tefillin and put them on every day, and met a Jewish woman named Ariella on Instagram. He started keeping kosher in prison and observing Shabbat on his own.
He became a Jewish chapel clerk and ran Jewish groups.
After two years of studying Judaism, he decided he was going to convert and do an Orthodox conversion – even though he’d never met an Orthodox Jew. When he was in his 13th year in prison, there was a legal ruling in California that because the prisons were overrun, inmates who were convicted prior to the age of 23 could become eligible for early parole.
Three years later, in 2018, after spending 16 years in prison, Pryce got out. He was now dating Ariella, who had grown up in an Orthodox family but had strayed from practice and he had applied for his conversion. When he met the Orthodox rabbi who performed conversions, he was taken aback by the response.
“He didn’t judge me,” Pryce, who is covered in tattoos, said. “He told me, let’s give it a try. My experience has been one of full acceptance.”
Living as an Orthodox Jew Pryce joined the Orthodox Jewish community in Irvine and converted in 2020. He then married Ariella, who moved from Canada to California to be with him. His family accepted his decision. “My mom converted from Islam to Christianity and my dad is a Baptist, but both of them have respect for Judaism,” he said. “They saw
me as a fully committed gangster and criminal, and now they see me living this wholesome life. They’re super appreciative of Judaism and supportive of me.”
Now, Pryce is a father of four and lives in Los Angeles with Ariella, in an Orthodox Jewish community. He earned his doctorate and is a clinical social worker at Chabad Treatment Center. He has a large following on his Instagram, where he shares videos about his life and combatting antisemitism, and he posted up multiple photos and videos of his powerful postOctober 7 trip to Israel.
He also posts about his personal life, letting his followers know about what’s going on with his family. Recently, he celebrated his son Yochanan’s upsherin, the haircut boys get when they turn three, along with tzitzit, a kippah and a prayer book.
This milestone was a miracle: When Yochanan was four months old, he was close to death and rushed to the hospital. “My wife and I agonised as doctors struggled to figure out how to treat him,” said Pryce. But with the help of their fellow Jews, they and their beautiful son pulled through.
“It was my Jewish community, family and friends, and Chai Lifeline that enabled my wife and me to weather the storm,” said Pryce. “After five months, my son was released from the hospital and now he has completely recovered.”
Looking back on his life, Pryce can see that he is blessed. And if he could tell anything to his younger self, it would be this: “You’re facing challenges and tough situations and making poor choices. How do you want the next chapters to unfold? You need to create a story that matters. You do matter and you only have one life to live.”
With every moment, Pryce is using his platform to be a proudly visible Jew and is constantly working on his mission in life: to cultivate a strong relationship with God.
“I want to continue to grow my connection to God,” he said. “The more I draw closer to Him, the clearer everything becomes.”
Yehudah Pryce spent 16 years in prison, underwent a personal and spiritual transformation, and decided to become a Jew
ROBERT GREGORY AUSTRALIAN JEWISH ASSOCIATION AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Former Knesset member for the leftwing, Israeli Labor Party, Dr Einat Wilf recently addressed the Australian Jewish Association’s weekly Zoom event.
Einat spoke about her personal journey. She started off in the ‘Peace camp’ and was a supporter of the idea that Israel could give up land and would receive peace in return.
She described how the ‘euphoria’, she and the ‘peace camp’ felt in the 1990s was shattered when Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat walked away from peace talks and launched a wave of violence.
She said, at that moment, she realised that the Palestinian Arabs do not want a state but instead their main priority is the destruction of the Jewish State.
One of the revelations, Einat discovered was that the Palestinian Arabs were never alone in their fight against Israel. She described it as a ‘treasure’ for them, that their opponent was the Jews. They could always count on the support of antisemitic forces.
Einat explored that chronology. In the 1930s and 40s, the Nazis were courted as an ally to destroy the Jewish national home. The cooperation between the Mufti of Jerusalem and the Nazis is well documented.
Following the defeat of the Nazis, up until the 1960s, the major supporter of
Former Knesset member has a message for Australia’s Jews
the campaign to destroy the Jewish state was the ‘pan-Arabist’ movement.
The Arab world coalesced around a goal of destroying the Jewish state which led to multiple large-scale wars. This movement was best personified by Egyptian dictator Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Following the defeat of the Arab States, which they had armed and financed, the Soviet Union was humiliated and took up the mantle of the struggle against
Israel. The Soviets, in effect created the concept of ‘anti-Zionism’ as a mask for the antisemitism that remained from Tsarist times. The Soviets took the movement global, as a tool to fight the West, inserting it into international organisations, like the United Nations and in academia. It is during this time that we see the emergence of false slanders against the Jewish State, like ‘Apartheid’, ‘colonialism’, ‘white supremacy’ and even ‘genocide’. The Soviet campaign culminated in the infamous 1975 UN resolution that ‘Zionism is Racism’ and the setting up of the international, antiIsrael infrastructure.
After a short respite following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Iran became the new sponsor of the antiIsrael campaign. Einat believes the Jewish people face the greatest moment of peril since WW2, as many forces combine against us.
The good news is that those who persecuted us, like the Nazis, Soviets and Pan-Arabists were consigned to the dustbin of history. Any regime obsessed with fighting the Jews, to the extent it neglects its own population will fall. The bad news is that on the way out, they caused a lot of harm for Jews. The Nazis murdered 6 million, the Pan-Arabists expelled 800 thousand Jews, and the Soviets created the infrastructure that
demonises Israel today. It is up to us to limit the damage that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Ayatollah Regime causes before it too enters the dustbin.
Einat had a message for the Australian Government that has recently greatly increased funding of the controversial organisation, UNRWA – The United Nations Relief Works Agency. Einat explained how UNRWA is focused on the negation of Jewish sovereignty and that Australian funding grants UNRWA undeserved legitimacy. She described how UNRWA textbooks teach Arab children to hate and promote the belief that they are perpetual refugees with a ‘right of return’ of millions of Arabs to Israel. By taking over the roles of government, UNRWA absolves Hamas of the responsibilities of governing and allows them to focus on destroying Israel.
The recording of the event is available on the AJA YouTube channel.
The Australian Jewish Association runs a weekly Zoom event at 8pm on Wednesday nights. Speakers include prominent local and international politicians, ambassadors, journalists and other leaders.
Subscribe to the free AJA email list to be informed ahead of time at www.jewishassociation.org.au/ subscribe
Dr Einat Wilf
German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein was one of the founders of the Hebrew University and a strong advocate for its role as the ‘University of the Jewish People’. Einstein said: “… support of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the maintenance of its high standards are of decisive importance.”
He felt so positively about the university that leading up to his death in 1955 he bequeathed all his writings and intellectual property to the institution. The Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University now includes more than 82,000 Einstein items and is an important stop for many visitors to the university’s Mt Scopus campus. I was recently told that an original letter from Einstein had been held by the family of the man to whom it was written in Bendigo, Victoria.
The three-page letter, signed by Einstein, was a reply to a question put to him in early 1951 by then Melbournebased physicist Leonard Champion. Champion’s missive to Einstein is already in the Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University. Champion’s granddaughter Meg contacted the Hebrew University advising that the family was interested in donating Einstein’s response. She said: “my grandfather would be very happy to know the letter is in its rightful place.”
Einstein letter makes it back home
That was all I needed to hear and immediately set the wheels in motion by suggesting I drive from Melbourne to Bendigo to collect the correspondence. Accompanied by visiting Hebrew University professor Gila Kahila Bar-Gal, I ended up collecting the letter from Meg’s father, Rob Champion, meeting him halfway, in Woodend. When handing over the letter, Rob said: “I know
my father always had in mind that the letter should be archived with Einstein’s correspondence.”
In a quirk of fate, I knew that a longstanding supporter of the Hebrew University, Karen Pisk, would be travelling to Israel in early September. When I called her, she immediately agreed to transport the letter to the university, saying it was an honour to be able to do so.
Hebrew University Einstein Archives information officer Miriam Kutschinski has since written to me sharing her appreciation for me securing the letter and arranging for its transportation to Israel. “Thank you very much for having arranged this Einstein letter handover. New acquisitions like this are very rare and exciting.”
The Einstein Archives will ultimately be housed in the soon to be built Einstein House on the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
The opening was originally scheduled for mid-2025, but due to the current situation in Israel, construction has been delayed.
Einstein House has been designed by world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind as a cube twisted on a vertical axis. It will serve to highlight the impact of Einstein’s discoveries, his involvement in humanitarian and civil rights issues, and his deep commitment to the Hebrew University, Israel and the global Jewish community.
The building will include a reconstruction of Einstein’s personal library and his office. There will be exhibits of his original documents, including those on the theory of relativity and the manuscript that introduced the famous equation E=mc². The new facility is expected to become one of Israel’s foremost tourist attractions.
Rob Champion (left) handing over Einstein’s letter to Rob Schneider
THE COMMUNITY
YOASH DVIR TECHNION AUSTRALIA AROUND
In recent years, we have witnessed tremendous advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), with systems like large language models (LLMs) pushing the boundaries of what machines can do. From generating realistic text to writing code, the capabilities of AI have become more impressive virtually daily. But what happens when we ask AI to do more than just assist with tasks? What if we asked it to drive entire scientific research processes? A groundbreaking study conducted at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology has explored this possibility and the results are both exciting and thought-provoking.
The researchers developed a platform called "data-to-paper", which essentially mimics the way human scientists conduct research. This AI-driven platform autonomously guides itself through the research process, starting with raw data, formulating hypotheses, testing these, analysing the results and, finally, writing a complete research paper. The system is capable of handling various datasets and performing simple research cycles without human intervention.
One of the major benefits of AI systems like data-to-paper is their speed. Traditional scientific research can take months or even years, depending upon the complexity of the problem. However, AI can perform similar tasks in just a
The promise and challenges of AI-driven research
fraction of the time. For example, datato-paper can generate a complete research paper in about an hour for simpler research questions. This could revolutionise the way we conduct research, speeding up discoveries in fields like medicine, physics, and engineering.
However, while the platform is a significant step forward, there are important limitations to keep in mind. When tasked with more complex research questions, the AI system showed a higher rate of errors, indicating
that human involvement is still crucial. Specifically, the study revealed that while the system was able to autonomously generate research papers with a high degree of accuracy about 80 to 90 per cent of the time for simple tasks, more complex challenges required human oversight. This highlights the current limitations of AI when it comes to solving intricate problems that require deep insight and creativity.
Another key point raised by the researchers is the importance of transparency, traceability and
verifiability in AI-driven research. The data-to-paper platform incorporates several safeguards to ensure that the research process can be traced from the initial data all the way through to the final paper. This allows scientists to verify the AI findings and understand how it arrived at its conclusions, which is critical in maintaining trust in AI-generated results.
Yet, as exciting as these advancements are, they also raise some concerns. If not used responsibly, AI could be misused to flood the academic world with a high volume of low-quality papers, overloading peer-review systems, or even being exploited to manipulate research findings for dishonest purposes. That’s why the research community needs to establish ethical guidelines and oversight, ensuring that AI tools are used to complement, not replace, human ingenuity.
So, “yes”, the development of autonomous AI research platforms like data-to-paper represents a significant leap forward in the field of AI and scientific research. It offers exciting possibilities for accelerating discovery and freeing up human researchers to focus on higher-level tasks. However, as with any powerful tool, it comes with challenges and risks that we must carefully manage. By ensuring that AI remains a transparent, accountable and cooperative partner in the research process, we can look forward to a future where humans and AI work together to push the frontiers of knowledge.
For 100 years, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology has strengthened the State and people of Israel. No institution holds more promise for its future.
It educates global entrepreneurs, develops pioneering technologies, expands our scientific frontiers and betters life around the world.
An AI-generated photo (still some work to do)
DAVID SOLOMON AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS OF TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Given the dramatic events of the past 12 months, this Rosh Hashanah promises to provide many poignant moments as we reflect on how history will record the explosion in the lives of Jews around the world. How will the stories be told in 20, 200 or 2,000 years? Nothing can be taken for granted.
By way of illustration, new archaeological research from Tel Aviv University (TAU) is reshaping the narrative of the Roman siege of Masada, one of history's most storied events. For years, it has been widely accepted that the Romans laid siege to the desert fortress for three years before conquering it in 73 CE. However, a recent study conducted by the Neustadter Expedition from the Sonia & Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology at TAU challenges this, revealing that the siege lasted just a few weeks.
Led by Dr Guy Stiebel, alongside Dr Hai Ashkenazi and PhD candidates Boaz Gross and Omer Ze’evi-Berger, the research team used cutting-edge technology to reach this conclusion. Their findings were published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology, and demonstrated that the Roman conquest of Masada was a rapid and efficient military operation, rather than a prolonged struggle.
Reassessing a legendary siege
The siege of Masada has long held a prominent place in Jewish history. The fortress, located atop a plateau near the Dead Sea, was the last stronghold of Jewish rebels during
TAU’s archaeologists challenge the Masada siege story
the Great Jewish Revolt. According to the ancient historian Flavius Josephus, nearly a thousand Jewish defenders, known as the Sicarii, took refuge at Masada. When the Romans finally broke through, the defenders chose mass suicide over capture. It is a dramatic tale that has become a symbol of Jewish resistance. This story, along with the belief that the Romans spent three years conquering the fortress, became embedded in Jewish and Israeli culture. Yet, according to Dr Stiebel, “Our study is the first to use modern technologies to offer an objective analysis of the Roman siege system at Masada, and our findings challenge the traditional narrative.”
A high-tech approach
The expedition utilised advanced technologies to renew excavations at Masada, including drones, remote sensing and 3D digital modelling to analyse the Roman siege system. Remote sensors captured high-resolution images of Masada and its surroundings, allowing the researchers to build detailed 3D models of the Roman fortifications. This unprecedented precision enabled them to accurately measure the dimensions of the Roman military camps and the surrounding siege wall. Dr. Ashkenazi, now Head of Geoinformatics at the Israel Antiquities Authority, explained how these tools provided new insights into the timeline of the siege. “We know how much earth and stone a Roman soldier could move in a
single day, and we know that around 6,000 to 8,000 soldiers participated in the siege,” said Dr. Ashkenazi. “Using this data, we estimated how long it would have taken to construct the entire siege system, which includes eight camps and a stone wall surrounding most of Masada.”
The calculations showed that the construction likely took only about two weeks. Once the assault ramp was completed, the Romans launched a swift and brutal attack, overwhelming Masada’s defences.
Myth versus reality
The idea of a three-year siege has been central to the Masada narrative. For years, the prolonged siege was seen as evidence of the fortress’s resilience and the defenders’ determination, as well as a testament to the difficulty the Roman army faced in conquering it.
While the new research alters the timeline of the siege, Dr Stiebel emphasised that it does not diminish the significance of Masada’s place in history. “The narrative of Masada is deeply rooted in Israeli DNA and the Zionist ethos. It has been a symbol of resistance for many years. However, our research shows that the Roman siege was shorter and more decisive than previously believed. The Romans came, saw and conquered quickly and brutally. But this does not detract from the importance of Masada as a historical and cultural site,” Dr Stiebel said.
Unanswered questions
While the study clarifies the duration of the siege, it also raises new questions about the Roman Empire’s motivations. Masada was a remote fortress with little strategic value, yet the Romans invested significant resources in its capture. “Why did the Romans put so much effort into seizing this seemingly unimportant fortress?” Dr. Stiebel asked. “This question, along with many others, remains a mystery.”
To explore these questions, the TAU team has initiated a broader research project focused on the Masada region. The project aims to collect more data from the site and its surroundings using modern technologies to gain a deeper understanding of the events leading up to the siege and its aftermath.
A new historical perspective
This study is part of a growing trend in archaeology, where advanced technologies are providing new insights into ancient events. Now, science is offering a more nuanced view of what actually happened. “While myths and stories are an important part of how we relate to the past, it’s crucial to ask questions and seek truth through scientific inquiry,” Dr Stiebel said.
In a quote often attributed to Winston Churchill, it is said that history is written by the victors. Perhaps in this new media age, history will be written by the camera and the journalists, but validated by science.
The gift of a lifetime.
The things we care about don’t stop when we do. What will be your legacy?
Now, more than ever, the future of our people in Israel is paramount. A bequest - a promise today for Israel’s tomorrow - is one of the most inspiring gifts you can give. Join TAU’s global family of supporters who, beyond their lifetime, have committed to ensure Israel’s future by supporting its greatest natural resourceits people. The education of future generations at TAU will have an enduring and global impact. Making a gift in your will to Tel Aviv University will ensure your legacy lives on with Israel, forever.
THE COMMUNITY
September has been performance month at The King David School It started with Spring Concert, a showcase of musical talent from junior, middle and senior school. Performers included the RocKing David Band (junior school students), junior choir, woodwind quintet, junior and senior Strings with flute and percussion, senior choir and the Nana band singing "Im Telech" by Idan Raichel. Then followed the years 6 to 9 musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The story unfolds with a litany of song styles, including country and western, calypso and rock 'n' roll.
Success is in The King David School’s DNA
Finally, it was the turn of years 3 to 5 in Back from the Future, written and directed by Nissim Ben-Salamon, head of productions in the junior school. The show looked at possible futures for these students as authors, accountants, artists, footy players, rabbis and vets.
In total, more than 170 students appeared on stage, while there were 18 backstage helpers and the support of many parent volunteers. In more good news, The King David School has been recognised as a 5-Star Innovative Schools 2024 winner for its Integrated English program in the junior school.
This program has transformed the curriculum by integrating literacy skills with content knowledge across subjects, significantly enhancing student learning outcomes.
THE KING DAVID SCHOOL AROUND
Gemma Hatfield (in the centre of the frame)
Pictured as the vet is Nina Lenko
From left, Ani Januszewicz and Alex Dubois
From left, Georgia Rubinstein, Gideon Bush and Freya Rosin
AROUND THE COMMUNITY
JDC (THE JOINT) AUSTRALIA
JDC (The Joint) has always risen to meet crises. The aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack on the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel is no exception. On that day, an event intended for joy and celebration at Kibbutz Re'im became a scene of utter terror. Of the 4,000 young people attending, 364 were killed and dozens remain captive. While more than 3,800 managed to escape, the trauma of that day is something they will carry forever.
In response, the Israeli government called upon The Joint to spearhead recovery efforts for the Nova survivors. With a deep history of providing critical aid in times of need, The Joint partnered with the Ministry of Welfare and the National Insurance Institute to offer immediate and long-term support to survivors. Together, they’ve developed 13 unique therapeutic responses, ranging from psychological care to assistance with employment and education.
At the heart of The Joint’s response is a centre for survivors, where they can find community, participate in workshops and receive trauma care, including art and music therapy. These efforts provide a safe space for survivors to process their experiences. Many currently gather
Supporting the survivors of Nova Music Festival atrocity
weekly in Tel Aviv’s Menachem Begin Park to partake in these supportive sessions.
In addition to emotional support, The Joint is focused on the survivors’ practical
needs. With most attendees being in their 20s and 30s, this is a critical time in their educational and professional development. Having lost friends and family in the attack, many survivors are
struggling to return to work or continue with their studies. The Joint’s traumainformed approach ensures they receive psychological and practical help to regain their footing and rebuild their lives.
The Joint’s response also includes providing long-term mental health care. Experts estimate that 10 to 20 per cent of survivors will develop post-traumatic stress disorder. To address this, The Joint offers intensive individual and group therapy, along with healing retreats for those dealing with grief and loss.
These initiatives, part of a two-year development plan, will reach at least 900 survivors and reflect The Joint’s expertise in disaster response and unwavering commitment to supporting vulnerable communities. By helping these survivors recover emotionally, mentally and financially, The Joint is not only rebuilding lives but also restoring hope.
The survivors of the Nova Music Festival continue to need our support. The Joint is dedicated to providing the care and healing they need, helping them find a way forward.
To donate, go to https://thejoint.org. au/
AUJS offers students a sense of community
DANIELLE TISCHMANN
AUSTRALASIAN UNION OF JEWISH STUDENTS
In an increasingly interconnected yet fragmented world, the value of community has never been more critical, particularly for young Jewish students navigating university life. I have been a part of The Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) for almost four years. I can proudly say that AUJS plays an indispensable role in fostering a sense of belonging and identity by creating microJewish communities across university campuses in Australia and New Zealand. University can be an isolating experience for many. Jewish students face unique challenges as universities have become the focal point for antisemitic activity. So, I like to think of AUJS as a home away from home, a familiar feeling, a warm embrace or pep talk from a dear friend. In short, AUJS creates spaces for Jewish students to connect with others who share similar values, beliefs, and experiences. These smaller, localised groups offer a unique support system that nurtures personal and communal growth. By building and developing these micro communities, AUJS ensures that Jewish students feel grounded, supported and empowered.
After October 7, I found myself searching for ways to make sense of the world, which led me to the prolific writing of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. Rabbi Sacks often spoke about the importance of investing in the next generation, viewing it as essential for the survival and flourishing of the Jewish people. AUJS
embodies this philosophy by giving young Jewish students the tools, networks and confidence they need to thrive during and after their university years. Through leadership development programs, social events, educational seminars and advocacy initiatives, AUJS cultivates a new generation of Jewish leaders that are connected to their community and committed to making a positive impact in the world. What sets AUJS apart is its ability to adapt to the diverse needs of Jewish students across different campuses. Each region and campus faces its own unique set of challenges and opportunities, and it tailors its approach accordingly. AUJS leaders across Australia and New Zealand dedicate time and energy to fostering Jewish life on campus. Whether it’s organising a social event for Jewish students in Sydney, curating an educational program in Melbourne, or advocating for Jewish students in Brisbane, AUJS ensures that each micro community is vibrant and relevant.
Rabbi Sacks emphasised the power of community in shaping individuals and, in turn, the future. AUJS takes this responsibility seriously, helping to instil a sense of identity, purpose and belonging in every student who participates in its programs. AUJS is not just offering a safe space for Jewish students; it is investing in the future of the Jewish people.
In a world where connection often feels fleeting, AUJS is a beacon of hope, providing Jewish students with the foundation they need to thrive –academically, socially and spiritually. The impact of AUJS cannot be overstated, as it continues to nurture the next generation of Jewish thinkers and leaders.
Danielle Tischman, the incoming co-president of AUJS
Survivors of the Nova Music Festival tragedy at an event organised by The Joint
COMMUNITY
When we say “Am Yisrael Chai”, it’s not just a catchcry, but a promise. UIA made a solemn commitment to stand by the People of Israel – to keep Am Yisrael alive and thriving. This promise has been upheld since our inception over a century ago and it is a promise that has been further reinforced following the events of October 7.
Now, as this war continues nearly a year on and rockets are fired from both Gaza and Lebanon, it’s a promise that needs to be laid in concrete. That is why, in partnership with The Jewish Agency for Israel, we are spearheading a mobile shelter project for the protection of our people in heavily populated cities and towns in Israel’s south and North.
These communities live under the daily threat of rockets and, unfortunately, they are not fully protected. The urgent deployment of concrete-cast mobile protective shelters in the streets of these communities will enable residents to take cover in seconds. This will also increase their sense of security during this war and in other times of emergency.
During this High Holy Day period, UIA calls for your prayers and attention on one community desperately in need of
UIA’s concrete promise to the People of Israel
kibbutz of about 800 people – located 10 kilometres south of Ashkelon, close to the border with the Gaza Strip. Yad Mordechai is completing the construction of a Technological Centre for primary school students in the
operation of the school is dependent on ensuring the children’s safety. In addition to all the other security measures that are in place, two mobile bomb shelters are urgently needed to add a further layer of protection for these vulnerable children.
That’s why Kibbutz Yad Mordechai will be the first recipient of UIA’s concrete promise. These High Holy Days, the Australian Jewish community will unite to deliver these concrete mobile bomb shelters and pray that they should never be needed.
UIA Victoria CEO Peter Horovitz said, “The provision of these shelters for the children at Kibbutz Yad Mordechai is urgent. And when we hear of an urgent need for the People of Israel, UIA steps up. We accept responsibility for our people. We are proud that our promise is concrete and we will consistently go beyond thoughts and prayers to provide tangible and meaningful ways to stand by the People of Israel during these incredibly challenging times.”
UIA hopes you will join its concrete promise to the People of Israel these High Holy Days. All donations are taxdeductible with 100 per cent of funds gathered directly dedicated to these mobile shelters.
For more information, or to make a donation, visit uiaaus.net/kn or call 9272-5533.
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A child being sheltered by her mother during a recent rocket attack by Hamas in Israel
CONSIDERED OPINION
NOMI KALTMANN COURTESY: TABLET MAGAZINE
Since October 7, the country’s small Jewish community has faced growing prejudice.
In November 2023, just weeks after the Hamas attacks of October 7, New Zealand’s Holocaust Centre in Wellington issued a report focusing on Jewish children aged 9 to 18 that revealed that 50 per cent of responding parents reported their children had faced antisemitism in their school since October 7.
“Pre-October 7, we received one or two complaints a year,” said Deborah Hart, the Centre’s board chair, who commissioned the report. “After [October 7], the steep rise in complaints we were getting was incredibly concerning and we wanted to know how big this problem was.”
In a follow-up report, compiled in July 2024, by the same organisation, that number was even higher: A staggering 80 per cent of respondents said their children had suffered antisemitic episodes in their schools.
These reports, each of which have more than 30 respondents, have not been made public to protect the location and identity of children, who are often the only Jewish people in their local area, but the data can be backed up with New Zealand police statistics.
New Zealand’s Holocaust Centre found that antisemitism was not limited to one place or demographic in the country. “We have police crime statistics, so we know that there was a 530 per cent increase in the targeting of Jews between 20222023,” said Hart. “In New Zealand, Jews are just 0.2 per cent of the population. Unfortunately, Jewish New Zealanders are 160 times more likely to be the victim of a hate crime than Mori New Zealanders, who are also targeted.”
When asked what these antisemitic incidents may look like, Hart was frank: “It looks like graffiti and abuse online. In schools, it’s everything ranging from namecalling to physical abuse. And some of it is particularly nasty, like a child who went swimming and when he came back to put on his shirt, it was covered in swastikas. Or a report of a child locked in a room with kids outside screaming ‘Free Palestine’, and when he came out, they tried to assault him with a broom handle.”
In response to this worrying increase in antisemitism, Hart would like to see an antisemitism envoy appointed in New Zealand, mirroring efforts in countries like Australia and the United States, and for the Holocaust to be part of New Zealand’s mandatory education curriculum.
This hasn’t happened so far, but some initial funding has been provided by the New Zealand government to support an education package put together by the Holocaust Centre to be sent out to teachers and schools across New Zealand to combat antisemitism. “We are developing the education package, so it’s pedagogically sound and easy for teachers to use,” said Hart.
Since October 7, Kadimah college in Auckland – New Zealand’s only Jewish school, which has classes from kindergarten to Year 8 – has been on high alert from extremism from right- and left-wing groups.
“It’s a bit upsetting,” said Darya Bing, the chair of the school board of trustees. “When you speak to people about it, they are really shocked. Most New Zealanders are very kind and very lovely people who are not at all aware of the outcomes to the Jewish community. Your common reaction
In New Zealand, antisemitism in the classroom and beyond
will be: ‘What? What do you mean they have security guards outside your school?’”
This past year saw a boom in enrolment at Kadimah. The school, which also welcomes non-Jews and has a total of 150 students, usually has a mix of 50 per cent Jewish and 50 per cent non-Jewish students. Today the ratio is closer to 70 per cent Jewish. It has a special status in New Zealand as an integrated school, one that is partly funded by the government and has a special charter to teach Jewish studies and Hebrew alongside the regular New Zealand curriculum.
“The school is growing rapidly,” said Bing. While she partly attributed the increase in enrolments to families fleeing rising antisemitism in New Zealand’s schools, she also attributes it to a rise in many professional immigrants moving to New Zealand and their desire to fit into a community that aligns with their values. “In the initial decision to bring their kids to Kadimah, [some families might think], oh, okay, I’m going to New Zealand and might as well go to a Jewish school and mitigate [the chance of antisemitism] before it starts,” she said.
Students are not the only ones affected by rising antisemitism.
In Christchurch, members of the Jewish community have been shaken by an antisemitic attack against Canterbury Synagogue. In an attack captured on CCTV, the synagogue had its windows smashed. Shary Baker, the synagogue’s vice president, feels that she is misunderstood as a Jewish person in New Zealand. “There is little to no education in schools here about minorities such as Jews,” she said. “Most [New Zealanders] aren’t taught about the Holocaust. Many non-Jewish students’ first experience of
what Jewishness is or what a Jew is will be in the context of this current war. There is an issue that we are a minority here, but we are not viewed like a minority.”
It’s a refrain common to many Jewish people working and living across the community.
When New Zealand’s Settlement Centre, a charity that offers free information and services to migrants, was set to reopen in July 2024 after a lengthy renovation, it was meant to be a festive occasion. However, the celebration, in the city of Hamilton, was abruptly cancelled when Palestine Waikato, a pro-Palestinian group, threatened to protest at the event.
The controversy stemmed from the inclusion of an artwork by a New ZealandIsraeli artist. The artwork – which featured pomegranates and doves, but no explicit religious or political imagery – was part of a broader collection created by migrants to decorate the newly renovated centre. However, Palestine Waikato charged that the artwork “does not represent culture or heritage, but symbolises stolen Palestinian land, biodiversity, symbols, futures and lives.”
Hamilton, with roughly half a million people, including 90 Jews, according to New Zealand’s 2018 census, became an unexpected flashpoint in a country that has a Jewish population of approximately 10,000 among a broader population of five million.
“Most of us recognise this [incident at the Settlement Centre] as pure antisemitism,” said Juliet Moses, president of New Zealand’s Jewish Council. Since October 7, Moses, who works as a lawyer and volunteers in her community role, has found her days increasingly busy, as she responds to a massive increase in antisemitic
incidents in New Zealand that has made the country’s tiny Jewish community feel uneasy. “What we are experiencing is a large increase in antisemitism that manifests in various ways,” she said, “and people don’t care about it in the same way you would expect them to for other minorities.”
Historically, New Zealand’s relationship with Israel has been mixed. While the country maintains formal ties with Israel, and is part of the Five Eyes Agreement –an alliance between five countries that also includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada – New Zealand has traditionally behaved toward Israel in a way that is out of step with these other countries. That includes abstaining or voting in favour of resolutions against Israel at the United Nations. In 2016, New Zealand was even one of four sponsoring countries that supported United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which called Israel’s settlement activity a flagrant violation of international law with no legal validity.
In the aftermath of October 7, the New Zealand government declared Hamas a terrorist organisation, but as the war has continued, the government has become more critical of Israel. “After October 7 they started off pretty strong that Israel has a right to defend itself, condemning Hamas,” said Moses, “but over time, as with most governments, they have begun to call for an immediate cease-fire, while increasing amounts of pressure on Israel and little pressure on Hamas.”
Paul Morris, a Jewish university professor at Victoria University of Wellington/ Te Herenga Waka, has seen firsthand student protests against Israel. “I think New Zealand’s Jewish community, both on campus and beyond, are disturbed by heightened security and have experienced a kind of break with other communities,” he said. “In many ways the community has been very deeply shaken by the broad and partisan support for Palestine and the lack of sympathy” [for Jewish victims]. When asked whether he would leave the country to settle somewhere else, Morris said that he felt “he was too old and settled” in New Zealand, but retains ongoing concern for the viability of the country’s Jewish community. “The future of the community has been an issue for 30 years. It’s not growing,” he said, listing high Aliyah rates relative to the population size, and migration from New Zealand to Australia, which has favourable immigration policies for New Zealanders, as reasons for the community’s relative decline.
There are glimmers of hope and support during this troubling time for New Zealand’s tiny Jewish community. Michelle Jacobson, an Australian who now lives in Wellington with her husband and children, recently experienced some support. Driving along a street in her neighbourhood, she came across some antisemitic stickers at a bus stop. “I was with my husband, who is not Jewish. We pulled over and scraped one off,” she told me. “When we were driving back, we saw some ladies trying to get one off as well. It made me feel like we weren’t so alone.”
This story originally appeared in Tablet Magazine (https://www.tabletmag.com) and is reprinted with permission.
Education Director Kris Lacy teaches a school group at the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand (photo courtesy Holocaust Centre of New Zealand)
Reflecting on the past year and looking to the year ahead RABBINIC THOUGHT
It’s no secret that this past year has been one of the most challenging periods for Jewish people around the world. It’s hard to believe that we are almost one year on from October 7.
In the last year, we lived through the worst slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust, a prolonged war between Israel and Gaza, direct attacks on Israel from Iran and rising global antisemitism.
In the aftermath of October 7, we prayed for our hostages, we saw Israel criticised across the world for defending our people and we found that, unfortunately, only 75 years on from the Holocaust there is a growing tolerance for antisemitism.
I know that when I am old, my grandchildren will ask me what it was like to live through such an awful and historic time. If I’m honest, I don’t know how I’ll answer them, because these past 12 months have been such a whirlwind of emotions.
As the grandchild of a Holocaust survivor, seeing the rise of antisemitism in Australia, has caused me many sleepless nights. My grandfather came here to seek refuge and found a tolerant and multicultural society, one where he could live his life fully as a Jew, alongside his friends and neighbours. What would he think if he knew that assault, graffiti and threats against Jewish people in Australia were at an all-time high?
Since October 7, the feeling that Australia is secure for Jewish people has more tenuous. Suddenly, it feels like Australia, despite historically being one of the most tolerant societies in the world for Jews, has regressed.
We are seeing swastikas daubed onto our synagogues and buildings. We are witnessing unrest in our neighbourhoods and Jewish creatives doxed after the preparation of “Jew-lists”. Some synagogues are being forced to abandon their services on a Friday nights due to threats. Businesses are being boycotted, simply because they are owned by Jews.
It’s been a year of so many lows, that sometimes it can be hard to see the highs.
But, I look for the silver lining … and I see it. I see it because in the wake of mass doxing, the Australian government strengthened legislation to protect against doxing. I see it when the Australian government has shown a deep commitment to providing security
to our community. I see it when both major parties in Australia have shown bipartisan support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
Yet, despite these positive steps, fear and unease remain. In Australia and around the world, Zionism has become a dirty slur and one cannot say the word Israel without fear of backlash. So, where do I go to see optimism for the year ahead?
I go to listen and seek out the quieter voices, including the people from around the country who emailed and sent letters to the Ark Centre to let us know that they stood with the Jewish people in the aftermath of October 7. I seek out the Archbishop of Melbourne, Peter Commonsoli, and other faith leaders, who called out antisemitism. In shule, I see so many of you wanting to reconnect with tradition and be present in our sanctuary during one of the hardest periods in Jewish history.
I know all too well that the loudest voices do not always speak for the majority. Most Aussies want to live in peace and security, retain their Australian way of life and ensure that all people feel safe.
So, heading into the new year, I pray for a good year: a year that is full of joy and without the sadness and sorrow that so many have felt over the past 12 months, a year in which people live in harmony and serenity, and, most of all, a year in which peace descends on the holy land of Israel.
Rosh Hashanah – the centrality of history
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 contextualisation –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 contextualise. 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 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.
RABBI DR BENJI LEVY
From left, Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann, with his wife Mushka and their son, Judah, preparing for Rosh Hashanah
RABBI GABI KALTMANN
Rabbi Dr Benji Levy
THOUGHT
Eylon Levy has emerged as one of the most famous figures in the realm of mainstream and social media advocacy, skilfully using his platform to connect with the younger generation and counteract biases against Israel. As a former Israeli government spokesperson and current head of the grassroots Israeli citizen spokesperson office, Levy has harnessed the power of digital media to portray Israel as a vibrant democracy, with a rich cultural landscape, distinguishing it from its critics and emphasising its unique position in the Middle East.
Levy's approach is both strategic and engaging. He uses social media to provide real-time updates and insights, making the complexities of Israeli society and its democratic values accessible to a global audience.
His ability to blend humour with seriousness is particularly effective. This dual approach allows him to address complex issues with nuance while keeping his content relatable and engaging. Whether he's debunking myths or highlighting positive aspects of Israeli life, Levy's presence on platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook serves to both educate and engage his audience.
Advocating for Israel
During my recent visit to Israel, as part of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria mission, I had the opportunity to meet Eylon Levy in person. I sat next to him for dinner and we shared with each other our respective journeys. Our conversation had a profound impact on me. Levy's charisma and sharp wit were immediately apparent and his deep knowledge of Israeli affairs was evident in every interaction. He has a remarkable ability to convey Israel's story
with both clarity and passion, making it easier for those unfamiliar with the region to understand the broader context.
Levy's focus on defending Israel often involves addressing and countering biases presented by international bodies, such as the United Nations. He emphasises Israel's status as the only true democracy in the Middle East by showcasing Israel’s democratic values and its vibrant society. Levy helps paint a more balanced picture that counters
the often one-sided narratives prevalent in global media. A critical aspect of Levy's narrative is his emphasis on the role of Hamas in the war it started on 7 October. He explains why Hamas is solely responsible for the loss of life in Gaza, framing the group's cynical and insidious enmeshment among women and children as the sole factor in the suffering experienced by civilians. Levy points out that while Israel takes extensive measures to avoid civilian casualties, Hamas’ tactics – such as using civilian areas for military purposes – complicate these efforts and often result in tragic outcomes.
The effectiveness of Levy’s social media presence lies in his ability to engage with a younger, tech-savvy audience who are crucial in shaping public opinion. By leveraging social media’s reach, Levy not only defends Israel but also educates a global audience about the disgraceful conduct of the proscribed terrorist group Hamas. I met Eylon again when JNF Australia brought him to Australia for its annual appeal. He did not disappoint. Given the number of people he meets every year, I was surprised he remembered me. He even recalled a Torah insight I shared with him over dinner in Israel two months ago and incorporated it in a talk he gave in Melbourne. We need more Eylons in this world – he really is one of a kind!
Rosh Hashanah is about engagement
Recently, I had an opportunity to spend a morning with 45 four-year-olds from Bialik School kinder. As we gathered to talk about Rosh Hashanah and the shofar, the children’s excitement was palpable. Their energy filled the room and it was clear that even at such a young age, they were drawn to the significance of this sacred time. Watching these young faces light up reminded me that, despite the challenges and darkness of our times, there is so much positivity to be found. It is our children who show us that the Jewish people will not only survive but thrive, generation after generation.
In the lead-up to the High Holy Days, it’s important to consider how we can make these days of reflection, prayer and renewal meaningful for our youngest members. How can we ensure that our children connect with the traditions in a way that feels relevant, current and invigorating? How can we inspire them to engage with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, not just as days of solemnity but also as days of hope, learning and growth?
Rosh Hashanah marks the creation of mankind, an opportunity to reflect on the important role humanity plays in the world. For children, this concept can be incredibly powerful. They love hearing about the creation of the world, imagining the vastness of the universe
coming into being. It sparks their sense of awe. We can use this moment to explain that, just like Adam, each of us has a unique role and responsibility in the world. This is an essential lesson for children: that their actions matter and that they have the power to make a positive impact.
One of the highlights of my morning with the Bialik kinder children was when we spoke about the shofar – the powerful sound that calls us to reflect and renew. To make it even more engaging, I told
them a story about a shofar that felt left out. The shofar, once an important part of the High Holy Days, was worried that people had forgotten about it. But every year, as Rosh Hashanah approached, the shofar would be taken out, polished and blown with pride, reminding everyone of its vital role in the celebration. The children loved this story and by bringing the symbol to life it became more relevant to them. It showed them that even a simple object, like the shofar, has a special place in our
traditions, and it can remind us to think about how we each have a unique role to play.
Bringing symbols like the shofar to life helps youngsters understand that Jewish traditions are not just ancient rituals, but living parts of our identity.
At home, parents can do the same by involving their children in the preparations for Rosh Hashanah. Whether it’s by dipping apples in honey or setting up a special place for the holiday candles, these small rituals make a big difference. Make them participants, rather than simply observers.
The questions that children ask during the High Holy Days also provide an opportunity for deeper engagement. Why do we blow the shofar? Why do we say special prayers? What does it mean to say sorry? Don’t be afraid to explore these topics with your children; their curiosity is a beautiful way to deepen your family’s connection to the holiday.
Finally, while the High Holy Days are a time for reflection and prayer, they are also a time of joy and renewal. It’s important to convey to our children that these days are about celebrating the opportunity to grow and improve. Their excitement and enthusiasm can transform the holiday from something solemn into something filled with hope and light.
RABBI DANIEL RABIN
Rabbi Daniel Rabin with Bialik children at Caulfield Shule
RABBI YAAKOV GLASMAN AM RABBINIC
From left, Rabbi Yaakov Glasman AM with Eylon Levy
RABBINIC THOUGHT
The Israel Defense Forces have been involved in a secret operation, only known to very few people. It won’t be reported in mainstream media, but it is so huge that it could sway the direction of this war. I am only aware of it because my first cousin, an IDF reserve soldier, was directly involved. I will share what I am allowed to publicise about this operation, leaving out all identifying details.
My cousin was called up to join his unit when the war started. Along with tens of thousands of reservists, he was pulled away from his family to help protect Israel against its enemies. His unit is stationed near the border, staying in an evacuated kibbutz. Its usual inhabitants have been relocated to central Israel, due to the dangers of living near the border. I can’t say which kibbutz, or which border it is near.
A makeshift dormitory has been made in the kibbutz kindergarten to house the soldiers. The image is almost surreal. An empty kindergarten, with colourful pictures of the alphabet on the walls, boxes of toys on the shelves, and soldiers sleeping in the cots usually used by toddlers for nap time. This is war.
In one of those divine twists of fate, it turns out that members of the kibbutz have been relocated to my cousin’s neighbourhood in Israel’s centre. So, he is staying in their kibbutz, while they are staying around his home village.
When the connection was made, my cousin got a call from a social worker from his hometown. She is supporting these kibbutz families, who have been through a terribly traumatic time, after living through missile
Operation Goldfish – IDF's secret campaign
attacks and then being uprooted from their homes.
The social worker told my cousin that something was troubling the kibbutz children. With all that is going on around them, the kids are very worried about the fish in their kindergarten’s aquarium. Who is feeding them? They have been left behind with no one to take care of them.
My cousin, the soldier, told her to please tell the kids not to worry. His unit will take full responsibility for the fish. They will feed them and send pictures so the kids can see that the fish are being looked after.
Look closely. You can actually see the care and love with which this soldier in uniform is feeding those fish. You can almost see the smiles on the kids' faces that he brought through a simple act of kindness.
This delicate military operation is what will win the war. We are fighting a very dark evil force. You can't vanquish evil with military might alone. You need a powerful force of goodness. Kindness, love and concern for others are our most powerful weapons. When our people are united, when we truly care for each other, we are unbeatable. This picture is one small illustration of the tidal wave of kindness coming out of Israel right now.
You may not be a soldier who can fight the military battle, but you can feed someone’s fish. You can calm someone’s concerns, soothe someone’s pain and reach out to someone who feels alone. And when you do those small acts of kindness, you too are a soldier in Operation Goldfish.
Rabbi Aron Moss is the director of the Nefesh Centre in Bondi Beach. For more information, go to www.nefesh.org.au
Magen David Adom stands tall in the wake of atrocities
Magen David Adom, Israel's National Emergency Service, plays a number of vital roles in the State of Israel.
First, it is the country's Emergency Medical Services provider, with 1,600 ambulances and mobile intensive care units covering the country, as well as hundreds of specialised vehicles, such as medicycles, boats, helicopters, all terrain vehicles, critical care buses and more. Since the October 7 Hamas attacks, MDA has increased its fleet of emergency vehicles by almost 500. With an average of more than 400 ambulances on each shift, hundreds more are on standby, with the 33,000 staff and volunteers ensuring that the organisation is staffed 24/7. Magen David Adom's national blood services deliver 300,000 blood units annually. The new blood services centre, built with the labs and storage facilities underground in reinforced surroundings, protects against conventional, biological and chemical weapons.
Since October 7, Magen David Adom has implemented a new program –MAGEN – to provide a communitybased emergency medical response. So far, in excess of 10,000 people have been trained to provide immediate first
aid within their own neighbourhoods, communities and towns. Many areas were cut off from initial aid on October 7. Rescue teams were unable to enter for some time. The MAGEN project aims to ensure that training, equipment and vehicles are provided to community teams, who will be able to respond under extreme circumstances when external help is unavailable.
Israel has remained under constant threat for the past year, with frequent rocket attacks from Hamas in south and Hezbollah in the north, as well as attacks from Yemen and Iran.
The threat still lingers, with Israel facing war on seven fronts. MDA remains on high alert and is prepared for any eventuality. While MDA's command and control system is one
of the most advanced in the world. Backup systems – including satellite communications and electricity generators – are in place to allow operations to continue under blackout conditions.
First responders have received instructions on patrolling streets, ensuring an ongoing response should the country's electricity and communications fail.
Multiple mass-casualty drills have been held across Israel, and an additional, protected dispatch room has been opened in a secure location.
MDA in Israel is a national organisation, mandated by Israeli law (MDA Law 1950), covering 200 stations and responding to over one million emergency calls a year.
It is not, however, funded by the government. MDA is reliant upon support through friends across the Diaspora, including Australia, with the vast majority of its vehicles, along with a great deal of equipment and supplies, coming from donations.
To contribute, call the MDA office in Melbourne on 9989-3655 or go to the website https://www. magendavidadom.com.au
RABBI ARON MOSS
Operation Goldfish is in full swing
ARYEH MYERS
MAGEN DAVID ADOM
One of several vehicles donated to Magen David Adom through Melbourne donors
Spelling bee answers
METZORA. Here is a list of some common words (“yes”, we know there are more words in the dictionary that can work, but these words are the most common): TZARAAT, MATZOT, AMAZE, AZOTE, MATZA, MATZO, RAZER, RAZOR, MAOZ, MAZE, ORZO, OOZE, RAZE, RAZZ, TZAMA, TZAR, TZOM, ZERO, ZETA and ZOOM.
Questions/comments, please email Yoni at koshercrosswords@gmail.com
Crossword answers
When you love them that much, they deserve the best.
Ian Sharp Jewellery Craftsmanship iansharpjewellery
Here in the holy land, my Aliyah adventures continue. From the heavy to the heartening, Israel has it all. And then there are some things that just make you look at a person incredulously, leaving you shaking your head, but somehow still smiling.
Let me introduce you to Roi. Well, in truth I only met him for about thirty secondshere is what happened. We are currently renting a place conveniently close to our Kehillat Lev Ra’anana shul. It is a hop, skip and a jump away from main road, Ahuza Street, which runs through this terrific town. One day we had a broken cupboard door under the sink. We advised the landlord who notified his go-to guy for these things. We were told he would come the following morning.
Well, one, two, then three days go by and our man Roi finally bursts in – but intriguingly, with no tools whatsoever. He nods at me and I duly nod back. Then he marched into the kitchen, without asking, opened the cutlery drawer and took out one of my (new!) Victorinox knives.
Resourceful Roi proceeded to use said knife in place of any sort of screwdriver to fix the door and in the process he snapped the entire tip of the knife right off.
Oh, Roi ‘fixed’ the drawer all right and then said in rapid Hebrew, “Hakol beseder, yalla bye,” and out he flew. Ummm toda raba, sort of. He wasn’t wrong per se and did ‘fix’ the cupboard, I suppose. Ah, these Israelis are so … inventive!
No time to dwell because I have a dear son who has just entered the Israeli Defense Forces. Let me mention at the outset that this darling little boy never had one toy gun, but that was then; this is now.
This is where you realise you are on the steepest learning curve. One minute you are driving to Westfield Bondi Junction and the next, suddenly you have somehow got thirty young, vibrant people over on your rooftop for a Mesibat Giyus. Well, what pray tell, is that? Great question, I had to Google it myself.
Turns out a Mesibat Giyus is a pre-army recruitment party-of-sorts. Think young people, think lots of food and drink, think family members, think haircut. At a party? Why yes, that is the main event, so to speak. Up we went on a Thursday night once it had cooled down a mere fraction. Asher sat down and artfully cut a hole in the base of a garbage bag which, when flipped, transformed into a cape to wear during the haircut.
And then dear my son-in-law, Gavi, who has also previously served in the IDF, proceeded to artfully cut Asher’s hair. I had to shake my head. No, Ramona, this is not some cute Upsherin, the initial customary hair-cutting ceremony for a three-yearold with a snippety-snip; this is my only son who is now consciously enlisting. Someone hand me a drink, or two.
Goodbye curls, hello crew cut. Of course, despite him looking astonishingly handsome with any haircut (says his adoring Jewish mother), I cried. It is so symbolic and so real at the same time. To get into the religiously-anchored combat unit that he wanted, Tzanchanim Chetz, many tests needed to be taken. These
New year, new home
included physical, psychological and even a test of his religious knowledge.
Selfishly, I wouldn’t have minded if he scored dismally – but no, my wise son gets a perfect score – straight in.
The next Shabbat I made sure to have the best steaks for him and went to an army-type store to get him anything he wanted and needed. Soon after, one early morning we went to drop him off at the pop-up enlistment centre in a park. I kissed him, I cried (again) and waved wildly when the bus drove off. My first stop after, unapologetically, was to buy my favourite kosher mini ice creams by the bucketload – I instantly dived into that blessed box.
From frozen treats to fruit. Well, here the unspoken rule is: don’t even think about buying anything not in season. Because when the watermelon is in season, it is sensational. Yet if you dare to buy your favourite fruits out of season well, this Land of Milk and Honey becomes the Land of Imperfect Picks.
Yet when it is good, it is great! Perfect plump pomegranates are piled up in each fruit shop – they are beloved here and symbolise fertility and the 613 mitzvot of the Torah. Here’s another quick fruit shop experience that moved me. Soon after we arrived we walked into a fruit shop and the green grapes looked sensational (yes, they were clearly in season).
As I was waiting in line to pay, one of the workers leaned in and took a few grapes from the box I was holding and started to toss them in his mouth. So much raced through my head. Of course I said to myself, there is just no way this would happen in Australia. This must be the height of rudeness. The cultural chasm
is wider than I thought … and then he looked at me and said, “Have you tried these grapes?” I told him the answer was no and that I was an Olah Chadasha, a new immigrant. His response: “Oh, I didn’t think so. These grapes are very expensive and I just tried them to check if they are sweet. Try one now tell me what you think.” I tried one, and gave a two-word answer with my basic Hebrew: not sweet.
He agreed and went to the back to get another box just for me. He then called his brother over, the owner of the shop to let him know I had just made Aliyah. Then suddenly the whole shop knew and everyone was wishing me mazel tov. And all I wanted was a few grapes. The real sweetness was in that interaction, yes, and the seasonal fruit too.
Each day brings a new adventure. There are traffic jams here daily on the highways. One evening we were driving to Jerusalem, the air conditioner was blasting, the sun was setting, traffic was slow, and the Israeli radio station was pumping. Honestly, I couldn’t complain, then I looked ahead and saw several cars had veered off-road.
From a distance, it wasn’t looking good. I started envisaging angry men gesticulating to one another in theatrical and confrontational ways that I would find positively scary. How wrong I was. Upon approach, I saw that instead, about eleven men had stopped their cars and spontaneously convened to daven minchah before the night rolled in.
In front of them was the scenic setting sun, fields, raw beauty. Behind them were lanes full of slow vehicles, horns honking in frustration at the delays. Their unity and
prayers were pure. If you’ve gotta pray, you’ve gotta pray, right? So it might as well be with a minyan.
Life. I love how Jews around the whole world treasure and value life, all life. Small things move me. This week I was driving in Ra’anana on a road I don’t usually traverse when I realised that in the middle of the roundabout wasn’t concrete, nor was it paving, rather it was an established grapefruit tree, personifying life in all it’s glory.
Back to the morning my dear son enlisted into the IDF, later that day I went to Herzliya beach. It was deserted, but I needed to feel I was close to my beloved Bondi Beach, of sorts. As I walked on the sand towards the water, I looked up and saw a giant sandcastle, moulded painstakingly into … an army tank.
Blue sky, hot sand, inviting watermilitary-themed sandcastle. It was ohso-Israel. In the shade we chatted with a young father and son. He had also served in Tzanchanim. He thanked us for moving to Israel. But really, it was for us to thank him; because of his service and that of so many selfless others, there was an independent Israel for us to move to. The Jewish world is eternally grateful for his service and that of all who serve.
May God protect the brave soldiers of Israel now and always. Shana Tova from Ramona in Ra’anana.
Ramona Freedman contributes a monthly column about her Aliyah journey. To contact her directly, please email ramona@keshercommunications.com.au
JEWISH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL AROUND THE COMMUNITY
The 2024 Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF) is set to open with the Australian premiere of A Real Pain.
This darkly humorous and touching drama won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.
Starring Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) and Kieran Culkin (Succession), it will kick off JIFF’s eight-week celebration of Jewish cinema across the country.
A Real Pain follows two estranged cousins, David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Culkin), who reunite for a tour of Poland to honour their grandmother’s memory.
What begins as a journey of remembrance quickly turns into a comical and heartfelt exploration of old family tensions, intergenerational trauma and the diverging paths their lives have taken.
JIFF artistic director Eddie Tamir said he was delighted to open the Festival with such a remarkable film.
“A Real Pain is a poignant and often hilarious reflection on family, history and the deep bonds that persist. It’s a powerful and entertaining way to launch the 2024 Festival,” Tamir said.
2024 Jewish International Film Festival opening night feature revealed
A Real Pain premiere screening will be held on Sunday, 27 October at Classic Cinemas in Elsternwick.
In Melbourne, The Jewish International Film Festival 2024 will run from 27th October to 4th December.
Screenings will take place at Classic Cinemas, Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn and Cameo Cinemas in Belgrave.
The full JIFF program will be announced on 29th September at a special early screening of one of the other film highlights at the Festival, namely White Bird.
Directed by Marc Foster (Christopher Robin) and starring Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson, it reveals how one act of kindness can live on forever.
In the coming-of-age period drama, Julian has struggled to belong ever since he was expelled from his former school for bullying.
To transform his life, Julian’s grandmother (Mirren) reveals to him her own story of courage, as a young Jewish girl in Nazi-occupied France.
To book tickets for White Bird, including the full JIFF program launch, go to www. jiff.com.au
Experience over 40 of the best new Jewish-themed and Israeli films at the 2024 Jewish International Film Festival, screening only in cinemas from October 27.
JIFF 2024 opens on Sunday October 27 with the Australian Premiere of A Real Pain.
PLAYING AT —
TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE JIFF.COM.AU
A Real Pain
White Bird
Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn
Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick
Cameo Cinemas, Belgrave
AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Lauded singer/songwriter Sam Green is preparing to deliver a rousing showcase of his soulful folk melodies and energetic indie rock.
Sam will be appearing in concert upstairs in Caulfield Town Hall at 3pm on December 1, alongside Manny Goldberg.
Sam is a versatile artist who falls under the moniker Sam Green and the Time Machine and Sam Green and the Common Ground.
His songwriting process is a fascinating journey of creativity and introspection.
He draws inspiration from life’s moments – large and small. It could be a fleeting emotion or a vivid memory, or perhaps a chance encounter. Those are the sparks that ignite his creative energy.
Sam often starts with the lyrics. He scribbles down phrases and poetic fragments. These become the seeds for his songs. Whether it is a love story, social commentary or a personal reflection, the words take root. He then explores melodies with
Sam Green to perform live at Caulfield Town Hall
his guitar, strumming, humming and experimenting.
He likes to dive deeply into the emotional landscape of his tracks, ensuring the finished product conveys joy, heartbreak or resilience.
Sam weaves stories. He imagines characters, places and scenarios. Each song is a window into his world.
He values collaboration, so he bounces ideas off fellow musicians seeking fresh perspectives. Collaborators add colour to his palette.
Sam inevitably revises his drafts, polishes the lyrics and fine tunes the melodies, honing the arrangements of his songs.
He then performs his tunes to a live audience and lets their reactions guide him. So it is that his material evolves before he records the songs for perpetuity.
To book for the December 1 concert, go to www.samgreen.com
Tickets to the show are $25, which includes a CD containing 115 of Sam’s songs, to be given out at the door.
Sam Green in Concert with Manny Goldberg
Upstairs at Caulfield Town Hall on Sunday, December 1st at 3pm
Buy tickets online for $25 including a CD containing 115 songs given out at the door
To book, go to www.samgreen.com and scroll down the page
Tzimmis and dumplings
1 large onion, finely grated
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
Method
household. It is traditional to eat carrots at Rosh Hashanah, as it reflects our wishes for the coming year. In Yiddish, carrots (or merrin) also means increase. We ask G-d to increase our blessings in the coming year.
Ingredients:
Carrots and dumplings
8 carrots
To make the dumplings:
Peel and slice the carrots. Place them in a pot, ensuring the carrots are just covered with water. Boil the water until the carrots are almost soft.
In the meantime, mix all the ingredients for the dumplings in a bowl. Shape them into round balls and add them to the pot of carrots.
Continue cooking until the carrots are soft and the dumplings are cooked through.
Add honey to taste. Enjoy!
This recipe is a family favourite for Rosh Hashanah. It is from my maternal grandmother and is always thoroughly enjoyed in our
SAM GREEN
REBBETZIN ESTY GUTNICK
Sam Green
MOVIE REVIEWS
What price fame? That is the question at the heart of one of the most intense and remarkable films of the year.
The Substance is about physical beauty, adoration, self-love and loathing.
It concerns the lengths to which one will go to remain relevant.
Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) used to be a movie star, before transitioning to host a successful morning workout show on TV.
Now middle-aged, her ugly natured, self-centred, self-serving boss Harvey (Dennis Quade) decides she is dead weight and that her time is up. So, he gives her the heave ho.
Driving home, with the torment associated with that decision reverberating in her mind, Sparkle is involved in a car accident.
Scans reveal no broken bones, but she breaks down in tears.
As she leaves, one of the medicos hands her a folded piece of paper containing a USB drive espousing the virtues of what is called The Substance.
The Substance turns out to be a cellreplicating black market drug that offers the promise of a better version of yourself. Isolated and with no immediate prospects, Sparkle finds it galling that Harvey has placed an ad for an 18 to 30-year-old to replace her.
Throwing caution to the wind, Sparkle decides to give The Substance a go.
A mysterious male voice directs her to a rundown graffiti riddled backwater.
The injection of youth
It is there that she picks up a cardboard box containing the necessary ingredients that will allegedly restore her youth.
The instructions are strict and need to be followed to the letter.
They involve a single use injected activator, followed by a stabiliser and a series of food pouches.
So it is that Sparkle injects herself. Her body contorts and falls limp as she “births” her newer, younger, prettier self. Bizarre though this process is, that is how the perfectly proportioned and turned-
A utopian vision
MEGALOPOLIS (M)
A reimagined Roman Empire in modern times is behind Francis Ford Coppola’s (The Godfather) passion project Megalopolis.
He proffers that the American Republic is not all that different from old Rome and then asks whether it will fall victim to the appetite for power from a few?
He began developing Megalopolis in the early 1980s, loosely inspired by his reading about the Catilinarian Conspiracy that took place in 3698/99 (based on the Hebrew calendar).
At the heart of it was a popular Roman aristocrat, Lucius Sergius Catiline, who was attempting to overthrow the Roman Republic.
Had Catiline's coup succeeded, he would have ousted the reigning upper class and released himself and the lower classes from debt.
In the case of the fable that is Megalopolis, debt among the poor in The City of New Rome (seen as a stylised New York City) is rising. It is a time of financial crisis at the centre of world power. Cesar Catilina is a genius and visionary. An architect, designer and scientist, he is chairman of The Design
out Sue (Margaret Qualley) emerges.
And, of course, she is just what Harvey, the TV producer is looking for.
She is hired to front a new workout show and viewer numbers skyrocket.
Critically important with The Substance though is that Sue and Elisabeth switch back and forth every seven days. Not doing so will have dire, irreversible consequences.
Be that as it may, Sue quickly gets caught up in her own self-importance, while Elisabeth becomes enraged.
Authority and dreams of a better future for all. A Pulitzer Prize winner, he has mastered the art of stopping time.
He is working hard on developing a utopia, but faces fierce opposition from – among others – the Mayor, Franklin Cicero, who remains committed to the status quo. While not without his faults and foibles, Cesar attracts the interest of the Mayor’s wild socialite daughter, Julia Cicero, who becomes his inspiration.
Not surprisingly, Franklin Cicero is hardly enamoured by the situation.
The Mayor, who tried and failed to prosecute Cesar for the death of his wife, isn’t the only one looking to bring him down.
The City of New Rome is a veritable viper’s nest. The seeds for Megalopolis were planted when, as a child, Coppola saw H.G. Wells' 1936 science fiction epic Things to Come.
Writer and director Coppola has thrown the kitchen sink at Megalopolis, introducing a great deal of plotting and subterfuge.
Remember, Sue and Elisabeth are two halves of a whole in what becomes a fight to the death. The Substance is an incendiary piece of work – a pointed commentary on men, women, societal expectations and the obsession with physical beauty.
Writer and director Coralie Farget (Revenge) continues to push the envelope throughout the picture.
And when you think enough is enough, she does so again … and then again.
Of course, that is the whole point, to shine a bright line on the saturated world in which we live, where body image is everything.
The movie marks a superb return to the limelight for Demi Moore, who is outstanding and chilling in her portrayal of the fallen diva, who craves more.
Elisabeth’s alter-ego is well captured by Margaret Qualley, who exudes entitlement.
In a brilliant portrayal, obnoxious narcissism are the hallmarks of Quade’s representation of the television mover and shaker, the man pulling all the strings.
Cinematographer Benjamin Kracun (Promising Young Woman) has vividly captured the contrast between shine and grunge.
He catapults us into the heart of darkness, desperation and despair.
Horrifying, but oh so potent, The Substance is dramatic and traumatic cinema at its finest.
Not for the feint hearted, it holds a mirror up to society and the image one glances is deeply disturbing.
Although, the movie is a tad long, Farget has established herself as a filmmaker of renown.
Rated MA, it scores an 8½ out of 10.
But, notwithstanding a series of subplots, at its core is the arm wrestle between the Mayor and Cesar and the tug of war for Julia’s affection. It is creative, but bloated and, as far as I am concerned, falls prey to a convenient but unrealistic ending.
I didn’t buy the failings of Cesar, as portrayed by Adam Driver, who is essentially painted as a good guy. Nor was I sold on the hold on power of his waning banker uncle, played by Jon Voigt. Even less convincing for me was the Mayor, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito. The Mayor’s daughter, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), transitioned a bit too quickly from good time girl to elegant, responsible citizen and muse. Dustin Hoffman seemed out of place as the Commissioner. Aubrey Plaza makes the most of her characterisation as greedy mistress Wow Platinum, out to seize as much as she can get.
Shia LaBeouf has fun playing the deranged grandson of the banker. While visually striking, I saw Megalopolis as a hotch potch of ideas thrown together to form a less than convincing whole. Coppola may have dreamt big, but the result is not convincing.
Rated M, it scores a 6 out of 10.
For
ALEX FIRST
THE SUBSTANCE (R) ALEX FIRST
Demi Moore in The Substance
Adam Driver in Megalopolis
AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Illuminate October – the Victorian Jewish community’s official commemoration honouring the victims of last year’s terror attacks on Israel – has gone international, with Jewish organisations around the world adopting the initiative for their own communities.
Conceived by Zionism Victoria, the memorial sees members of the local community create hundreds of lanterns, with each lantern dedicated to one of the 1,200 individuals who lost their life on that tragic day or one of the 250 hostages who were seized and taken to Gaza.
Each lantern carries the name of a victim and the slogan “Forever in our hearts”.
They then form part of the Walk of Light, a lantern procession at the start of the commemoration service being held on Monday, October 7.
With word of the Zionism Victoria initiative spread by the international United With Israel group, among the communities who are adopting Illuminate October are New York, Washington, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid and Toronto.
Crucially, it’s also being taken up by the Hostages & Missing Families Forum –
A unique commemoration of October 7
Earlier this month, more than 100 people attended a Zionism Victoria lantern-making workshop honouring the victims of October 7
relatives of those who were kidnapped on October 7 and those who are still not accounted for.
Hallely Kimchi, director of Zionism Victoria’s Hebrew culture department Habayit, who came up with the idea for Illuminate October said, “Each lantern represents the life, the spirit and the light of each victim – a light that cannot be extinguished, a light that always shines in our hearts.”
Zionism Victoria executive director Zeddy Lawrence said, “In the darkest of
times, Illuminate October unites us as a people, not simply with our fellow Jews in Australia, but with our brothers and sisters overseas, and our families in Israel, with those we have lost and with those who are grieving.”
The Melbourne commemoration event is expected to attract up to 5,000 people. Held at a venue just 15 minutes’ drive from Caulfield, the doors open at 5.30pm with visitors invited to experience a number of deeply moving artistic installations and light projections.
The ceremony, starting with the lantern procession, will begin at 7pm. As well as personal reflections and prayers, it will include singing by school and shule choirs and notable members of the music industry.
The service will finish by 8.30pm, after which those who haven’t yet done so, will be able to experience the installations.
Zeddy Lawrence said, “In developing the Illuminate October commemoration, we were mindful that we didn’t want to simply emulate the Yom Hazikaron event we stage every year, or any other of the events we’ve held since last October, such as the rallies, the memorial services, the bike rides or the Nova tribute.
“October 7 impacted us all so profoundly that we wanted every member of the community to have the opportunity to be an active participant. Whether creating lanterns, writing letters to the victims and their families, or singing, we want everyone to be involved and have the chance to express themselves. This will be a unique occasion, like nothing our community has experienced before.”
For more information about how you can get involved or to register to attend, visit https://illuminateoctober.com
