Using therapy dolls, JDC’s Hibuki program helps young children process their feelings of anxiety and fear (see page 16).
ANNE-MARIE ELIAS AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Did you know that we have our very own superpower?
No, this does not mean that we are superheroes. We remain human. We do, however, need to learn how to use our emotional intelligence (EI).
EI has a positive impact on our overall health and wellbeing. If we can develop and subsequently use our EI, it can reduce stress and enhance our interactions with others.
Therefore, people with high EI are more likely to have effective interpersonal relationships because they have empathy, good communication skills and can resolve conflict constructively. They may also be open to change and show a strong sense of self-awareness.
Like any skill, we can improve our EI by learning strategies and practising them. These skills include:
• recognising and understanding your feelings;
• managing your emotions effectively;
• showing empathy towards others;
• showing care and concern in interpersonal relationships;
• coping with change; and
• dealing with setbacks and failures.
Unleashing your superpower
In order to read a situation more accurately we can do the following:
1. Use our emotional intelligence by tuning in to our feelings and getting a sense of others’ emotions.
2. Develop contextual awareness by learning to read body language. Do not, however, assume you know what someone else is thinking. We are not mind readers and if we are unsure about what someone else is thinking, don’t be afraid to ask them. For instance, a person may have their arms crossed and we
Acronyms
may assume they are defensive and have shut us out, but they may simply be feeling cold.
3. Use critical thinking. Stay objective by breaking things down and check the facts.
4. Engage your cognitive flexibility by being willing to see another person’s point of view. Be willing to try new ideas and toss out a rigid mindset that stops you moving forward.
5. Practice emotional regulation. Learn to stay cool even when tension is building. Don’t make decisions
when emotions are running high. Take some time out to be present and stay focused.
6. Adjust your behaviour by adapting your verbal and non-verbal communication to match the situation. Trust is built when people feel understood.
Ensure that you can unleash your superpower by having self-awareness. Think about your feelings and how they may influence your actions.
Some people find it difficult to describe what they are feeling. It is most important that you learn the words to enunciate exactly that. This will not only help you understand your emotions, but will enable you to communicate how you feel to others.
Be an active listener, which means being willing to listen to others, as well as talking to them.
Deep breathing and stress management techniques can help us stay calm in difficult circumstances.
The final say goes to David Caruso (retired US actor and producer): “Emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head,, it is the unique intersection of both.”
Anne-Marie Elias is a psychologist in clinical practice for 25 years.
3. Six pack developers
4. Gateman's shout
5. Book before Jeremiah: Abbr.
6. Extensively
7. Overall, they treated Jews well a thousand years ago
DR PHILIP BLISS OAM PAST PRESIDENT PJV CHAIR BET OLAM AROUND
At this time of great sorrow and isolation, the Jewish community is probably more united than for many years. In early November the Progressive Movement will be holding its biennial conference in Canberra.
The Union for Progressive Judaism (UPJ) will be hosting local and international speakers who will address delegates on different issues and present their vision of how our community can start to move forward after the dramatic rise in antisemitism since October 7, 2023.
Among those at the conference will be politicians, including Julian Leeser MP, Josh Burns MP and the leader of the Opposition in the Senate, The Hon Simon Birmingham. The special guest at Shabbat dinner will be Nova Peris OAM who has been an outstanding supporter of the Jewish community and Israel.
The conference, titled “Coming Together: Strengthening our communities in challenging times” will include an address by the Israeli Ambassador to Australia, H.E. Amir Maimon and the chair of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, Phyllis Dorey OAM. World Zionist Organisation chair Gusti Yehoshua
Community conference in the nation’s capital
Braverman will discuss complex issues concerning Israel and Jews in the diaspora.
Emeritus Professor Andrew Marcus will present a session about navigating the changing demographics in synagogues, involving a panel of UPJ leaders, including delegates from New Zealand
and Asia. Synagogue membership has changed post COVID-19. Cost-of-living issues have given shule boards many economic challenges and provided urgency to finding creative solutions to maintain active involvement.
The new president of the National Council of Jewish Women, Lynda Ben-
Menashe, a powerful speaker and advocate, will deliver a workshop titled “Talking about Israel”. She will provide strong guidelines about how to talk about Israel and the current conflict with non-Jews and fellow Jews, including friends and family.
Just days after the US election, Bruce Wolpe, Senior Fellow of the United States Studies Centre will give an election update. A conference highlight will be a gala evening at Old Parliament House, including a private tour of the Museum of Australian Democracy.
Attendance at the UPJ biennial conference is open to people interested in the Progressive Jewish community. The conference provides an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue about current challenges and opportunities, and build relationships with likeminded individuals and community leaders from the Australasian region.
The Canberra-based event runs from 3pm on Thursday, November 7 to 3pm on Sunday, November 10. For more information and registration details, email upj@upj.org.au
A Havdalah service at the 2023 UPJ conference on the Gold Coast
THE COMMUNITY
ADAM KREUZER AUSTRALIAN JEWISH ASSOCIATION AROUND
Following World War II, a new wave of Jews settled in Victoria as refugees. Many of these were Eastern European Jews who were Holocaust survivors and spoke Yiddish. My paternal grandparents were amongst them.
From Lodz, Poland, they survived the Holocaust, having lost their respective families at the hands of the Nazi Genocide of European Jewry during this period.
Suffering unimaginable loss, they lived with that pain and trauma for the rest of their lives. Yet, they were able to remain staunchly Jewish and raise their future family with strong Jewish values and traditions.
Melbourne is home to the largest population of Holocaust survivor families outside Israel. This is a result of the city's welcoming attitude toward Jewish refugees, when many survivors sought to rebuild their lives far from the devastation of Europe.
Post-war immigration policies in Australia, especially in the late 1940s and 1950s, enabled thousands of Jewish survivors to settle in Melbourne, where they established a vibrant community.
Today, the city remains a centre of Holocaust remembrance, education and Jewish culture, housing institutions like the Jewish Holocaust Centre, which serves as a beacon of memory and learning for future generations. The enduring presence of survivors in the city reflects the resilience of the Jewish community and its commitment to preserving the lessons of history.
Melbourne offered my grandparents a place of refuge, an opportunity to start over again and be free. They embraced Australia as their safe haven and were grateful for the way they were accepted amongst many cultures and religions.
My grandfather proudly employed people from a broad range of cultures and religions in his business. He was tolerant and understanding. Sadly, the Australia we live in today does not resemble the supportive and inclusive country that my grandparents were lucky enough to call home.
For many Jews, the October 7 attacks in Israel evoke painful memories of the Holocaust, particularly for Holocaust survivors who have witnessed both the horrors of Nazi persecution and the modern-day acts of terror. The massacre of innocent civilians and the targeting of Jews stirred deep fears and trauma.
It is this generation of Holocaust survivors who should be looked on as a source of inspiration and guidance to draw the emotional and psychological strength to keep moving forward as a unified Australian Jewish community. The legacy of their strength and endurance in the face of adversity was on proud display at the commemoration of the October 7 massacre.
Regardless of where one sits on the political spectrum, Jewish communities in Melbourne and Sydney proudly demonstrated their solidarity for the State of Israel on the first anniversary of
Jewish community unites to mourn and commemorate tragic events of October 7, 2023
the barbaric and murderous acts by Hamas on October 7th, 2023.
Prime Ministers come and go. The glue that binds us as Jews, regardless of political beliefs, was proudly on display on October 7, 2024. Traditional, Progressive and Orthodox Jews came together to hear the harrowing tales of those who were in Israel at the time of the terrorist attack, saying prayers and singing songs in remembrance at organised communal events in both cities.
The Age newspaper reported how “after a year of grief, anguish and deep introspection, many from Melbourne’s Jewish community gathered in a tightly guarded, converted warehouse in Moorabbin for a night of song, prayer, reflection and commemoration.”
The event, organised by Zionism Victoria and Habayit, drew a large crowd of about 8,000 people. It began with a lantern-lit procession, called the "Walk of Light," where more than 1,600 handmade lanterns were carried, each representing one of the victims.
This gathering offered a moment of unity and reflection for the community. Speeches, music and performances from local schools and synagogues added to the solemn yet hopeful atmosphere.
Community leaders, including Zionism Victoria president Yossi Goldfarb, expressed deep concern about the rise in antisemitism. Despite this, the event conveyed a powerful message of
resilience and solidarity with Israel during these challenging times. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and AttorneyGeneral Mark Dreyfus were present at the event, highlighting its importance. Various leaders spoke of the need for unity and the ongoing struggle for peace and security, not just for Israel, but for all who oppose violence and terrorism.
Make no mistake, the Australian Jewish community was deeply shaken by what occurred on that day a year ago and the subsequent conflicts that have broken out in the Middle East as a result. As Jews, we will never be the same again.
Antisemitic incidences in Australia have increased by several hundred per cent since that day. This is not an easy, comfortable time to be Jewish in Australia. We watch on with fear and dismay as our Holy Land is threatened by Islamic extremism like never before. Everyone has an opinion on the conflict.
Rather than inciting division, hatred and conflict, the Australian Jewish community should be proud of how they have worked tirelessly to positively influence the public narrative about where to from here, from a Jewish perspective.
The Australian Jewish Association (AJA) is a membership-based community organisation guided by Torah values. It is through this lens that we understand the caring, respectful and optimistic approach taken by the Australian Jewish community since the tragedy of October 7, 2023. Torah is the eternal source of
truth that provides a framework for how we live our lives as Jews. The Jewish values of tolerance and understanding are deeply rooted in the principles of chesed (kindness), tikkun olam (repairing the world) and b’tzelem Elohim (the belief that all humans are created in the image of God).
These values call for respect for the dignity of every individual, regardless of their background and encourage us to embrace differences with an open heart. Jewish tradition teaches that by fostering empathy, practising kindness and seeking to understand others, we contribute to a more just and compassionate world, in which peace and harmony can flourish.
This is the blueprint for how the Australian Jewish community moves forward. We embrace our Jewish values, guided by Torah, as the shining example for how we collaborate with other faiths and communities that are willing to connect with us in a productive and meaningful way.
October 7, 2023 was another pivotal and tragic event in our long and storied history, but we will continue to do what we do best as Jews – educate, understand and embrace a more inclusive, multicultural Australia for future generations.
Adam Kreuzer is a board member and antisemitism education and strategies officer with the AJA. He can be contacted at adamkreuzer@gmail.com
Up to 10,000 people attended the Illuminate October commemoration of October 7, 2023 in Moorabbin (photo by Peter Haskin, courtesy Zionism Victoria)
COMMUNITY
TOBIAS SIEGAL AUSTRALASIAN UNION OF JEWISH STUDENTS AROUND THE
From candlelight vigils to commemoration installations and fundraisers, Jewish students across Australia and New Zealand put their exams and assignments on hold this month to commemorate the greatest tragedy in Israel’s history.
At Monash University, which is home to the largest population of Jewish students in an Australian university, AUJS erected an installation made up of a table adorned with traditional Rosh Hashanah dishes and decorations alongside chairs with pictures of Israelis still being held hostage by Hamas. At universities with a smaller Jewish presence, students held candlelight vigils and fundraisers for devastated Israeli communities.
Other related events held in Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland included meetings and discussions with Israeli survivors.
In Sydney, together with several campus-based initiatives, AUJS took part in the main community event organised by the Zionist Council of NSW, alongside representatives from youth movements and other community organisations.
“The ZCNSW October 7 vigil was an incredible experience and an opportunity to mourn and heal as a community. I really appreciated being able to stand alongside other youth movements, promoting community
Defying attempts to silence our pain, AUJS commemorates October 7
harmony. Youth movements have played a pivotal role in the last year as guiding lights for the young Jewish community, providing spaces for emotional support as we grapple with life post October 7,” said AUJS incoming co-president Danielle Tischmann.
And while most events were held without a hitch and managed to draw AUJS members, curious students of other faiths and Israelis looking to come
together, some seemed adamant to prevent us from mourning our loved ones.
At La Trobe University, where visible Jewish presence is scarce, an AUJS stall had to be dismantled after an aggressive group of students surrounded it and prevented others from approaching.
“A member of this mob became very aggressive in his language and behaviour. He shouted lines such as
‘Baby killer! Baby killer!’ at us,” said Maxwell Kalman, who heads the AUJS branch on campus.
“Another girl said, ‘what you are feeling today is what Palestinians have been feeling for over 70 years’.”
“Oddly, security told us to walk backwards, even though we were pinned between a mob with our backs to a wall. They also told us to stop, even though we were just standing there and not the aggressor in the situation,” Kalman added.
The university is currently investigating the incident.
Despite the disruption, the event drew support from non-Jewish students, with one approaching the stall and handing us a hand-written prayer to show her support for Israel and the Jewish People.
Many Jewish students in Australia have friends and family in Israel and feel directly impacted by the ongoing war. They deserve to be able to mourn. And “no”, that does not come at the expense of Palestinian or Lebanese suffering. We must learn how to allow space for the trauma of all affected parties. Until we acknowledge that everyone’s pain is valid, this tragic conflict will never end and we will all continue to suffer.
AUJS president Noah Loven and Nova survivor David Bromberg at an AUJS-Diller event in Melbourne
CONSIDERED OPINION
SARAH PACHTER COURTESY: AISH.COM
Ofri’s profound experience of loss, grief and trauma is helping her to inspire others to find strength in adversity.
On October 7, 2023 Ofri Reiner was excited to enjoy her last day of vacation from the army. “Someone I had a crush on had asked me to go to the Nova festival. I immediately agreed.”
Ofri went with four of her friends, Timor, Nastia, Aviad and Yael. Together they danced the night away. Amidst sweating and smiling, rockets began infiltrating the area at 6:29 am.
“To me, rockets are like peanuts, they come, they go and I was not really worried,” Ofri said in an Aish.com interview.
Timor began to panic and nudged everyone to get into the car. “When 3,000 people are all heading to their car,” Ofri explained, “it is complete chaos.”
They managed to get into the car and start driving. They approached a T intersection, which only gave two choices: north or south. They chose north, only to come face to face with Hamas terrorists moments later. Hamas was shooting bullets in every direction.
The accident that saved their lives Aviad, who was driving, made a U-turn and hit a car in the process.
Ofri found her phone, called her father and asked him to help guide them to safety by using the GPS location.
Driving south, Ofri and her friends arrived at the gate of a kibbutz hoping to enter to find safety. There was a civilian in front of the gate.
“We pulled up next to him and said, ‘Are you okay? Can we help you?’ He pointed at us and said, ‘Do you remember the car accident driving north? That was me! We need to exchange details.’”
Ofri and her friends were shocked! The girls raised their voices, “Really?! At a time like this, you are asking to exchange details?”
Ofri explained, “Aviad is a sweetheart and exchanged details to placate him.”
It took a while to exchange information and by the time they finished, another car came out of the gate and warned them not to enter the area – there were terrorists inside.
The kibbutz they had wanted to enter was Kibbutz Beeri where 101 civilians were murdered.
“This was nothing short of a miracle,” Ofri said.
Running for our lives
With the south and north blocked, the group had no option but to return to the parking lot.
There was an anxious silence in the car when Ofri grabbed Nastia’s hand and said, “I have to go to the bathroom, come with me!”
Ofri was looking for a private area to relieve herself when terrorists started shooting at her.
Ofri and Nastia managed to swiftly get back into the car. The group attempted to escape by driving into the potato field, but after three bumps, the car got stuck.
Everyone got out and started running for their lives.
At the festival, Ofri had twisted her ankle. Every step was incredibly painful, but she understood that if she fell between the cracks she would die.
My post October 7 trauma: interview with Nova survivor Ofri Reiner
“No one could have ever prepared me for the fear of death. I was like a deer running from a lion. I cannot explain the feeling.”
One thousand people were running through the potato field not knowing if they were getting closer or further away from the lurking danger.
They ran 11 miles in the scorching sun for four hours. “After a full night of dancing and drinking my lips were so cracked that it felt like a microwave was on my mouth.”
Oranges
At one point they came to an orange field. Although the oranges were green, Ofri described it as the best orange she ever tasted in her life.
She started to call out, “Tapuzim! Oranges!” Throngs of people ran to find more oranges to eat.
For Ofri, oranges have become a symbol of hope. She recalled that her great grandfather walked the Auschwitz death march. He used to hide small parcels of bread in his clothing and at night he shared it with everyone.
“I'm not saying Nova and the Holocaust are the same, but I am proud that in such inhumane conditions, I had the same core values as my great grandfather and I was happy to share my oranges and to tell everyone about them.”
The large contingent of people arrived at Kibbutz Patish, where they were greeted by kibbutz members with huge pots from their Shabbat meal. They handed out plates of food and offered any assistance that they needed.
“They arranged for buses to bring us to Beer Sheva to safety. This is how I survived. I'm not sure I would have made it if I was not with my friends.”
Ofri’s stepbrother was murdered Ofri survived, but her stepbrother Shalev, an IDF soldier, was murdered.
“We were both fighting for our lives at the same time.” He and his unit rescued Kibbutz Nirim. No terrorist was able to enter Kibbutz Nirim because of him. He lost his life saving others.
“Shalev was always getting into trouble as a young kid. He had charisma that could fill up an entire room. He was a brave soldier who loved this country so much. Every time he sang Hatikvah, he would cry.”
Recovery
“The presence of death that lingered in my room was circling around me for
so long. When death is so close to you, it changes your whole lens. I suddenly felt like I knew nothing about myself and that all my core beliefs were deconstructed.”
Ofri managed to step towards something called post traumatic growth.
“My therapist introduced me to this phrase and changed my prism. I learned that I have the capacity to take my pain and trauma and transform it into something good. I can become greater and stronger than I was before.”
Ofri began drawing as a form of therapy and simultaneously began a speaking tour throughout the US. Both these elements have helped heal her.
She saw that so many Jews in the diaspora were losing hope and felt so removed from Israel. Her speaking tour has brought hope to Jews around the world.
Ofri explains that after a traumatic event there is a huge range of how your body or mind will react towards the trauma. Most people will experience natural recovery with minimum therapy. Many people experience post-traumatic stress disorder. But 65 per cent of people respond with post traumatic growth.
“Post traumatic growth is a response that the Jewish people are built upon. What comforts me is that post traumatic growth is part of our nation's journey for so long. Our country was built over the ashes of the Holocaust.”
Ofri explained the four stages of post traumatic growth.
1. Shattering of core beliefs
When Ofri was 14 years old, she participated in an organisation called Seeds of Peace. Israelis, Palestinians, Egyptians and Jordanians were all invited to go to summer camp together to make peace. “I thought my mission in life was to bring peace to the Middle East. I was very idealistic.”
After October 7th, Ofri came back home and saw that the group chat with her “friends” from Seeds of Peace was full of memes and jokes about October 7th. “They completely accused me and ignored everything that I felt.”
After October 7th, Ofri lost her belief in peace. She now believes that as a nation the priority is to help secure Israel and to have compassion for fellow Jews.
2. Cognitive processing
“There is a stage where intrusive thoughts keep resurfacing.” Ofri explains that the mind repeats the same event over and over, with no control. Your job is to go back
to the memory and recharge them with a new meaning. Then, your mind moves from intrusive thoughts to deliberative thoughts. One example of an intrusive thought Ofri experienced was, Why him and not me? This survivor's guilt was pushing Ofri down. Over time she managed to deconstruct it by speaking to her stepmother and other Nova survivors. Instead of fighting negative thoughts, she allowed them to surface and then float away on their own, much like a cloud passing by at its own pace.
3. Rebuilding
Ofri admitted that the pain can be so large that you can’t see beyond it, but what helped Ofri rebuild was meeting with others, because it helped her step out of her own pain and create a new perspective.
She works towards making constant “active” choices. Instead of lying in bed all day in depression or anxiety, she gets up and makes an active choice. “The moment you let the pain soak in and drown you it's harder and harder to get up. You have to get up and do. It can be baking, running or meditating. It's just you trying to signal to your own brain that you’re not helpless and you’re not inactive.”
4. Meaning making Holocaust survivor Dr Victor Frankl posits that you are the one in charge of creating the meaning in your life. Ofri has found a way to make meaning by sharing her story and practical tools of resilience with audiences around the US. “In the States, I am managing to turn my pain into something beautiful.”
Reaching the audience
Ofri isn’t a politician; she speaks to audiences as a young Israeli who loves to dance. This enables her to open up conversation with so many people who otherwise would not hear Israel’s side.
“I meet with a lot of college students throughout the US. They bring their nonJewish friends to the room. Many of them shared that after my talk they spent three hours talking about Israel from a place of curiosity, not hatred. There are many Jews and non-Jews standing on the fence. They don’t want to advocate or take a side because they are either afraid to or do not know enough. Those are the people we can approach with compassion and pain.”
Ofri believes that pain is something many people try to push away and ignore. “They want to lead a happy life and that means to avoid suffering. But suffering is something that is inseparable from life itself. After the darkest of moments, there is the biggest light. The deeper I feel the sadness, the bigger the joy and thankfulness that comes after. It's like waves in the ocean – every emotion comes and goes. It depends on which wave you are in.”
After October 7th, Ofri ironically feels happier. Although she is not sure she fully believes in God, she finds herself thanking Him for more time on earth. “Life looks so much more beautiful to me now. I got a gift, a new lease on life and I want to take advantage of it. I have so many times that I’m in awe of the beauty of landscapes and the beauty of the people I meet. I’m experiencing expansion instead of depression.”
THE KING DAVID SCHOOL AROUND THE COMMUNITY
In the wake of the October 7, 2023 tragedy, Jewish Life and Learning educators at The King David School junior school have established a monthly lunchtime club called Am Yisrael Chai. With growing global antisemitism, its key objective is to foster a connection to Israel and strengthen students’ Jewish identity.
Am Yisrael Chai
Organisers run themed activities based on the Jewish calendar.
To that end, junior school students commemorated October 7 in a meaningful and age-appropriate manner using the theme 'Am Echad, b'Lev Echad' – one nation, one heart.
Students crafted bag tags bearing those words.
The younger years were taught how Jews all around the world support each other, while older students learned the Acheinu prayer.
The King David School has a range of merit and financial- based scholarships to give students the opportunity of a King David education. Applications close on Tuesday 18 February 2025. Apply online: www.kds.vic.edu.au/scholarships Enquiries: 03 9527 0102 or www.kds.vic.edu.au
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Prep student Lucca
Year 1 student Ari, who recently arrived from Israel with his family
Year 4 student Ayalah Year 3 student Ariella
Hebrew teacher Ravit Epstein with Lucas (Prep) at the Am Yisrael Chai lunchtime club
CONSIDERED OPINION
BY NOMI KALTMANN COURTESY: THE JEWISH INDEPENDENT
Understanding Hebrew allows me to feel closer to the unfiltered experience of Israelis.
When I was 16 years old, I won the Australian Chidon Hatanach, the International Bible Quiz. It’s a competition that has acquired legendary status in Israel and is televised on Yom Ha’atzmaut each year. As one of three Australian representatives, I got to spend two weeks in Israel with 60 other nerdy kids from around the world, who like me, loved studying Torah and were in Israel for the final round of the Bible competition.
I spent months studying roughly half the Bible (approximately 450 chapters) and ended up finishing tenth in the world in the final competition. However, in hindsight, what stuck with me most about the trip was how it shaped my love of the Hebrew language.
Growing up in Australia, with two Australian Jewish parents, we did not speak Hebrew at home. Sure, when I was five years old, I learned to read Hebrew and I knew all the prayers, but I couldn’t understand what I was reading and I did not speak the language.
For me and most kids at school, any Hebrew lessons we had, which were at least three or four times a week, were the worst. They felt more like a punishment than a privilege. Hebrew lessons were full of difficult grammar, confusing concepts of feminine and masculine words, and so many tests, where it seemed getting the spelling right was nearly impossible.
I’ve never been more grateful to know Hebrew
However, as a 16-year-old Bible nerd, I found out that there were children from other countries who were not only learning Hebrew at their schools, but could perfectly communicate in the language I so detested. Like me, their parents were not Israeli, but they understood that speaking and understanding Hebrew was the key to being part of the new Jewish future.
When I returned home, I decided that I had made a huge mistake. Hearing and seeing other children my age speaking Hebrew fluently helped me to understand that without it I would always have trouble understanding the differences between Jews living outside Israel and those in Israel.
Without Hebrew, I couldn’t understand the announcements on the bus, I couldn’t listen in to the chitchat of everyday people in cafes, I couldn’t read Israeli newspapers and I wouldn’t be able to properly keep up with Israeli culture.
Until you speak Hebrew, it’s very hard to explain what phrases like achla (awesome), ani meta alayich (I adore you), chaval al hazman (a waste of time), or even kapara alecha (sweetheart) mean. It’s a way of communicating with Israelis in a way they understand, that shows a deep understanding of their way of life and their idioms.
After seeing what I was missing out on by not speaking Hebrew, I knew that I wanted to be able to listen to Israelis and understand their words. I wanted to be able to read any Israeli newspaper
and watch Israeli TV shows without even realising it was in another language. So, I spent thousands of hours learning and conquering Hebrew and my Year 10 teacher Morah Debbie was thrilled with my newfound determination and commitment to excellence. Eventually I completed Year 12 Hebrew and it was one of my top subjects.
Since October 7, 2023 I’ve never been more grateful for 16-year-old Nomi’s decision to learn and become accomplished in Hebrew. Since the war began, I’ve been attached to the news. While I do read English newspapers, my feed is filled with Hebrew news and podcasts that can provide me with upto-the-minute updates.
I’ve learnt a full repertoire of words that I never thought I would need to know in modern Hebrew, such as hostage or rocket. More concerningly, reflecting the current predicament that many Israelis are in, I am also familiar with the words for unmanned aerial vehicle and hostage deal.
Listening to daily Hebrew podcasts has helped me to understand the war from Israel’s perspective. I’ve read and heard things in Israeli newspapers that have not filtered their way into English. On daily Hebrew news podcasts, I hear from the children and parents of hostages in their mother tongue – their longing and their fears, their tears and their worries.
I follow Israeli peace accounts, those who demand a ceasefire and relentlessly criticise Bibi and his government with a harshness that does not often make
its way into translation. I read the comments on articles in Hebrew and hear the passion and the longing of so many regular people in Israel, who want a change to the constant cycle of war.
In Hebrew, I hear the passion of those who demand that things can be done differently at a time when violence seems to continue incessantly. I read everything, from the Left and Right, trying to make sense of this complex war.
When I read or watch TV in Hebrew, the news hits me differently. It’s raw; it’s unfiltered. It’s in the language of the people that are living through one of the country’s longest wars. In Hebrew, it’s in the voices of those that are closest to the fire. I’m here, in Melbourne, but with some of my siblings living in Israel and so many friends there, I want to understand what they are living through.
Hearing and understanding Hebrew makes me feel that I am part of the Jewish story in a way that I could never feel in English. It helps me to understand the nuanced arguments of those I agree and disagree with, without the sanitisation and interpretation of translation.
Reading and listening to news in Hebrew helps me feel the raw unfiltered pain of so many in Israel. But more than that, it makes me feel, despite my distance, closer than I could have ever imagined.
UIA will host Ayelet Nahmias Verbin, chairperson of the Fund for Victims of Terror (FVOT) at its AGM and 2025 Campaign launch event on Wednesday, 13th November.
As a trained lawyer, Ayelet specialised in corporate law and is considered an expert in corporate governance. Having started her career as an assistant in the Prime Minister's office under the leadership of the late Yitzhak Rabin, Ayelet also cut her teeth in the private sector as the first woman in the positions of chairperson of the Israel Export Institute and vice president of Israel’s Manufacturers’ Association.
For the past four years, Ayelet has been chairperson of The Fund for Victims of Terror, which is the first responder for families impacted by acts of terror and violence. The FVOT provides grants to victims within 48 hours. As of July 2024, 7,987 immediate grants and 1,265 longterm grants have been distributed to victims of October 7.
Special guest at AGM and Campaign launch events
worldwide for the Victims of Terror Fund has come from the support of Australian donors.
However, as the situation in the north of the country continues to escalate, thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate from their homes.
As a result, the focus of UIA-support efforts has had to shift to assist those in need through core projects such as Youth Futures, Amigour and Aliyah and Absorption. This includes support for immigrants that have recently made Aliyah and have been evacuated from absorption centres. With the help of UIA, these Olim are being provided with housing, hot meals, security measures and structured Hebrew classes.
The Youth Futures program provides vulnerable children and their families with community-based interventions via mentorship.
mentorship support in conflict-affected regions near the Gaza and Lebanon borders, to help about 1,600 vulnerable children and families. Additionally, essential supplies and food baskets are being provided to residents of Amigour sheltered housing for senior citizens who are unable to leave their homes due to the current situation, especially in highrisk areas in the north and south of the country.
UIA-supported projects like Youth Futures, Amigour and Aliyah and Absorption have been established for decades and are ideally structured to respond to the unprecedented needs now apparent in Israel.
The grant is two-pronged, helping victims with immediate needs, such as accommodation, food, clothing, funeral expenses and emotional and psychological support. The fund also helps with long-term needs, such as ongoing psychological support, extensive rehabilitation programs and resilience-building camps for children and teenagers. These long-term needs will be the focus of UIA support over the next 12 months.
Upwards of 60 per cent of the total funds collected by Keren Hayesod-UIA
This initiative swiftly responded to the current crises by implementing an emergency response plan for maintaining contact with families, providing emotional therapy, distributing computers for remote learning and offering financial grants. As the war continues, the project is adjusting its strategic plan to focus on expanding its
The impact of these projects on the ground and the outcomes of Australian support on beneficiaries in Israel will be reported on at the upcoming AGM and Campaign launch events. Preliminary announcements will also be made about the 2025 Campaign events.
To register for UIA’s AGM and 2025 Campaign launch event, where Ayelet Nahmias Verbin will speak, and for more information, see https://uiaaustralia.org. au/upcoming-events
How many common words of 6 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 7 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.
An award-winning documentary photographer captured the devastation of communities, the resilience of citizens, and the experiences of the bereaved, offering a powerful firsthand account of a nation in crisis.
On October 7, 2023, Israel faced unprecedented chaos as Hamas terrorists launched a massacre of civilians in Israel, marked by unimaginable cruelty. Award-winning documentary photographer Ziv Koren immediately recognised the need to capture this horror, embarking on a monumental project to document the destruction, along with the fighting that continues to this day.
Over five months, Koren chronicled the events that transformed Israel forever, taking over a quarter of a
October 7th: a photo essay from the front lines
million photographs of the massacres in the south, military operations and life on the home front. His work captured the devastation of communities, the resilience of citizens and the experiences of the bereaved, offering a powerful firsthand account of a nation in crisis.
The October 7 WAR (https:// gefenpublishing.com/product. asp?productid=3463) by Ziv Koren serves as a profound visual history of one of the most significant events in Israeli history. Blending sorrow and hope, it highlights the heroism of ordinary citizens and soldiers while presenting a stark collage of trauma and resilience.
Published to ensure we remember and never forget, it stands as a testament to the strength of the Israeli spirit.
Sderot | October 7, 2023
A vehicle riddled with bullets from the terrorists, its passengers shot dead. During that bloody Saturday, over 80 civilians and security personnel were murdered and fell in the city of Sderot.
Junction | October 7, 2023
Abandoned and partially burned cars scattered across Highway 34 – evidence of the massacre that took place on Saturday morning.
Highway 34 | October 7, 2023
Israeli forces rush to aid the photojournalists caught in the terror ambush. The IDF soldiers were driving in the opposite direction when they noticed the photographers lying on the road next to their cars, trying to take cover. The soldiers quickly took up positions behind the median barrier for their assault.
Ashkelon | October 9, 2023
A direct hit by a missile on an apartment building in the southern city. In a heavy barrage fired at noon that day toward Ashkelon and Ashdod, several residents were injured, some of them seriously. Several buildings suffered direct hits, and cars caught fire.
Sha’ar HaNegev
Between Ness Ziona and Rehovot | October 11, 2023
An alarm in the middle of the road: Orit Gutkind and her three children take shelter on the side of the road upon hearing a red alert siren.
Kibbutz Be’eri | October 10, 2023
The doll of 13-year-old Hila Rotem Shoshani left at the entrance of her home. On October 7th, Hila was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri along with her mother Raya and her friend Emily Hand. She refused to part with the doll until one of the captors snatched it from her hand. Hila, Emily and Raya returned to Israel as part of the prisoner exchange deal.
Kibbutz Be’eri | October 11, 2023
After days of body removal from the kibbutz, a ZAKA volunteer breaks down on the shoulder of a CounterTerrorism Unit fighter.
ISRAELI NEWS
ZIV KOREN
October 7th: a photo essay from the front lines
Kibbutz Be’eri | October 28, 2023
Bloodstains on the floor of a family home in the kibbutz bear witness to the horror that unfolded here.
Kfar Aza | November 13, 2023
ZAKA personnel collect human remains in one of the kibbutz homes. Many bodies were desecrated –mutilated and burned. The volunteers performed holy work to gather the remains for proper burial.
Kibbutz Be’eri | October 28, 2023
The numerous bullet holes in the ceiling of one of the Be’eri homes – evidence of the hell that unfolded in the kibbutz on the morning of October 7th.
Near Netivot | January 24, 2024
Vehicles collected from the southern roads of Israel near Gaza and from the area of the Nova festival in Re’im piled one on top of the other at a makeshift junkyard. About 1,600 vehicles were hit by gunfire and rockets on October 7, some of them set on fire and completely burned.
Kfar Aza | October 11, 2023
After four days of heavy fighting and exposure to the horrific sights of carnage that the terrorists perpetrated in the Gaza Envelope communities, counterterrorism unit reservist Yair Ansbacher cannot hold back tears at the sight of the holiday table prepared for the Sabbath and Simchat Torah celebrations. The image gained widespread publicity in Israel and sparked resonance around the world, becoming one of the photographs most identified with the October 7 massacre.
Tel Aviv | November 4, 2023
The heartbreaking Shabbat table, set with over 200 empty places, became a sad monument honouring the Israeli hostages held captive in Gaza. This symbolic table, assembled at Hostage Square in front of the Tel Aviv Museum, was replicated throughout Israel and in many cities across the world.
Gan Yavne | October 17, 2023
The funeral for the five members of the Kutz family from Kfar Aza. Fifty-three-year-old Aviv, 49-year-old Livnat, and their three children Rotem (19), Yonatan (16), and Yiftach (14) were murdered on the morning of October 7. Responding rescue forces found the family embracing one another in one bed. The family had moved back to Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where Aviv grew up, four years earlier.
ISRAELI
October 7th: a photo essay from the front lines
Ashdod | October 16, 2023
The funeral of Naor Hasidim, who was murdered along with his girlfriend Sivan Elkabetz.
Shura Camp near Ramla | October 25, 2023
The task of identifying the victims continues and is expected to take much longer. Since the October 7th attack, day by day and hour by hour, bodies and human remains are being removed from the cooling containers for forensic examinations including DNA, fingerprints and bite marks.
Gaza Envelope| October 15, 2023
Hundreds of volunteers prepare 15,000 hamburgers
for
and
Tel Aviv| January 23, 2024
Ilanit Levy parts with her son before he is laid to eternal rest. Twenty-four-year-old Major Ilay Levy, a platoon commander in the 202nd Battalion of the 35th Paratroopers Brigade, fell in battle in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. His younger sister Ori enlisted in the IDF on the day he fell.
Near Gaza Border | October 31, 2023
An M-109 self-propelled howitzer from a reserve artillery battery fires 155mm shells into the Gaza Strip. Intensive artillery fire, along with air strikes, created a “rolling curtain of fire” that assisted the IDF advance into Gaza.
Gaza Strip | November 22, 2023
Soldiers from the Jerusalem Brigade place explosives at the entrance of a terror tunnel located in the eastern Gaza Strip. Months later, the IDF estimated that there were no fewer than 5,700 tunnel shafts in the Gaza Strip, providing entry points for a network of tunnels hundreds of kilometres long.
Near Gaza Border | October 31, 2023
Reservists, part of an artillery battery, prepare to fire shells at targets in the Strip. In the days of preparation for the ground manoeuvre, the IDF amassed forces on the border on a scale not seen since the 2006 Second Lebanon War – five divisions, including infantry, armoured, combat engineering, artillery, special forces and many supporting units.
Gaza Strip | December 7, 2023
Kfir Brigade infantrymen examine weapons and ammunition found during the operation to capture Shuja’iyya. Nearly every building in the neighbourhood contained large amounts of weapons, allowing Hamas operatives posing as innocent civilians to surprise IDF soldiers.
daily
IDF soldiers
security personnel in the area of the conflict line in the south.
ZIV KOREN
October 7th: a photo essay from the front lines
Sheba Medical Center | October 24, 2023
Yael Golan was wounded along with her parents Elai and Ariel in their home at Kibbutz Kfar Aza. All three were severely burned after the terrorists threw a butane gas cylinder into the house and set it on fire. The parents shielded Yael with their bodies and later managed to escape through a window. Yael’s grandparents were by her side at the hospital while her parents were sedated due to extensive burns on their bodies.
Gaza Strip | December 28, 2023
IDF soldiers move through Beit Lahia. The reservists left their families, jobs and daily routines to defend the country – some of them for months of combat operations with no end in sight.
Ramat Gan | January 15, 2024
"After losing friends, home, and community," says Dr. Elai Hogeg Golan, "we are learning to rehabilitate ourselves.”
Gaza Strip | February 27, 2024
The Yahalom unit has played a major role in the Iron Swords War. On October 7, Yahalom teams were rushed to the besieged communities around Gaza. They battled terrorists, rescued and evacuated civilians, and cleared numerous improvised explosive devices.
Ramat Gan | December 16, 2023
Twenty-one-year-old Mia Schem with her sister Danny two days after undergoing complex orthopaedic surgery. Close to the time the photo was taken, Mia was informed that her good friend Eliya Toledano, with whom she spent time at the Nova festival, was no longer alive. Mia, who was abducted from the party in Re’im and was considered missing for days, returned from Gaza after 55 days in captivity. Mia became a well-known and identifiable figure in Israel and around the world after appearing in the first video of hostages released by Hamas.
Sheba Medical Center | January 3, 2024
Ben and Gali "making a train" on their way to physiotherapy practice. The couple was wounded by grenades thrown by the terrorists into the shelter they were hiding in after fleeing the Nova music festival.
Gaza Strip | December 19, 2023
This massive subterranean terror tunnel – the largest found in northern Gaza – was constructed at the direction of Mohammed Deif, the elusive head of the Hamas military wing (believed killed in an Israeli strike on July 12, 2024). It was discovered by operators from Yahalom, the Engineering Corps’ special operations unit, as they searched for the Hamas tunnel network that became known as the “Gaza Metro”.
Ziv Koren is a professional photojournalist with more than 25 years experience, beginning his career as a photographer in the Israeli army. Currently with Israel Hayom and Polaris Images, he focuses on global humanitarian issues, including the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, poverty and disasters like the Southeast Asian tsunami and Haiti earthquake, while also documenting the Israeli Defense Forces.
His award-winning photographs have been showcased in exhibitions worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Tokyo and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Koren’s work is published in major media outlets like Time Magazine and Newsweek, and he has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Photo District News Award. His iconic 1995 photograph of an exploded Israeli bus was recognised as one of the 200 most important images by World Press Photo.
You can order your copy of October 7th WAR on this link: https://gefenpublishing. com/product.asp?productid=3463
Both lost their right leg.
Gan Yavne | October 17, 2023
The five members of the Kutz family – Aviv, Livnat, Rotem, Yonatan, and Yiftach, are laid to rest.
ZIV KOREN
CONSIDERED OPINION
RAMONA FREEDMAN KESHER COMMUNICATIONS
Early September heralds the start of the school year here in Israel. Ulpan classes start with one clear mission: to teach Hebrew to new Olim. A big shalom to those fresh off the proverbial boat who have recently arrived here in the Holy Land from more than 100 countries. Talk about the ultimate melting pot. Let’s open my classroom door and peek inside.
Our teacher, Michal, loves emojis and the classroom is literally covered with smiling, happy images – she’s checked a few boxes with this theme. It is cross-cultural, which is quite clever and simultaneously distracting from how ancient these classrooms are. In fact, for those who recall education back in the 1960s and 1970s, we are still using those individual minute desks attached to each chair. Yes, the kind with no room to place anything on so books, pens, water bottles and everything else routinely interrupt classes by falling off and dramatically hitting the floor.
No complaints – to be fair, it is free. I can’t help but feel sorry for the handful of lefthanded students. If it is hard for us righthanders, it is ridiculous for them.
Very quickly the French formed what I can only describe as an impenetrable blockade across the entire front row. Don’t get me wrong, they are all lovely and it does help my Israeli integration that I speak ‘schoolgirl’ French. There are lots of “ooh la las” when things don’t quite go their way. They do bring in decadent delights from the local authentically French patisserie where you must order … in French. And they share them generously with … each other. This is followed by the mutual tuttutting that the treats are not quite what they would get back in France. Too much sugar. Not good enough. Quintessential French superiority. I just love it.
Of course, it is not the brioche buns that distract me, nor the superior grasping of all-things Hebrew from a midwifein-another-life and mum of four, Anaïs. Confession: I am completely distracted by their mode du jour – their fashion. Bonjour Christian Dior white sandals, Louis Vuitton satchels and keyrings, Hermes summer slip-on shoes and Versace sneakers. Bienvenue (welcome) to the effortlessly upturned black polo collar on the monsieur who sits on the far left. Day in day out, they all look … magnifique.
I sit in the second row, with a Russian stronghold on my left. We were told that in the past year Israel absorbed more than 33,000 new Olim, 19,000 of those from Russia. So true to those stats, they are very well represented at Ulpan Ra’anana. It isn’t lost on me that the back row has Ukrainians and Russians sitting side by side having a good laugh. And the focused, quiet yet astonishingly clever Vadim sits to my immediate left, with no interest in cultural or religious matters, but he has organised his mind to analyse Hebrew grammar as if it is a straightforward computer processing equation. As for the two Svetlanas – they are doing very well too, spasibo (thank you).
Planet Ulpan
I have also made friends, which all say is a bonus when on Planet Ulpan, undertaking a five-month course. I walked in a little nervous … as if it was my first day of high school – just many moons later. At least I have my Anglo crew I can sit with during strangely long break times. I love that we each have accents from different cities – Johannesburg, London, New Jersey, Los Angeles and some sort of special Swedish-English fusion.
I don’t know who writes the syllabus for this course, but a rethink is required. Instead of learning how to speak in a shop or how to communicate with humans, we are painstakingly learning about the conjugation of obscure, irregular verbs. It feels like there are more unusual ones than usual, which begs more Ulpan-content questions for another day.
I feel I need to learn about the real world – walking into a supermarket or fruit shop and knowing how to say relevant words when purchasing bread, meat and vegetables. But, I am told that grammar is foundational. “Building blocks darling, building blocks.” Well, when you are being screamed at because you are so spoilt for choice with the European cheeses and you don’t have the word ‘sliced’ in your lexicon, the cheese guy serving couldn’t give a kosher Camembert about anything else! He looks at you like you are a sad and silent soul.
We were taken down to the building’s bomb shelters a few weeks into term. Two classes were allocated per bomb shelter. Once we all got to ours, the teacher made an announcement: “Students, listen carefully: this was a practice run.
In reality, you will only have 90 seconds to get into the shelter. If this was a real attack, you would all be dead.”
Okay, yalla, now, let’s go back and learn more past tense verb infinitives.
Ummm, how exactly does one flick that switch and nestle back into our teeny tiny tables to learn more about nothing that applies to real life? And yet that is exactly what we did.
That day, there was no drama. As the teacher said, it was practice and, historically, almost no rockets are aimed at Ra’anana. In my head I called it a sweet spot geographically. I spoke too soon …
Just before we broke up for Rosh Hashanah, after we had all practiced our New Year songs as if we were each five-and-a-half, we were seated for a little concert where students sing and clap. Incidentally, the cohort is aged by 18 and 96.
Just as everyone had settled into the right seats and it was about to begin, a few students in the rows in front of me jumped up. I thought to myself, gosh, these teachers can’t make up their minds about where they want us to sit. But that wasn’t the case. It was real. Then a cacophony of mobile phones were going off with wailing sounds. Then the municipality street loudspeakers started. I jumped up and got caught in the throng heading towards the shelter –could I remember exactly where it was? How long did I have again?
I saw a member of my class, a stylish septuagenarian with big blue eyes. I linked arms with her and together we navigated the throngs to the correct shelter. We made it in, just, and then
heard loud sonic booms in the sky. Go the mighty Iron Dome! The stoic Eastern Europeans seemed unfazed, one young French mum had an anxiety attack, tears formed in my eyes.
As an Australian, it is so hard to comprehend that Israel is surrounded by enemies who want its total destruction –and that includes eradicating Australianborn me. Strange things go through one’s mind. First thought: I have got to check in on my husband and kids – is everyone okay? How wide reaching is this thing? Is it safe to walk home?
Next thought that pops into my head: is my almost-completed book manuscript safe? If the crazies try and bomb my laptop and I lose one word of this personal passion project about breast cancer I will completely lose it. Ramona – get a grip! Kids are safe. Book is safe.
I am proud to know I am a person who didn’t run and leave others behind. I am proud to know I helped someone in that mad moment. And I am proud to be a member of this Jewish nation. Less than 30 minutes later, we were all seated again and singing sweet songs at the top of our lungs. In defiance. In unison. That day was my initiation into the real Israel, a microcosm of all the madness and meaning that transpires each and every day.
Until the next issue, it is over and out from Ramona in Ra’anana.
Ramona Freedman contributes a monthly column about her Aliya journey. To contact her directly, please email ramona@keshercommunications.com.au
AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Helping Israelis during unprecedented tragedy
Even before October 7th, 2023 more than one million Israelis benefited from JDC-developed social services each week. Since the war started, needs have skyrocketed.
In response, JDC (The Joint) has already helped in excess of 450,000 of the hardest-hit Israelis. It is now addressing the spiking emergency needs of millions of others that hadn’t previously required assistance and may now be forced to rely on JDC for their survival.
JDC’s efforts include:
Treating trauma and building resilience in Israel’s children – creating daycare centres in evacuee hotels, providing trauma and play therapy in schools, and emotional support and guidance for parents and teachers.
Addressing a national mental health crisis – using tech tools for on-demand mental health solutions. The former include Nafshi, a website connecting people to diverse therapy options and Dugri, a peer support group app to meet the surging wartime need for psychological services.
Providing employment services for evacuees, reservists and the newly disabled – through job training, help in job placement and business planning assistance.
THOUGHT
Can you be too smart for your own good?
The influential literary critic Harold Bloom suggested that you can. In Western literature, Hamlet is often seen as the quintessential overthinker. But Bloom argues that Hamlet’s issue isn’t overthinking – it's that “he thinks too well. His is simply the most intelligent role ever written for the Western stage.”
Why would intelligence make someone anxious or miserable? Being smart doesn’t guarantee happiness, but does it hurt? Maybe Hamlet’s intelligence allows him to see some grim reality that others cannot.
That was Nietzsche’s position. He believed that the truth is too terrible to bear, that life is short and often filled with pointless suffering and that morality is a human construct to create meaning in an uncaring universe.
This idea – linking intellectual depth to existential pain – has a long tradition. The Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky observed, “pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth.”
Maybe these thinkers have a point. Perhaps the truth is harsh and the best way to cope is to avoid thinking about it too much. Life may be meaningless, but we can find joy in distractions,
JDC (The Joint) provides services to the most vulnerable segments of Israeli society. Since October 7, 2023 JDC has worked with 20,000 extra people living with disabilities, helping get them back into the workforce
Assisting the elderly who are evacuated, isolated or living under fire – providing daily essentials and emotional support, as well as increased caseworkers and day centres to ensure physical, emotional and social wellbeing.
Strengthening and revitalising frontline communities on the southern and northern borders – through community resilience initiatives, expanded social services and economic aid.
Bolstering emergency readiness and recovery in the north – including high-
The existential blues
before facing the inevitable. Consider Dostoevsky’s sentiment: “If God is dead, then everything is permitted.” Great individuals strive for immortality, often disregarding ethical boundaries, while most people live lives of mediocrity, comforted by illusions.
But nihilism isn’t the only answer. Faith offers a different path to counter existential despair. Faith suggests that the universe is more than just atoms and quantum mechanics – a belief that morality isn’t a comforting lie.
What is faith, especially in the Jewish tradition? Religious belief is often seen as a source of comfort. King Solomon said: “I said I will be wise, but it is far from me. That which is, is far off and deep, exceedingly deep.” Even for the devout, “man cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”
Even the wisest among us find the nature of reality mysterious and unknowable. Solomon, faced with existential despair, sensed a profound mystery in the universe but struggled to
risk disaster response preparations and distribution of humanitarian aid, medical supplies and emergency kits to communities under fire, as well as setting up a 24/7 humanitarian situation room.
Since October 7th, 2023
450,000+ Israelis have received assistance from JDC, including:
51,000 Children, teens and parents
46,500 Elderly, that are isolated, displaced or living under fire
153,000 Israelis have accessed mental health services
17,500 People with disabilities
10,000 Evacuees, reservists and injured soldiers trained for employment
76,500 Israelis from hard-hit cities have participated in resilience programs
64,000 Professionals trained in crisis response and trauma support
3,000 Small businesses have received assistance
30,000 Emergency kits have been distributed to vulnerable Israelis in northern Israel
366,000 Emergency medical supplies have been delivered to hospitals, municipalities and first response teams
grasp it. Yet, there is a kind of release in embracing that mystery. “When all has been considered, revere God and keep His commandments.”
Surrendering to mystery doesn’t mean inaction, nor does it imply resignation. Judaism is not about passive acceptance or blind obedience. It commands us to act.
Jewish faith is more than rejecting nihilism. It’s about working to embody the Living Torah, the blueprint of creation that holds the secrets of existence. And we don’t just admire its wisdom – we live by its teachings.
Belief in a better world is central to Jewish faith. We anticipate redemption but know it won’t come overnight.
Instead, we practice tikkun olam … healing the world’s brokenness. While we may never finish the job, faith gives purpose to our efforts. Belief in the Divine enriches our struggles and everyday life.
Judaism offers more than faith as guidance. Through our actions –prayer, study, joy, and community –we occasionally catch a glimpse of something greater. We sense the Divine presence among us.
In classic Jewish fashion, it’s not just that faith guides us; our efforts bring a kind of transcendent joy, the essence of faith, a joy that animates creation.
So, next time you meet a melancholy intellectual, invite them for a festive Friday night meal and some sweet challah. They might find that life isn’t so bad after all.
RABBI DR BENJI LEVY RABBINIC
Rabbi Dr Benji Levy with his wife, Renana, in Caesarea
DAVID SOLOMON, CEO AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS OF TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have achieved a significant breakthrough in the early detection of Parkinson's disease, potentially paving the way for earlier treatment and, possibly, even prevention of this debilitating condition.
Global impact of Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease affects approximately 8.5 million people globally. It is characterised by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. Current diagnostic methods rely heavily on observing clinical symptoms, which typically manifest only after substantial neuronal damage has occurred.
Research overview
The study was piloted by researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences, the Sagol School of Neuroscience and the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at TAU. Led by Professor Uri Ashery and PhD candidate Ofir Sade, together with another 15 experts from various TAU faculties, the multidisciplinary team utilised super-resolution microscopy combined with advanced computational analysis. This approach allowed for precise cellular level mapping of the molecules and structure of protein aggregates associated with
New hope for early detection of Parkinson's disease
area of the brain are already dead. Consequently, available treatments are quite limited in their effect and usually address only motor problems.
In this study, we began to develop a research tool to enable diagnosis of Parkinson's at a much earlier stage, when it is still treatable and deterioration can be prevented."
Ofir Sade said that protein aggregation in Parkinson’s starts years before symptoms appear. “Our method allows us to detect these aggregates in individuals as young as 30 or 40, offering a window of opportunity for preventive interventions that may slow down or halt the progression of the disease." he said.
years before the first motor symptoms appear."
Future applications for other neurodegenerative diseases
With ongoing clinical trials testing new drugs aimed at halting the progression of Parkinson's pathology, the researchers are optimistic about the prospects for preventive treatments in the near future.
Looking ahead, Professor Ashery emphasised the broader implications of their research: "Our ultimate goal is to develop tools for early diagnosis that can also be applied to other neurodegenerative disorders characterised by protein aggregation in neurons, including Alzheimer's.
Parkinson's disease. The team also collaborated with medical professionals from Tel Aviv’s Ichilov, Sheba, and Meir Medical Centers, as well as researchers in Germany and the USA.
Early diagnosis and intervention
Professor Ashery said: "Today, diagnosis of Parkinson's disease is based mainly on clinical symptoms, alongside relevant questionnaires. However, these symptoms usually appear at a relatively advanced stage of the disease, when between 50 per cent and 80 per cent of the dopaminergic neurons in the specific
Next steps
Building on their initial success, the researchers plan to expand their research with support from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. "We aim to develop a machine learning algorithm that can correlate our microscopic findings with motor and cognitive assessments," said Ofir Sade. "This approach could potentially predict disease progression and guide personalised treatment plans by enabling the detection of initial signs of Parkinson's at the cellular level up to 20
From research to application
The collaboration between academia and medical centres remains pivotal in transforming early detection into effective clinical practice. This is an approach where Tel Aviv University excels. Innovation of this kind not only holds promise for improving patient outcomes and improving the quality of life for millions of people worldwide, but also underpins Tel Aviv University's leadership in advancing neurological research on a global scale.
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.
From left, the Tel Aviv University research team, Professor Uri Ashery and PhD candidate Ofir Sade (photo courtesy Tel Aviv University)
AROUND THE COMMUNITY
M. WEINBERG TECHNION AUSTRALIA
Several months ago, paratroopers in the IDF 55th Brigade wrote a letter to their commander declaring their willingness to carry the fight forward against Hamas “until victory”, even if that means serving in the Army Reserves for many more months.
“How can we go home to our families before we create the conditions whereby Israeli residents of the Gaza Envelope towns can go home to their towns and families?” They asked for the “honour” of continuing the battle. Gutsy patriotism and positivity oozes from every paragraph of the letter.
The young Israeli men who signed the letter with their full names and military identification numbers are faithful members of their nation, devoted to Israel’s future and confident in Israel’s ability to overcome all adversity.
Their buoyant and brave sentiments are at one with the resilience demonstrated by broad segments of the Israeli public, from muscular mothers holding down the home front to the hundreds of thousands of Israelis (and Diaspora Jews) who are volunteering in myriad ways to make up labour shortfalls in fields, factories and hospitals.
A public opinion poll of Israel’s younger generation conducted earlier this year makes it clear that Israel is blessed with the most believing youth,
Israel’s future is guaranteed by gutsy youth
a generation of future leaders that are upbeat and keen enough to drive Israel towards every success, despite all the demanding challenges ahead.
Fifty-nine percent believe that Israel is strong and will win all current wars and has a great future. Forty-nine percent say they are mobilised to the military or are volunteering in civilian frameworks and are “devoted” to the State of Israel. Forty-two percent say that Jews have no other place in the world.
(Thirty-five percent are more worried about Israel’s future and 20 per cent say they are disillusioned and do not see
their future in Israel.) At the same time, today’s Israeli youth are not wearing rose-colored glasses. Fifty-seven percent recognise that tough times are ahead and Israel’s path to renewed strength and growth will be a long haul. (Twentynine percent see a swift recovery from the current crisis and believe that mass Aliyah can be expected soon, while, on the other hand, 14 per cent fear that Israel faces insurmountable difficulties.)
Eighty-two percent of Israel youth are prepared (to some or to a great extent) to pause the “good life” in terms of personal plans for work, study and
vacation, and are prepared to forgo travel abroad all-together. Sixty-one percent very much understand and 25 per cent partially agree that now is the time to restrict their purchases and save for the future.
Paradoxically, the connection of young Israelis to Tik Tok and Instagram that had linked them to the broader world now, more than ever, has rooted them in Israeli and Jewish identity – a backlash against the horrors of October 7 and its global antisemitic aftermath.
As Israel fights for its very existence, it is important to push aside the naysayers, to reject the pessimist and depressive discourse dispensed by some in Israel’s “old guard” and much of the international community as to the Jewish State’s ability to overcome Iran and its terrorist armies that encircle Israel.
It is important to understand the resilience and amplify the optimism expressed by Israel’s younger generation and much of Israeli society. The Jewish People cannot afford to contemplate anything less robust or authentic.
David M. Weinberg is executive director and senior fellow at the Jerusalem-based Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy. His diplomatic and defense writings are at davidmweinberg.com. He will be the keynote speaker for Technion Australia at its December gala events in Sydney and Melbourne.
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.
DAVID
Students at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa
RABBINIC THOUGHT
It has been a year since the whole world changed. A year since I was praying in shule on Simchat Torah, which is traditionally one of the happiest days of the Jewish calendar, and my security team let me know that there had been a massive attack against Israel, hundreds were dead and there were many hostages.
It’s the kind of news that makes your blood go cold. The kind of news that, years down the track, you can recall the exact place you were when you heard the news. As I write these words, I struggle to comprehend that it has been a full year, a horrifically tragic and awful year and, yet still, there are hostages in Gaza.
I don’t know if last year I could have celebrated Rosh Hashanah with such positivity and gusto had I known the awful year that all Jews around the world would have. A time, when we would see our supposed friends and allies abandoning us in our time of need, especially when we had been there for so many others when they were in need. I don’t know whether I would have believed that antisemitism would rear its ugly head, both in Australia and
Rebuild and rejuvenate
overseas, as vociferously as it has. I don’t know if a year ago, in October 2023, numb with shock at the sight of burnt kibbutzim and the faces of hostages on every street corner, I would have believed that a year later the situation would have escalated, with more fronts on a war with increasingly scary news reports like “ballistic missile attack from
Songs for the soul
Marking the first anniversary of October 7th, our community gathered at Caulfield Shule for a deeply moving event, “Songs for the Soul.” On that night, the power of music became our shared language for processing the grief, trauma and resilience that have shaped our lives since that tragic day. It was a gathering that went beyond commemoration – it was a collective act of healing.
Music has always held a special place in Jewish tradition. It has been a way to elevate the spirit, connect with the divine and express emotions that are often too overwhelming for words. In times of joy and sorrow, our people have turned to song to bridge the gap between what we feel and what we cannot say. On this anniversary, music provided exactly that – a bridge to help us navigate the complicated emotions of remembering and honouring those lost, while seeking comfort and renewal.
From the moment the first note filled the air, there was a palpable shift in the room. We were no longer individuals carrying our own grief, but a united community, connected by a shared purpose. The voices of Kolot Min Hashamayim, Cauflield Shule’s High Holidays’ choir from Israel, along with chazzanim, rabbis, rebbetzins and the gathered community blended in a way
Iran” or “ground operation in Lebanon.”
It has been a mighty hard year and yet as Jewish people we never lose hope and continue to pray and advocate for our hostages. Despite the hardship, there are silver linings everywhere. We would never have chosen this situation, but we have seen how united we have become as a Jewish people. When I
that transcended melody. It became a collective prayer, one that allowed us to express not just our sorrow, but also our strength.
What made this evening so powerful wasn’t just the music, but the act of coming together. There’s something transformative about communal singing. It breaks down barriers, creates bonds and offers a sense of belonging. In that moment, we weren’t just remembering the painful events of October 7th;
went to Israel earlier this year and I saw firsthand the site of the Nova massacre and visited the rehabilitation hospitals, I was inspired by the everyday Israelis who showed resilience and said, simply, and without fuss: “we will dance again and we will rebuild”.
The Jewish story is full of rebirth from the ashes. Like a Phoenix, the Jewish people will rise again. Along with this, we remember the promise that has sustained us for millennia.
The prophet Zechariah said it beautifully: “there shall yet be old men and women in Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age and the squares of the city shall be filled again with children playing.”
This prophecy, in the ashes of the destruction of the Temple and the sacking of Jerusalem, seemed hard to believe. In the face of such tragedy, how could Jewish people rebuild such a place of destruction and sadness? And yet, a quick look around Israel reveals that what was once deemed impossible flowered and flourished again.
Our people may have had a hard year, but we never lose hope. We will do what we have always done: rebuild and rejuvenate, but this time, bigger and better.
we were healing together, our voices merging into one. The songs we sang were carefully chosen, reflecting themes of loss, resilience and hope. Each note carried with it the weight of our shared experience.
There’s a profound psychological and emotional shift that happens when people sing together. Studies have shown that group singing can reduce feelings of isolation and stress, and that was evident in the room. Many of
us had struggled over the past year to find ways to process the enormity of what had happened. But as we sang, the music allowed us to release some of that emotional burden. Grief, which can feel so isolating, became something we carried together.
In Jewish tradition, song is often linked to the future – to the hope that no matter how dark things may seem, there is always the possibility of renewal. As we sang, it became clear that this event wasn’t just about memorialising a tragedy. It was also about reaffirming life, community and the strength that comes from standing together.
One of the most powerful moments came near the end, as the final song, Am Yisrael Chai, filled the Shule. There was a sense that this wasn’t a conclusion, but a starting point. The music carried with it a quiet but determined sense of hope that even after great loss, we will continue to sing, to heal and to rebuild.
In many ways, “Songs for the Soul” was a reminder of the resilience embedded in the Jewish spirit. Music gave us a way to reflect, to mourn and to connect, but most importantly, it gave us a sense of togetherness. As we sang, we found not just comfort, but strength in each other. The lesson is that in the face of loss, we can still find unity and the will to move forward through the simple, yet powerful act of lifting our voices together.
RABBI GABI KALTMANN
Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the commemoration of October 7
RABBI DANIEL RABIN
From left, Rebbetzin Sarah Rabin and Rabbi Daniel Rabin share words of inspiration at the "Songs for the Soul" evening
RABBINIC THOUGHT
Question
Why do Hasidic Jews wear long black coats and black hats? I don’t mean to be rude, but you look like a cross between a 17th-century Polish nobleman and an Italian mafia boss. How is that appropriate for Jews in Australia in 2024, especially on a hot summer’s day?
Answer
I wear a black coat and hat. And I have never been mistaken for a mafioso or a Polish nobleman.
I do get looks from people on the street, but no one seems to be scared of me, as they would if I were a mobster. And I haven't noticed anyone taking a bow or curtsy as they would if I were a nobleman.
The looks I get are looks of pride from Jews happy to see a conspicuous member of the tribe. And greetings of “Shalom” by friendly non-Jews who admire the Jewish people.
Now of course, I also occasionally receive some not-so-friendly greetings from those who have less admiration for Jews. And yet, I have never once been called a dirty Italian or filthy Pole. So, it seems whether friend or foe, everyone gets it right. They know I am a Jew.
And that is the point. That’s why I wear this uniform … so everyone will know I am a Jew.
What’s the Mafia look?
Many factors may be considered when choosing what to wear. Some check the latest fashions to see what is in. Others check the latest weather to see what it’s like out. Both are making a choice based on outside factors.
A Hasidic Jew dresses to express what is inside. We dress to look Jewish. We want everyone to know who we are and what we stand for. We wear our souls on our sleeves.
AUJS strikes a chord
The message is unmistakable. To our enemies: you can’t get rid of us.
To our non-Jewish friends: the people of the Bible are still around, sticking to our beliefs. And to our fellow Jews: there’s nothing to fear. Be a proud and unapologetic Jew.
Not the black hat type? That’s fine. You too can wear your soul on your sleeve.
Show your Magen David with pride. Keep your kippah on, not just in shule.
And when you see us black-hatters, give us that knowing smile. You are right, I am not dressed for the weather. My warmth comes from my soul, not from the sun. And I am not fashionable. I don’t care. What’s in today is out tomorrow. The Jew is here to stay.
Rabbi Aron Moss is the director of the Nefesh Centre in Bondi Beach. For more information, go to www.nefesh.org.au
Over the past year, the landscape of university campuses has been increasingly marked by anti-Israel activism, prompting a strong response from various student groups dedicated to advocating for Israel and fostering understanding about its challenges. Among these groups, the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) stands out for its proactive approach and resilience in addressing anti-Israel sentiment.
AUJS has been instrumental in mobilising Jewish students and their allies to combat misinformation and promote a nuanced understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By organising educational events and social initiatives, AUJS not only counters anti-Israel rhetoric, but also fosters a sense of community among Jewish students. Its efforts encompass a range of activities, from hosting speakers who provide diverse perspectives on Israel to engaging in dialogue with other student organisations. This multi-faceted approach ensures that the voices of Jewish students are heard and that the complexities of the situation are presented in a balanced way.
An event that exemplified this spirit of activism and community engagement was the joint challah baking organised
by AUJS and St Kilda Shule Young Adults.
The event served as a cultural gathering and a poignant reminder of the ongoing plight of hostages held captive in Gaza.
Participants learnt the traditional art of challah making, prayed for the hostages and raised money for Israel.
So, the function was beautifully crafted to be both educational and
communal. As those present kneaded the dough, they shared personal stories and reflections on their connection to Israel and the challenges faced by its citizens. The event highlighted the importance of solidarity within the Jewish community, particularly during times of crisis. By focusing on the hostages, AUJS and St Kilda Shule aimed to raise
awareness and humanise the situation, encouraging participants to consider the lives affected by the ongoing conflict.
This initiative exemplifies how Jewish university students are leveraging their cultural traditions to support important causes.
The success of events like the challah bake also reflects the broader strategy employed by AUJS to counteract antiIsrael narratives. By creating inclusive environments where students can express their concerns and engage in meaningful dialogue, AUJS fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment among Jewish students. This is particularly vital in an academic setting, where antiIsrael sentiment can sometimes feel overwhelming.
Moreover, the collaboration between AUJS and St Kilda Shule Young Adults illustrates the importance of community partnerships in advocacy work. By joining forces, our combined efforts highlighted the notion that activism is not just about opposition, but also about building a supportive community that stands together in difficult times.
As university students continue to navigate the complexities of political discourse on campus, the work of groups like AUJS remains critical. Its initiatives serve as a reminder that activism can take many forms and that every effort counts in the broader fight against antisemitism.
RABBI ARON MOSS
Rabbi Yaakov Brooks in Lorne (photo courtesy Chabad of Rural and Regional Australia)
RABBI YAAKOV GLASMAN AM
From left: AUJS members Sara Lupton and Matan Rapoport, with Rabbi Yaakov Glasman AM
A tuneful concert that you won’t want to miss
SAM GREEN
Accomplished singer/songwriter Sam Green will appear alongside Manny Goldberg in concert, upstairs at Caulfield Town Hall, on December 1st.
The Melbourne Jewish Report spoke with Sam to ascertain what will be on their dance card.
Sam, when did you first know that music was your true calling?
It started when I was still young, as I was hearing great songs my parents used to play on their 78 and 33 records. Then, I began buying my own 45 singles, soulful songs from the likes of James Taylor, Cat Stevens, early Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul and Mary. I found meaning in the words and tunes. I also appreciated Israeli and Greek music. All this enabled me to find my own voice.
Was there a pivotal moment that determined your life’s course?
I believe it was the folk scene and coffee bars, which helped me to develop the art of putting together words and music. I should also mention that my father, who was a poet, discussed how to write and my mother made up songs
and words in Yiddish that she originally sung while she was in a labour camp in Siberia.
What inspires you to produce the lyrics and music that you do?
In short, life and its journey. I remember that in the youth movement that I was part of, we were always producing skits and songs. I was singing much of the time and others seemed to enjoy it, and invited me to sing around campfires.
How would you describe your style or genre of music?
Unplugged – a fusion of soul and folk, with feeling.
Tell me about your relationship with Manny Goldberg?
Manny is master of the bongos. He brings a great vibe to music and I enjoy working with him.
What can patrons expect to see and hear when they attend your concert?
Relatable songs. Great tunes that are easy to sing along to.
To book for the 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
Spelling bee answers
Jewish Answer: SHATNEZ. 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): TENSENESS, ANTENNAS, HEATHENS, NEATNESS, ANTENNA, ASSENTS, HASTENS, NEATENS, SENATES, SNEEZES, STANZAS, TENANTS, TENSEST, ASSENT, ETHENE, HASTEN, NEATEN, SANEST, SENATE, SENSES, SNEEZE, STANES, STANZA,TANNA, TENSES, TENANT and TENTHS.
Crossword answers
CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES
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REVIEW
TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, AT PRINCESS THEATRE ALEX FIRST THEATRE
Ruva Ngwenya is simply the best in the dynamic musical tribute to the late, great Tina Turner, Tina.
What Tina experienced in her lifetime (26th November 1939 – 24th May 2023) was more than anyone should.
Yet, she overcame exploitation and abuse to become one of the greatest singers and performers the world has known.
She was born Anna Mae Bullock in Tennessee and endured a turbulent childhood, including an uneasy relationship with her mother.
As this jukebox musical tells it, with a big and powerful voice, she was “discovered” by musician and bandleader Ike Turner at a nightclub when she was 17.
A controlling and confrontational figure, Ike changed her stage name to Tina and renamed his band from the Kings of Rhythm to the Ike & Tina Turner Revue.
He knew from the outset that she was a star, but as they hit the road, he continued to crave the limelight, intent on guiding her career forever more.
A violent man with a vicious temper, he extracted a promise from Anna Mae never to leave him.
An unashamed womaniser, he all but forced her to marry him, even though she was involved with another band member at the time.
It was when Ike introduced her to record producer Phil Spector that her career really took off, with the hit single
MOVIE REVIEW
A taciturn American, Lee Miller (Kate Winslet) – who was born on 23rd April, 1907 and passed away on 21st July, 1977 – is about to be interviewed in her London home.
She questions why she should allow the interview to take place and then agrees on the condition that she can ask the interviewer some hard questions of her own.
That is Lee Miller to a tee –unapologetic, surly, determined, driven and not suffering fools gladly.
Hence begins a deep dive into the world of one of the most famous war photographers of all time.
Mind you, her real story didn’t come to light until her son unearthed the evidence.
In her younger years she was a model and a muse, who liked to drink, have sex and take photographs.
In short, she was a free spirit who enjoyed the company of likeminded friends in the south of France.
That was where she met and fell for American art dealer and artist Roland Penrose (Alexander Skasgard), who was besotted by her.
Living with Penrose in London, she sought and eventually got a job as a photographer and later a photojournalist for British Vogue magazine.
Oh my, what a voice!
River Deep Mountain High. After finally leaving Ike following another physical fight, and with children to support, Anna Mae was in debt and struggling to make ends meet.
Nearing 40, she continued her soul sound in Las Vegas bars, but was effectively in the wilderness for five years.
It was while dropping off a demo tape at Capitol Records that she met a young Australian record producer by the name of Roger Davies.
It would change the trajectory of her life both professionally (she became the Queen of Rock ‘n Roll) and personally.
With book by Katori Hall, with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical premiered in the West End in 2018 and on Broadway a year later.
This Australian production is very much about showcasing the supreme talent of Ruva Ngwenya. Frankly, she has one
of the most magnificent voices I have heard. She is a powerhouse performer and an entertainer extraordinaire.
Her ability to transition from low registers to “lifting the roof” off bangers is all but unparalleled. I am in awe of what she does on stage, as both a singer and dancer.
Giovanni Adams makes a good fist of realising the sleazy, manipulative, combative Ike Turner, generating audible gasps with his vitriol.
Among the many in the cast who also impresses is Jayme-Lee Hanekom, who plays Anna Mae’s older sister Alline and one of the Ikettes.
They were the female backing vocalists for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Hanekom brings endearing sass and attitude to her representations. While a drama packed story, Tina the musical is not without humour. That is especially
evident when the songstress arrives in London on the say so of Roger Davies and he introduces her to the pair that will produce her new sound.
What follows is hilarious.
Aided by a stellar band, the company numbers, too, are full voiced, rousing anthems that metaphorically “bring the house down”.
The highlight among the many, many is the sparkling rendition of (Simply) The Best, but the hit songs just keep on coming (23 in total).
That brings me to the highly accomplished choreography, lighting, sound and production design that are integral to the success of the show. In a word, they are awesome.
Set changes, too, are lighting fast, with excellent projections used to maximum effect.
While the destructive story arc that was Tina Turner’s reality is mighty hard to watch, this is one brilliantly composed and executed musical.
Before it is over, patrons are literally dancing and rocking in the aisles, paying the ultimate compliment to one of the most revered artists of our time.
It is her story of endurance and dedication to her craft, to which Ruva Ngwenya et al do justice and how!
Rush to buy your tickets, for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical is something very special. To purchase, go to https:// tinathemusical.com.au/tickets/ melbourne/
It is playing at Princess Theatre until 26th January, 2025.
Shattering Holocaust and WWII photos
That is how she came to forge a friendship with its editor, Audrey Withers (Andrea Riseborough).
World War II was beckoning and Miller became Vogue’s war correspondent.
A feminist, she broke down barriers and covered events such as the London Blitz, the liberation of Paris and concentration camps at Buchenwald and Dachau.
Lee is her warts and all tale of grit and endurance, including an experience with Hitler. She is painted as a ball breaker, a drinker and heavy smoker, who barges through life. The screenplay by Liz Hannah, Marion Hume and John Collee is based on Lee’s son Anthony Penrose’s book The Lives of Lee Miller. Kate Winslet, who also serves as one
of the film’s producers, does a fine job getting inside Lee’s skin.
She plays her as an uncompromising force of nature who will not be tamed.
Josh O’Connor portrays her patient interviewer, someone intent on getting to the nub of the truth.
Andrea Riseborough is stoic and respectful as the British Vogue editor.
As Roland, Alexander Skarsgard indulges Lee’s brusque nature and runs with it.
Another key figure in her life was Life magazine photographer Davy Scherman, to whom Andy Samberg gives voice. On the battlefield, the pair forms an impenetrable partnership.
As the film shows it, he admires her tenacity and pluck. The atrocities the pair witness are quite overwhelming. Playing smaller roles are Marion Cotillard and Noemie Merlant, as two of Lee’s dear friends.
Cinematographer turned director (who makes her narrative feature debut with Lee) Ellen Kuras brings a keen eye for detail to a compelling production.
The focus is rightly on Kate Winslett, who delivers a powerful portrait of a woman of substance.
Rated M, Lee scores an 8 out of 10.
For more of Alex First’s reviews, go to https://www.itellyouwhatithink.com
Photo by Daniel Boud
LEE (M) ALEX FIRST
Kate Winslet stars in Lee
AROUND THE COMMUNITY
Rich Jewish culture captured at JIFF
Jewish-themed stories from 17 countries, including Israel, Australia, the US, France, Germany and Portugal, are on the slate for JIFF 2024.
The 41 feature-length films, two TV series and several special, short films reflect the diversity, complexity and richness of Jewish culture.
Artistic director Eddie Tamir said JIFF is “a vibrant celebration of Jewish voices”.
“Our 2024 program showcases stars and change makers, offering audiences a rich tapestry of stories that explore the depth and diversity of Jewish life.
“We present films that span thousands of years of history and culture, reflecting on the ancient traditions that have shaped our world and the contemporary challenges we face today.”
Opening and closing night films
Kicking off the festival is A Real Pain, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin. This Sundance award-winner blends dark humour and heartfelt emotion as two cousins embark on a tour of Poland to honour their grandmother, confronting family tensions and intergenerational trauma.
The festival closes with The Performance, where Jeremy Piven plays Harold May, a Jewish-American tap
dancer lured into performing for Adolf Hitler in Berlin. Adapted from an Arthur Miller short story, this tense period drama examines fame, personal integrity, and artistic survival.
Centrepiece film
At the heart of the festival is the Sundance and Berlin International Film Festival selected Between the Temples, an unconventional comedy starring Jason Schwartzman as a cantor navigating loss and rediscovery with the unexpected help of his former music teacher, played by Carol Kane.
Special presentation
The Brutalist, directed by Brady Corbet and starring Adrien Brody and Australian actor Guy Pearce, tells the powerful story of Hungarian-Jewish architect László Toth, as he rebuilds his life in postwar America. This Special Presentation at JIFF 2024 is a rare opportunity to experience the film ahead of its official release in January 2025, with only two exclusive screenings during the festival.
Other highlights of the 2024 program JIFF 2024 delves into stories of survival and reckoning with history.
The Commandant's Shadow follows Hans Jürgen Höss, the son of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss, as he confronts his father’s horrific legacy.
In a deeply emotional meeting with Auschwitz survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, the film draws a poignant parallel to The Zone of Interest, the Academy Awardwinning film that centred on the Höss family’s life in chilling proximity to the Auschwitz death camp.
Tatami is the first-ever collaboration between Israeli and Iranian filmmakers. Premiering at the Venice International Film Festival, the film follows an Iranian judo athlete forced to choose between competing for gold and protecting her family’s freedom – an impossible decision set against the high-stakes backdrop of the Judo World Championship.
Australian voices take centre stage in Welcome to Yiddishland, a documentary that explores the revival of Yiddish culture, showcasing the remarkable contributions of Australian artists to this global resurgence.
Pita with Vegemite: An Israeli Australian Story captures the reflections of Israeli/ Australians as they navigate their identities after the October 7th attacks.
Festival dates: Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick from 27th October to 4th December, 2024. For bookings, 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
Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn
Classic Cinemas, Elsternwick
Cameo Cinemas, Belgrave
JIFF
The Performance is the closing night film at JIFF 2024
