Ameer Jhingoor • Brad Sewitz • Craig Haycock • John Cohen • Justine Cameron • Peter Hersh
Presented by former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Sky News Australia’s documentary Never Again: The Fight Against Antisemitism is now available to stream or download.
The hour-long doco examines the alarming rise of antisemitism in Australia and its impact on our country and our democracy.
For Mr Frydenberg, this issue goes beyond politics to the kind of country Australia should be.
Following the devastating October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists, the documentary looks at the increasing hostility towards Jews globally.
From the Sydney Opera House steps to the heartland of Melbourne's Jewish community, the escalation of antisemitism has been widespread.
The incitement has not only been seen through violent demonstrations, but in the desecration of national monuments.
It has resulted in the interruption of major events, the boycott of Jewish-owned businesses, the doxing of Jewish artists and community harassment.
So it is that the documentary takes a close look at the radicalisation on our streets and how antisemitism has been allowed to take hold.
Critically, is also focuses on what needs to be done to stop it. Through a reflective and, at times, emotional lens, Frydenberg speaks with prominent Australians.
Among them is Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, along with former Prime Ministers John Howard and Julia Gillard.
Rabbi David Freedman’s popular Judaica quiz is back once again with a spotlight on all-things-Shavuot. Seamlessly covering so many aspects of this chag, test family and friends at your Yom Tov table while you’re eating that cheesecake – good luck!
1. The festival of Shavuot is also known as Chag Habikkurim. How would one translate these words?
2. In the 1956 film The Ten Commandments which Russian born actor played Rameses II?
3. Mt Sinai is where the Torah was given, but what was the first mountain or mountain range mentioned in the Bible?
4. Shavuot takes place in the month of Sivan. How many days make up the month of Sivan?
5. The Book of Ruth is read on Shavuot. She is said to be a Moabite woman. Was Moab close to the Mediterranean Sea, the Sea of Galilee or the Dead Sea?
6. The Moabite Stone is a stele dated around 840 BCE. It is displayed in which European museum?
Josh Frydenberg in the Sky News Australia documentary “Never Again: The Fight Against Antisemitism”
He also talks with former Senator Nova Peris, former Governor-General Peter Cosgrove, musician Deborah Conway and Holocaust survivors.
“Since the attack on October 7, antisemitism in Australia has reached an unprecedented and dangerous level. Red lines have been crossed and a green light given to what clearly is unacceptable conduct,” Mr Frydenberg said.
“This is a time our leaders need to show courage and moral clarity, taking stronger and more decisive action to call out and stamp out antisemitism in Australia.”
To stream the full documentary and extended interviews, visit https://www.skynews.com.au/stream or download the Sky News Australia app.
How many common words of 5 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.
Rating: 9 = Good; 14 = Excellent; 18 = Genius
Glatt has published more than 1,000 crossword puzzles worldwide, from the LA Times and Boston Globe to The Jerusalem Post. He has also published two Jewish puzzle books: "Kosher Crosswords" and the sequel "More Kosher Crosswords and Word Games".
ANSWERS PAGE 17
7. According to the Ten Commandments, what should we not envy? (There are five answers to this question.)
8. The Decalogue is another name for the Ten Commandments –what is the meaning of this term?
9. Cheese blintzes are a popular dessert on Shavuot. The word blintzes is from which language?
10. Sephardic communities have a tradition on Shavuot of eating dishes made with rosewater. With this custom in mind, what name is given to this festival?
11. Of the 613 commandments given to the Jewish people on Shavuot – how many were positive and how many were negative?
12. Tradition has it that King David was born and died on Shavuot. Which company produces King David Sacramental (Kiddush) wine?
13. a) Where would one find Michelangelo's statue of David?
b) What did Michelangelo place in David’s left hand?
14. i) The King David Hotel was bought by which hotel group in 1958?
ii) Multiple scenes from which 1960 epic movie starring Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint were shot inside the hotel?
15. Jewish Law is compiled in a number of codes of Jewish Law – one of which is known as the Shulchan Aruch composed by
Spanish scholar, Rabbi Joseph Karo. What is the literal meaning of the words, Shulchan Aruch?
16. Maimonides codified all of Jewish Law in the Mishneh Torah. This work is also known by what other name?
17. Shavuot is also known as Pentecost. Christians also celebrate a Pentecost. What is the difference between the two festivals?
18. According to the Book of Jubilees, which early biblical personality made his covenant with God on the same day that we nowadays celebrate Shavuot?
19. The Book of Ruth is read on Shavuot. Which town is the first and last place that is mentioned in the Book of Ruth?
20. Besides Ruth in the Bible – it is possible that the most famous Ruth was in fact a man, who played professional sport in the United States. What was his name?
21. The founder of Chasidism, the Baal Shem Tov, died on Shavuot in1760. The word ‘Chasid’ means ‘saintly’. Which Biblical personality, according to the Talmud, was the first person to be described as a ‘Chasid’?
22. How many times per annum are the Ten Commandments read publicly in synagogue?
23. i) What was the name of the Mel Brooks's 1981 movie which satirised Moses receiving the Ten Commandments? ii) In the movie, how did the Israelites end up with Ten Commandments?
24. The Counting of the Omer links the two festivals of Pesach and Shavuot. What was the Omer?
25. On the island of Rhodes, a Velada ceremony took place on the first night of Shavuot. In which two languages were the prayers and songs recited?
ANSWERS PAGE 17
The Jewish Report has always been a free community newspaper, which relies upon advertising to exist. We encourage you to support our advertisers. Don’t hesitate to scan the QR codes that appear in some of their ads.
From a psychological perspective, living a life of luxury does not mean surrounding oneself with elegance or great comfort, nor does it involve great expense.
Consider psychological luxury as the things we need to build resilience and achieve a better quality of life. It requires starting each day with intent.
Alexandra Eidens, the founder of The Big Life, identified these 12 real luxuries.
1. Getting a good night’s sleep. Busy lives, past and current trauma, dayto-day stress, worry, babies and children, illness and grief are some of the things that get in the way. If sleep is elusive, consider what you can do to rest mind and body. If required, seek medical help.
2. Slow mornings. Do you feel rushed even before the day has started? It is time to change your routine and plan your day. Ensure that you rise earlier, so that you can eat and savour breakfast and enjoy your morning shower. Include brief exercise or meditation.
3. Freedom to choose. Some of you may feel that your day is dictated by
others. If that is the case, what are some things that you can choose to do at your own behest? Could it be the route you drive to work, what you wear, what you eat, the music you listen to etc?
4. Time for fun and play. Life as an adult is serious, but we need to time to offload. This may include banter with people you meet, reading something funny on social media, taking the time to play with your children or grandchildren, or the family dog. Laughing and having fun even for a few minutes a day can make the world of difference to your outlook.
5. Listening to the birds singing. This is a variation of the concept of taking the time to “smell the roses”. If we live life mindfully, we will be able to hear the birds at dawn and dusk.
6. Taking a walk. This is another way to be completely present in the “now”. It is beneficial for our physical and mental well-being. Owning a dog that needs exercise is one way to ensure that we get out and walk.
7. Reading a good book or engaging in arts and crafts. Take the time to learn, create or relax. A solo activity or a collective pursuit, this gives life more meaning.
8. Enjoying a nutritious, home cooked meal. We Jews consider chicken soup to be good not just for nutrition but for the soul. Take the time to discover what is your soul food.
9. Winding down with the sunset. Build awareness of the sunset and the colours as the sky changes from day to night. Relax into the evening.
10. The ability to freely express yourself. Today, it can be increasingly difficult to feel that you have freedom of speech. Find your safe space. To be silent and not have a voice is detrimental to your psychological health.
11. Day naps. This may be possible on a day off. In his book “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”, Robert Fulghum writes about this. It is a great form of time out and serves as a reenergiser.
12. A good conversation. Social connection is vital, meaningful and enriching. It adds appreciably to our lives.
Let me end with a quote from an unknown source: “Happiness is the new rich; inner peace is the new success; health is the new wealth; kindness is the new cool.”
Anne-Marie Elias is a psychologist in clinical practice for 25 years.
Consecrated through the suffering in Egypt and the trials of our exodus, Shavuot is not only the moment we became a people, but when we became “the Jewish people”.
One of the few silver linings in the dark cloud post October 7 has been our community's unity.
Jews, whether observant or secular, progressive or conservative, outspoken or reserved, have found our fates intertwined by the rise in antisemitism. We might not all be in the same boat, but we're all weathering the same storm.
Disagreements that were once academic are now existential. While many discuss the conflict abstractly, we don’t have that luxury.
It's exhausting to continually explain that the lives and safety of our families and friends should not be reduced to political variables. It's exhausting to reassure ourselves of our safety in Australia and to contend with a society more tolerant of racial hatred than our stomachs are of lactose. It's exhausting trying to reclaim the sense of belonging we had last September and it's exhausting that it feels like it's all on us.
But we've been exhausted before.
In times like this, I look to the past for hope. We are a resilient people. We have generations of testimonies showing that we stood up and made it through. We define our history not by
what happened to us, but by how we persevered, survived and thrived.
This is our turn.
The situation on campus is dire. It's unfathomable that Jewish students have lost confidence in their universities' ability to guarantee their safety. It's unfathomable that instead of empathy and compassion, some universities treat voiced concerns as ploys to silence opposing views.
But make no mistake – it will get better.
To paraphrase Hemingway on bankruptcy – the rise in antisemitism happens gradually, then suddenly. We’ve found ourselves in crisis gradually, then suddenly.
Despite how it feels, we are not alone. There are more decent people out there than you'd expect, horrified by current events, galvanised by sudden changes and working to ensure this spike in
antisemitism becomes a historical anomaly.
To Jewish university students: you are safe, you are welcome and you do belong. Times are tough, but we will get through this.
To Jewish academics and staff: your kindness, empathy and compassion towards students are invaluable, especially as you navigate hostile workplaces. Thank you.
To the community: we owe you a debt of gratitude. Your countless time, energy and resources supporting students make a significant difference.
Each act of kindness and each gesture of support builds a stronger, more cohesive community. It's in these moments of solidarity that we find the courage to face our challenges and the hope to believe in a brighter future.
Our history is filled with instances where we've faced adversity and emerged stronger. From the ashes of destruction, we've rebuilt our lives, our communities and our spirit. This period of hardship will be no different. Together, we will navigate through these turbulent times, drawing strength from our shared history and our unwavering faith in a better tomorrow.
While you dine on your lactose-free cheesecake this Shavuot, remember that brighter days lie ahead. This too will pass. And if we play our cards right, we might even get a new holiday out of it.
RABBI SHUA SOLOMON
Each year, the Jewish calendar is full of unique Shabbatot. Some are mandated according to Jewish law or custom. They include the Shabbat before Purim (Shabbat Zachor), where we remember the evils of Amalek or the Shabbat before Pesach (Shabbat Hagadol), where we are instructed to make sure we are prepared for the upcoming festival.
More recently, our community and communities around the world have adopted other Shabbatot to raise awareness for, among other important causes, support for Israel, infertility awareness and Shabbat itself through the Shabbat Project.
A few years ago, an organisation in Israel launched a special Shabbat called “Shabbat Ve’ahavtem”. Named after the special mitzvah to love those that have converted and become part of our community, the Shabbat aims to promote awareness of those that have made an active choice to become part of the Jewish people. Last year, for the first time, it was promoted by communities in the United States and this year, for the first time, it is being promoted among Australian communities too.
Shabbat Ve'ahavtem is the Shabbat before Shavuot (this year June 8th to 9th.) One of the themes of Shavuot is the story of Ruth, the first Jewish convert who, despite the many challenges she faced, was determined to join Am Yisrael. It also celebrates the time when the Jewish People as a whole received the gift of the Torah, just like those who convert who discover and accept the
Torah as they finish their conversion journey.
In Australia “Shabbat Ve’ahavtem” has been initiated by SAJE (Sydney Academy of Jewish Education). SAJE is an organisation that supports Orthodox conversion candidates through their journey to becoming Jewish. It operates under the auspices of the Sydney Beit Din. SAJE launched as an educational body last October. It is committed to helping guide its students through the process of conversion, with
group classes, inspiring educators and mentors, and a modular structured course of learning. Its visionary and benefactor, Harry Triguboff OA, was inspired to help create SAJE to keep people connected to the community.
There are already 70 participants in the first cohort of classes that began towards the end of last year.
Shules have been encouraged to speak about this important Mitzvah over the Shabbat and encourage someone who has made the choice to
go through the process to share their experiences with the community.
As our nation is still mourning the events of October 7, we are facing unprecedented waves of global antisemitism.
We believe this makes it even more important to proceed with the Shabbat Ve’ahavtem project this year. It is crucial that we welcome and show our support and appreciation for those that have not grown up in our community, but now identify with us.
Following a highly successful event at the Sydney Opera House on April 7, JCA's major campaign fundraising period for 2024 is underway.
At the event, JCA CEO Alain Hasson emphasised the striking parallels between the organisation's establishment and the current challenges confronting the Jewish community, locally and globally.
Formed in 1967 in response to the SixDay Arab-Israeli war, JCA was born out of the urgent recognition within the New South Wales Jewish community of a crisis in Israel.
Hasson stressed the importance of supporting the local Jewish community while also addressing Israel’s critical
cent rise from the previous year,” Hasson said. As the primary funder of CSG and NSWJBD (more than 90 per cent of both organisation’s funding comes via JCA), this is where the largest increase is forecast.
While significant investments have been made over decades in security and advocacy, the evolving landscape demands a continued commitment to bolstering these efforts, which cannot and should not come at the expense of all other key communal services.
“JCA is also responsible for ensuring that all services and programs offered by our supported organisations to our community receive the support they need. Education, aged care, community care and culture and connection play a pivotal role in fostering resilience, inclusivity and vitality. Education serves as a cornerstone, empowering students
French-born IDF paratrooper and civil rights activist Rudy Rochman will be a keynote speaker at Magen David Adom’s (MDA) 2024 Appeal launch on Monday, 24th June at 7pm.
Rochman will share the stage with MDA paramedic Hadas Ehrlich, one of the first paramedics on the frontline in Israel on October 7.
In a bulletproof, armoured ambulance, Ehrlich saved lives by ferrying the injured to an impromptu MDA field hospital.
Several ambulances were intentionally damaged or destroyed by Hamas terrorists on October 7. These were regular, non-armoured ambulances and resulted in the deaths of MDA staff.
MDA urgently needs more bulletproof, armoured ambulances. One was ordered after fundraising in Sydney earlier this year, while another was donated anonymously.
The MDA 2024 Appeal seeks funds for further bulletproof, armoured ambulances to ensure paramedics such as Ehrlich, along with the patients they are transporting, are protected.
Rochman’s rise to activism is a fascinating story.
An incident in London, when sevenyear-old Rudy and his mother were thrown off a bus, in an antisemitic attack, roused in Rochman a desire to defend his community. He joined an IDF paratroop
brigade aged just 17. He later studied at Columbia University in the US, where he started a chapter of Students Supporting Israel to confront the many Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel and antisemitic groups on campus.
Rochman has developed a series of documentaries exploring stories of disconnected Jewish communities throughout Africa and India. He has more
than 400,000 social media followers, while his videos have been viewed upwards of a million times (Instagram @rudy_israel).
His focus is on shifting the global ideological and political conversations regarding Jews and Israel, uniting Israeli society and generating innovative ways to combat antisemitism.
Rochman believes Jews are indigenous to the land, giving Israel the right to exist.
Neither Jews nor Palestinians “can be liberated without liberation of the other. Both groups should build a just civilisation as one that works for all,” he said.
For tickets to the MDA 2024 Appeal launch, go to https://events.humanitix.com/rudyrochman-mda/tickets
Australians can take immense pride from the critical role their country played in the re-creation of the State of Israel. Without the fighting prowess and blood sacrifice of the ANZACs, who defeated the Ottoman Empire, alongside the British and other armies in the First World War, the Jewish State could not have emerged 30 years later. In the face of British opposition, Australia was also the first country to vote in favour of the UN Partition Plan, which led directly to Israel’s Declaration of Independence.
In the intervening years, Australia has been one of Israel’s staunchest friends. But visiting Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra over the last few weeks I have seen a somewhat different story, with Hamas supporting mobs in the streets and on university campuses. Like many others around the world, the Australian government has rounded on Israel as it is fighting a war on many fronts that so far has lasted only about a month less than the 1948 Independence War. I spoke to a rabbi in Sydney who recounted how the Prime Minister told him that Israel is fighting the war all wrong.
Mr Albanese did not, apparently, offer a view on how it should be done differently. That’s not surprising: I’ve met many politicians, military experts and academics who make the same complaint, but not one has any solution to offer beyond platitudes about “negotiated solutions” and “world peace”.
In any case, it’s not about how the war is fought. All this anti-Israel noise is about the country’s very legitimacy. Decades of political warfare against Israel, the most successful slur campaign in history, has created an almost unshakeable narrative that the Jews stole Arab land, illegally occupy Palestinian territory, practice apartheid and are trying to perpetrate a genocide. This is, of course, all lies – every single part of it.
But it is widely believed, even among some politicians who should know better. Under this narrative, whatever happens to Israel, even October 7, it has it coming. Whatever Israel does in selfdefence is wrong.
Therefore, the IDF is repeatedly accused in the media, on campuses, by the UN and so-called human rights bodies, of indiscriminately killing civilians and depriving them of humanitarian aid. Both are lies. I have been inside Gaza several times since the war began and I can say unequivocally that the IDF is taking immense care to minimise civilian casualties, while fighting an enemy whose strategy is based entirely on trying to lure them to kill as many of their own population as possible. Casualty statistics available to us now show a lower ratio of civilian to combatant casualties than in any comparable conflict anywhere, confirming my firsthand observations. I have visited humanitarian crossing points and have seen the almost superhuman efforts of the IDF to get aid into Gaza. The result is that the amount of aid entering the Strip since the war began has been more than double the quantities that went in during equivalent periods before October 7.
Despite the efforts of so many around the world to prevent an Israeli victory in this war, the IDF has been astonishingly
Except where expressly stated otherwise, content in The Sydney Jewish Report is provided as general informations only. The articles in this paper have been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content here are presented solely by the author, and The Jewish Report assumes no responsibility for them. It is not intended as advice and must not be relied upon as such. You should make your own inquiries and take independent advice tailored to your specific circumstances prior to making any decisions. We do not make any representation or warranty that any material in the papers will be reliable, accurate or complete, nor do we accept any responsibility arising in any way from errors or omissions. We will not be liable for loss resulting from any action or decision by you in reliance on the material in the papers. By reading the papers, you acknowledge that we are not responsible for, and accept no liability in relation to, any reader’s use of, access to or conduct in connection with the papers in any circumstance. Photographs submitted by individuals or organisations are assumed to be their property and are therefore not otherwise credited. All articles in this paper have received the expressed consent of the author to publish in this paper.
The Jewish Report; ISSN 2204-4639
Publisher: The Jewish Report Pty Ltd (ACN 167302981)
Distributor: TJR Distribution Pty Ltd ACN 165158029
Comments or suggestions to: editor@thejewishreport.com.au
Article submissions to: www.thejewishreport.com.au/article-submission-guidelines
Advertising: editor@thejewishreport.com.au
Website: www.thejewishreport.com.au
Printer: Spotpress Pty Ltd
effective at destroying Hamas on the most complex of any battlefield I have known. The last formed terrorist units are currently being dealt with in Rafah. Once that is done, the IDF will face the task of destroying the remaining Hamas infrastructure, dealing with the surviving terrorists and suppressing any reemergence of a threat to Israeli civilians. That will take a very long time and require the IDF to maintain security control over Gaza indefinitely, irrespective of who ends up running and reconstructing the place. Then there is Hizballah to deal with in Lebanon.
It would be easy to become depressed as this long war proceeds and world condemnation grows, but I am optimistic. Once the dust settles, Israel will emerge with its honour fully intact, even though the haters will deny it. It will also emerge stronger than when the war began. Recognising now that it can rely on nobody, not even the US, it will become more self-sufficient and militarily powerful. With so many young and older Israelis having fought and sacrificed so much for their country, it
will also regain an even stronger sense of national identity, purpose and cohesion. Much as Australia’s own terrible baptism of fire in two world wars played a major role in forging a strong, proud and independent nation. It should not be seen as a burden to stand up for Israel, but an honour. Australians Jews and non-Jews who do so now can take as much pride as their forebears who played their part in the re-creation of the Jewish State. I am reminded of the words of Winston Churchill to the boys of his old school in 1941 as the Second World War raged: “We must all thank God that we have been allowed, each of us according to our stations, to play a part in making these days memorable in the history of our race”.
Colonel Richard Kemp has been touring Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra with the Australian Jewish Association, speaking at numerous schools, synagogues and other gatherings and having dozens of meetings with politicians and communal leaders.
Friday, Jun 7, 2024 4:35 pm Shabbat ends, Jun 8, 2024 5:34 pm Friday, Jun 14, 2024 4:35 pm Shabbat ends, Jun 15, 2024 5:34 pm Friday, Jun 21, 2024 4:36 pm Shabbat ends, Jun 22, 2024 5:35 pm Friday, Jun 28, 2024 4:38 pm
Shabbat ends, Jun 29, 2024 5:37 pm
A further strengthening of our community and its connection with the People of Israel is behind a strong initiative by UIA NSW.
Since October 7, the community has shown that it is dynamic and can step up in times of need. Gesher by UIA builds on this momentum, helping to connect and leverage the talent and resources of our people and community.
Gesher’s aim
Gesher by UIA will provide opportunities to engage with Israeli people, families and organisations, drawing on their resilience and optimism. Gesher will also provide our brothers and sisters in Israel with the unwavering support they need to rebuild our homeland. The core of Gesher is a network of motivated ambassadors. The ambassadors will connect with the broader community, engaging them in Gesher's wide-ranging activities and projects, both locally and in Israel.
Gesher eligibility
From students to young professionals, from parents to retirees, Gesher is for everyone. Gesher ambassadors will be given the chance to make a meaningful difference to our community.
Gesher will provide ambassadors with opportunities to:
• Connect to Israel through events with speakers, DJs, chefs, artists, academics, politicians and more.
• Experience Israel by visiting projects, volunteering and meeting the beneficiaries of Australian philanthropy.
• Advocate through supporting local communal organisations to access resources for Israel advocacy work
What Gesher involves:
• Developing and coordinating a network of 10 to 20 community members.
• Encouraging engagement in rewarding activities and projects facilitated by Gesher.
• Sharing carefully curated and relevant information.
• Helping to identify community needs and projects that Gesher can support.
• Sharing opportunities to engage with people and projects on the ground in Israel.
As Gesher strengthens and grows, so will its impact. Gesher will become a valuable community asset.
To mark the launch of Gesher by UIA, those registering will be invited to an exclusive, world-first event: ‘Be the Witness’. Nimrod Palmach and ISRAEL-is (an organisation dedicated to improving global perceptions of Israel), together with three survivors of the October 7 massacre, will guide participants through a virtual reality experience as survivors share their personal stories.
UIA CEO Yair Miller OAM said Gesher will give our community the opportunity to find a way to meaningfully engage and make a difference at this critical time in our history.
“The ability to truly have an impact, both in Israel and in our local community, is something that so many have been seeking since October 7 and this will be a significant way to do so. UIA is proud to be launching this initiative. I sincerely hope the community will join us and sign up as ambassadors,” Mr Miller said.
To learn more about this initiative and become a Gesher ambassador, register for the Gesher launch at: http:// uiaaustralia.org.au/gesher
Since the tragic attacks of October 7, the global Jewish community has been confronted by a disturbing resurgence of antisemitism. In the face of adversity, Jewish individuals and communities have come together, reaffirming their common heritage, values and resilience. Across continents, from synagogues to social media platforms, there has been a groundswell of solidarity, with Jews standing together to condemn hatred and discrimination in all its forms. Amidst our shared trauma, this unity and reawakening of Jewish pride and identity is a positive outcome. It speaks to a recent study by PhD student Tamar Gur and her team, under the guidance of Professor Eran Halperin from the Psychology Department at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It delves into the profound impact of memorial days on societal cohesion, as we see rising polarisation. The study reveals significant insights into the unifying effects of Holocaust Memorial Day on Israeli society.
The association between memorial days and national unity has long been acknowledged. In poignant speeches, delivered during these commemorations, there is a resounding call for unity,
underscoring a common identity and shared commitment to the memory of a collective history. Against the backdrop of contemporary polarisation, characterised by growing divides among groups with identical national identities, the need to strengthen these bonds of common identity is paramount.
The study examined the effects of memorial days on emotional responses and their potential role in mitigating affective polarisation. Affective polarisation, defined as the tendency to harbour negative attitudes and hostility towards supporters of opposing political ideologies, poses a grave threat to societal cohesion and functionality.
The research included extensive surveys gauging feelings and attitudes before, during and after the day of remembrance. The results showed that the prevalent sadness associated with the day significantly decreases polarisation, which often manifests as distrust or hostility towards those with differing political or ideological views.
“Memorial days serve as a reminder of our shared humanity and collective responsibility towards preserving the memory of our past,” said Tamar Gur.
“Our findings underscore the pivotal role of sadness in temporarily reducing affective polarisation and safeguarding societal cohesion.”
This research holds far-reaching implications for how we deal with grief. Sadness, though often deemed an unpleasant emotion, offers substantial personal and group advantages
in specific contexts. Memorial days exemplify how national groups can harness the power of sadness to bolster cohesion and preserve group integrity.
The profound impact on societal cohesion underscores the importance of collective memory in healing national wounds and building a resilient community. It highlights how remembrance and shared grief can serve as powerful catalysts for social solidarity, promoting a more harmonious coexistence among social groups.
This year, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Hashoah have assumed profound new significance and have evoked a shared sense of grief, resilience and unity among Jewish communities around the world.
As we honour the memories of those lost to terrorism and the Holocaust, we are reminded of the fragility of peace and the urgent need to confront antisemitism in all its forms. In this communal remembrance, Jews from diverse backgrounds came together, drawing strength from our unity. Through the solemn rituals of mourning and reflection, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Hashoah serve not only as tributes to the past, but also as calls to action to ensure “never again”.
To celebrate Israel’s 76th Independence Day, I had the privilege of participating in the hackathon at the ZCNSW’s Yom Ha’atzmaut Festival, organised by Technion Australia and the Australian Friends of the Hebrew University. As a mechatronics and computer science student, I have always been passionate about using technology to solve real-world problems. This hackathon offered a perfect platform to tackle a pressing issue affecting Jewish students today – antisemitism on university campuses.
Life on campus today presents challenges beyond academics for Jewish students. Protests, posters and encampments have created an environment where many feel unsafe and unsettled. The hackathon felt like a golden opportunity to voice our concerns and create meaningful change within our community. We were tasked with developing a start-up that could serve a purpose and generate profit.
Thus, “Beyachad: Fighting Antisemitism on Campus, Together” was born. Using the “Five whys technique”, I delved into the root causes of Jewish students feeling unsafe and anxious. The analysis revealed that the core issue was a lack of accountability for protestors who engage in hate speech and slander. With this understanding, I aimed to develop a solution that would ensure answerability and improve campus safety.
Considering the relevant stakeholders, I focused on university campuses. Universities have a responsibility to ensure the safety of all students and suffer significant reputational and financial damage if they fail. Therefore, a solution that benefits both students and universities was imperative. Beyachad leverages AI technology to create a sophisticated, communitydriven reporting system. Students can use their smartphones to capture incidents of hate speech, violence and inappropriate
posters. The AI analyses these inputs in real-time, identifying key details, such as faces, speech and actions. The system then documents each event with timestamped evidence and GPS coordinates, generating detailed reports. These reports are cross-examined against relevant student policies and Australian law, and the system notifies the appropriate
security body for an immediate response. Beyachad empowers students to hold protestors accountable, ensuring a safer and more inclusive campus environment. This collective effort enables students to focus on their studies with confidence and peace of mind.
Reflecting on my journey, I must acknowledge a significant experience that shaped my approach to this hackathon. A few years ago, I participated in a youth summer camp in Israel called SciTech. This program, hosted by the Technion –Israel Institute of Technology, offered three weeks of hands-on experience in science and technology. The SciTech camp not only enriched my technical skills, but also immersed me in a collaborative and innovative atmosphere. The hackathon allowed me to relive a bit of that SciTech spirit, driving me to create a solution with real-world impact.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to Technion Australia and the Australian Friends of the Hebrew University for organising the event. I am grateful to the mentors who supported me throughout the day and to the judges for their invaluable feedback and suggestions. As I continue to develop Beyachad, I remain committed to the primary objective of keeping our community safe.
By leveraging technology and collective action, we can confront antisemitism on campus and create a safer, more inclusive environment for all students.
For 100 years, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology has strengthened the State and people of Israel. No institution holds more
Tel Aviv University (TAU), Israel's largest institution of higher learning, has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability amidst the turmoil of the Hamas-Israel conflict that erupted on October 7. Despite the challenges posed by the war, the university has continued to support its students, many of whom were called up for military service.
Raz Elkayam, a 25-year-old biology and neuroscience student at TAU, grew up in the southern city of Sderot and his family still lives there. In one of the previous rounds of conflict in Gaza, his parents’ house was damaged by a direct missile strike. Before his university studies, Raz served for four and half years as an officer in the IDF.
At TAU, Raz belongs to the Periphery Scholars Program. He dreams of becoming a brain researcher. “I was drawn into the world of science from a young age and my dream is to make a change – not a small change, but a meaningful one, with lasting impact,” Raz says.
On October 7, Raz was in Rome with his grandmother. His peaceful holiday was shattered early in the morning when his grandmother's Red Alert app began incessantly notifying them of incoming
Raz Elkayam
missiles in Israel. Raz's parents and two sisters confirmed the missile attacks, but assured him they were safe. Raz received a call-up message from his IDF reserve unit commander and his concern grew as he watched real-time videos of terrorists in Sderot, including areas near his family's home. He lost contact with his family, only later receiving a message indicating they were hiding from Hamas terrorists in their safe room.
Stranded in Italy due to cancelled flights, Raz and his grandmother
returned to Israel on October 11. After a brief reunion with his family, Raz joined his army unit in the north, serving until the end of February. Throughout this period, TAU officials maintained regular contact with Raz, expressing concern for his welfare – a gesture he greatly appreciated.
The war significantly impacted TAU, with 6,600 of its 30,000 students called up for military service. The university quickly implemented measures to support these students upon their return. For instance, exams were replaced with assignments and projects, or shifted to a pass/fail format to ensure grades would not adversely affect academic records. Additionally, students were given opportunities to retake exams, with the highest grade counting as the final mark. TAU also provided psychological support and financial assistance to those affected by the conflict.
Students like Raz faced immense challenges balancing their military duties and academic responsibilities. After enduring combat, Raz found it difficult to transition back to university life, but TAU's flexible policies and academic support helped him succeed.
TAU's response was spearheaded by Professor Drorit Neumann, Dean
of Students, who managed the psychological and logistical support systems for students. The university established hotlines, provided emergency financial aid and created tailored academic support systems, including study buddies and additional tutoring.
University President Professor Ariel Porat played a crucial role in maintaining the institution's operations and supporting the TAU community. Porat emphasised the importance of continuing the academic year despite the conflict, recognising that stopping education would be detrimental not only to students, but to Israel's resilience as a nation. He highlighted the dual roles of TAU students, who balance their military service with academic pursuits, embodying the spirit of Israeli resilience and intellectual advancement.
The war's long-term effects are inevitable, but TAU remains committed to supporting its students through these challenging times. The institution's proactive and compassionate approach ensures that its students can continue their education and contribute to Israel's future, even amidst conflict.
aftau.asn.au
When duty called, they came! Now, it’s up to us to help them return to classworry-free - and become the bright future of Israel. The moment the war broke out Israel re-enlisted its reservists and over 6,600 of them are Tel Aviv University students. They already completed their regular IDF duty and are now in a different chapter in their lives: the one where they study to make their dreams and goals a reality. It’s up to us to ensure that our returning students, our heroes, have the academic and financial assistance they need to succeed in their studies. Help our students follow their true calling.
Support TAU’s Uniform to University Scholarship Fund.
“When I received the call to serve I was happy at the opportunity to contribute to my country during these challenging times. I hope to resume my studies and fulfil my dream of becoming an engineer.”
– Yarin
Equating Israel with Hamas, the ICC’s actions are morally outrageous.
Karim Khan, the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), announced he’s seeking warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and for three senior Hamas leaders, effectively creating a false equivalency between Israel and Hamas.
Placing Israel’s democratically elected leaders on the same level as some of the worst human rights abusers and mass killers on the planet is outrageous. It’s as if Khan issued warrants for the arrest of both Osama bin Laden and President George W. Bush immediately after the September 11 attacks. It’s like calling for the arrest of Adolf Hitler along with Winston Churchill.
The ICC’s stunt is a brazen inversion of the truth. It isolates Israel on the world stage and emboldens its enemies. Khan has charged Israel’s leaders with “starvation of civilians, a method of warfare as a war crime”, “extermination and/or murder”, “persecution”, “other inhumane acts,” “willful killing”, and “intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population”. Huh?
Let’s start with the charge of using starvation as a method of war, which features so centrally in Khan’s malicious accusations. According to The Wall Street Journal, since October 7, 2023, Israel has overseen the supply of 542,570 tons of aid into Gaza, in 28,255 trucks, in a massive, unprecedented effort to supply food to Gaza civilians. Israel has also appealed to Egypt to open the Rafah crossing, which links Egypt to Gaza, for use by aid trucks; Egypt has refused. The WSJ asks: Is this the behaviour of an Israeli government bent on starving Gazans?
The major factor in the rise in hunger in Gaza is due to the wide scale theft and
looting by Hamas. An April report by The New York Times revealed that hunger in Gaza isn’t caused by a lack of food, but by exorbitant prices charged by Hamas and other criminals who steal food aid.
In fact, the very day that Khan announced he’s seeking the arrest of Israeli leaders, the US State Department announced that none of the food aid it has delivered via the $320 million pier the US built in Gaza has been distributed to actual Gazans. Instead, food has been looted and stolen, presumably by Hamas, whose members continue to control much of Gaza with an iron fist.
Khan’s outrageous charges of “extermination” and “wilful killing” and “intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population” are patently false.
Major John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute (MWI) at West Point, notes, “In their criticism, Israel’s opponents are erasing a remarkable, historic new standard Israel has set. In my long career
studying and advising on urban warfare for the US military, I’ve never known an army to take such measures to attend to the enemy’s civilian population, especially while simultaneously combating the enemy in the very same building.”
“In fact,” Major Spencer continues, “by my analysis, Israel has implemented more precautions to prevent civilian harm than any military in history – above and beyond what international law requires and more than the US did in its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.” (I urge you to read Major Spencer’s comments in Newsweek from which these quotes are taken, in full.)
Moreover, Israel is battling Hamas, an entity that deliberately embeds its fighters in civilian centres, uses hospitals as army depots, puts weapons inside mosques and views the people of Gaza as so many human shields. A major NATO report issued in 2014 described this strategy, providing eyewitness proof
of Hamas “firing rockets, artillery, and mortars from or in proximity to heavily populated civilian areas … (e.g. Schools, hospitals, or mosques).” NATO also described Hamas’ cynical attempt to maximise human death tolls in the case of any Israeli attack in order to bring criticism down on Israel and to increase sympathy for Hamas.
“Hamas relies on the Israeli government’s aim to minimise collateral damage and is also aware of the West’s sensitivity towards civilian casualties. Hamas’ use of human shields is therefore … aimed at gaining diplomatic and public opinion-related leverage, by presenting Israel and the IDF as an aggressor that indiscriminately strikes civilians.” A February 2024 letter by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar to Hamas members abroad stated this goal plainly, describing increasing civilian casualties in Gaza as a win-win situation for Hamas, fomenting ever more criticism of Israel. Khan is blaming Israel for a humanitarian crisis in Gaza that is entirely Hamas’ own making. In fact, it seems that Khan did no fact-checking on the ground at all. Though he visited Israel and interviewed Israeli survivors of Hamas’ October 7 massacre as part of the case he’s building against (only) three of Hamas’ leaders, Khan has said that he hasn’t visited Gaza since October 7.
The ICC ought to be lauding Israel’s attempts to fight a vicious enemy while sparing a civilian population that Hamas is deliberately putting in harm’s way. The ICC ought to be seeking arrest warrants for the entire leadership of Hamas around the world. By charging Israel and equating them with a savage terrorist organization, the ICC is ultimately tarnishing its own standing in the world and revealing its antisemitic bias.
In the final stage of converting to Judaism one confirms their commitment, echoing the Jewish people’s pledge at Mt Sinai. We are a nation of converts. And since the revelation, the door has remained open. Throughout our history, there are converts to Judaism who have made an indelible mark on the Jewish people –and, indeed, the world. As we approach Shavuot, I am sharing four short snippets of incredible converts and a teaching they shared among thousands of others.
Sometimes when we learn about others, we learn more about ourselves. There is something about the active choice of converts that I find inspiring. It invites us to consider what we choose and how intentional we are about our choices, so that we can live up to our calling as a “people of choice”.
One of the most famous converts to Judaism is Ruth. Born into the Moabite royal family, she turned away from palace life, with all its luxury and comfort. Ruth paid the price of temporary hardship because of her incredible dedication to the nation, something that, to her, was worth so much more. Ruth went on to marry the leader of the Jewish people, Boaz. Their descendants would found the eternal monarchy: the Davidic Dynasty. She was the ancestor of King David and, according to
tradition, the future Messiah will come from the line of David, resulting in he too being a descendant of hers. Many greats, including David, would not have existed without her fateful choice. Her story is chronicled in the Bible and read every Shavuot, sending the message that true leaders are always guided by the ultimate truth.
To hide from the Roman authorities (who forbade conversion), two famous scholars picked up interesting nicknames – Ben (son of) Bag Bag and Ben Hey Hey. Their names have the numerical value
of the letter hey. This letter represents Hashem (God), a consciousness they deepened in their lives. It is the same letter that was added to the first converts (and, indeed, the first Jews), Sarah and Abraham. These two legendary converts lived their true selves, despite the difficulties and their messages are complementary.
According to the effort is the reward. What you put in is what you get out. But to truly see this, one needs to peer below the surface. Everything lies within the world of Torah and the Torah can
be found in every facet of the world, as long as we look deeply enough.
Born into an upper-class family in southern Italy during the late 11th century, Johannes had a twin brother, Roger, who went on to become a knight. It was as if two paths lay before the two boys, but Johannes took the path less travelled. Instead of accepting the aristocratic cards he was dealt, he chose Judaism in a time of crusades against Jews (and was the target of antisemitism as a result). Johannes was inspired to follow the Archbishop of Bari who’d become so enamoured with Jewish learning that he moved to Constantinople and converted. He chose the name Obadia, lived all over the Middle East, including in the Land of Israel, and became a noted scholar. The oldest surviving piece of Jewish sheet music is a Shavuot prayer penned by a noted scholar and convert to Judaism – Johannes, son of Dreux, aka Obadia. Teach me, he says, so I may know. Learning is a lifelong journey and it is a major theme of Shavuot as many have the custom to stay up all night learning. These four personalities represent just a fraction of the stories and influence that thousands of other converts to Judaism have had. How will they impact you? How will you impact others? The choice is yours.
Israel is a country transformed by the October 7 Hamas attacks and the war it ignited. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis who never needed social assistance before are now relying upon it to survive and to build their future in the aftermath of these devastating events. Among Israelis who are suddenly out of work – and the most profoundly at risk of not working again – are thousands of evacuees and people injured or disabled on October 7, or in combat.
Eight per cent of newly unemployed evacuees are from lower-income backgrounds. Many lack postsecondary education, have fewer skills and worked in low-paying jobs before October 7. Their work prospects are grim. Thousands of Israeli civilians and soldiers injured in the October 7 attacks and during military service face physical and psychological disabilities that are forcing them to withdraw from the workforce. The longer these Israelis remain unemployed, the greater the likelihood they won’t return to work. After six months, they are 50 per cent less likely to return, after a year 75 per cent and after two years, the chances are close to zero. Torn from their homes or injured making the profound sacrifice of defending their communities and country, these brave Israelis face
formidable challenges and need our help now.
JDC (The Joint) has deployed mobile employment units in more than 130 evacuee hotels in 14 locations.
These units continue to operate and, to date, have helped 2,500 evacuees re-enter the workforce at a higher level than before. One person JDC helped is Rona, a 44-year-old mother of three
from a moshav near the northern border. She was a teacher’s aid in a local kindergarten, earning little and lacking any potential for career growth. After working with a JDC career counsellor from one of the mobile units, Rona enrolled in an accounting course and is on her way to earning a higher income, with prospects for development and opportunities for herself and her family
when she returns home. Evacuees need specialised employment training, adapted to their unique needs, especially for displaced people with no academic degree or vocational education. Participants will gain tools for quality employment and job placement when they return home.
JDC has already launched eight courses, serving 300 of the most vulnerable evacuees. Newly disabled civilians and soldiers require specially tailored medical rehabilitation and employment services. JDC has started a groundbreaking program that builds links between the two and creates a path for newly injured Israelis, their families, medical teams, and employers to get back to work.
The program stages this process, including building readiness to return to work, occupational and medical rehabilitation, and workplace reintegration. JDC has begun recruiting newly disabled Israelis – the direst of cases – for seven pilot locations.
Time is running out and we cannot allow jobless Israelis who were evacuated or disabled in combat to languish in poverty and despair. For their future, and the long-term strength of the country, they must re-join the workforce and restart their lives.
To make your end of year donation now, go to: https://www.jdc.org
RABBI DAVID FREEDMAN THE CENTRAL SYNAGOGUE RABBINIC THOUGHT
Shavuot remains one of the key festivals of the Jewish year. Biblically ordained, it reminds us of the wheat harvest in ancient Israel, as well as the bringing of the Bikkurim (the First Fruits) to the Temple. Beyond these agricultural connections to Israel’s past, the rabbis in the Talmud associated these few days in the month of Sivan with the giving of the Torah at Mt Sinai. Not surprisingly, the public reading of the Ten Commandments remains the focus of our synagogue service on day one of the festival.
To embellish this part of the service, and for the only time in the entire year, we incorporate a liturgical poem just as the kohen arrives on the bima for the first aliya of the day. The poem is chanted in alternate lines by the reader and congregation. Written in Aramaic, in order to distinguish it from the Hebrew of the biblical text, it is entitled Akdamut after its opening word.
One thousand years ago, religious poets living in the Jewish communities of the Rhine Valley composed soaring piyyutim (liturgical poetry) for the Shabbat and Yom Tov services. Rabbi Meir ben Yitzhak Nehorai (the Illuminator)
of Orléans was a giant among those poets. Recognised by contemporaries for his scholarship, artistry and piety, Rabbi Meir was active in Worms in the latter half of the eleventh century. Akdamut is his masterwork.
The theme of Akdamut is Israel's great merit before God because of her loyalty in the face of persecution. While its only direct connection to Shavuot is in the final line which speaks of the giving of the Torah, it remains highly relevant. The poem is a symbolic confrontation between the gentile nations and Israel. The poet alludes, obliquely but unmistakably, to the social and theological pressures facing the Jews of Germany in the eleventh century, which culminated with the horrors of the
First Crusade in 1096. The year 1096 was a critical year for the city of Worms, as well as for nearby Mainz and Cologne. That was the year that these towns (and, to a lesser extent, Speyer, and the surrounding area) suffered the First Crusade's worst anti-Jewish violence in Europe. Approximately 30,000 Jews were slaughtered. The confrontations occurred around the time of Shavuot.
Although the Jewish communities of Franco-Germany eventually recovered, these killings - the very first outbreak of Christian anti-Jewish mass-murder in Europe - left a lasting impression on the Jewish consciousness of the region.
The impact was expressed in the introduction of additional fast days and in the composition of prayers such as Av
RABBI MOSHE D. GUTNICK
RABBINIC ADMINISTRATOR THE KASHRUT AUTHORITY
We are still at war. While the primary battlefields are in Gaza and to the north in Lebanon, where the young men and women of the Israeli Defense Forces are battling with incredible bravery and devotion, the war has spread much further.
Amongst other realms and mediums, it is now stationed within the university campuses of Australia, Canada, the United States and Europe and also in the alleged courts of international justice –which, ironically, are anything but just. It is the age old anti-semitism that has followed us from the time we became a people.
Those with clear eyes call it out for what it is, while the rest prefer to point a finger of accusation. We are the aggressor; we are the bully and as for the incendiary massacre of October 7 - the world responds as if it did not happen.
As Justice Barak (former Chief Justice of the Israeli Supreme Court) wrote in his dissenting view to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, “It is inconceivable that one side is ordered to put down its weapons when the other side continues its attacks.”
As we know anti-semitism knows no logic, it is the irrational hatred of Jews just
because we are Jews. It is a battle between good and evil. Those for us represent everything good in the world. Those against us are simply evil. They may not see it, but evil is a wily operator and convinces the blinkered masses of the justness of its cause.
So what is the remedy? How do we combat this irrational hate beyond using physical weapons?
We are now in the days leading to Shavuot, the festival of the giving of the Torah. The Torah relates that on the first day of the month of Sivan the Jewish people camped at the foot of Mount Si-
HaRachamim, which remains part of our regular Shabbat morning service, and most especially by Yizkor, through which the Jews of Franco-Germany could remember with deep sadness those members of the community who died al Kiddush Hashem, as Jewish martyrs. How distressing to recall this period of Jewish history, itself a forerunner to many centuries of persecution in Europe culminating in the atrocities of the Shoah.
Originally recited only on Yom Kippur, Yizkor is nowadays said additionally on Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot. While we intone this prayer for the souls of our dear, departed parents and grandparents, and other close relatives who have passed away, we should never forget its original purpose to memorialise those Jews who had been slain by the Crusaders. Their names were recorded and then read out publicly in synagogue before a tearful congregation.
Most civilisations leave behind great monuments such as exquisite works by architects, artists and designers, but not the Jews, their great monuments were works of literature, written by poets, prophets and sages. Unlike statues and monuments that crumble and wear away in the fullness of time, the Jewish message is indelible and it lives on to be relearned, reconstituted and reassigned in every generation.
nai: “He, Israel, camped there adjacent to the mountain”.
The Talmud asks, “Why does it say, ‘he camped’, when it should have said ‘they camped?’” It teaches us that on that day, they were all as one, akin to “one person with one heart”.
Mount Sinai was not just the place where we heard and received the Ten Commandments and later the Torah, it was our birth as G-d's chosen nation. Technically we became “Jews" according to Halacha at Mount Sinai. G-d chose us from all the nations and there we entered into an eternal covenant
with Him. Our initial preparation commenced on the first of Sivan when we initially arrived in unison, yes, as one person with one heart. No discord, no division. When we were as one we became deserving of receiving the Torah. Unity is the key to our defeating our enemies.
We all witnessed the discord before October 11, and marvelled at the incredible harmony that came afterward. It was a heartwarming display of unity amongst our people not experienced by many of us thus far, including myself, in our lifetimes. It is this palpable unity that will secure our victory.
Unfortunately with the passage of time discord has returned to some of the political debate in Israel. However, it is clear that our people stand fully behind the IDF. We must do everything we can to maintain unity amongst ourselves here in Australia, and pray that it prevails in Israel.
This is a battle between good and evil. Hashem will cause good to vanquish evil. As Rabbi Akiva said when his eyes beheld the ruins of the Temple: just as the prophecy of destruction has been fulfilled, so too will the prophecy of redemption.
We have already seen more evil than Rabbi Akiva could have conceived. If we remain united, we will merit to see all the good, including a complete victory and if G-d wills it, our ultimate redemption too.
Over the past two months, the Cheeky Pea team has been working diligently to expand its falafel range with two exciting new flavours: Turmeric Falafel and Beetroot Falafel.
In the process, its enthusiastic chef mistakenly fried a batch of these falafels, even though the plan is to offer them as a raw frozen options only. The results were sensational.
Right now there is a surplus of these delicious fried falafels in the Cheeky Pea HQ freezers, and the team would love to share them with all readers. You are invited to taste them and provide your feedback, which will help the Cheeky Pea crew decide whether to include these flavours as products within its online shop range.
Both flavours are not only delicious but also packed with nutrition.
The turmeric falafel boasts a vibrant yellow colour and offers antiinflammatory benefits, while the beetroot falafel provides an iron boost and a touch of sweetness.
Additionally, in this month’s edition, Cheeky Pea owner Adi Walter is delighted to share this recipe.
Appreciating that Tahini dip compliments falafel so seamlessly; coupled with many customers recently remarking that they don’t know how to make it, Adi decided to share her precious tahini recipe – perfect for those times when you feel like it but just can't get it from Cheeky Pea.
Here’s a helpful ingredient guide:
Tahini: This paste made from ground sesame seeds is the cornerstone of a delicious and smooth tahini sauce. The quality of the raw tahini is crucial for achieving the best results. High-quality tahini will also elevate your homemade hummus to incredible levels. You can
purchase kosher raw tahini from the Cheeky Pea online shop or find it in the kosher section of supermarkets.
Fresh Lemon Juice: Essential for great tahini, fresh lemon juice brings out the best flavour. Skip the bottled juice and opt for fresh lemons, one large or two medium lemons should be perfect.
Fresh Garlic: Adds a little spice and zest. Adi recommends adding half-toone small clove, which she finds is just right. For a more garlicky kick, feel free to add more.
Ground Cumin and Salt: These enhance the flavour, with ground cumin adding a touch of spice and richness.
Olive Oil: Contributes to a luxurious texture in the tahini.
Chopped Parsley: Not only adds a vibrant green colour but also a fresh, herbaceous flavour.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup (80ml) raw tahini paste
2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, half of a large lemon
1 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch fine sea salt
2 to 6 Tbsp water
Pinch cumin, optional
Pinch cayenne pepper, optional
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional
METHOD
Whisk tahini, garlic paste, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in a bowl until combined — the mixture may thicken and look lumpy.
Whisk in the water, one tablespoon at a time, until you have your desired consistency. If making a spread, look for the consistency of peanut butter. For a sauce, add enough water to resemble the consistency of runny yoghurt.
Stir in the optional cumin, cayenne pepper, and parsley. Taste for seasoning and adjust with additional salt or lemon juice. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
1. The Festival of the First Fruits
2. Yul Brynner
3. The mountains of Ararat are mentioned in the story of Noah and the Flood
4. Jewish months are either 29 or 30 days in length. The month of Sivan is always 30 days in length
5. Moab is on the eastern side of the Dead Sea
6. The Louvre in Paris
7. There are five answers to this question: 1) Our neighbour’s house 2) Our neighbour’s wife 3) Our neighbour’s male or female servant 4) Our neighbour’s ox or donkey 5) Anything that belongs to your neighbour
8. The Ten Words
9. Yiddish
1 garlic clove, finely grated or made into a paste
10. The Festival of Roses
11. 248 Positive commandments and 365 negative commandments
12. Carmel
13. a) Florence, Italy
b) A sling
14. i) Dan ii) Exodus
15. The Prepared (or Set) Table
16. It is also known as the Yad Chazakah (The Strong Hand) or simply as the Yad. The numerical value of the Hebrew word Yad is 14 and this corresponds to the 14 volumes of the Mishneh Torah
17. The Jewish festival is 50 days after Pesach, the Christian festival is 50 days after Easter
18. Noah
19. Bethlehem
20. George Herman Ruth (1895-1948) was an American professional baseball
Enjoy & have a ‘cheekful’ weekend.
player. He was best known as “Babe” Ruth
21. In the Talmudic tractate Eruvin 18b, Rabbi Meir states that "Adam was a great chasid, having fasted for 130 years."
22. Three times – the first occasion on Shabbat Parashat Yitro (Exodus 20); the second occasion on Shavuot; the third occasion on Shabbat Parashat Va’etchanan when we read a second version of the Ten Commandments found in Deuteronomy 4.
23. i) History of the World Part I, ii) Moses, played by Mel Brooks, is given three tablets of stone (five commandments on each) and as he is about to reveal the ‘15’ commandments, he accidentally drops one of the tablets and announces to the Israelites
Cheeky Pea update: Visit www.cheekypea.com.au to order the fried Turmeric and Beetroot Falafel & so much more. Press ‘Click & Collect’ and pickup between Tuesday – Friday 10am – 2pm. (Please remember to write in the comment your preferred pick up day so the team can ensure your order will be ready to go.)
For catering or special events, call Adi Walter on 0412 622 928. Cheeky Pea HQ is located at Shop 2/498 Bunnerong Rd, Matraville.
For the St. Ives area: ‘Click & Collect’ is available from North Shore Chabad House on the first Wednesday of every month. Also, there is an evening pickup from the Lower North Shore North Sydney area.
If you happen to be in Matraville area and feel like grabbing a bag of falafel to take home, simply pop in, ring the doorbell & the team would be delighted to serve you. CHEEKY
instead that they must live by the ’10’ commandments.
24. The Omer was an ancient Israelite unit of dry measure used in biblical days and in this context refers to a special measure of newly-harvested barley that was brought to the Temple between Pesach and Shavuot.
25. Ladino and Hebrew
Jewish answer: MISHKAN. 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): KISHKAS, SHIKSAS, KASHAS, KHAKIS, SHANKS, SKINKS, KINKS, KISHKA, KNISH, KHAKI, MASKS, MINKS, SHANK, SINKS, SKIMS, SKINK and SKIMS.
We have been counting down the days to the joyous festival of Shavuot. It is a special time we happily highlight on our lunar calendar, as it celebrates the moment we received our most precious and timeless gift. Yes, it is when G-d gave the Torah to the Jewish people.
At this meaningful time we unite to learn Torah, hear the reading of the Ten Commandments and of course, we dive into all-things-dairy. And that’s where The Kashrut Authority comes to the Sydney Shavuot party.
This year many of our KA-certified caterers are offering magnificent menus with so many dairy delights. In this edition, we will review a few just so you can get a sense of how much is available here in Kosher Land, including several offering all dairy dishes with Chalav Yisrael (CY)!
Eat Your Heart Out Catering, with dynamic duo Dani Litzman and Anne Pincus at the helm, has crafted its ‘Shavuos Menu 2024’ with a selection of soups and salads, mains as well as cakes and other desserts. So many are excited to try the Shavuos Soup Bundle which includes two litres of flavourful French onion soup, a dozen crostini and shaved parmesan.
Mains include mushroom and spinach lasagne and yes, top of the dessert list is its famous cheesecake and customers can select from berry topping or chocolate ganache. Oh you have to try the four flavours of home-made ice cream too (all CY).
Our community is so excited to sample the Shavuot selection at the Friendship Bakery (all Dairy is CY). From Israeli cheesecake with caramel or lemon curd to quiches and bourekas, there and festival treats such as the sweet cheese and sultanas babka. All is baked
with love by the most dedicated kitchen team. Mendy’s comes to the Shavuot party with its beloved cheese blintzes (CY), and don’t forget to order a tray of the mushroom ones too. Other pareve options will be welcome at your Yom Tov table including Mendy’s Famous Red Eggplant, mock liver, potato salad, kugel, fried fish balls and more.
KA-certified Manna Cuisine has also crafted a menu full of CY delights. These include specialty quiches such as the Zucchini, Dutch carrot, spinach and aged Cheddar.
The contents of this menu are so moreish – so many can’t wait to try Yulia’s legendary Basque burnt cheesecake and the Bilder family’s signature Tiramisu (details below).
Grandma Moses is excited for customers to enjoy its Shavuot range (Dairy, not CY) including a New York cheesecake, cookies and carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese icing. The talented team has also featured the first KA-certified Cruffins – yes, a fabulous fusion of croissants and muffins
in two flavours: lemon curd and Nutella. Rimon Catering wants you to enjoy the festival and simultaneously impress your guests without spending all your time in the kitchen. You will find an impressive selection including vegetarian spring rolls, Moroccan fish tray, spinach and leek frittata, Middle Eastern salads and so much more.
You can also order from the regular menu if desired. We will wrap up this partial review with the amazing array of choices on offer from KA-certified Sweet Chick (all Dairy not CY).
Given this special time of year, two exceptional cheesecakes are on offer: the New York (Nutella) and Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake along with cookies, bulkas, iced cupcakes, caramel slices, shortbread and biscotti.
There are also savoury options perfect for your Yom Tov meals with dear family and friends including eggplant parmigiana, Spanakopita, savoury tarts, spiced pumpkin and feta sausage rolls and as always so much more is in store and online.
• Kashrut Authority Position Vacant: Food service Mashgiach (compliance checker and supervisor). This job often involves checking and verifying food deliveries, overseeing kitchens and kitchen staff, checking eggs for blood spots and vegetables for forbidden insects & sealing of prepared foods for delivery and transport. Applicants must be shomer mitzvot, familiar with Jewish dietary laws. Full training offered. Call The KA office on
02 9365 2933 or email: info@ka.org.au
• A new Harris Farm Markets store is due to open in June 2024 in the ACT located at Unit 3, 10-12 Catalina Drive Majura Park, Canberra (to see the extensive listing of all KA-certified Harris Farm products, visit The KA’s kosher product directory at www.ka.org.au and key in ‘Harris Farm’).
• Village Finest Kosher Butcher offers bulk quantities if needed. Contact 0423 144 799 (preferably via WhatsApp) or email
orders@villagefinest.com.au for all your bulk needs at special bulk prices. The Village Finest team can customise any order to suit your needs.
• A range of Mendy’s Shabbat Delights are available at Jesse’s each Friday morning from 9am.
• For all contact details for KA-certified caterers and establishments, visit www. ka.org.au.
• Two new infused varieties of KA-certified Westgold Butter are now available: Garlic & Parsley and also Chilli & Garlic. The KA logo is conveniently on the label and you can find in Coles supermarkets (e.g. Coles Westfield Bondi Junction) and also at Coles online
• The following Whitley Neill gin flavours are kosher certified Mehadrin and Pareve: Aloe & Cucumber, Blood Orange, Distiller’s Cut –London Dry Gin, London Gin, Quince, Pink Grapefruit, Raspberry
• Bakers Life Aldi bread 39% Lower Carb White Bread 700g
• M.E.B. Foods Doner Kebab Bread (Pat Palter)
• Bustan Dairy Chalav Yisrael cheeses (all require a Kosher Australia logo): Chaorce, Haloumi and the following goats cheese varieties: Goats chaorce, chaorce + ash, chevre, chevre ashed, chevre herbs and goat feta marinated
• Cadbury Dream Freddo White Chocolate –must be Product of Australia
• CO YO Sour Cream (Pareve, KA-certified)
• Simply Wize Gluten free Rice Bars in three varieties: Dark chocolate with brown rice (Pareve) in addition to two dairy flavours: Milk chocolate with brown rice and Milk chocolate salted caramel
• Barkers New Zealand Raspberry & Redcurrant Jam 455g (Kosher Australia certified, Dairy Equipment)
• The following three Barkers New Zealand products are certified by Kosher Australia (Dairy Equipment): Fruit Syrup Lemon + Lime 710ml, Lemon curd 400g, Passionfruit curd 400g
• Two flavours of Wild One Organic juices: Apple & Guava, Orange
• Six new varieties of Harris Farm Markets 500g pasta (all Pareve): Linguine, Macaroni, Penne, Rigatoni, Spaghetti & Spirals
• San Remo Active Fibre Enriched Vegeroni in three varieties: Pasta shapes, spirals and large spirals
• Mountain Dew Energised Passionfruit Frenzy
• Gatorade Grape & Gatorade No Sugar Electrolytes Grape are both acceptable
• Vitasoy Oat Yoghurt 140g in three flavours: Vanilla, Summer Fruits, Blueberry (all Dairy Equipment)
• Bakers Life Breads are Pat Yisrael and KAcertified kosher only when purchased from Aldi stores in ACT, Greater Sydney and NSW regional areas between Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Gunnedah in the North, Bateman's Bay in the South and Dubbo in the West of NSW. Please note: similarly named products available from other Aldi stores are not acceptable. For the complete listing of this KA-certified Bakers Life range, visit The KA’s Kosher Product Directory, listed at https://www.ka.org.au
• There has been a name change to the two kosher Bakers Life Turkish bread varieties, They are now known as Turkish Pide (400g) and Turkish rolls 4-pack (400g) – they are sprinkled with sesame and Nigella seeds.
• The following Whitley Neill gin flavours are not acceptable: Blackberry, Lemongrass + Ginger, Parma Violet and Pineapple.
• Please note: Whitley & Neill Rhubarb & Ginger gin is kosher certified by the London Beth Din only when purchased in the USA, Canada or Israel
The Kosher Hub is a retailer that celebrates the richness of Jewish culture, delivering gourmet delights to your doorstep.
It offers a diverse range of kosher hampers, lovingly organised for every occasion – the joyful and the profound, in both personal and business settings.
That includes Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Tu Bishvat, even for sitting Shivah, as well as corporate gifting.
The Kosher Hub prides itself on employing the utmost care and its onus is on fine detail.
Those behind the venture understand the significance of tradition and the importance of ensuring that every aspect of its offerings aligns with kashrut.
They source the finest kosher-certified products, primarily from Australian businesses, thereby supporting our community.
You can indulge in the rich flavours of Hunter Valley wine and savour the decadence of Zokoko chocolate from the Blue Mountains.
Salivate in produce from the Nut Shop, delight in dried fruits from Queensland and relish crispbread from Trentham Tucker in Victoria.
The Kosher Hub is a showcase of our nation’s diverse culinary landscape. Every product bears the seal of approval
from reputable kosher certification authorities.
These include the Australian Kashrut Authority, Kosher Australia, Orthodox Union and the South African Bet Din.
The Kosher Hub’s commitment to the cause doesn't stop with the products themselves.
Each hamper is curated to include a blessing over the food, tailored to the occasion or food type, adding a touch of
tradition and spirituality to your culinary experience. Further, every offering comes with an optional personalised message, enabling you to convey your sentiments with warmth and sincerity.
Founded in 2017 by Jane Rosenberg, The Kosher Hub has been on a mission to redefine kosher gifting in Australia.
The business now announces a new chapter, having formed a strategic partnership with Barry Rubinstein from
Optoco, who imports superior giftware. That serves to strengthen its commitment to delivering unparalleled quality and nationwide service. So, whether you're marking a milestone, extending gratitude, or simply indulging in life's pleasures, you can put your trust in The Kosher Hub to elevate your experience.
For more information and to order, go to https://thekosherhub.com
