AMUST
AUSTRALASIAN MUSLIM TIMES
www.amust.com.au ISSUE # 188
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Multicultural News & Views
JULY 2021; DHUL HAJJ 1442
Continuation of the AMUST success story
Mohamed Ainullah Most of Australian state capitals are currently under lockdown in order to contain fresh outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus first detected in India in February that has now gone global. NSW has recorded more than 150 cases since 16 June leading to Greater Sydney’s lockdown for at least 2 weeks till midnight on Friday 9 July. Perth began a four-day lockdown starting midnight Tuesday 29 June till Saturday 3 July, Brisbane a three-day lockdown starting Tuesday 29 June evening while Darwin will be under lockdown till 1 pm Friday 2 July. There are also various restrictions in other states including movement across state borders or within the states themselves. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, referring to advice from Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said, “her advice to us is consistent and the advice is to make sure that you kill this strain of the virus in the community at the moment, two weeks is about what is required.” Ms Berejiklian encouraged NSW residents to receive a vaccine if they are able to, but said supply of the vaccine was out of her government’s control and Dr Chant encouraged people to discuss their decision with a GP. The federal government and PM Scott Morrison have come under heavy criticism for failing to secure enough vaccine doses for the Australian population and its roll out in order to prevent small outbreaks leading to lockdowns in various states from time to time. continued on page 2
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Gallery One62: Islamic calligraphy competition COMMUNITY PAGE 12
BOOMERANG PAGE 5
Australia under COVID-19 lockdown
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Food cracks disability employment myth LIFESTYLE PAGE 21
Tears and resolve for Palestine in Sydney
The Stage all set and ready for the play simulating the Palestinian lifestyle. Photo credit: @photosbyjocelynandjuelliet
The Palestinian Fundraiser Dinner Soukina Kassir “This fundraiser raised the bar. The plays with the extraordinary acting playing out scenes from Palestine brought the Palestinian cause to life here in Sydney. Everyone cried. Everyone understood. Even non-Arabs. And if you can do that, move people from all around the world regarding the Palestinian cause, I think you’ve won”, explains a guest at The Palestinian Fundraiser Dinner held on Saturday 19 June 2021.
“At one point, there was no dry eye in the room”, states another guest at the event to Lara, the organiser of the event. Lara Hawwash, 28, a longtime human rights activist, women empowerment leader, event planner, social influencer, and mum of two, has always supported fundraisers, shared in them and planned them. This year, with the help of Fatema from Mystic events and Lina from Prop Party Hire, The Palestinian Fundraiser Dinner was held on Saturday 19 June at the Holiday Inn, Warwick Farm, South West Sydney. The event brought together almost 300
people from different backgrounds in Sydney and raised a staggering $25000, which was transferred to Palestine through reputable organisations in Australia: Ausrelief and Kawafel Al Khair. The money transferred through the latter was used to build water tanks to provide clean water for people affected in Palestine. More than sixty businesses came together hand in hand and sponsored this event by either offering their products or services nil of charge. continued on page 9
Order of Australia for Philip Feinstein OAM Zia Ahmad Philip Feinstein, founder for Music for Refugees and a columnist for AMUST was recognised with the Medal of the Order of Australia at the Queen’s birthday Honours List announced by the Governor-General on Monday 14 June 2021. Philip was recognised for his service to refugees primarily for his Music for Refugees program founded in 2009 through which he helped refugees cope with trauma caused by dislocation and detention. Born in South Africa, of Jewish origin, Philip migrated to Australia in 1972. He has worked as a volunteer music teacher at Villawood Detention Centre, Sydney as well as for Burundian refugees in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. He has been a regular columnist for AMUST since 2014 and was presented with the Outstanding Writer for AMUST Award
in July 2019 by Mr Chin Tan, Race Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission. His stories for AMUST have strong underlying peace messages for Christians, Jews and Muslims trying to build bridges between diverse communities. See his stories at amust.com.au/author/philip-feinstein He has also received NSW Volunteer of the Year Award, Centre for Volunteering, 2019, Humanitarian Award for Best Project ‘Music for Refugees’, NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) in 2014. Philip created a unique music teaching method responding to the restrictions placed on refugees. The methodology includes boosting self-pays for all printing of instruction sheets and brochures. continued on page 15 Read “An exclusive interview with Philip Feinstein OAM” with AMUST on page 15.
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