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VOL. 41 Friday, 9 November 2018 / 1 Kishlev, 5779
Fostering a closer Jewish community
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Students join the Victorian Liberal Friends of Israel ISREALITY MATTHEW THORN In early July I was invited to join the Victorian chapter of the Liberal Friends of Israel. Over roasted coffee at Monash Uni, Noa Bloch and Lexi Kowal—Political Affairs Director and former board member of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students respectively — introduced me to this terrific initiative. Founded by Senator James Paterson, David Southwick MP and Tim Wilson MP, the network is already working with its NSW counterpart to build greater appreciation for the Australia-Israel friendship within the Liberal Party and is attracting a large membership base in Victoria. Spokesperson David Van told I&CT, “we’ve been thrilled by the launch: the response has been extraordinary.” The launch on 26 August drew more than 300 local supporters including 16 state Liberal MPs. Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s crisp address contextualised Israel’s geopolitical predicament, highlighted its historical significance and affirmed the bilateral relationship. Stalwart ambassador of the Christian Zionist community Jill Curry was well received. Curry gave a lucid summary of Christians’ rationale for supporting Israel before introducing Dave Sharma, a household name as of last month’s news cycle. The evening’s formalities can be viewed on Senator James Paterson’s YouTube channel. They included leader
of the Opposition Matthew Guy declaring, “The Liberal Party will always be a Zionist Party” and Senator Paterson referencing the 8,000 signature-strong petition to move Australia’s embassy to Jerusalem which he presented to the Senate late last year. While some speeches showed greater awareness of Israel’s unique significance than others, the support for fostering closer working relationships with Israel was overwhelming. Despite a planned pre-Rosh Hashanah breakfast with Julie Bishop being cancelled due to unrelated stirrings in Canberra, steady commitment from the Party base ensures that this is an initiative to keep an eye on. James Paterson is to be commended for carrying momentum to move the Embassy. Dave Sharma’s loss in Wentworth does not undermine the credibility he has already contributed to the movement and his expertise will continue to be vital. The Victorian chapter is launched explicitly for members from all backgrounds: with student and Christian engagement already well represented. As the Liberal Friends of Israel waxes strong within the Liberal Party, I encourage readers to continue working with such allied groups, all of which are built on your practical engagement.
James Peterson MP addresses launch at Central Shule Chabad
Matthew Thorn is the coordinator of Isreality: the young adults movement of Christians for Israel. He is an undergraduate Arts/Law student at Monash University. Liberal Party MPs and Senators at launch mthorn@c4israel.org
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Government Funding for Zionism Victoria, Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre and Lamm Jewish Library of Australia ZIONISM VICTORIA Zionism Victoria, Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre (BWJCC) and the Lamm Jewish Library of Australia (LJLA) are delighted by their success in having secured over $90,000 in State Government grants for projects that will benefit our local community, further enhancing the services we currently provide. Last night Philip Dalidakis MP and several of his Government colleagues and Labor candidates for the forthcoming State election attended the Zionism Victoria Executive Meeting to present a cheque for $92,200. Special guests included Nick Staikos MP, Steve Dimopoulos MP and Sorina Grasso, Labour Candidate for Caulfield. Mr Dalidakis, a member of our community spoke of Labor’s support for Israel and our Jewish community and emphasised Premier Daniel Andrews’ commitment to Israel and the Jewish community. Sam Tatarka, chair of Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre acknowledged the outstanding efforts of Zionism Victoria’s, Daniella Gozlan who together with Executive Director Jean Katzen and Lamm Library Director Lauren Joffe, worked tirelessly to secure this significant funding. $47,000 of the funds were allocated under the “pick my project” scheme which allowed the community at large to have a say in how the available funds under the program were to be allocated. This demonstrates that our work not only has the support of Government but is supported at grass roots level by our community. Mr Dalidakis thanked Sam Tatarka, Chairman of the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre for his persistence and ongoing work
both behind and in front of the scene to ensure the security of the community centre and those who work and gather here. The grants were made received for the following projects, Lamm Jewish Library of Australia The LJLA was granted $26,000 for the purchase of a community bus and $20,000 for the development of a community garden. Both these projects will further build the sense of community already so strong within the walls of BWJCC. Beth Weizmann Jewish Community
Centre Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre received $6,200 towards capacity building & participation. Zionism Victoria Zionism Victoria was granted $40,000 for the Jakob Frankiel Connecting Cultures educational program. Connecting Cultures is a FREE program offered to all Victorian schools and communal organisations which aims to foster cross cultural awareness. By educating and informing students and their teachers, Zionism Victoria enriches their
understanding of Jewish culture and history, the Jewish connection to Israel and helps cultivate values of tolerance and respect. Receipt of this funding recognises the Government’s commitment to this important project. Zionism Victoria, BWJCC and LJLA wish to thank the Premier, Daniel Andrews and the Victorian Government for their longstanding and steadfast support and are deeply appreciative of the recognition of the importance of these Community Projects.
Drawing a Silver Lining amidst the Middle-East Overcast MANDELBAUM HOUSE JIAYIN FOO
“From macromolecules to the Israeli right wing” was Professor Shindler’s recount of his political endeavours. Following a degree in Chemistry, Professor Shindler pursued his passion in the field of Political Studies, and the rest is history. An emeritus professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies in the University of London, Professor Colin Shindler is the first professor of Israel Studies in the UK as well as an esteemed author in his field of academia. Looking critically at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Professor Shindler sees the Jewish communities beyond the edge of the lens and telescopes the question of identity and belonging into view. As Professor Shindler chronicles the rise of the Jews in 1948, his talk fits squarely within the Zionist narrative, heralding reclamation, triumph, and hope for a Jewish nation in exile. Following the birth of the Zionist vision and its practice into new territory was the implementation of this vision across the West Bank over the next fifty years. This mid-century mark, however, has been punctuated by a series of tumultuous events between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. The dominant narrative in the Middle-East is one of burgeoning insecurity. “How did this all come to pass?”; Professor Shindler probes into the heart of the scourge. Following the rise of Arab & Jewish nationalism in the same century were conflicting claims to the right of land between Jews in Israel and Arabs in Palestine. A conflict too often construed as a black and white zerosum game, the Israel-Palestine dispute has become an insoluble question to solve. While Professor Shindler rubs on the raw edges of race, religion, and ethnic history, he fosters a safe space for thought and engages in a stimulating and intellectually honest conversation on Israel-Palestine. He implores
Mandelbaum House residents at Professor Shindler’s Formal Dinner talk. us to eschew glib cynicism and misguided perspectives in the age of media distortion as the media often fails to recognise the inherent intricacies and complexities of the mare’s nest. As a nebulous cast reigns over the fate of the Middle-East, Professor Shindler is frank to dismiss a happy ending. We are faced with an even greater quandary as he leaves an ending open to our interpretation, a void for us to fill. We, as the youth dividend, are implored to mend our social fabric, to repair the world, and to mediate our discords. The sheer urgency of the conflict had engendered a thought: To listen & understand; to treat no proposition as sacred & no objection as impious; to be willing to entertain unpopular ideas & cultivate habits with an open mind; such are the growing imperatives amidst the upheavals in our contemporary world. Despite a conflict mired in stalemate, a silverlining exists beneath the sombre overcast. While Professor Shindler confronts us with the realities of our world, his talk is a sonorous call to our social and moral responsibility as youth and leaders of the future, to strive towards peace, compromise, and reconciliation for Israel-Palestine. Mandelbaum House is the Jewish residential college at the University of Sydney. Applications for 2019 are now open- wwww.mandelbaum.usyd.edu.au
Haimishe home-away-from-home for 38 university students. Onsite kosher kitchen serving healthy meat & dairy meals. Fully furnished bedroom including linen, housekeeping & free Wi-Fi. Friendly & supportive multicultural community. Plenty of study & social opportunities.
Contact us to arrange a visit: (02) 9692 5200 or admin@mandelbaum.usyd.edu.au
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November 2018
Changing the world one ticket at a time HUMANITIX Very quietly, out of the leafy suburbs of St Ives, two best friends from Masada High School teamed up and created a social enterprise which just landed them Social Entrepreneurs of the Year 2018 in Australia – its called Humanitix. What is Humanitix? It is a social enterprise flipping the ticketing industry on its head by turning ‘annoying’ booking fees into sustainable funding for scholarships for indigenous children and literacy programs for disadvantaged young girls in developing countries. The boys first came up with the idea in their 20’s when working in good jobs, Adam was a management consultant at Accenture, and Josh was working in a hedge-fund, yet both of them eager to find meaning in their careers. Since graduating Masada College, through university and the first part of their careers they’ve now lived together, travelled together, started a charity together, and even shared a salary for 16 months to get Humanitix off the ground. “At the start it was tough, as a tech-charity we have no investors, so when we came up with the idea I quit my job, Josh stayed at his, and we literally shared his salary for 16 months with Josh helping me on weekends and weeknights”, said Adam. Since then the boys have gone on to raise multi-year funding from none other than the Atlassian Foundation, and on the 1st of November it was announced Google is funding
Humanitix too. When asked about the role the community has played in their success “Beyond giving us our education, the fist 16 months of Humanitix was lonely and we are super grateful to the community for helping us during this time, some of our early donors are Jewish. JCA and MDA as organisations were incredibly helpful – they shifted all their events onto our beta platform at the very start and were happy to be the friendly testclient, for that we will always be grateful!”, said Josh. Humanitix is now used by event organisers of all types – conferences, gala dinners, schools, festivals and more. Josh and Adam aren’t slowing down, in the next 12 months they want to expand into New Zealand and the US. They are still working within the community, but their client list is now in the thousands and is very much general Australia ‘We’ve recently won a couple of schools over, where at no extra cost we can turn the booking fees leaking to Trybooking into funding for the most disadvantaged kids in Australia (or the world), we’ve just engaged with Barker on the North which is a major school, and are hoping to start conversations with Masada, Moriah, Bialik, Mt Scopus etc over the coming months” said Adam. So if you’re running an event, be it forprofit or not-for-profit – reach out to the guys at www.humanitix.com and help change the world one ticket at a time:)
3 good reasons to advertise with us: 1. Most competitive rates guaranteed. 2. Free design work. 3. Helpful, reliable and friendly sales staff. E-mail advertising@thejewishreport.com.au for a rate card. Or call Stacey Potash - 0416 353 086
It’s summertime and Mandelbaum House is open to the public for accommodation. Central location, competitive rates, clean and comfortable– an excellent choice if you have family or friends visiting Sydney! “...this sweet spot makes a great place to stay in summer” - Lonely Planet Australia Guidebook (19th edition)
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November 2018
Danby lashes Crikey’s Mid-East ‘troll in chief’ SHARRI MARKSON Ten times in the last 3 weeks Crikey has obsessed about the proposal to base the Australian embassy in Israel’s capital. Labor MP Michael Danby says Crikey’s political editor Bernard Keane is a “troll” and a “pest” for taunting him publicly over the Middle East conflict because of his Jewish background. In an interview with The Australian, Mr Danby said Keane seemed to have an obsession with him and had sent aseries of tweets provoking him to express his views on the Middle East. Keane seems obsessive and determined to taunt me via social media,” the Melbourne Ports MP said “He is a troll and a pest. He is upset that I won’t respond to him on Twitter or subject myself to his cross-examination. He is doing it because of my faith or ethnicity. “It’s like he imagines it’s my fault for all of Israel’s policies and any incident that involves the Israeli army. “He seems to think I’m in charge of military operations, sitting in some secret command centre in Elwood directing Israeli commandos and air force, shifting ships and tanks across borders. It really is laughable.” Mr Danby’s only tweet on the issue related to news of the first failed ceasefire, where Egypt tried to broker a deal that Hamas rejected. And while Mr Danby is Jewish, he has not commented or expressed his views on Twitter about the conflict in the Middle East. He said he felt taunted by Keane’s remarks, which were only made because of his Jewish background. Mr Danby said Keane, who has almost 35,000 followers on
Twitter, was behav- ing more like an activist than an objective journalist. “His role in this extremely serious conflict between Israel and Hamas seems to be to score cheap trolling points for some of his ex-tremist followers,’’ he said. “Mr Keane has hundreds of tweets denigrating Israelis, but rarely comments on other international affairs situations such as the continuing war in Syria where, as you know, on any one day more civilians may be killed by Assad’s chlorine barrel bombs than have died in this ‘Protective Edge Operation’.” Keane has posted dozens of tweets, possibly more than a 100 times, about the Middle East conflict recently, apparently in sup- port of Palestine. Some of his tweets include: “hi @michaeldanbyMP I think I
missed your tweet condemning Israel’s killing of disabled Palestinian women could you flick me a link? Cheers.” Another reads: “I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before @MichaelDanbyMP condemns Israel’s killing of four kids playing on a beach in Gaza, right?” And a third: “I’m sure even @ MichaelDanbyMP deplores targeting a disabled charity, even if it’s Israel that does it. Michael?” The tweets of Crikey’s Canberra correspondent encouraged other more extreme trolls to tar- get Mr Danby. One wrote “Non-human terrorists #F**kZionism #F**kMichaelDanby” Following the public taunts, Mr Danby wrote to Crikey founder, Eric Beecher to formally complain about Keane’s conduct
but he has received no response. “I think readers of Crikey and Mr Beecher ought to be concerned about Keane’s unnatural obsessions,’’ he said. “Is Keane paid by him? Is he aware that he is doing this kind of thing, does he log off from Crikey’s payroll when he gets involved in this activism and why does Mr Beecher allow him to be obsessed with me and no other MP?” Mr Beecher told The Australian yesterday his editors were responsible for the performance of staff, and it was up to them to respond to complaints. “I don’t necessarily agree with everything our journalists tweet or indeed write but it’s not up to me to intervene every time I disagree,’’ he said. Mr Danby said journalists should be impartial rather than activists, and called for online publications like Crikey to be covered by the Press Council, which oversees print and broadcast media. “If you set up an office in Canberra in the press gallery, you ought to be subject to the same kind of rules,” he said. He said Keane was using the Crikey platform, and the thousands of followers that come with it, to campaign for Palestine. “I’m not trembling in my boots because Keane is trolling me. I want the searchlight of public opinion to be on what he’s doing, some of the crazy comments he is eliciting and engendering. “It gives people an insight into the little world he has created around himself,’’ he said. Keane did not respond to calls or tweets yesterday.
ADVERTISMENT
Baseless & Biased.
CRIKEY’S ATTACK ON JEWISH MP’S
Michael Danby MP - Federal Member for Melbourne Ports
(03) 9534 8126 Michael.Danby.MP@aph.gov.au www.danbymp.com @michaelDanbyMP Authorised by M Danby 219 Barkly St. St Kilda West.
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November 2018
Free Genetic Screening to Save Lives in Our Community the population screening test for Tay
AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS OF SHAARE ZEDEK INC MIRIAM PACANOWSKI A capacity audience filled the Goldberger Hall at Mizrachi Melbourne recently for the first in a series of community presentations in a ground breaking medical research project. JeneScreen is led by Prof Martin Delatycki and is funded by generous donors. It is supported by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, The Prince of Wales Hospital, Wolper Hospital and Ovarian Cancer Australia. The project offers genetic testing to men and women in the Jewish Communities of both Melbourne and Sydney. Participation in the study is free of charge to participants. It screens for 3 of the BRCA gene faults which lead to an increased risk of ovarian, breast and prostate cancer. At the community event, genetic counsellor Jane Tiller explained that whilst 1 in 500 of the general population has the BRCA fault, in the Ashkenazi Jewish community the incidence is 1 in 40. Until now, testing for these faults in BRCA1 and BRCA2 has been offered to Jewish people with a personal or family history of breast and/or ovarian cancer through genetic clinics. However, many Jewish people who have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 fault do not have or
Sachs disease amongst the Ashkenazi community in Australia. And Shaare Zedek Medical Centre has played a crucial role in medical genetic breakthroughs.
As
Jerusalem’s
most
central hospital, treating around 750,000 patients per annum, it is uniquely placed to understand the medical challenges facing specific ethnic groups. Shaare
Zedek’s
Head
of
Medical
Genetics, Prof Ephrat Levy-Lahad was recently
awarded
Israel’s
prestigious
EMET prize for her significant contribution to society. She has advocated widespread testing for BRCA mutations to members of Jewish communities worldwide. When Prof Levy-Lahad received her EMET award she noted, “We stand Genetic Counsellor Jane Tiller with Prof Martin Delatycki at Mizrachi Melbourne: Genetic Screening for BRCA mutations will save lives in our community.
poised at the beginning of a revolution that genetics is making in all areas of medicine throughout the world… Such efforts lead
are unaware of a family history of cancer, especially if they have small families. Whilst the implications of knowing that you carry the gene mutation can be significant and confronting, “Knowledge is power, and these tests will save lives,” said Jane. At the information session, DNA was collected from participants through a cheek swab. Participants could choose to
do this immediately after the information session, or were offered the option of taking the DNA collection kit home to be mailed back to JeneScreen. The Australian Friends of Shaare Zedek Inc are closely involved with the JeneScreen project. Clinical Geneticist Professor Agnes Bankier OAM is Deputy Chair of AFSZ Inc. Prof Bankier, together with Prof Martin Delatycki pioneered
to scientific insights and greatly improve patient care.” Now the Australian community is directly benefitting from these lifesaving initiatives. To express your interest in participating in JeneScreen, please visit the website at jenescreen.com.au. www.shaarezedek.org.au facebook.com/shaarezedek
National Apology ARK CENTRE RABBI GABI KALTMANN This Monday, 22 October 2018, I, along with thousands of Australians, watched Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologise to Australian victims and survivors of child sex abuse. This apology, made from Parliament House in Canberra, apologised on behalf of the nation for failing and abandoning the thousands of survivors of institutional child sex abuse. The chamber of Parliament itself was silent as Prime Minister Morrison outlined the terrible toll that the abuse of children and minors has had on our society to this day. He noted: Today, Australia confronts a trauma – an abomination – hiding in plain sight for far too long. Today, we confront a question too horrible to ask, let alone answer. Why weren’t the children of our nation loved, nurtured and protected? Why was their trust betrayed? Why did those who know cover it up? Why were the cries of children and parents ignored? Why was our system of justice blind to injustice? Why has it taken so long to act? Following with a heartfelt sorry, in which blame was not shifted and responsibility accepted, meant that there were not many dry eyes left in the chamber. The Prime Minister stated: Mr Speaker, today, as a nation, we confront our failure to listen, to believe and to provide justice. And again today, we say sorry. To the children we failed, sorry.
To the parents whose trust was betrayed and who have struggled to pick up the pieces, sorry. To the whistleblowers who we did not listen to, sorry. To the spouses, partners, wives, husbands and children who have dealt with the consequences of the abuse, cover-ups and obstruction, sorry. To generations past and present, sorry. I felt extremely overwhelmed when I watched this apology. Not just because our Jewish community has been blighted by the insidious scourge of child sex abuse, but because of the sheer number of children who were abused by men and women of faith, in houses of worship of G-d across this country. I felt that there was little wonder that the rates of religious adherence and worship have drastically reduced year on year in this country. If this was my personal experience with G-d and people of faith, I too would not be able to continue forward in my role. But at the same time, the fact that there has been an admission and reckoning of sorts
amongst some faith leaders, (definitely not all, and there is still a long way to go), hopefully brings a level of comfort for some survivors. Tzedek, the Jewish child sex abuse advocacy group noted that it invited a group of community leaders, including Jewish faith leaders, to watch the apology and internalise its message. I felt almost hopeful, that while there is still much more that can be done by leaders of faith to try and heal this terrible reality, there have, at the very least, been steps in the right direction. This week I read Parshat Veyeira, which details the promise of the impending birth of Isaac, the event of the birth of Isaac, and the binding of Isaac, amongst other events. Such a Parsha demonstrates the full cycle of life from the highest highs to the lowest lows. The Torah records that when Sara is told that after many years of being barren she will have a child, she laughs. It is so beyond belief that she would become a mother in her old age, that when she is finally promised a child, she can’t believe it to be true. As this promise comes to fruition and she
bears a child, G-d asks Avraham to sacrifice Isaac in a test of faith! That this could be requested of Avraham and Sara after waiting such a long time for their child feels cruel and once again beyond belief. Avraham dutifully takes Isaac and binds him to a rock to sacrifice only to be granted a reprieve from G-d at the last minute. G-d lauds Avraham’s faith and notes that “because you have done this thing, and not withheld your only son, I shall surely bless you and greatly increase your offspring like the stars in heaven and like the sand of the seashore…’ After such a terrible situation, the commentators note that this seemingly cruel situation was intended to send a relevant and pertinent message to human kind: human sacrifices, particularly child sacrifices, are not acceptable and should not be performed under any circumstance. In fact, the ultimate takeaway message from this situation, was that children should be loved, protected and cherished. Any attempt to harm a child should not be tolerated nor accepted by anyone. We have an obligation to protect children from harm. As I finish this week and reflect on the terrible atrocities that were perpetrated against innocent children across Australia, I can promise that I, in my position as a faith leader at the Ark, will be better. This week, I was elected to the Rabbinical Council of Victoria (RCV) to represent the ARK. I promise to do my best to work towards bettering the Jewish community, particularly in areas where we as Rabbis have power. In this way, I can be a part of the solution that brings healing to those who have been hurt and make amends and ensure that as a Rabbi and faith leader I work towards bettering the world around me.
community
November 2018
Spark of life ignites a passion for traumatised kids
HADASSAH AUSTRALIA
A traumatised child can easily impact a family if the trauma is unresolved. What happens when the unresolved trauma places the entire community at risk? This is the question at the heart of the Jerusalem Trauma and Crisis Intervention Center, JCIC, a remarkable institution that is changing the face of one of Israel’s most conflicted cities. Jerusalem has a disproportionate number of dysfunctional children and families as a result of bullying, domestic violence, sexual abuse and terrorism. Based at Hadassah Hospital, the JCIC has been supported by the Australian community since it was established in 2006 in the wake of the Second Intifada. Australians are stepping up again with a fundraising initiative planned for December 6. ‘The Spark of Life’ campaign for children in crisis is aiming to raise $137,500 on one day with the amount to be quadrupled by generous donors. The total of $550,000 will fund a critically-needed medical health care team for one year comprising a psychiatrist, two psychologists, and four therapists. Ruth Ramone Rosen, Executive Director of Hadassah Australia, said the work of the JCIC has proven to be a game-changer for affected children, their families and the wider community. “The director and founder of the JCIC, Dr Esti Galili-Weisstub, recognised from her work in child psychiatry at Hadassah Hospital, how the problems affecting the children of greater Jerusalem were impacting on the city,” Ms Rosen said. “If left unchecked, over time the resources available to Jerusalem would be overwhelmed
in providing treatment for the children and their families. It would impose an unacceptable economic burden that the city cannot afford. “Dr Galili understood very well that a timecritical and comprehensive treatment regime was a matter of ‘now’ and not ‘if’.” Unlike any other similar service in Israel, the JCIC has the ability to tailor its therapy to suit the individual needs of children. Its therapists are often used by communities throughout Israel, most recently in the areas bordering Gaza. The JCIC is a walk-in crisis centre where children dealing with early stage post-traumatic stress disorder and psychological stress can seek immediate evaluation and treatment. Before it opened, the waiting time for children to access public mental health services in Jerusalem was up to 12 months. There was a desperate need for an alternative service for children in psychological distress. Ms Rosen says that Australia has maintained its status as the largest non-government funder of the JCIC. In keeping with the ethos of Hadassah Hospital, the JCIC provides its services to children in need up to the age of 18 irrespective of their religion, nationality or gender. “The ‘Spark of Life’ campaign is possible because of the incredible generosity of major donors who are willing to quadruple every dollar raised up to $137,500. This will help us achieve our total of $550,000,” Ms Rosen said. Please contact Hadassah Australia on australia@hadassah.org or 1800 423 277 to become a matching sponsor or to make a donation.
Further details are www.hadassahaustralia.org.
available
at
Scopus Little Learners A new long day care program for two year olds. The first steps in your child's Scopus education.
OPENING JANUARY 2019
Inquire Create Explore An immersive Hebrew program which also develops each child’s sense of Jewish identity and belonging.
For further details about the Little Learners program, visit www.scopus.vic.edu.au/ ELC/Little-Learners To register your interest, please call Enrolments on 9834 0070 or email admissions@scopus.vic.edu.au.
EARLY LEARNING CENTRE at SCOPUS
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November 2018
The Centenary of WWI Armistice concludes successful Centenary of Anzac Jewish Program CENTENARY OF ANZAC JEWISH PROGRAM PETER ALLEN- NATIONAL COORDINATOR The Centenary of Anzac Jewish Program (CoAJP) formally concludes from 11 November 2018, the Centenary of the Armistice of the Great War. The CoAJP was established in 2012 - with the endorsement of the ECAJ, AJHS and FAJEX - to develop, fund and coordinate Anzac Centenary activities in conjunction with Jewish ex-service and other community organisations across Australia. From 2014 to 2018, there were Jewish Anzac commemorative services in every state and ACT, many exhibitions and education activities, plus several legacy projects that will honour our Jewish Australian servicemen and women in perpetuity, including: • Australian Jewish War Memorial at the ACTJC Centre in Canberra - an emotive cenotaph listing the 341 Australian Jews who have Died on Service from 1900 to current; • Jewish Anzacs - Jews in the Australian Military, book by noted author, Mark Dapin; • Roll of Honour of the Jewish Community of Tasmania in Hobart Synagogue; • Anzac Centenary Yahrzeit Candleholders - 7 sets, for use in every state and ACT; • Australian Jewish Military Database – see
Centenary of Anzac Yahrzeit Candles
Roll of Honour Jewish Community of Tasmania
new AJHS website: ajhs.com.au/ajmd/ We are very grateful to the Federal Department of Veterans Affairs and NSW Veterans Affairs for providing grant funds and to all donors for their generosity, contributing to the CoAJP’s outstanding success. The following are especially thanked for their superb personal efforts and teamwork that enabled the splendid scale and quality of activities: Co-Patrons: Major General Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld AC OBE KStJ and Wesley E. Browne OAM
Planning Committee: Peter Wertheim AM (ECAJ & Chair), Brian Nebenzahl RFD (FAJEX), Russell Stern (AJHS), Charles Aronson (NAJEX/SJM), Wesley Browne and Peter Allen (National Coordinator), plus Interstate Conveners/Liaison. Funding & Action Sub-Committee: Peter Allen (Nat’l Coord/NSW Convenor & Chair), Ralph Hirst (Treasurer), Ruth Lilian OAM, Trevor Collins, Gary Ulman, Russell Stern and Roger Selby/Dr Keith Shilkin AM. Interstate Conveners: ACT – Dr Merrilyn Sernack; QLD – Lee McNamee; SA – Prof.
Larry Lockshin; TAS – Susan Steenbergen; WA – Dr Keith Shilkin AM. Victoria Liaison: VAJEX Aust. – Dr Judy Landau/Harry Lubansky; JMA – Rebecca Forgasz. Special appreciation also to: NAJEX and SJM; Rabbi Ralph Genende OAM (Senior Rabbi to the ADF) and Rabbi Yossi Friedman (RAAF Chaplain) for their support and assistance; AJHS individuals: Russell Stern for his tireless research into Jewish military personnel, Ralph Hirst for his smooth financial management of the CoAJP and Peter Philippsohn OAM for managing the Australian Jewish Military Database. In addition, there were hundreds of other people and numerous organisations in each state & ACT - too numerous to list here whose indispensable involvement on the various projects is gratefully appreciated. They have all helped to enrich the Australian Jewish and general community’s understanding of our Anzac tradition, with pride in the role that an estimated 9,000 Jewish men and women have had - and continue to have - in the defence of the freedoms and values that all Australians share: exemplifying the variety of multicultural threads woven through the Australian Defence Forces.
Mitzvah day – you can make a difference
MITZVAH DAY KERRYN LOWE
Mitzvah Day is an annual event where individuals and groups of all ages and abilities around Australia and internationally, join together to spend one day volunteering in a variety of activities (that we call Projects). Groups and individuals arrange their own Projects which are chosen and organised entirely by each volunteer group. This year will be the 8th annual Mitzvah Day in Australia and will occur on Sunday 18 November 2018. Affiliated with Mitzvah Day International which was launched in the UK in 2008, the movement has grown so that in 2017, over 40,000 people in 24 countries participated. In Australia last year, we had 60 volunteer groups organising 80 diverse activities that took place around the country and involved over 3,000 people. How it works – Organisation or individuals develop a mitzvah they will perform on Mitzvah Day. When you register the Project on our website, we send you a Welcome Pack and free merchandise including our good looking and distinctive green t-shirts to wear on the day, stickers, balloons plus support from us. Mitzvah Day brings the community together, young and old and from many diverse backgrounds. We see reducing hardship and poverty, helping the environment and bringing joy through volunteering with an emphasis on supporting existing charities and building stronger communities, as good community qualities. Some of the Projects that are already
KOGO – Volunteers for KOGO wrapping Christmas gifts for children in refugees. registered for this year include cooking, packing and distributing meals for residents of public housing; a “Bra drive” for the Uplift Project; wrapping Christmas presents for donation to children living in women’s refuges from family violence; concerts at local Jewish nursing homes; preparing floral bouquets for nursing home residents and many collect-a-thons.
There are 3 easy steps to become involved: 1. Create or join a Project; 2. Register your Project or join a Project at www.mitzvahday.org.au; 3. Ask your friends, family, colleagues and community to join you. Please register your Project on our website and we will arrange to forward our
complimentary merchandise. There are many deserving charities you could reach out to on Mitzvah Day. Mitzvah Day is taking place on Sunday 18 November 2018. Registrations for Projects are now open. This is your opportunity to get involved. For inspiration, there is an abundance of project ideas on the website. www.mitzvahday.org.au
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November 2018
Courage to Care
COURAGE TO CARE
This year has seen extraordinary changes for B’nai B’rith Courage to Care (Vic), with significant developments in our strategic outlook, professionalism and expansion in our activities. We are also delighted to have appointed Mike Zervos as our first CEO. We remain an important initiative of B’nai B’rith, the international Jewish service organisation whose watchwords are Benevolence, Friendship and Harmony. Our goals reflect these underlying values and we take pride in delivering these universal messages to widening parts of the community. Since we began in 1992, our programs have been shared with over 130,000 students across Victoria.
Adam Slonim industry professional delivers training to volunteer facilitators
CEO Mike Zervos
What do we do?
Courage to Care aims to inform and educate about the dangers of prejudice, racism and discrimination. We do this by: • educating Victorians, in particular students, towards an understanding of the roles of the victim, perpetrator, and bystander by exposing them to the stories of survivors of the Holocaust and other genocides, and their rescuers. • empowering individuals, through Transforming Bystander Behaviour programs, to have the courage to combat bullying, racism and other forms of prejudice by being UPSTANDERS not BYSTANDERS. Through our major exhibitions, incursions (school visits) and other outreach programs we: • help preserve the memory of the Holocaust by honouring the memory of the Righteous Among the Nations and their like. • use the actions of the Righteous as the model for moral and ethical behaviour to help challenge bystander behaviour in our communities today. We are seeing increasing demand for incursions from schools unable to access our major exhibitions as it travels to three or four regional venues each year. Some schools are incorporating the involvement of their students in the Courage to Care program in their curriculum annually and we look forward to other schools taking this opportunity as well. Both Gandel Philanthropy and the Victorian Department of Education have remained major supporters of the work we are doing. None of our achievements would have been possible without the support of many very dedicated volunteers. They offer their time and experience in a variety of ways, and without their input the success this program has achieved would not have been possible. We rely on their support to ensure that we can build on the foundations laid since the introduction of the initial Courage to Care Exhibition 26 years ago.
Schools Exhibitions
In 2018, we rolled out three full exhibitions with integrated education programs. Two of these were in the regional centres of Horsham and Sale, with one metropolitan exhibition in Doncaster.
Direct to School Incursions
An Incursion is the delivery of our workshop program directly into an individual school. With the introduction of our interactive incursion equipment the program is iPad
Committee of Management 2018-2019
Upstander wristbands
based and uses the high-tech information that makes the Courage to Care program world best standard. So far in 2018, we have confirmed incursions in over twenty schools, with around 3,000 students booked into workshops.
Victoria Police: Transforming Bystander Behaviour workshops
While the schools program will always be at the centre of the Courage to Care mission, an approach by Victoria Police has opened a new sphere of activity with our first foray into programming for the workplace and a fee for service model. Consulting closely with Acting Superintendent Steve McRae and his team in the People Development Command VEOHRC Project Unit, Courage to Care developed a two-hour workshop, based on the example of Bystanders and Upstanders during the Holocaust and working through bystander behaviour in contemporary society, specifically to address the issues raised in the VEOHRC (Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission) report into the Victorian Police Force.
Facilitated discussion at school incursion with volunteer Kay Ronec and survivor Gilah Leder
Students explore the multimedia exhibition
The program has exciting promise for the future, providing us with a template that can be used to develop effective training programs in transforming bystander behaviour for other organisations on a feefor-service basis. We think the teachers and students sum up our work best. “I think it has opened my eyes to how you can help even by doing something little. Stand by someone, listen and support them.” (Year 9 student, Northcote High School) “It makes history meaningful and relevant to the kids. It also helps them to examine their own lives, experiences and prejudices and gives them practical strategies to seek help and stand up for others.” (Teacher, Ballarat) “The severity and harshness of the war is so surreal, and someone talking to us that actually lived through it made me realise how real it was.” (Year 10 student, Epping Secondary College) “This gives a human face to what we teach. It is relevant for the past, the present and to our future. We wonder how this could ever happen and yet we are blasé about what happens around us. This makes us
take notice. This is a wellrun program. Having it come to us, here in Bendigo, is a great opportunity.” (Teacher, Bendigo Senior Secondary College) To celebrate the achievements and our relocati on to 843A Glenhuntly Road Caulfield, we recently held an Open House event with well over 80 visitors enjoying the opportunity to see firsthand what we do and met some of the team. If anyone is interested in finding out more about what we do or how they can contribute as a volunteer or donor please contact us on office@couragetocare.org. au or 9533-0955 Holocaust Survivor Peter Barta addresses students
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November 2018
Hundreds attend Limmud FSU Festival in Sydney ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA Some 300 members of the Russian speaking Jewish community of Australia, gathered on Sunday 14 October 2018 for the most celebrated volunteer-driven festival of Jewish learning, organized by Limmud FSU (Former Soviet Union.) The full-day conference took place at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, and included more than 70 seminars, lectures, presentations and workshops, given by an array of international and local speakers, as well as a full-day program for children. “We are proud to have sponsored and partnered with Limmud FSU for the third Limmud FSU festival in Australia, the second to be held in Sydney” said Dr Danny Lamm AM, President of the Zionist Federation of Australia. “It’s a fabulous example of how the Russian speaking Jewish community has become more engaged and connected with Israel and with Jewish identity, as a result of the ZFA’s Kangarusski initiative which was established in 2013”. One of the prominent speakers at the event was Emmanuel Gruzman, a PhD Candidate at Monash University in Melbourne, who talked about his ongoing PhD research on the Jewish identity of Russian-speaking Jews in Melbourne, where the majority of them reside today (7,000 out of an estimated 11,000 in Australia). Among keynote speakers at the festival were Mark Sofer, Israel’s Ambassador to Australia; Dr. Danny Lamm AM, President of the Zionist Federation of Australia; Ruta Vanagaite, a bestselling Lithuanian writer about Holocaust in
Lithuania; Emile Sherman, an Academy Award winning film producer; Rabbi Dovid Slavin, Executive Director of the Rabbinical College of Sydney; Emma Lippa, former concertmaster of the Bolshoi Ballet of Moscow; Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, spiritual leader of the Russian-Jewish community of Sydney, and many more. Ambassador Mark Sofer said during the event; “The main reason I am here today is because I think that the FSU communities around the world, including here in Australia, are among the most beautiful, wonderful, and contributing communities to Jewish history and its future. “
Liberal Nationals deliver largest ever funding boost to Victoria’s Jewish schools
Chaim Chesler, founder of Limmud FSU, said; “We are proud to continue to develop our activities here in Australia, so as to contribute to strengthening the integration of Russianspeakers into the country’s Jewish community.” Semyon Teplitskiy, one of the participants, remarked; “I really admire the volunteers’ effort, and hope to be able to join this wonderful team the next time Limmud FSU takes place in Australia.” Another participant, Laya Slavin, said; “It is such a pleasure to see so many happy faces of people enjoying this special and unique celebration of Jewish learning.” Limmud FSU Australia is made possible by
Politicians Pledge Support at Jewish Care Victoria JEWISH CARE VICTORIA
MEMBER FOR CAULFIELD DAVID SOUTHWICK MP The Liberal Nationals support a strong public and private education system because we believe in giving parent’s choice and children the best opportunities. With Melbourne’s current population squeeze limiting parental choices it’s never been more important to support all three sectors of our school system. Giving parents and children choice in education is a core value of the Liberal Nationals. A critically important part of that choice is for parents to have the option of non-government and faith based schools. That is why an elected Liberal Nationals Government will work in partnership with the Jewish community to deliver a $5.25 million fund for security and maintenance upgrades for 12 Jewish schools across Melbourne. Over a number of years, many of Melbourne’s Jewish schools have been forced to reprioritise much needed maintenance funding towards security upgrades due to the heightened threat of anti-Semitic attacks and violence. This policy also sends a clear message to the Jewish community of the importance the
Liberal Nationals place on a harmonious multifaith and multi-cultural society. Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Education, Tim Smith: “We want to work with non-government schools to give all Victorian families choice in education. I am delighted to announce this $5 million investment for Jewish schools as part of our $400 million commitment to non-government schools. The Liberal Nationals support faith based schools as a very important aspect of our education system. I was very proud today to announce this package in support of Jewish schools.” Comments attributable to Member for Caulfield, David Southwick: “Only a Matthew Guy led Liberal Nationals Government will deliver Victoria’s largest ever Jewish school capital funding package. Jewish schools shouldn’t be forced to cut back on essential maintenance upgrades just to keep students and staff safe at school. With incidents of anti-Semitic attacks on the rise, this funding will go a long way to keeping Melbourne’s Jewish schools safe and help provide the facilities they deserve.”
a team of local leaders and volunteers, led by the Project Manager Anna Maylis who is the ZFA’s Coordinator of programs for the Russian Speaking Jewish Communtiy. She was joined by a committed team including Rina Kuczko, Inna Polura, Anatol Romanov and others. Maylis said: “I have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback from the participants, who so genuinely appreciate the efforts made by the volunteers in organizing such an important and remarkable event for our community. The festival has brought together hundreds of Russian Jews and demonstrates the unity of our community and its strong connection to Israel, Jewish culture and heritage.” The festival was organized in partnership with the Zionist Federation of Australia, and took place thanks to the generous support of ZFA - Kangarusski’s major sponsor Mr Harry Triguboff AO, and Meriton, Genesis Philanthropy Group, Shalom Institute, the Conference for Material Claims against Germany and several other Limmud FSU donors. The ZFA, under its Kangarusski banner, is looking forward to sending 40 young people from a Russian-speaking Jewish (RSJ) background on Taglit Birthright Israel in December to experience a 10-day trip to Israel which is a free gift to the lucky participants. To find out more about Kangarusski, our Russian Speaking Jewish Community department, contact Anna Maylis on 0410 558 624 or email anna@kangarusski.org.au. Photos courtesy of Veda Kucko
The Labor Government election campaign trail hit Jewish Care Victoria yesterday. State Government Ministers and Labor Candidates visited the iconic St Kilda Road headquarters, chatted with Elders at Montefiore Homes and toured The Hannah & Daryl Cohen Family Building construction site. Minster of Housing, Ageing & Disability; Creative Industries; Equality; and Mental Health, Martin Foley MP and Minister for Trade & Investment; Innovation & the Digital Economy; and Small Business, Philip Dalidakis MP were joined on the visit by Victorian Labor candidates Neil Pharaoh (Prahran), Sorina Grasso (Caulfield), Nina Taylor (Southern Metropolitan Region) and Federal Labor Candidate for Macnamara, Josh Burns. During the visit, the Andrews Government pledged, if re-elected, to commit a $625,000 contribution to the construction of Jewish Care’s $90M Hannah & Daryl Cohen Family Building, which is due for completion in November 2019. “Our older generations have given us so much- it’s only fitting we make sure they get
the care and dignity they deserve in their later years,” said Minster for Ageing, Martin Foley MP. “We thank Ministers Foley and Dalidakis, and the Labor candidates for Caulfield, Prahran, the Southern Metropolitan Region and Macnamara for taking the time to visit Jewish Care,” said Jewish Care CEO Bill Appleby. “We welcome the Andrews government’s pledge to commit $625,000 to support the construction of The Hannah & Daryl Cohen Family Building which will not only provide an inclusive and heimish home for our Elders, but also be a welcoming and vibrant hub for the community to share.” “Jewish Care has supported the Victorian Jewish community for the past 170 years. The Hannah & Daryl Cohen Family Building, which is being built as part of our ‘Growing. For the Community.’ Capital Campaign, will enable us to continue to provide quality care and support for future generations,” Mike Debinski, President of Jewish Care, stated. “Today’s announcement is further acknowledgement of the vital role Jewish Care plays in strengthening the Victorian Jewish community. We thank the Andrews Government for this generous pledge of support.”
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November 2018
PM Meets the Rabbis ST KILDA HEBREW CONGREGATION
St Kilda Hebrew Congregation featured prominently in a recent meeting between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Victoria’s congregational rabbis. The meeting was facilitated by David Southwick MP, Member for Caulfield, during which the Prime Minister spoke about the role of faith within society. After the Prime Minister’s speech he was presented by federal Liberal candidate for Macnamara Kate Ashmor with a personalised Kippah bearing the words “PM ScoMo”. Ashmor referred to St Kilda Shule’s recent presentation of a St Kilda Football Club Kippah to state Liberal Leader Matthew Guy as the “inspiration” behind the now famous ScoMo Kippah. Following the meeting, the Shule’s senior Rabbi Yaakov Glasman spoke with the Prime Minister about the history and
significance of Melbourne’s iconic St Kilda Synagogue and presented him with a copy of the Shule’s Pillars book, which features some of the Shule’s founding families. “Scott Morrison came across as very personable and down to earth” Rabbi Glasman said, “he clearly understands the Jewish community and left a very good impression on the attendees, and I was delighted our Shule got special mention during the proceedings”. “The Prime Minister was particularly interested to learn that Australia’s most famous Jewish leader, Sir John Monash, was a long standing member of St Kilda Shule and had served on its Board of Management for nine years” Rabbi Glasman, “I am hoping Mr Morrison will visit my Shule in the coming months so we can showcase one of the absolute gems of Melbourne’s Jewish community”.
PRIME MINISTER
MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER COMMUNAL VIGIL FOR PITTSBURGH I was deeply touched to hear of the community vigil being held for the victims and survivors of the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, USA. Although I cannot be there with you, I thank you for this chance to share some thoughts. Last week’s shooting was the worst attack against the Jewish community in United States history. The murder and injury of innocent worshippers was an unspeakable crime that resonated around the world – an attack not only on human life, but on all civilised human values. If anything matters at a time like this, it is the strength that comes from community. Not just the local community, but the wider international community who have been deeply affected by what we’ve seen. As the Australian Jewish community gathers in respect and solidarity, I join you in mourning the lives tragically lost, and honouring the courage and resilience of those who survived. May the words of the Psalmist hold true “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart” and may the Jewish community throughout the world draw strength and comfort from the thoughts and prayers of all.
The Hon Scott Morrison MP Prime Minister of Australia 31 October 2018
Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Member for Caulfield David Southwick MP, Rabbi Yaakov Glasman
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November 2018
The Pittsburgh Massacre: No Answers, Just Choices SARAH BENDETSKY
teachers and friends in Pittsburgh were finally
Pittsburgh was my home for 2 years. Although, it was very different from anything I’ve ever experienced in Moscow − from architecture, food, weather, lifestyle to the stubborn foreign language − one thing that stood out was its people. See, people are nice in Pittsburgh. And by nice I mean people, who take time to greet a stranger, ask how your day is and genuinely wish you ‘Shabbat Shalom!’ − Jewish or non-Jewish − it’s irrelevant. I remember the mid-aged lady who was a crossing guard on one of the streets. She instantly ‘scanned’ my mood while crossing the road and asked what was going on in school and why wasn’t I smiling… Well, what could I tell her? In Russia, where I grew up, it’s uncommon to smile at strangers. Historically, one never knew who was a traitor and who was a decent person so people opened up their souls to friends… But once trust was built, such friends were equal to your family. … By the end of the week, the crossing guard noted that I had a beautiful smile. I was disarmed. Another thing that astonished me in Pittsburgh were the entrance doors. Made of wood and secured with a wobbly lock that was barely used, it drove me nuts. − But what if someone breaks into the house in the middle of the night? − I asked in bewilderment. − Like a squirrel? It’s a quiet area, there is nothing to worry about… − was the typical answer. Those fluffy squirrels loved jumping from one leafy tree to another; there were plenty to choose from. I loved looking at them as I walked to school, passing through the Jewish neighbourhood of Squirrel Hill. Fascinated by a myriad of synagogues and kosher & Judaica shops, I finally understood what it meant to be openly Jewish, not having to hide your Magen David underneath layers of clothes; not turning back to make sure no one was following your Dad who wore a yarmulke… Suddenly, I felt like Harry Potter who found himself in the magical world of Diagon Alley where being a wizard was completely normal. Soon after moving to Pittsburgh, I bought my first Chanukiah candelabra designed as the Kotel wall. The salesperson asked whether I wanted to pack the Chanukiah in a coloured or a seethrough wrap. The answer was clear; there was nothing to hide and so much to be proud of. … Pittsburgh, the city where I met extraordinary people who opened their homes and hearts to strangers − including myself − on a daily basis… who volunteered in community centres, hospitals and nursing homes and shared their passion with everyone around them. Each Friday, together with the rest of Yeshivah School girls, we boarded the minivans and buses operated by volunteers and went to aged care facilities around the city. It was a part of the curriculum and, more importantly, a vital component in setting the values right. I was ‘in charge’ of the Russian-speaking seniors. Throughout the week, they wrote down the questions about Judaism they were too afraid to ask under the Communism regime… I looked forward to these deep, philosophical conversations… and cookies the residents shared
online. The police had no doubt that the innocent people who came to the synagogue to pray were slain by blind, vicious hatred. The attacker screamed “Death to all Jews”… and the year was 2018, not 1939… It’s hard to comprehend that such things can happen in our times, in a so-called free, democratic country like the US. But if you think about it, Germany was also an educated, intelligent, progressive country with a huge Jewish population pre-World War II… the rest is history. Several years ago, I was lucky to interview a sole Holocaust survivor in Melbourne. L. led a secluded life and wasn’t interested in religious conversations
unlike
the
Russian-speaking
seniors in Pittsburgh. Eventually, he shared his story with me.
Sarah Bendetsky with a crossing guard on the streets of Pittsburgh in 2004
L. grew up in a religious home in Poland; his father was a distinguished Rabbi and the Head of a synagogue. L. graduated from a prestigious yeshivah, got married to a beautiful girl and had a baby. And then the war broke out… Like so many other survivors, L. witnessed the unbearable; his whole life was crushed in one day when the Nazis locked down the synagogue where his family was praying and set the building on fire… Later on, they grabbed his 18-month-old son and smashed his head against the brick wall in front of his eyes… … Is there a way to forget such level of pain and move on? I doubt it. Do I have the right to judge him for being disturbed by G-d’s plans? Not for a second. All I can say is that L. was brave enough to start anew. He moved to Australia, got married and had children, and generously gave of his time to help other survivors. We will never have all the answers; all we have is choices − some, just like thousands of years ago, prefer to blame the Jews as the scapegoat
Yeshivah School students Sasha Sheftel and Sarah Bendetsky visiting an aged care resident in Pittsburgh in 2003
for all the wrongdoings out there, as it is easier
that no matter what happens in our own lives, the cities of our past remain the same. And then the reality strikes when you expect it the least. This Sunday morning I logged onto Facebook in my Melbourne home to find out about the Pittsburgh massacre. It was surreal; out of all places in the world, Pittsburgh seemed untouchable. I couldn’t believe the shocking images of distressed people waiting for the updates about their loved ones and those of the police storming The Tree of Life Synagogue I passed by a million times as a schoolgirl… As the victim numbers grew, I frantically checked if my classmates,
busy holding someone’s hands at the time of need
with me. However, for Mrs Schulman, our Maths teacher who was always busy assisting someone in the community, it wasn’t enough. Almost at sunset on Fridays, I religiously followed her to another aged care facility where she helped a 103-year-old lady with Parkinson’s to light the Shabbat candles. Mrs Schulman gently held her shaky hands; a twinkle of light illuminated the room; together, they covered their eyes and whispered the everlasting blessing, making this world a brighter place… It’s been a while since I left Pittsburgh to discover Montreal, New York and finally settling in Melbourne. As it often happens, we tend to believe
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than fixing one’s own issues, while others are and making the world a brighter place. May the memory of 11 Jewish martyrs − Joyce Feinberg, David Rosenthal, Cecil Rosenthal, Richard Gottfried, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Rose Malinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Daniel Stein, Irving Younger and Melvin Wax − who died in Pittsburgh for the “crime” of being Jewish be a blessing. May we find the strength to continue bringing the light into the world.
November 2018
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international
This Pittsburgh rabbi lost 3 congregants in the shooting. Here’s how he is observing Shabbat BEN SALES (JTA) — Six days ago, on Shabbat, Rabbi Jonathan Perlman was hiding in a pitch-black storage closet as one of his congregants was shot dead in front of him. The time since has been filled with funerals, counseling congregants and figuring out how to move forward as a community, a city — and a rabbi. Now, for the first time since the massacre that killed 11 Jews in a Pittsburgh synagogue, Perlman and his small congregation, New Light, will welcome Shabbat. It will be in a different building, with an armed guard outside and without three of the Conservative congregation’s most active members. New Light will be meeting on its own Friday night. But on Saturday morning, Perlman and the leaders of the two other congregations that shared the targeted building, Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha and Dor Hadash, will preside over a combined service in the large sanctuary of another local Conservative synagogue, Beth Shalom, that is expected to draw hundreds of worshippers. The Tree of Life building is closed for an investigation of the shooting, so its congregations must meet elsewhere. “Hopefully when I get there, I’ll be feeling strengthened by everyone else around me,” Perlman told JTA on Friday afternoon. How did he feel going into Shabbat? “I’m pretty shaky,” he said. For the past week, the diverse and tightly knit Jewish neighborhood of Squirrel Hill has been coping with the aftermath of
the mass shooting through funerals, a presidential visit, an outpouring of love from around the world and a swarm of media attention. But Friday night and Saturday morning will mark the first time that the neighborhood’s Jews will be gathering in the very setting where the massacre took place: Saturday morning services in a sanctuary. Perlman and other Squirrel Hill rabbis told JTA that they were looking forward to Shabbat. They expected a mix of contradictory impulses and emotions: fear and defiance, mourning death and celebrating life, knowing that this Shabbat will be different while showing that tradition must be sustained and they will would not be cowed. “This Shabbat I hope to be the opposite of last Shabbat: We’ll get some rest,” Perlman told JTA, noting that Beth Shalom also would be celebrating the recent marriage of one of its clergy on Saturday. “There’s celebrations and tragedies, and we’re pulled — our emotions are pulled every which way. But it’s a renewal.” The rabbis said that in general, they hoped to conduct services much like they do every week, to show the world that the massacre did not stop Jewish life in Pittsburgh. But several congregations will be changing or adding to their services to commemorate the tragedy. At New Light, in place of a short Friday night sermon, Perlman will create space for congregants to share memories of the victims. At the Reform Rodef Shalom Congregation, which will be hosting Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha services on Friday night, Rabbi Aaron Bisno plans to skip
the traditional English-language readings and instead share poems written about the shooting. “It’s an opportunity to create an experience where the community can gather,” Bisno told JTA. “We want people to feel like they’re given expression, that the emotions they’re feeling this week have been given voice.” For more traditional synagogues that prefer to react to current events through age-old prayers, this Shabbat presents a conundrum. A prayer commemorating Jewish martyrs, “Av Harachamim” (Hebrew for “Father of mercy”), is said weekly in many synagogues. But it’s usually skipped this week because those synagogues will be reciting a blessing for the coming Hebrew month. Two Pittsburgh Orthodox rabbis who spoke to JTA said that despite the new month’s blessing, they are considering saying the martyrs’ prayer in memory of the shooting victims. “If you’re not inspired by davening, don’t blame davening,” said Rabbi Daniel Wasserman of Shaare Torah Congregation. “It just means you haven’t looked carefully at it. … Even if we don’t say [Av Harachamim], I’ll ask people: Look at what we don’t say, but still read it, understand it, stop taking it for granted.” Another change is that all of the area’s synagogues will have beefed-up security — in many cases, if not all, an armed guard. Rabbis said that while it’s an unfortunate measure to take, safety is paramount, and they believe that people will still be able to feel welcome. “It’s as much a deterrent as a sense
of reassurance, that we’re mindful of the fear that’s out there,” Bisno said. “We want ours to be a welcoming place, and we have to take safety and security seriously.” All the synagogues are expecting more people to come than usual. The American Jewish Committee has launched a campaign for this week called #ShowUpForShabbat, encouraging people around the Jewish world to attend synagogue this week to commemorate the victims and show solidarity. At Rodef Shalom, public figures will be speaking Friday night in addition to the prayer service. The synagogue will hear from Dani Dayan, Israel’s consul general in New York, and Wasi Mohamed, executive director of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh. “Our goal is to have a full Shabbat, larger than usual — many people that aren’t necessary regular shul-goers,” said Rabbi Yisroel Altein of Chabad of Pittsburgh, which is expecting 100 worshippers, double the usual number. “On one hand we mourn, we grieve and it’s hard for us. On the other hand, when it comes to action, we need to be there.” As to what’s going to happen after this Shabbat, Perlman doesn’t know. But even with all of the attention focused on his neighborhood, he is hoping for a Shabbat that can be as restful and, well, ordinary as possible. “It’s not going to turn into a rally,” he said, referring to the Saturday morning service. “We’re going to follow the liturgy of the service and be with one another.”
Candidly Speaking: A call to General Assembly participants BY ISI LEIBLER Trump is your president and as Americans you can hate him or love him. First, permit me to open this column by expressing my distress that for the first time, the Jewish Federations of North American are holding their General Assembly in Tel Aviv rather than Jerusalem. I doubt this was a coincidence. Israelis are delighted with the US government’s relocation of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. I hope JFNA’s diversion of the GA from Jerusalem does not reflect an anti-Trump paranoia. One should assume that the representatives of Federations are more conscious of their Jewish identity and better informed than the average American Jew. They are surely concerned with the loss of Jewish identity among increasing numbers of young Americans of Jewish ethnic origin who were not even provided with an elementary Jewish education. Lacking any foundation of Jewish identity, CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
President Donald Trump speaks with Jewish leaders via phone . (photo credit: COURTESY WHITE HOUSE)
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November 2018
What If Kavanaugh Were A Liberal Muslim? ALAN DERSHOWITZ As a law professor for half a century, I tested the consistency and strength of my students’ arguments by constructing thought experiments in the form of challenging hypothetical cases – we called them hypos. So let’s construct one to test the arguments being offered in the Kavanaugh case. A thought experiment: President Hillary Clinton nominates the first Muslim American to the Supreme Court. Let’s call him Amir Hassan. Republicans oppose him and accuse him of being a judicial activist. Then several witnesses place him at a mosque at which terrorism was advocated. He claims he went there to hear all sides of the issue. One witness places him in a terrorism training camp but that account is not corroborated. One final witness identifies him as the man who planted the bomb that blew off his leg at a demonstration. He categorically denies any association with terrorism. How would the Senate, the media, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the public deal with these accusations? The answer seems clear: the sides and arguments would be largely reversed. The shoe would be on the other foot and the hypocrisy of double standards would be
A WOMAN protests against Brett Kavanaugh. (photo credit: REUTERS)
exposed for all to see. Surely the ACLU would not be arguing, as they have in the Kavanaugh case, that doubts should be resolved in favor of guilt. Radicals would not be insisting
that terrorism survivors must always be believed as to identification. My left-wing colleagues would not point to the anger displayed by the possibly falsely accused nominee as proof of his disqualifying
injudicious temperament. To the contrary, the ACLU would be demanding due process, a presumption CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
Palestinian ‘Support’ for Saudi Arabia GATESTONE INSTITUTE KHALED ABU TOAMEH As Mahmoud Abbas was busy praising the Saudis for their “justice, values and principles,” the London-based Action Group for Palestinians of Syria issued a statement in which it accused the Saudi authorities of preventing Palestinian refugees from entering the kingdom. Many Arabs and Muslims can hardly afford to alienate a country as rich as Saudi Arabia. This is a good example of “money talks.” However, this does not mean that the Saudi money will ever change the hearts and minds of Palestinians, especially regarding a peace agreement with Israel. The mistreatment of Palestinians at the hands of their Arab brethren has never been of concern to Abbas and his leadership. They are silent when Palestinians are killed and expelled from their homes in Syria. They are silent when Palestinians face discrimination and apartheid laws in Lebanon. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas did not wait for Saudi Arabia to admit that Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in its consulate in Turkey. Days before the
Saudi announcement, Abbas decided that he and the Palestinians have “absolute confidence” in King Salman bin Abdel Aziz and this son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. As Abbas was busy praising the Saudis for their “justice, values and principles,” the London-based Action Group for Palestinians of Syria issued a statement in which it accused the Saudi authorities of preventing Palestinian refugees from entering the kingdom. “Palestinian refugees fleeing warravaged Syria have been denied access into Saudi territories,” the group said. It pointed out that the Saudi ban excluded Palestinians heading to the kingdom to perform the Islamic hajj, or pilgrimage. The group also pointed out that Palestinians who fled Syria to Saudi Arabia “have been shorn of their right to visas, education, and health care, among other vital services.” Saudi Arabia, the group added, “continues to opt for a closed-door immigration policy regarding Palestinian refugees seeking asylum in its territories.” This is only one example of Saudi discrimination against the Palestinians. The group’s announcement was published on the same day that Abbas
was heaping praise on the Saudi leaders. In a statement issued by his office on October 14, Abbas, who described himself as the “President of the State of Palestine,” said he “appreciated the positions of Saudi Arabia, a country that has always stood, and continued to do so, on the side of our just cause and the rights of our people.” The statement quoted Abbas as expressing “absolute confidence” in the Saudi monarch and his son and said that “Palestine has always stood next to Saudi Arabia, and will continue to do so.” This announcement of blind support for the Saudi king and crown prince came as the international community was still demanding answers from the Saudi government concerning the disappearance of Khashoggi. No one knows on what basis Abbas decided to voice, on behalf of all Palestinians, “absolute confidence” in the Saudi leaders at a time when the Saudis were still denying responsibility for the disappearance and murder of the columnist. Abbas’s support for Saudi Arabia could be directed against Qatar, which he believes is backing his rivals in Hamas.
Relations between Abbas’s Palestinian Authority and Qatar have been strained after the emirate decided to buy Israeli fuel for the power plant in the Hamasruled Gaza Strip as part of an effort to solve the power shortage there. Abbas’s aides have accused Qatar of “meddling in the internal affairs of the Palestinians” by helping the residents of the Gaza Strip and Hamas. Last year, Saudi Arabia and several Arab countries severed diplomatic relations with Qatar over the emirate’s alleged support for terrorism, especially the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. On the same day the Saudis finally admitted that Khashoggi had been killed inside their consulate, Abbas released yet another statement in which he again expressed full support for Saudi Arabia. This time, Abbas went a step further by publishing the statement on behalf of the “State of Palestine.” Here is what the statement, which was released in Ramallah, said about the Khashoggi affair and the Saudi admission that the columnist was killed during a “fight” inside the diplomatic CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
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Palestinian ‘Support’ for Saudi Arabia FROM PAGE 14
mission in Turkey: “The State of Palestine affirmed that Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdel Aziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, shall remain the country of justice, values and principles. The State of Palestine has praised the decisions taken by the Custodian of the Holy Sites (King Salman) to implement justice, fairness, truth and law.” First, it is worth noting that Abbas and the Palestinians were not the only Arabs and Muslims publicly to embrace the Saudi leaders in the wake of the controversy surrounding the Khashoggi affair. Several Arab and Islamic countries, including Egypt, Yemen, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Djibouti, and Mauritania have also issued similar statements expressing full support for King Salman bin Abdel Aziz and his son. The Arab League has also come out in support of the Saudi leadership. A statement issued by the Arab League praised Saudi Arabia for its “measures to achieve justice and hold accountable” those responsible for the Khashoggi killing. It is not hard to imagine why so many Arab and Islamic countries would rush to heap praise on Saudi Arabia even before the full details of the Khashoggi case remain unclear. Many Arabs and Muslims can hardly afford to alienate a country as rich as Saudi Arabia. This is a good example of “money talks.” However, this does not mean that the Saudi money will ever change the hearts and minds of Palestinians, especially with regards to a peace agreement with Israel. Some Palestinians have been suspicious
The Saudi government says they have given the Palestinians $6 billion in aid since the year 2000. So Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has good reason publicly to declare his support for Saudi Arabia in the standoff with the rest of the world over the Jamal Khashoggi affair. Pictured: Abbas presents Saudi King Salman bin Abdel Aziz with a gift on December 30, 2015 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Thaer Ghanaim/Palestinian Press Office via Getty Images) of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s intentions. Earlier this year, Palestinians across the political spectrum launched a scathing attack on the crown prince after he was quoted as having told Jewish leaders in New York that Palestinians should accept US President Donald Trump’s upcoming plan for peace in the Middle East or “shut up.” Abbas is not different from the rest of his Arab and Muslim brothers. His statements of support for the Saudi leadership are in the context of his wish that the Saudis will give his Palestinian Authority financial aid. The Saudis claim that they have given
the Palestinians $6 billion since the year 2000. Abbas, therefore, has good reason publicly to declare his support for Saudi Arabia in the standoff with the rest of the world over the Khashoggi affair. The $6 billion that the Palestinians received in the past 18 years from the Saudis are sufficient to make Abbas and other Palestinian leaders declare their support for the king and his son even if they commit a crime as bad as demolishing the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Saudi money also explains why Abbas and his top aides have been silent over the way Saudi Arabia treats Palestinians. This is not the sort of
treatment that makes the Palestinian leadership proud. However, when a wealthy country like Saudi Arabia humiliates your people, it is not a good idea to complain too loudly. Last month, it was reported that Saudi Arabia has banned Palestinians holding temporary Jordanian passports from entering the country. The move, according to the reports, basically affects more than 600,000 Palestinians, who will not be able to perform the hajj to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Another report said that Saudi Arabia has issued new directives banning up to 300,000 Palestinians in Lebanon from performing the pilgrimage. Perhaps these reports about the Saudi discrimination against Palestinians have not reached Abbas’s ears. Or perhaps they have, but why should he or any other Palestinian leader care about the plight of his own people if the perpetrators are so wealthy and influential? In fact, the mistreatment of Palestinians at the hands of their Arab brethren has never been of concern to Abbas and his leadership. They are silent when Palestinians are killed and expelled from their homes in Syria. They are silent when Palestinians face discrimination and apartheid laws in Lebanon. This is because Abbas and the Palestinian officials do not seem to care much about what happens to their people in the Arab countries. Now, it is also clear that they do not care about what Saudi Arabia does to their own people (or to a dissident Saudi columnist) -- just let that Saudi cash keep flowing into the Palestinian coffers. Khaled Abu Toameh, an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem, is a Shillman Journalism Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
What If Kavanaugh Were A Liberal Muslim? FROM PAGE 14
of innocence and a high burden of proof before so serious a charge could destroy a life, family and career. My colleagues would be defending the righteous anger of a falsely accused victim of ethnic prejudice. The identity politics accusations would not be directed against old white men, but rather against those who would stereotype Muslims as terrorists. The Jewish Forward would not be featuring an article entitled “Is Amir Hassan every Muslim man?” as it is now featuring an article entitled “Is Brett Kavanaugh every American man?” Many right-wing Republicans would now be making arguments similar to those being made by their left-wing Democratic colleagues in the Kavanaugh case. This is just a job interview, not a trial. Believe terrorism survivors. There is no burden
of proof; mere suspicion is enough to deny a possible terrorist a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. Look how angry he is, demonstrating a lack of judicial temperament. Hypocrisy is the coin of partisanship. It affects both sides. It may be better than simply not even caring whether people think you’re being fair. As Francois de La Rochefoucauld once put it: “Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue.” It is precisely because of the pervasiveness and apparent acceptance of hypocrisy that I insist on applying “the shoe on the other foot test” to all aspects of politics, law, morality and lives. It drives my colleagues and friends crazy when I challenge them to pass the test. Few are willing to take it. Even fewer pass it. Applying that test to the Kavanaugh case doesn’t provide a perfect resolution. But it does supply some
guiding principles. Ask yourself what you would be thinking and saying about my Muslim American hypothetical thought experiment. One’s first instinct is to try to distinguish the cases: rape is not like terrorism; stereotyping a MuslimAmerican as a terrorist is different than stereotyping a privileged white man as a rapist; rape survivors are more reliable witnesses than terrorism survivors; the burden of proof should be higher for proving terrorism than rape. None of these distinctions are compelling in the context of a Supreme Court confirmation process. They are make weights designed to weaken the force of the shoe on the other foot test and to justify the hypocrisy of shifting arguments when it is your ox that is being gored. So now back to Kavanaugh. The test for him should be the test that would have been demanded had the first
Muslim American been nominated to the Supreme Court by a Democratic president and been accused of engaging in terrorism as a 17-year-old. A full investigation, a fair process of judgment, no presumption of truth telling by alleged victims, no presumption of guilt against the nominee because he has so much to lose, a standard of guilt that varies with the seriousness of the accusations, and no identity political stereotypes as substitutes for hard evidence. These and other neutral rules should be applied to this case and every case going forward. Only then could we be confident in the fairness of the outcome. The author is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law Emeritus at Harvard Law School and author of The Case Against Impeaching Trump, Skyhorse publishing, 2018.
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Restore Deterrence In Gaza Now ISSI LIEBLER
All of us abhor military confrontation or war, which inevitably leads to casualties. Today Israel faces a major threat from Hamas in the south where Iran and Hezbollah could become involved if we go for the military option. I am not privy to military strategy or intelligence and neither am I aware of what other diplomatic elements are in play which may inhibit us from acting. The Jewish state was created as a haven for the Jewish people who were powerless in the face of persecution in their countries of birth. Israel has developed as a serious military power and has the obligation to provide security to all its citizens. Yet, it has failed to do so for months and effectively neglected those residents in the south who feel like helpless refugees in their own country. Such inaction would not have been tolerated if the target was Tel Aviv rather than Sderot. The time has come to say to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman: “Enough is enough.” Israel has always taken pride in the ability to deter adversaries. Yet the Hamas presence in Gaza – not an existentialist threat – not only undermines our deterrence but causes us to lose credibility on the international scene. Let us summarize the situation: Hamas shamelessly prides itself on the fact that its unyielding objective is the destruction of the Jewish state and murder of Jews. Its spokesmen barbarically recite their genocidal objectives like a mantra at every possible opportunity. The bulk of foreign aid to the Gaza Strip has been diverted by Hamas to military purposes, even though most residents there are unemployed and impoverished. Hamas receives financial and military support from Iran and has created a military infrastructure throughout the country utilizing mosques, hospitals and schools as weaponstorage bases and missile-launching sites from which they regularly launch rockets into Israel.
Hamas dispatches terrorists into Israel to murder Jews and those who succeed are hailed as heroes and financially rewarded. Hamas has built many tunnels leading into Israel with the objective of infiltrating terrorists behind Israeli lines in the event of a conflict. The IDF now possesses sophisticated equipment that has succeeded in identifying and destroying the majority of the tunnels. Since March 30, additional red lines have been crossed. Hamas has orchestrated protests that regularly brought thousands to the Israeli border, intentionally misleading the international community by defining the action as peaceful demonstrations. However, Hamas spokesmen repeatedly stated that the objective was to break through the border and kill Israelis, thus obliging the IDF to position many troops to defend the border. The “peaceful demonstrations” included hurling firebombs, firing weapons, throwing rocks and trying to break through into Israel. The IDF sought to avoid lethal responses by mostly using rubber bullets, but when endangered, they took firm action and over 200 Palestinians – many of them identified as Hamas operatives – have been killed. In addition, the Palestinians have been floating incendiary balloons into Israel carrying flammable material and bombs. To date they have destroyed thousands of acres of prime agricultural land, impoverishing many farmers in the area. The mutual hostility has led the PA under President Mahmoud Abbas to cut off electricity to Hamas in Gaza and threatened to cease paying their civil servants. Under such circumstances Hamas became desperate and intimidated and announced it was willing to enter a temporary truce with Israel if the blockade of goods and services was lifted. Negotiations, with the Egyptians as intermediaries, have led to little progress to date, although in recent weeks statements have been repeated that a truce was about to be implemented. As a condition, Hamas have the ultimate chutzpa to demand $15 million per
month to maintain the calm in the area. In the meantime, the world has become accustomed to the border protests and destructive incendiary balloons. In fact, many – including some misguided Jews – are accusing us of being too tough and needlessly killing “peaceful demonstrators.” Hamas has repeatedly pledged that it will not halt the border protests or cease the launch of balloons. Can one visualize any other country in the world tolerating this situation and merely responding to it with tit-for-tat bombing sorties that cause minimal disruption, only destroying buildings used by Hamas after warning the inhabitants to evacuate? This situation evokes a strong feeling of déjà vu. For months we have heard hollow statements from the prime minister and defense minister threatening Hamas with dire consequences. One day, the defense minister demands drastic action and the next day, he backtracks by suggesting that an outright military conflict must be avoided. It is not surprising that Hamas spokesmen now mock these empty Israeli threats. The horrible reality is that, despite being perceived as a tough high-tech superpower, we are in fact negotiating with a terrorist entity while our own military acts as though Hamas represents an equal, mutual deterrent. The government even stooped to the depths of providing safe passage through Israel to Gaza for Saleh al-Arouri, a Hamas deputy leader who is responsible for a series of bestial terrorist acts and who has even boasted of involvement in the notorious kidnap and murder of three youths in 2014 (a claim doubted by Israel). If Israel is to restore any vestige of deterrence, it should announce that unless the border provocations and incendiary balloons cease, its military will take drastic action. The nature of the action can only be determined by the IDF. It does not require the conquest of Gaza – which would lead to many casualties and we have no desire to reoccupy the area and take responsibility for its inhabitants. But it requires a significantly tougher response than what we have seen until
November 2018
now. We should consider destroying the homes of the leaders and, if matters deteriorate, even targeted assassinations, which achieved a dramatic impact some years ago. Israel is a military superpower. It is time for the IDF to impose a solution in which Hamas is punished to the point of deterrence. If not, its leaders should sit in a conclave until they devise a solution. A “semi-truce” is the worst of all options. Acting with restraint does not inhibit the terrorists and is perceived by Hamas leaders as cowardice. It allows the barbarians to continue to engage in terror and gives them the opportunity to strengthen themselves and determine when they find it most advantageous to strike. They admit that any truce is temporary, and they remain committed to our annihilation. Last week, Lieberman predicted a quite weekend and another truce was proclaimed. But just one day later, on Friday, Hamas launched 37 rockets into Israel, allegedly orchestrated by Iran, injuring two Israelis. Sixteen thousand people protested along the Gaza border and bombs, grenades and rocks continued to be hurled at the IDF in further unsuccessful efforts to penetrate the border. Five Palestinians were killed in the violent protests and a sixth was killed from the premature explosion of a bomb he was preparing to throw at IDF soldiers. The IDF claimed it struck 95 targets in Gaza in response – merely destroying more buildings and weapons manufacturing locations. Prime minister: The people, including your supporters, demand action. You should warn our adversaries and allies that if this terrorism continues, Israel will act like any other nation and employ the full might at its disposal to protect its citizens. Failure to act now guarantees a full-scale conflict at a later stage with a strengthened Hamas having accumulated more effective and lethal weapons to use against us. Otherwise, you must address the nation and convince it that the government has some strategy and intends to restore deterrence. This column was originally published in the Jerusalem Post and Israel Hayom
Digitally close, emotionally far from Pittsburgh YISHAI FLEISHER On Saturday, a madman entered a synagogue in Pittsburgh and slaughtered 11 Jews. It was a horrific, heinous crime. But sadly, rather than reminding us what’s important and bringing Jews closer together, it seems to be dividing us apart. In the past, after terror attacks in Israel plunged our country into mourning, I have looked at my Instagram feed and felt resentment towards my American brothers and sister, who seemed to be living life as usual, posting pictures of their cute kids and delicious meals while families in Israel have been shattered. “How cold. How detached,” I thought to myself. Now, strangely, I find myself on the other side. My American family is suffering and scared, but since they are so far away and since the images are not flooding my own social-media news cycle, I feel slightly detached. And I lament that. Even though the technology brings us closer, the distance is still real. After having this experience, I will be more forgiving in the future. But I pray I won’t need to be. Maybe it’s also the nature of the horror that has caused the disconnect. From Israel, the alleged gunman, Robert Bowers, looks like a nut—some kind of American psycho with an arsenal and cultish delusions of Jewish world domination. This massacre must not be minimized or excused in any way. But it was, ostensibly, an isolated one, committed by a deranged lone actor. He probably belonged in a mental
hospital with good (Jewish) doctors and padded walls. Robert Bowers is an enemy of the Jewish people, but the Jewish people are not at war with Robert Bowers. The nature of the fight against antiSemitism in America and Israel are very different, which also leads to a divide and disconnect. While American Jews feel a growing concern over the kind of anti-Semitism bred out of conspiracy theories and blood libels, in Israel, our terrorists are numerous, organized and motivated by a collective national hatred, which makes our struggle a daily existential one. Everyone can agree that Robert Bowers is pure evil. But imagine a scenario in which Bowers was actually a respected teacher who taught his young students or followers to kill Jews systematically in a society with many like-minded teachers and leaders. Imagine that his society backed his teachings, and that his government paid for weapons and weapons training. Imagine if he knew that after his death, his family would be cared for. That is how many of us in Israel think about the jihadist terror that we face from the Palestinian Authority, from Hamas, from Hezbollah and others. We are at war with a systemized, mechanized, effort to kill Jews and destroy Israel. An army of Robert Bowerses. Sometimes, it feels like our American brothers and sisters don’t get what we’re facing here in Israel, with some even suggesting that the violence against is justified. Maybe this tragic moment will bring us closer in understanding what dangers we both face.
That is my hope, and why I remained determined not to take part in what seems to be a firestorm of politicization which has activated every American. So massive and heated is the discourse that from Israel, American looks like one big reality TV show, one featuring a society caught up in some kind of desperate inner psychological battle. It seems that they don’t view themselves like we see them—as people who are privileged to live in what is, at the end of the day, a great country with wonderful freedoms and opportunities, but rather relish engaging in needless and infighting. Every day, the American news reports seem fixated on left vs. right, MSNBC vs. Fox News, and anything else that might provide an opportunity for division. And it’s always, always, about finding someone to blame: Trump killed those Jews; guns killed those Jews; Netanyahu killed those Jews; whites killed those Jews; incivility killed those Jews. So powerful is the reactionary atmosphere of hatred that when Israel’s Minister of Education and Minister of Diaspora affairs dropped everything to fly to Pittsburgh and show solidarity and offer comfort to the community, some American Jews, in a hyperjudgemental ultra-polarized mode, claimed that they did not want him there because he supports the settlements—is a racist, a killer, a Zionist. Indeed, Bennett heads the leading nationalist party. But he is also a democratically elected minister in the government of Israel. His portfolio includes keeping our brothers and sisters around the world close to Israel. So forget the man for a minute. Is there no
respect for the office which he occupies? The nation he democratically represents? The State of Israel, not Bennett, was coming to the Diaspora to grieve and show support. Can we not set aside the arguments to come together? Should not the value of unity defeat the value of winning a political point in this moment? Moreover, if you do look at Bennett the man, he was an officer in one of Israel’s most elite special forces units. This man led clandestine missions to strike at the enemy and save Jewish lives. Ask yourself: When was the last time you stayed up for 48 hours straight in dangerous enemy territory, trained and prepared to strike a hardened enemy of the Jewish people? Have you ever physically stopped a Robert Bowers from committing the next heinous murder against a Jew? Naftali Bennett has. Doesn’t he deserve enough basic respect to welcome him in this moment of crisis? Many good people were taken from us in Pittsburgh, murdered in a horrific fashion. I think that if we could ask them now how they would like us to commemorate their untimely deaths, they would say: come together, sisters and brothers, over our tragedy. Let’s not disappoint them. Remember: Left and right, Orthodox and Reform, American or Israeli, we are all one people. If ever we are to bridge the left-right rift and the Diaspora-Israel divide, this is the moment. Yishai Fleisher is the international spokesman for the Jewish community of Hebron.
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Candidly Speaking: A call to General Assembly participants FROM PAGE 13
many are alienated from Israel and seek to distance themselves from Zionism and the Jewish state. Some leading American Jews falsely accuse Israel of not supporting them and of conducting an extremist policy in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. In addition, they accuse Israel of discriminating against non-Orthodox Jews as exemplified by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s retraction of an agreement to allocate an egalitarian prayer space at the Western Wall. One might argue that he should have ignored haredi extortion and dissolved the government. But, rightly or wrongly, he gave precedence to the urgent security issues of the day. Besides, American Jewish progressives, few of whom visit the Western Wall, would have been nonplussed had their rabbis not whipped up hysteria over the issue. So, my message to American Jewish leaders is not to blame Israel for your shortcomings and the escalating intermarriage rates. Take responsibility, prioritize Jewish education and overcome Jewish illiteracy. That should be your overriding concern and objective. You should also realize that the creation of a Jewish state following the Shoah was supported by all Jews and was a key
component in fostering a healthy Jewish identity among the entire Jewish people. Unfortunately, today, this is not the case and I lay the responsibility primarily on Jewish leaders – especially since the election of President Donald Trump. In the past, mainstream Jewish organizations strove to be nonpartisan. But alas, no longer, with the majority of the non-Orthodox strongly opposed to their president. This would not be so bad if they did so as Americans, but to do so as an expression of their supposed Jewish identity, or in their capacity as Jewish leaders, is incomprehensible. But what is utterly outrageous is the attitude displayed by Jews toward Trump’s Israel policies. Trump is your president and as Americans you can hate him or love him. But as Jews, you should appreciate what he has done for us by being the first American president to openly ally himself with Israel and avoid moral equivalency by telling the truth about Palestinian duplicity and terrorism. • He transferred the United States Embassy to Jerusalem, which may mean little to you but overjoyed Israelis. His predecessors promised to do so but always backed out. • He merged the Jerusalem consulate with the embassy to ensure that there is one clear message directed toward the Palestinians.
• He told the Palestinians that he would take punitive steps if they refused to negotiate toward peace and closed their Washington mission. • He warned them that he would not tolerate hundreds of millions of dollars being paid as an inducement and reward for killers and their families. • He exposed the sham of the “five million” Palestinian refugees and curtailed funds to UNRWA, an organization that perpetuates the refugee problem. • Unlike former President Barack Obama, who appeased the Iranians who have pledged to destroy us, Trump applied sanctions and warned that he would not tolerate Iranian nuclear weapons. • For the first time, the United States has spoken up uninhibitedly for Israel at the United Nations and other international bodies. Trump even orchestrated a joint statement with Russian President Vladimir Putin supporting Israel’s security. That is why Trump has a 69% approval rating in Israel and almost 80% of Israeli Jews approve of his handling of US-Israel relations. As committed members of the American Jewish community, even the liberals among you who clearly dislike Trump (as is your right) should recognize and appreciate what he has done for Israel. Finally, while you may not like Netanyahu (that, too, is your right), Israelis would
undoubtedly re-elect him today. As residents of a country on the other side of the world, you should display respect for the will of the majority of a democratic Jewish state – a beacon of light in a region that has returned to the Dark Ages. You should respect our security requirements, which are endorsed by the clear majority of the nation. A two-state solution remains the long-term goal, but today that would lead to the emergence of a terrorist state that could become a launching pad for Iran, a country committed to our destruction. This view unites the government and opposition and has the greatest consensus of any issue since the failed Oslo Accords. Israel is not perfect and I have frequently penned criticisms of aspects of our policies. You, too, may feel free to criticize us, but you should hesitate before condemning our security policies. It is we and our children – not you – who will live or not with the consequences. But differing on individual policies should not deter you from supporting our one and only Jewish state. These are your challenges. Give your children a Jewish education and provide them with a Jewish identity. Teach them the history of the Jewish people and explain to them how powerless we were until the establishment of a Jewish state, just 70 years ago.
For the People of Israel
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO OUR
2018 Annual General Meeting WITH GUEST SPEAKER:
OHAD HEMO Correspondent for Arab Affairs in ‘Hakadashot’ — the largest TV channel in Israel, one of few Israelis who enters the Palestinian territories and has special access to important figures in the Palestinian Authority.
THURSDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2018, 7.00PM CAULFIELD PARK PAVILION The evening will also include a launch of our 2019 Campaign
For more information, contact UIA 1300 ISRAEL (1300 477 235)
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schools / shuls
November 2018
A New Creche for the Jewish Community BIALIK COLLEGE In 2019, Bialik College is expanding its family to look after your very youngest ones! Enrolments are now open for Bialik’s new creche and places have already begun to fill for a brand new start in July 2019. Jewish children as young as 3 months through to 3 years, are warmly welcomed into our inclusive, nurturing community. Flexible and child-centred, the Bialik Creche is Reggio Emilia-inspired and part of Bialik’s award-winning ELC, which is renowned for its leading pedagogy, outstanding educators and excellent educational outcomes. It is in a stunning new building on the Bialik campus, a secure and safe environment with access to superb facilities like Bialik’s Gringlas Sports Centre, gyms, libraries and beautiful outdoor areas. Besides discovering how much fun it is to play alongside friends their age and develop their social skills, joining Bialik’s Creche offers little ones the opportunity to try out new things and learn lots of ways to express themselves through a range of activities like art, Hebrew, music and exercise. Being in a creche stimulates young children to develop their communication, emotional and intellectual skills, as well as fine and gross motor skills. Young children will also learn about being Jewish in the best possible way – by having fun! They will help bake challah on Shabbat (parents can join in if they wish), and enjoy
learning new songs and words in Hebrew. Plus, they get to participate in all the Jewish festivals in an age-appropriate way, such as dressing up on Purim, wearing flower garlands on Shavuot and enjoying a lovely seder on Pesach. The Creche’s program falls under the leadership of Bialik, so our outstanding Jewish and Hebrew leaders will be leading for the little ones too, and they are so excited! As well as caring for children’s developmental and educational needs, the Bialik Creche will be their home away from home, catering for children’s emotional needs too. Whatever is special to your child, is special to us. Whether it’s a beloved toy or a well-worn blankie, we’ll take care of it in the same loving and caring way we take care of your child. We like to learn the names of the special people and pets in in your child’s life too, so that children really do feel like they belong. Busy families will be happy to know that we provide up to two meals and two snacks per day. That means you don’t have to spend your morning’s packing lunches. We have a healthy kosher menu that is nutritious and homemade with expert dietician input. The Bialik creche caters for babies and toddlers aged 3-months to 3-years. We will be open from 1 July 2019, for 48 weeks per year, and our hours are Monday-Thursday 7.15am-6pm and Friday 7.15pm-5pm. Enrol your child now by calling Bialik’s ELC on 9822 4599 or email creche@bialik. vic.edu.au
Questions Questions Questions century, Abraham Joshua Heschel once
CAULFIELD HEBREW CONGREGATION RABBI RALPH GENENDE OAM Voltaire may not have got it right about God, but he did when it came to questions. He said “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.” In Jewish life we’ve always valued a good question above a mediocre and even a good answer. It’s questions that open the human mind, that allow it to grow. A curious mind is a growing mind. The Torah is filled with questions, the Talmud probably doesn’t have a page without a question. “ ”וקיתis not an uncommon Talmudic conclusion which follows a debate. “”וקית means this is an unanswerable argument and we’ll have to want for Elijah the Prophet to return one day with the answer. “ ”וקיתis a mnemonic for יבשת ץרתי תיישוק תולאשו or ‘Tishbi [i.e. Elijah] will answer the questions and quandaries.’ A good student is one who has the boldness to constantly question; as the Mishna in Avot reminds us: “The shy one doesn’t learn.” In fact, the very word for wisdom in Hebrew, המכח, has been understood (by using the four letter of the words) as המ חכ, the power of “what.” There’s a great power to what and when, why and how… The Book of Bereshit or Genesis, which we started reading last week, poses some of the most elemental and essential questions. Two of them, similar in nature, but different in their direction, leap out to me: the first is the query posed to Adam and Eve after they have sinned and are hiding their shame and guilt. God seeks them out
said “When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire good people.” I would add: When we are young we seek the approval of others, when we are older we seek the recognition or our own authenticity. We hopefully realise life is not about popularity but principle. It’s about being true to one’s own self. It takes courage and determination to ask the right questions as it does to be true to your own convictions. It also takes strength and conviction to reach out to those in need, especially the less glamourous members of our society; the mentally challenged, the physically disabled, the homeless and the refugee. The great first century rabbi, the storied Hillel the Elder, is known for his wisdom and witty aphorisms. In the Mishna (Avot 1:14) asking: “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8) The second is after Cain has callously killed his brother, God enquires: “Where is Abel your brother?” (Genesis 4:9) Now in both circumstances God knows exactly where the protagonists were. The intent is to flash out their consciousness, to force them to confront their guilt, to take responsibility for their actions. The questions are however different; the first is an individual quizzing, the second relates to others. The interrogation of Adam and Eve is a probing existential one; it asks them to consider just where they are in terms of their conscience and personal morality. The second is aimed at getting
Cain to consider his responsibility to others, to his brother, to recognize that he is indeed his sibling’s custodian and protector. In a wider sense these two questions are relevant to every one of us: the first relates to where are you at as an individual; are you fulfilling your potential, are you being true to your own self? The second concerns our capacity to reach out to others, to support not only those closest, but also those furthest, for they are ultimately our brothers and sisters, fellow human beings trying to find their own way on our shared planet. Are you doing enough for the vulnerable, the lost, the struggling and the newcomers? The great rabbi philosopher of the past
he famously poses questions which mirror our two from Genesis and it is possible the Genesis questions are the actual source of his saying: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I?” Hillel did ask a third trenchant enquiry: “If not now, when?” It’s great to be able to frame the correct question, more powerful to articulate it at the right moment… May we always ask curly questions; may we always frame engaging queries; may we bravely interrogate our souls and compassionately enquire of other souls…
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schools / shuls
November 2018
Spring Concert at The King David School bursts with talent THE KING DAVID SCHOOL Recently, the Music Department hosted their annual Spring Concert. The concert involved every ensemble from both the Junior and Senior Schools, as well as our VCE soloists Freya Boltman, Kylie Campbell, Amy Priester, Rachel Silber and Frances Yudko. The concert was expertly emceed by Noa Abrahams (Year 12), who, in addition to playing and singing in senior ensembles composed
an original work for orchestra as part of her VCE Music Style and Composition subject. Daniel Freidgeim also composed an ambitious piece for this subject. It was inspiring to see the size and the quality of our growing music program – congratulations to all the performers and their supportive parents! Adam Yee Head of Music
An inter generational experience
It’s where I...
SOUTH CAULFIELD HEBREW CONGREGATION RABBI DANIEL RABIN
At our most recent board meeting at the South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation one of the new board members pointed out that he particularly enjoy attending our Shule because of the inter-generational experience that occurs on a weekly basis. Some Synagogues do have specific Minyanim or Shule services geared at different age groups but he enjoyed having his young son sitting next to him at various times during the prayers and at the same time having the grandfather in attendance too. There is certainly a children’s program on offer as well but there is something special about having the children, parents and grandparents all enjoying the service together. The young can learn from the experience of their elders and the “young at heart” can be inspired at seeing the next generation continuing in their footsteps. We often don’t appreciate the great benefit that can be achieved when this occurs. At the same time I think it is extremely important to provide programs, events and classes that are geared to specific age groups and interest levels. At South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation we have been working to achieve a calendar of programs and events that cater to the wide range of members and non-members that enter our doors throughout the year. We are particularly excited about three new programs that are being launched, one at the end of this year and two starting in 2019. These will become part of the regular offering that have already been occurring such as Shiurim series, Chagim events and a range of guest speakers. A fortnightly ‘Lunch & Learn” program beginning Monday November 12th from 12:00pm-1:30pm and it will include a delicious lunch from ‘To Catch A Chef’ caterers, a short Shiur by the rabbi as well as guest speakers and presenters. This
will be a wonderful way for seniors, retirees or anyone who may have some free time during lunch to socialise, learn and be inspired by the special guests in attendance. We value the involvement of the older members of the community and we believe this will be a great opportunity for people to get together. We are also launching a weekly playgroup offering for parents with infants and toddlers and they will enjoy our newly renovated outdoor space and children’s room. We are also very excited about our 2019 Bar/Bat Mitzvah program which will be an all-encompassing experience, focusing on the participants relationship with the world, themselves and their Judaism. For a community to grow it needs to provide a wide range of offerings catering to the various needs of the community. When everyone joins together during the service and you see the unity, and inter-generational cohesion, that is when you see there is a bright future ahead! For more information about any of these events or other programs at South Cauflied Shule please contact the office office@schc.org.au or follow us on Facebook.
succeed
King David Scholarships 2020 The King David School is offering a number of scholarships for students entering Years 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11 in 2020. Apply online at: www.kds.vic.edu.au Applications close: Friday 8 February 2019
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schools / shuls
November 2018
Scopus welcomes Little Learners
MOUNT SCOPUS COLLEGE From 2019, Mount Scopus College will welcome two year old children as part of the new Little Learners program. Based at the smaller Fink Karp Ivany Campus in South Caulfield, the ideal environment for young children in their early years, the Little Learners program will operate as a long day care program for children in the year before commencing Lower Kinder. Little Learners is designed to engage and stimulate children in a warm and caring environment. The Scopus Little Learners program will offer inquiry-based learning to develop and extend children’s natural curiosity. As with all Scopus programs it will be a modern Orthodox immersive learning program, which will provide the first steps in a child’s learning, discovery and the development of their Jewish identity. Children will celebrate the Chagim (Jewish festivals) throughout the year, and take part in a very special Kabbalat Shabbat each Friday with freshly baked challah. The program will be play-based as this is how young children learn best, and will be delivered around the needs of each individual child. Like our current early learning centre (kinder) programs it will include a range of indoor and outdoor based learning sessions, as well as activities to foster the development of social, emotional, fine-motor and gross-motor skills. Families will have the flexibility to enrol
for the number of days needed, from a minimum of two days up to five days per week. Additional days can be booked on an ad hoc basis, subject to availability. Little Learners will be open from 7.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Thursday, and 7.30am to 5.00pm on Friday (summertime) or 4.00pm (wintertime). In 2019 the program will commence on Wednesday 9 January and operate 48 weeks a year. Families will also benefit from the wider resources available from the school’s specialists. As well as wonderful library and sporting resources, our onsite psychologist and visiting Speech and Occupational Therapists will help to support the children’s development. Parents also benefit from being part of a larger community, with ongoing parent education sessions, special celebrations for Jewish festivals, and a range of social activities both on campus and via the Parents’ Association. Based on the strong take up within the first few of weeks of registrations, the Little Learners program is addressing an area of need in the community, with many of the 16 daily places already booked. As a Mount Scopus Early Learning Centre program, it is an approved long day care program and eligible families can apply for the government’s Child Care Subsidy. To find out more about Little Learners, please call Enrolments on 9834 0070. www.scopus.vic.edu.au
Class of 2008 enjoy their 10 Year Reunion at Leiber Yavneh College LEIBER YAVNEH COLLEGE Last weekend, Leiber Yavneh College welcomed its 2008 graduates back to the school for their 10 year reunion. The graduates enjoyed reminiscing with each
other and their teachers about their school days and shared favourite memories. Everyone enjoyed a slideshow with all of their favourite school moments as well as a school tour to highlight all of the new features of Yavneh. A wonderful time was had by all.
Michael Daskalou, Brahram Yardena Montag, Elyse Cherny, Skurnik, Ian Ludski Naomi Orelowitz, Dion Sharp
Jeremy Moskovitch, David Lissek
www.cherylthesleepcoach.com.au
Daniel Borghi, Leah Berkowitz, Gid Luber, Asher Luber, Ian Ludski, Racheli Shnider, Adam Bierenkrant
lifestyle
November 2018
21
Killer Queen BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (M) ALEX FIRST Apart from the exaggerated teeth, which I found off-putting, Bohemian Rhapsody is an absorbing biopic of a man, his music and a far from straight forward life. That man is of course the ultimate showman in Freddie Mercury, supremely talented, unconventional and a show pony. He fronted one of the most successful rock bands of all time in Queen and the film’s title is highly appropriate for what I regard as one of the finest pieces of music ever conceived. Mercury passed away on 24th November, 1991 at the age of 45 from bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. Apart from Queen’s music, with which I am familiar, I didn’t know the story of Mercury or the band, so the movie was quite an insight for me. It was fascinating, absorbing even and highly entertaining. The picture starts and ends with Queen’s iconic Live Aid performance. Live Aid was one of the most important cultural events of the time, bringing together the world’s biggest musical names in a benefit concert on two stages on 13th July, 1985. The venues were Wembley Stadium in London and the John F Kennedy Stadium
in Philadelphia. Organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for those affected by the famine in Ethiopia, the concert was one of the largest satellite link-ups and TV broadcasts of all time. It was watched by an audience of 1.9 billion in 150 countries. You get the impression from the movie that in spite of Mercury’s strong self-belief, he was forever trying to prove himself. His relationship with his fiancé Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton) was complicated
Life on the Bucket List
ROBIN ESROCK
Bestselling author and National Geographic TV host Robin Esrock travelled across Australia with his family to research his latest book, The Great Australian Bucket List. Born and raised in South Africa and based in Vancouver Canada, Robin has visited over 110 countries on 7 continents sharing his adventures in books, on TV, and in major publications worldwide. Below he shares how he landed the dream job, what he’s learned along the way, and some of the best, and strangest Australian experiences featured in his new book. Have you ever watched a travel show on television and wondered: how does one get a job like that? How did I build a career ticking the world’s most unique experiences off my bucket list? Well, it’s not the kind of opportunity I could apply for in the job ads, in fact, it all rather happened by accident. After emigrating from Johannesburg to Vancouver, I found myself working for a local music agency. One day, on the way to work, an unlicensed driver didn’t see a stop sign and crashed into my bike. The accident resulted in a broken kneecap, a $20,000 insurance settlement, and a painful reminder how much there is to do, and how short our time can be. I quit the job, sold my stuff, and travelled frugally to 24 countries on 5 continents, pioneering a travel blog along the way. Soon enough I was getting published around the world, and if you can pitch an article, why not pitch a TV show? The stars aligned and I was able to continue ticking off my bucket list in 36 countries on 6 continents, filming a series called Word Travels for National Geographic and Travel Channel. I’d been drawn to
unique and memorable experiences from the beginning, which is why I ended up Lithuania exploring a town called Kupiskis, the former shtetl where my grandfather was born. I sandboarded an active volcano in Nicaragua, raced horses in Mongolia, scuba dived in the Philippines, bartered with tribes in southern Ethiopia, and dogsled in the Yukon. I interviewed thousands of people from all walks of life, and picked up some insights that have held me in good stead: People will rather help you than hurt you; Don’t Panic; Wherever you are is where you’re supposed to be. It’s amazing how more inspiring the world becomes when you turn off the negative 24-hour news cycle, and commit to positive words, images and experiences. I compiled my favourite experiences into a book called The Great Global Bucket List, which found a publisher in Melbourne, and lots of readers in Australia. With all the travel blogs, videos, articles and websites, it felt to me we’re drowning with information, but lack inspiration. We know how to travel, but not why. The Great Global Bucket List followed my personal journey to each powerful experience, from the Galapagos to Antarctica, from the Amazon to Zanzibar. It also follows my search for family roots in Tarnow, Poland, leading to the horrors of Auschwitz. I believe a bucket list should teach us about the world we live in, bring cultures together, and make the world a better place. Bucket lists should be more than just beaches and cocktails. Having already penned a bestseller about my personal journey to discover Canada’s most unique experiences - think polar bear safaris, kayaking with icebergs, snorkelling with thousands of salmon – I was invited
by his growing awareness of his sexual leaning towards men … and yet, according to this representation, she remained one of the two loves of his life. Rami Malek (Mr Robot), complete with disastrous buck teeth, impresses with his representation of the troubled singer. Gwilym Lee (Jamestown) for all the world looks like the group’s actual lead guitarist Brian May. Much of the story is a classic music industry rags to riches tale, with conflict between band members and those
looking to exploit them, overindulgence and a price to pay. The grand scale concert footage is impossible to ignore and leaves a lasting impression. As for the music, I never grow tired of it. Directed by Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects) from a script by Anthony McCarten (The Theory of Everything) from a story by he and Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon), Bohemian Rhapsody held my interest throughout and scores a 7½ out of 10.
to apply the same format and curiosity to Australia. My 4-year old daughter Raquel had yet to start school, and my son Galileo was only 18 months old. It seemed like a now-or never opportunity for a big family adventure. We travelled like lunatics for six months, staying in over 50 hotels, driving around 20,000 kilometres, and taking a dozen flights. Just about every day we’d tick something off the Australian bucket list, juggling exhausting travel with inspirational experiences. Here are some of my favourites: In South Australia’s Victor Harbour you can put on a wetsuit and swim with over 80 large blue-fin tuna. Studied by marine biologists in their permanent enclosure, it’s a test of nerves hand-feeding sardines to tuna blitzing underwater. In southwest Tasmania, I conquered the world’s highest commercial abseil, dangling off the stunning Gordon River Dam. I got the pre-requisite quokka selfie on Rottnest Island, and entered the Cage of Death with giant crocodiles in Darwin. Reefsleeping in swags on the outer Great Barrier Reef in the Whitsundays was spectacular, hiking the Larapinta Trail magical, and taking The Ghan through the Red Centre an easy contender for the world’s best train journey. In Margaret River, I start the chapter explaining the concept of dayenu, as the region boasts incredible beaches and surfing (it would have been sufficient to add to the list) vineyards (it would have been sufficient), show caves (dayenu), the best forest drive in the country (dayenu) and a spot to hand feed giant stingray off the beach (dayenu!) Using dayenu in such a context will probably go over my non-Jewish readers heads, but I went for it anyway.
We listened to signals from the far reaches of the cosmos at the NASA Deep Space Communications Centre in ACT, drilled for gold deep underground in central Victoria, raced along the world’s fastest, highest, longest and first treetop rollercoaster on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Each chapter showcases more than just an activity. There’s a lot history, a lot of trivia, and plenty of inspiring characters too. My books are written to inspire kids, grey nomads, and everyone in between. Spanning adventure, culture, history, nature, food, and every experience is available to everyone. It has been the journey of a lifetime, and there’s so much more to discover. Typing these words as I pack for our return flight to Canada (I’ll save you the adventures of enduring 16 hours on a plane with two kids under five), I believe Australians should count themselves incredible fortunate. The lifestyle, the food, the weather, the wildlife, the diversity of adventures and overall stability make this country the envy of the world. Despite the doom and gloom paraded in the news, it is a remarkable time to be alive, and we have remarkable opportunities to chase unique experiences. Don’t wait around for a painful accident to kickstart your dreams, although in my case, it seemed to work out just fine. The Great Australian Bucket List and The Great Global Bucket List (Affirm Press) are available in bookshops like Dymocks, Collins and on Booktopia. Visit www. aussiebucketlist.com for your chance to win 2 tickets on The Ghan, including airfare and accommodation in Darwin and Adelaide. Follow Robin Esrock at robinesrock.com or on Instagram and Twitter at @robinesrock.
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lifestyle
November 2018 news
T RS ON FI ITI ED FREE
Is Melattonin A ‘Band-Aid Fix?’ THE SLEEP COACH CHERYL FINGLESON The pattern of waking during the day when it is light and sleeping at night when it is dark is a natural part of human life at any age. Melatonin is a natural hormone secreted by the pineal gland after the sun goes down. Responsible for causing drowsiness, Melatonin is inhibited by daylight and is therefore barely detectable during the day. Research indicates improves sleep when taken for jet-lag and shift work in the appropriate dosage, efficacy for particular sleep disorders and safety risks will only become clear with further study. Social commentary and the media suggest that it may be a useful product and an “easy fix” in helping children fall asleep quickly. But is it safe for growing little bodies? What about the long-term side-effects? Alarmingly, there is a lack of clinical research to indicate whether long-term use of Melatonin is safe for children. It may be assumed that giving a hormone to a child on a regular basis, over months or sometimes years, would inevitably produce some effect. In addition, long-term usage of the supplement could result in psychological and even physical dependency. Children may then “need” it in order to fall asleep. A small percentage of children suffering serious sleep disorders caused by reduced Melatonin levels will benefit from supplementation but healthy children really don’t need Melatonin! With this in mind, why are an increasing number of parents turning to Melatonin to “cure” their children’s sleep problems? It is hypothesised that stress and exhaustion suffered by working parents could be a major factor accelerating this trend. These parents often arrive home late, tired and impatient expecting to “flick a switch” for their children to fall asleep. Understandable? Perhaps. Unfortunately, even parents working diligently to institute satisfactory
sleep patterns become frustrated when predictable daily schedules and consistent bedtime routines fail to produce the desired result. Weary of the struggle, they become tempted to adopt a “quick fix” like Melatonin. With the right advice, encouragement and assistance these disheartened parents will recognise that time, patience and support will result in their babies and toddlers learning to sleep through the night and enjoying long restful naps. I urge parents to take the time and do the work to truly solve their children’s sleep problems, provided it is not a sleep disorder and has resulted from behavioral habits. There are several gentle sleep training techniques available that will comprehensively address the needs of the entire individual child. Harmony and peaceful sleep will ensue when nutrition, environment, routine, disposition, family principles and developmental junctures are assessed. Avoid Melatonin supplements, teach your child healthy sleep habits, routine and be consistent. No “band-aid” supplement can replace sound sleep practices. Sometimes we need tough love for the best results. Cheryl Zzz For more sleep tips and advice, please visit www.cherylthesleepcoach.com.au Or why not like our facebook page? www.facebook.com/thesleepcoach Check out part One of This article @ at www.wordpress.com/ cherylthesleepcoach Cheryl Fingleson is a paediatric sleep consultant. As a mother of two, she very well knows the feelings of agony and desperation when you have a child that struggles to settle and sleep. She doesn’t believe in leaving babies or children to cry it out, nor in the practices of controlled crying. Her approach is to empower parents with the right tools and techniques to teach their babies and children to go to sleep calmly, happily and independently.
SHABBAT TIMES DATE LIGHT CANDLES Friday, November 2, 2018 7:37PM Friday, November 9, 2018 7:45PM Friday, November 16, 2018 7:53PM Friday, November 23, 2018 8:00PM Friday, November 30, 2018 8:07PM
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EMMA BOYAR JEWISH CARE VICTORI
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November 2018
23
lifestyle/sports
The Outstanding Achievements Of Maccabi Women In Sport MACCABI VICTORIA In 2018 many Maccabi women achieved beyond expectation in their chosen sport. Maccabi Victoria invite our community to a special event to celebrate their achievements. We will also honour women who have paved the way through their sporting prowess and leadership both on and off the field. Maccabi Women in Sport is a coming together of girls, women and families across Maccabi Victoria including players, supporters, committee members and helpers – all are welcome! Date: Sunday 25 November
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Time: 10am – 12.30pm Location: Caulfield Pavilion Cost: $10 for Adults and $5 children/ students Dress: Sporty/comfort Booking: http://bit.ly/ maccabigirlscan WIS highlights for 2018 include: ▪ Women’s Soccer have been promoted to State League 1. This is the first time in the history of Maccabi soccer. ▪ NCMJFC Soccer U15-16 girls came 2nd in their premiership league ▪ AFL Footy U14 Jackettes won their premiership – first year playing ▪ Chelsea Fisher – coach of winning
AFL U14 Girls team won AJAX Jnr Footy Club, coach of the year ▪ Mandy Caplan became first female Board member for AJAX Snr Footy Club Maccabi Victoria are proud to have completed a strategic plan for WIS which was made possible by donations from 2 Batmitvah girls and their families. This plan focuses on the development of sports and social activities programs designed for girls and women in line with the Victorian Office for Women in Sport and Recreation. Implementation of this plan will begin in 2019 developing through 2022. This growth in opportunity requires a committee to develop and steer the Maccabi WIS plan.
Maccabi works to connect our Jewish community through sport. It is important that as part of this, sporting and leadership achievements are identified, recognised and rewarded.
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR:
2018 Maccabi Outstanding Athlete Awards Maccabi Australia Rudi Roth & Nachum Buch Scholarships
Maccabi Annual Awards: Recognising sporting achievements from the 2018 calendar year. Maccabi Australia Rudi Roth Scholarship Available to junior and open age emerging athletes seeking additional funding to support their sporting goals. Maccabi Australia Nachum Buch Scholarship: Recognising emerging swimmers with the aim of assisting them on the path to achieving at the elite level.
maccabi.com.au
For further information, including eligibility and nomination form go to: www.maccabi.com.au or email awards@maccabi.com.au Nominations close 30th November 2018.
Are you interested? Come along on November 25th, to meet Maccabi Victoria WIS Board Member Kate Perlstein to meet and greet. Greg
Hurwitz
Football Federation Victoria Ambassador
indicated
that
Club
“Maccabi
Victoria’s WIS program is a strong of a progressive approach engaging in relevant topics of the time whilst ensuring the sustainability, relevance and efficacy for WIS over time” Maccabi Victoria thanks Glen Eira City council who awarded MacVic a grant to run this celebration of WIS.
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lifestyle
November 2018
2018 Maccabi Outstanding Athlete Awards Now Open MACCABI Maccabi announces that nominations for the 2018 Maccabi Outstanding Athlete Awards are now open. Maccabi Australia together with Maccabi States work to connect our Jewish community through sport and to this end seek to recognise and reward exceptional sporting achievements. The following are the 2018 awards for which Maccabi is seeking nominations at this time: • Maccabi Outstanding Sportsman & Sportswoman • Maccabi Outstanding Junior Sportsman & Sportswoman • Maccabi Outstanding Masters Sportsman & Sportswoman • Maccabi Outstanding All Abilities Sportsperson Simultaneously, Maccabi Australia would also like to invite eligible athletes to apply for the Maccabi Australia Rudi Roth and Nachum Buch Scholarships. Winners of the 2017 Awards include Rhythmic Gymnast and Commonwealth Games medallist Alexandra KiroiBogatyreva and recently retired international cricketer Michael Klinger. In its fifth year, the Maccabi Australia Rudi Roth scholarship will be awarded to an emerging athlete. Rudi had a long-time involvement with Maccabi and was a passionate squash player, also coaching and founding a
number of squash clubs in both Sydney and Melbourne. He established the Rudi Roth Maccabi Australia Scholarship Fund to offer exceptional young athletes assistance in reaching their goals. Last year’s winner was International Cyclist Riley Hart, whose future goal includes attending the 2020 Olympic Games. This is the second year of the Nachum Buch Scholarship which seeks to recognise
swimmers and assist them on the path to achieving at the elite level. Last year the award had 2 worthy winners. Matt Levy who represented Australia at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games winning a Gold Medal and Benno Negri who recently competed at the Singapore Open and won a Gold and Silver Medal. Maccabi Australia President, Jeff Sher noted, “the quality of Jewish athletes
continues to rise each year and we look forward to another year with an exceptional calibre of nominees.” Nominations close: 30 November 2018 For more information about the awards or to nominate go to www.maccabi.com.au or contact: Ellana Aarons, Executive Director Maccabi Australia at ellana@ maccabi.com.au
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