The Sydney Jewish Report | April Edition 2026

CONSIDERED OPINION

ANNE-MARIE ELIAS

It has been six years since the world was thrown into turmoil, seemingly overnight, by the COVID-19 virus and its consequent lockdowns.

Forward to April 2026 and the world is again facing challenges with the war in the Middle East. Adding to the rise in antisemitism, we are encountering a massive escalation in fuel prices, along with fuel shortages, along with cost-ofliving increases.

As a result, we are experiencing high levels of stress, anxiety and depression. Many are living in fear. Our resilience is being eroded. Whilst desperately hoping for a return to ‘normal’, there appears no immediate end in sight.

Again, we are being forced to rapidly adapt to change.

To function well in our daily lives, we need to a balance of mind, body, spirit and social activities.

Mindfulness is about having helpful thought processes that result in positive outcomes, namely feelings and behaviours.

For instance, meditation can relax the mind.

Building resilience in troubled times

The three “E’s” engage the body. That is eating well, exercising and re-energising (which is about sleep and relaxation).

Finding spirituality – religious or otherwise – that works for you addresses your soul. Humans need to be connected, so social contact with family and friends helps us cope with the vicissitudes of life.

Resilience is typically defined as the capacity to recover from difficult life events. It is the ability to withstand adversity, bounce back and grow, despite life’s downturns.

We are a resilient lot. If we weren’t, we would not have survived as a species. To be resilient, one needs to plan.

Here are some ideas:

• Keep a diary, so that your personal resilience building activities are not overlooked. It is vital that they become ‘important appointments’ that you adhere to or reschedule if, for whatever reason, you cannot engage in them.

• Maintain self-esteem by staving off feelings of helplessness, when

confronted by adversity. Remember, you don’t have to do it alone – this is where connection and help come in.

• Dig deep for those coping skills and/ or seek psychological support.

• Sustain a daily routine and set goals, no matter how small.

• Do things just for the fun of it – fun, being the operative word.

• Try meditation, if you haven’t before. Meditation decreases the production of adrenaline and cortisol, which are unhealthy stress hormones. Conversely, it increases the feel-good health hormones, including endorphins, dopamine and serotonin.

• Find comfort in a pet. It is therapeutic and will make you feel good and smile.

Ryder Carroll is an author and digital product designer. He is also the creator of the Bullet Journal Method. This quote is attributed to him and fits our circumstances perfectly: “No matter how bleak or menacing a situation may appear, it does not entirely own us. It can’t take away our freedom to respond, our power to take action”.

Anne-Marie Elias is a psychologist in clinical practice for 25 years.

Jewish crossword Havdalah

12. Honor, on a diploma

17. Prankster on "The Office"

21. Many miles away

22. Jerry Seinfeld, e.g.

23. Perfect

24. Former beloved Met Brandon

25. Chanukah liquids

29. Computer introduced in 1998

30. 11 Wall Street letters

32. "Ignore that edit"

33. Home of twigs

35. Heart pulsation

36. Adspeak or journalese

37. Newark's county

40. Moses might have spoken with one

43. Avoid a pothole, perhaps

47. Israeli seaport city

48. Deadly

49. Tired

50. Homeric epic, with "The"

51. "Frasier" brother

53. Destination after the ER, for some

54. ___ Rica

56. Allow

57. DVR pioneer

61. It's in our cells

62. Show that often utilized 61-Down samples

63. Native American people of Utah

64. Farm enclosure

AROUND THE COMMUNITY

When I turned 60, I made a decision that surprised many who knew me. After decades in business and financial services, I purposely walked away from that life. It wasn't impulsive. It was probably inevitable. I had been shaped by the Japanese concept of ikigai –the pursuit of work that ignites genuine passion, draws on your skills and makes a meaningful difference in the world. I found all three in this role at the Australian Friends of Magen David Adom.

Magen David Adom (MDA) is Israel's only national emergency medical service, its ambulance service and its blood bank all rolled into one extraordinary organisation. It works on the front line of life and death every day. Since October 7 and in ongoing conflicts that front line has never been more demanding, nor more vital.

MDA is, by design and necessity, a self-funded organisation. The Israeli government pays MDA for certain services, but ambulances on scene, medi-cycles racing through the streets, defibrillators in office blocks and training of nearly 30,000 volunteers and staff is funded by people like us … by communities like ours.

Consider what Australian Friends of Magen David Adom (AusMDA) has already helped make possible. In 2018, we helped establish MDA's Human Milk Bank, which feeds newborns in

Australian Friends of

MAGEN DAVID ADOM

When every second counts, our community must answer

need across Israel. We are currently funding a new ambulance and medical emergency response facility in Lehavim, in the northern Negev, construction of which has already begun. These are not abstractions, rather the visible result of donations. This is money that saves lives.

Recently, MDA was directly involved in the repatriation of Geffen Bitton, a young Israeli man severely injured in the Bondi terror attack, to access the specialist care he needed. MDA's reach and its capabilities extend far beyond what most people realise.

In October, I will hopefully travel to Israel for MDA's international conference, where dedication ceremonies will be held for new ambulances and medicycles purchased through contributions by Australian donors. I will stand at those proud of what this community has made possible and deeply aware of how much more there is to do.

I came to AusMDA because I felt a profound pull toward work that matters. I stay because every day I see what generosity can accomplish. Our brothers and sisters in Israel do not ask us to fight alongside them. They ask only that when the call comes – when the ambulance is needed, when the blood bank runs low – we can be there.

To make your contribution, go to magendavidadom.org.au/donate

Through every challenge and every moment of hope, Magen David Adom is there. Saving lives.

the

of Israel.

CONSIDERED OPINION

DR DVIR ABRAMOVICH

I remember the heat as if it were a language pressing against the skin, telling me that something mattered long before I understood why.

The streets of Be’er Sheva were not just full. They were overflowing, alive with something electric, something urgent, something larger than the commotion and spectacle.

Flags hanging from balconies and streaming from car windows snapped in the wind like defiant fists raised to the sky. A sea of families poured into the boulevards to watch the sky light up and listen to the local bands belt out tunes in parks and community centres, in parties that would last all night.

Someone lifted me onto their shoulders. Suddenly, I could see it all –the movement, the colour, the sheer force of a people gathered not just to celebrate, but to insist on their existence.

I didn’t know what I was celebrating, but I knew that it could not be ignored.

Still today, my bond with Israel is as much a part of me as anything else. I cry when she cries and I cheer when she is victorious. And Martin Peretz’s beautiful statement that Zionism was “the God that did not fail” often booms in my heart.

This year is not a normal anniversary. Not after October 7. Not in the middle of a war. Not while Iran and Hezbollah are sending missiles and rockets into Israeli cities.

These are not ordinary conditions for any nation to mark its birthday.

And yet, the flags will still be raised. The songs will still be sung.

In an age that keeps demanding Jews justify their joy, celebrating Israel’s Day of Independence is itself a form of moral courage.

Because Israel was never supposed to exist. It was not supposed to rise from the ashes of a people scattered across vast distances and centuries. It was not supposed to gather the broken and the hopeful and ask them to build something together. It was not supposed to revive a language that had lived for 2,000 years in prayer and turn it into the language of bus stops, kitchen table quarrels, lullabies and jokes.

And yet, it did.

And it began in a room.

Not a palace. Not a grand hall. A modest room in Tel Aviv, crowded and urgent. In 1948, in just 32 minutes, a declaration was read. Outside, armies were already moving. Inside, a people stepped out of exile and into history. No certainty. No guarantees. Only will.

What began in that room did not end that day. It unfolded over decades, as waves of Jews returned home, one generation after another.

Ships arrived carrying Holocaust survivors who had seen the worst of humanity and were now asked to build a future. Jews driven out of Arab lands, carrying memory and loss, planted roots in soil that did not ask where they had come from. Soviet Jews who had been told to forget who they were stepped into a place where forgetting was no longer required. Ethiopian Jews crossed deserts

We are not apologising for celebrating Israel

Dr Dvir Abramovich

and skies to reach a promised sanctuary they had only known in scriptures. It was families from every corner choosing a country because it offered something no other place could: belonging and safety without condition.

And then came a moment that told the world exactly what this country was. In 1976, when Jewish lives were held hostage thousands of kilometres away in Entebbe, Israel did not hesitate. It did not calculate. It did not ask for approval. It came to save the hostages. After the raid, the French pilot Michel Bacos was asked if he had ever believed Israel would fly across continents to rescue its people. He answered with two words that still echo across history: “Who else?”

In contrast to the stinginess of spirit of most wealthy nations, in 1950, the Israeli parliament enacted the Law of Return, the first universal immigration law in history, granting citizenship to every Jew who needs and wants it.

A country that has a tremendous amount to celebrate, but constantly worries about its neighbours gatecrashing with bombs, Israel is endlessly interesting and attractive.

A multi-ethnic, multicultural land of astonishing promises, memories and visions, Israel has developed in every way imaginable – a flourishing oasis in a desert that now produces wines sold in Australia.

Picture a scientist working in a lab in Haifa solving problems that extend far beyond the borders of a small state. Like medical devices that travel to hospitals across continents and technologies that quietly underpin systems people rely on without ever knowing where they came from.

Israel is a place of contribution to the world, where the mind becomes the most valuable resource and ideas become infrastructure.

This sits alongside the arguments, the tension, the noise. Israeli people

have never claimed perfection. In a free and open society, mistakes are inevitablr. It is for this reason that the nation is never silent. It is not afraid of disagreement. In recent years, it has fought loudly and publicly over its own direction, over judicial reform, over the balance between power and restraint, over religion and secular life, over what kind of democracy it must be. The streets filled. The voices rose. The arguments did not end neatly.

Good. That is what a living democracy sounds like. There are countries where dissent disappears into prisons, where protest is crushed into silence, where unity is enforced by fear. Israel is not one of them. It is contested because it is real and belongs to its people. It is strong enough to withstand dissent without collapsing into it. And, while we are here, let us kill another lie: Israel’s Arab citizens vote, serve in parliament and sit in the highest court in the land. Like Justice Khaled Kabub, who has served on the Supreme Court since 2022.

Despite all the divisions, it is more cohesive than its founders dared hope. What the clueless keyboard warriors simply don’t get is that Israelis long for unity, not uniformity.

October 7, 2023, reminded us, again, that conflict and death are part of the lived reality of a country that has never had the luxury of forgetting what it means to be surrounded by evil forces who wish to destroy it.

Iran has spoken the loudest, in the language of elimination that has echoed and grown with each passing decade, pursuing nuclear weapons with the stated aim of wiping Israel off the map.

And Israel, again, does what it has always done. It responds.

Not because it seeks conflict, but because it cannot afford not to.

Since late February, sirens across the country tore through the night. Families

ran. Doors slammed shut behind them, as Israelis huddled together in bomb shelters, holding children, holding their breath, waiting.

And still, morning after morning, they emerge. Not shattered. Not defeated. Standing tall.

You can drive a nation underground, but you can’t break its spirit and grit.

Today, there is a new demand in the world, a demand that Jews must explain their pride. That Zionism must be treated as a moral stain.

We hear it everywhere now. The word “Zionist” spat out as an accusation, stripped of meaning and loaded with blame. Jews who stand with Israel are smeared as criminals, simply for loving the only Jewish state on Earth.

The chorus is deafening: apartheid, illegitimate, existence itself put on trial. This is a movement of contempt, one that singles out the Jewish people alone and denies them a right every other nation enjoys, demanding they apologise for their homeland, renounce their history and hide who they are.

We reject that demand.

We will not apologise for creating a Jewish homeland where Jews do not have to ask permission to live.

We will not apologise for celebrating it. Because the presence of Israel is not a crime to be explained. It is a fact to be accepted.

After 2,000 years of exile, after generations of vulnerability, after a century that showed the world what happens when Jews are left without protection, Israel is home to nearly half of the Jewish people worldwide.

Every Jew carries this kind of insurance in their bones: if it ever comes to a point that antisemitism starts killing, there is one place that will have you unconditionally. It is the one door that never closes.

And somewhere tonight, in Israel, a child is asleep. Not because the world is quiet, but because it isn’t. That child sleeps not in the absence of danger, but sustained by something stronger: a country that refuses to disappear and that will protect them.

I think back to that boy, lifted above the crowd, holding a flag he did not yet understand and I think about what I would tell him now. I would tell him that there are voices telling him to lower that flag, to explain it, to apologise for it. And I would tell him not to.

Because the story he is standing inside is not something to be negotiated or apologised for. It is something to be lived.

Seventy-eight is a heartbeat in the long sweep of Jewish civilisation, but it is a heartbeat that would make Kings Saul, David and Solomon look down and recognise something unmistakable – a people unbowed and unyielding.

And if they could see it now, they would not ask how it happened. They would smile. And we are not apologising for it.

Dr Dvir Abramovich is chair of the AntiDefamation Commission and the author of eight books.

ISRAELI

CITIZEN DEFENDERS

In the aftermath of the October 7 attacks, one lesson became undeniable: when terror strikes, it is often armed citizens who make the difference between life and death.

In community after community, survival depended on those who were ready. In Ein Habesor, trained residents with licensed weapons confronted attackers and prevented a massacre. In other locations, where such preparedness did not exist, the consequences were catastrophic. The difference was not luck – it was readiness.

For Jewish communities in Australia, recent events have hit painfully close to home. The devastating attack at Bondi Beach reminded us that terror can strike anywhere – even where we feel safe – and that preparedness is not just a distant concern.

Now, as Israel faces multiple fronts, a deeply concerning report has highlighted a potentially existential threat within its own borders. According to investigative findings, the Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF), numbering approximately 65,000 personnel, are increasingly trained in unconventional warfare, including urban combat, rapid motorcycle assaults, heavy weaponry and militarygrade explosives. This force is positioned

Now, more than ever: citizen defenders

dangerously close to Israeli population centers. Under certain conditions, it could overwhelm multiple towns and cities simultaneously, while the IDF is heavily engaged Iran and Lebanon. At a moment when Israel’s strategic focus is directed outward, the danger of overlooking this internal front is real –and potentially catastrophic.

The solution is clear and urgent: every neighborhood in Israel must have a team of armed responders ready to defend within minutes. This is why the Citizen Defenders’ initiative has become

Israel’s fastest-growing grassroots security program. Founded on October 8, 2023, by Yonatan Lahav and Colonel Yonatan Zagdanski (USA, retired), the initiative is built on a simple premise: the first line of defence must be local, immediate and ready.

Citizen Defenders trains licensed civilians to operate as disciplined, neighborhoodbased response teams. They can deploy within seconds, neutralise attacks and stabilise situations in the critical moments before professional security forces arrive. This model builds on proven Israeli principles.

Just as organisations like United Hatzalah save lives by acting in the minutes before ambulances arrive, Citizen Defenders applies the same logic to security. The initiative is already active in cities including Afula, Beit She’an, Beitar and Jerusalem, with plans for nationwide expansion. Coordinating with municipalities and police, it ensures structure, accountability and clarity, and strengthens community resilience. Citizen Defenders represents a necessary shift from passivity to proactivity. But time is precious and threats are evolving faster than government bureaucracy can respond. That is why this life-saving initiative depends entirely on private support. Every contribution directly enables the training, equipment and readiness of volunteers who stand prepared to act when it matters most. While the immediate mission is to protect Israel, the founders envision the model spreading abroad. “Every synagogue or Jewish school will need Citizen Defenders,” Zagdanski said, likening them to air marshals – trained and discreet. “This initiative is about saving lives. Every dollar goes to training people that will stop the next attack.”

For more information, to join and donate, go to https://citizen-defenders. org/en/home/

Read the full report at https://www. regavim.org/position_papers/thewriting-on-the-wall-of-jericho/ Source: Regavim Movement

DAVID SCHULBERG CONSIDERED OPINION

Israel's new ambassador to Australia, Dr Hillel Newman, has hit the ground running and appears determined to give the Australia/Israel relationship a fillip. David Schulberg spoke with him the day after he addressed the National Press Club.

David

You've been promoted as bringing with you an extensive diplomatic experience and have said you are committed to strengthening engagement, deepening understanding and maintaining open and productive dialogue with partners and stakeholders across Australia. What would you say is the particular experience you have that makes you especially suitable for what is certainly a difficult posting?

Hillel

There are a few things in my career that have prepared me for this moment. First of all, I served in Los Angeles, which has a wide range of viewpoints from far Left to far Right and everything in the middle. I encountered a lot of the kind of criticism you find in Australia. I am South African-born and I know that there are many South Africans here in Australia, so l’ll connect there as well. I have also served in Muslim countries, giving me a special understanding of moderate Muslim thinking and the politicised Islam, which people are not always aware of in Western countries and in Australia. Mainly, I come with goodwill and 26 years’ experience in the diplomatic field to try and make a change for the good in our relations and bring back the fundamental relationship based on common values between Israel and Australia. Over the past two years or so many people have lost a view of the big picture. Israel and Australia are natural allies because of the values we share and because of our common interests and threats. We should reset that fundamental relationship.

David

You were ambassador to Muslimmajority countries Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. You've said that you're willing to engage with the Muslim communities if they're prepared to recognise us and work with us in peace. Our Jewish organisations have severed their relationship with Muslim organisations here because of their negative attitudes towards Israel and their ambivalence toward Zionism, which many of us believe is fundamentally tied to antisemitism. We've heard from Labor backbencher Ed Husic, who has accused our government of failing to deliver protection for Australian Muslims. He wants the Royal Commission to embrace a focus on Islamophobia. If the Australian Jewish community is distanced from the Muslim community, how are you going to be able to break through to improve

A fresh start

that relationship, which is very important because of the large Muslim population living here?

Hillel

Look, we make a clear distinction between moderate Muslims who are prepared to live in peace and radical Muslims or politicised Muslims. We've had rallies in front of the embassy here of Muslim Iranians supporting Israel. They've come with chocolates and flowers and they’ve stood with flags of Israel supporting us in the fight against Iran. We shouldn't think that every Muslim person thinks the same way.

The world is complex; it's not that simple. Even within Islam, there are many nations that support Israel and are friendly with Israel. We signed normalised relations with four Arab states, UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, which are majority Muslim and we have wonderful relations with them. They support Israel in the conflict against Iran. The world of Islam is complex. I am sure that there are many people of the Muslim faith here in Australia that do agree with Israel and are prepared to live in harmony and peace with Israel.

We must make these distinctions and work with whom we can and not with those that negate our existence or are antisemitic. Of course, anyone who is an adherent of radical Islam or against Israel's existence, that's not a sector of the population that we're going to target. I'll be glad to work in coordination with the Jewish community and with other communities here. I'm sure there are Muslim communities here that we can work with.

David

You've said that your appointment as Israel's ambassador to Australia presents an opportunity to reset these bilateral

not only because Australia took a side against Israel's policy, but it was also in the midst of the war, when it was seen and is still seen as a prize for terrorism to Hamas after the October 7 attack. But also, because the Palestinian Authority hasn’t gone through necessary reforms. The Palestinian Authority still incites against Israel.

It still continues with its pay for slay policy, paying terrorists and their families, indirectly encouraging terrorism against Israel.

They glorify terrorists and in their educational systems they do not preach coexistence, harmony and peace. All these things have to be addressed. Our recommendation is not to recognise a Palestinian state while they have not shown a preparedness to reform.

I encourage the Australian government to revisit the issue of conditioning a future state of Palestine on reforms, because these reforms are necessary for harmony and peace.

relations that have been tested since October 7, and you've been given a clear mandate by the Israeli government to rebuild the relationship. The previous ambassador may have struggled in this regard, but you're hoping for a major reset. How are you intending to remedy what is a rather battered relationship these days between our two countries?

Hillel

There are a lot of positive signs. The visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog was an important step in resetting relations and increasing understanding. I've also come with a lot of goodwill on behalf of the State of Israel to bring about a change in the character of the relationship and I've also received positive responses from the Australian government.

Within a week, I submitted my credentials and started working and within a week I had a meeting with Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. We have engagements at the highest level and we can talk candidly and openly about all the issues that are of concern. Among the positive signs, there were some visas that were delayed and have now been opened up. What I'm saying is that we have to build, create bridges and reestablish trust.

David

One of the things that Australia did that has not been viewed favorably by our Jewish community is the government's recognition of a state of Palestine. Do you feel that we need to revisit this? Of course, Australia made it conditional on reform of the Palestinian Authority.

Hillel

The recognition of a Palestinian state by Australia was taken badly in Israel. It was a big disappointment to Israel,

If the Palestinian Authority continues to glorify terrorists and pay for slay and incite in their educational systems, this is not a formula for peace. So, we're just creating a failed entity or a terrorist entity again. My call to the government of Australia is to carefully consider this issue and condition future recognition of a state on the necessary reforms.

David

Would you also see it as a good thing to put pressure on the government to stop funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which Israel has banned?

Hillel

Yes, we do call upon all governments not to channel aid through UNRWA. We're not against aid to Gaza. In fact, Israel itself is involved in aid to Gaza. We've opened the Kerem Shalom crossing, which is channeling aid to Gaza. There's no blockade of any kind in the transferring of aid to Gaza. But we oppose doing it through UNRWA, as many of its employees have been involved in terrorism. We've seen videos, we have documented information of how employees of UNRWA were actively involved in the October 7 attack.

Not only that, but UNRWA is not part of the solution – it's part of the problem. UNRWA perpetuates the refugee status of Palestinians, instead of rehabilitating them, perpetuating them as political pawns against Israel.

Their educational material incites against Israel. There are many reasons why UNRWA should not be a vehicle for this kind of assistance. The assistance and aid to Gaza should be channeled through legitimate and constructive organisations.

This is a slightly modified extract from an extensive interview with Dr Hillel Newman, who was interviewed by David Schulberg on ‘The Israel Connexion’ program on J-AIR community radio. The full interview is available as a podcast on the J-AIR website. David can be heard weekly on J-AIR in Melbourne and 2TripleO in Sydney.

AROUND THE COMMUNITY

UIA has launched the Rebuilding Israel Fund (RIF), as part of its 2026 Campaign.

The RIF is a long-term national recovery initiative focused on rebuilding people, rehabilitating families and communities and restoring resilience. More than two million Israelis are suffering from PTSD and related trauma. Many are deeply affected. Hundreds of thousands of children need stability and care. The cost of treating PTSD alone is estimated at nearly nearly 60 billion shekels annually over the next five years. This is not a short-term crisis. It is a generational responsibility and the RIF has been created to provide sustained, strategic support for that recovery.

When launching the Fund at UIA’s 2026 Gala, Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin, chairperson of the Victims of Terror Fund for The Jewish Agency for Israel, reminded the Australian Jewish community that it has already proven itself to be a powerful partner and supporter of the People of Israel. Now, she asked us to “rally again – to recommit and partner in the longterm rebuilding of our homeland.”

“Tonight we enter a new era. Not only of instinctive response, but of meticulous rebuilding. Because rebuilding a homeland is never finished. We have done this before.

UIA 2026 Campaign –rebuilding our homeland

We will do it again,” Nahmias-Verbin said. Since launching the RIF, the challenge has only deepened. The Operation Lion’s Roar war with Iran has made an already devastating reality even more complex and severe, placing further strain on families, communities, essential services and Israel’s broader recovery effort. When needs are

escalating across multiple fronts, the importance of a coordinated national response has become even clearer.

Rather than funding needs in isolation, the Fund directs support to the outcomes Israel urgently requires now:

• Mental health and PTSD recovery;

• Rehabilitation of communities in the north and south;

• Youth empowerment and national resilience programs;

• Support for vulnerable populations across Israel;

• Olim absorption and integration, where growth is most needed; and

• Strengthening social services and community infrastructure.

This is central to UIA’s approach. As the only organisation with a holistic overview of priority needs across the country, the organisation is uniquely placed to identify where support is most urgently required and to respond accordingly.

Through its national reach and longstanding partnership infrastructure, UIA is also distinctly positioned to help deliver large-scale global solutions to many of Israel’s most pressing challenges. UIA’s focus is to restore security, rebuild strength and stand with Israel during its most difficult period of recovery since the October 7 massacre.

Together we can and will rebuild the human fabric of the nation.

To find out more about the Rebuilding Israel Fund, visit https://uiaaustralia.org. au/rebuilding-israel-fund/

How many common words of five or more letters can you spell using the letters in the hive? Every answer must use the centre letter at least once. Letters may be reused in a word. At least one word will use all seven letters and have a direct Jewish connection.

Proper names and hyphenated words are not allowed. Score one point for each answer and three points for a Jewish related word that uses all seven letters.

Rating: 27 = Good; 33 = Excellent; 38 = Genius

has published more than 1,000 crossword puzzles worldwide, from the LA

and Boston Globe to The Jerusalem

He has also published two Jewish puzzle books: "Kosher Crosswords" and the sequel "More Kosher Crosswords and Word Games".

My non-Jewish friends often ask me the same question: “Is it true Israelis spend ten hours a day in bomb shelters?”

I laugh and say: “No. It’s more like ten minutes – about three hit songs.”

That gap – between what people think war in Israel looks like and what it actually feels like – is where the real story lives. On the news, it’s all smoke and sirens. In real life, it’s the abrupt, almost absurd pivot from stirring your coffee to sitting on a plastic chair underground.

I feel safest in Israel when I’m underground. Not exactly tourism-poster material, but there it is.

When the siren sounds, you don’t descend into a Hollywood war scene. You’re more likely to step into a cement room with a wobbly plastic chair or a crowded shopping centre car park.

That’s one of the oddest parts of life between sirens: where you end up depends entirely on where you are when the alert goes off.

At home, it might be a tiny mamad (reinforced security room) with a couple of chairs and a stack of old board games. In an older building, it’s often a shared basement, half storage, half social club, where the neighbours you normally nod to in the lift suddenly become your shelter companions. In a shopping centre, the shelter might

The truth about bomb shelters

be the underground car park – rows of cars, fluorescent lights and, sometimes, if you’re lucky, even a DJ. Teenagers turn those spaces into temporary dance floors, as if the concrete pillars were part of the décor all along.

And yes, in case you were wondering, there are “five-star” shelters.

People talk about them like hotel reviews: the “Hilton” of shelters, with padded chairs, decent air-conditioning, strong Wi-Fi and, maybe, even a piano. Others are strictly one-star – standing room only, bad ventilation. BYO patience.

From Australia, people imagine hours of terror in a dark room. What they don’t see is the little girl quietly drawing hearts on scrap paper, or the way someone always ends up making a joke about the siren’s pitch. They don’t see the older man pouring cups of mint tea from a battered thermos, as if hospitality might somehow hold up the ceiling.

But as the war grinds on, Israelis have found ways to adapt, sometimes in unexpected ways.

For example, there are reports of what people have started calling “bombshelter dating”.

An app called Hooked, originally designed for parties and large events, has reportedly been used in shelters. A QR code goes up on a concrete wall; once everyone is inside, singles can scan it and see who else is available. Ten anxious minutes becomes an opportunity for conversation. One founder described it bluntly: people are terrified of rejection and the app lowers the stakes by showing, in advance, who is open to meeting.

It has been praised as a creative coping mechanism and criticised as inappropriate, which, in its own way, feels very Israeli.

As one person put it: “Of course someone here invented an app where you can scan a code and see who’s single in the shelter.”

Only in Israel would someone think: if we’re stuck together under missile fire, we might as well try to meet someone nice.

And it’s not just dating.

A content creator from a kibbutz turned up with a tray of pancakes, maple syrup and berries, serving breakfast in his local shelter the moment

a siren went off. Others have moved Purim parties underground, read the Megillah between concrete pillars, and – my personal favourite – held weddings in shelters.

Not the Tel Aviv rooftop kind, but four storeys underground, in concrete corridors, beneath places like Dizengoff Centre. Fluorescent lights, exposed pipes, a chuppah wedged between pillars, followed by a full simcha in a space built for emergencies.

What makes these moments powerful isn’t how they look, but how they sound. When the groom stamps on the glass, the roar that comes back is mostly not family, but strangers who just happened to be in the shelter when the siren went off.

People who were on their way to buy shoes or coffee find themselves clapping, whistling and calling out “Mazal tov!” like lifelong friends.

For a few minutes, the car park or basement stops being a bomb shelter.

Naturally, those clips go viral and prompt the same quiet question from overseas: “How can you celebrate anything right now?”

The answer is simple and a little defiant: because people are not willing to postpone their lives until the world is safe. If the safest place tonight is here, then this is where life will happen.

None of this cancels out the danger. People are killed. Lives are shattered. The fear is real.

But what struck me most is not the improvisation – it is the insistence. The refusal to reduce life to waiting between sirens.

People still show up for each other. They still celebrate. They still make space, even underground, for something that looks like normal life.

From far away, that can look strange, even reckless. Up close, it looks like something else entirely: a quiet, stubborn form of resilience.

A decision that if life must be interrupted, it will not be postponed.

CONSIDERED OPINION

AB BOSKANY

Every defence strike carries a double edge, because the act itself is never enough and proof must follow if the wider argument is not to be lost. We must show footage of missiles finding their mark and of threats erased because without that proof the narrative turns. Iran or its proxies flood the airwaves with claims of endurance, missed targets and unbroken resolve, and those claims work quickly. Public opinion sways, allies grow hesitant and support erodes. Amid AI deepfakes and clips, muteness is surrender. For Israel and the United States, the choice is simple: either we show the result, or we risk losing the war of perception. The war does not end where the smoke rises because it continues through phones, in studios and in diplomatic rooms.

Psychologically, the brain wires us for it: a quick dopamine hit, relief, threat minimised. Studies on media violence show the pattern: short euphoria, then a quiet drop. Malicious pleasure creeps in and for a moment we feel safe. Then a subtle unease. Not horror, just a nagging sense that something is off. The high fades and what is left is the echo: destruction was necessary, but the thrill was not. I cannot avoid thinking about how many hospitals, schools or gardens could have been built with the cost of everything exploding. The mind does not leave the scene. It stores the image and,

The trade we can't refuse

without warning, returns as a residue we must live with later.

Creation isn't abstract; it's human. Concrete mixed, steel welded, wages earned, lives planned around it. A bunker, a ship, a lab: someone built that. We erase it for survival and the act leaves a mark, though not a dramatic one – just like a scar you forget until it itches. The paradox: we must prove the strike, rally the world, hold the line. But every time we watch, we pay in solitude. Glee's invoice is cheap, instant, then lingering. There is no clean moral distance in these moments. Survival justifies the act, but it does not sanctify every feeling that follows from watching it.

What is the real risk of not showing? Iran claims victory; public opinion turns against us. We have seen it: withheld footage in past conflicts, narratives spun by Tehran and elsewhere. The cost is real here because public doubt weakens resolve. But the cost of showing? A personal toll. We cheer the blast, then something shifts in us, not just loss of souls, rather the reality of the knowledge that victory is never pure. It comes mixed with ash.

So we do it and show the facts, mute the slow motion and skip the fireworks. We defend our existence because it is urgent. The trade is inevitable: proof for safety, unease for the price. We act because we must and still the destruction lays its cold hand somewhere within. Not as some sort of defeat. No. It is just what survival looks like.

Pass the pencils

It could just be me, but whenever I read about Israel’s latest “wonder weapon”, my mind doesn’t go to generals and war rooms.

It takes me straight back to being a kid—when walkie talkies exploded only in our imaginations, laser beams flashed across school halls at discos, and pencils left more graphite on our hands than on the page. The strange thing is, those same objects don’t feel so imaginary anymore.

Fast forward a few decades and look where we are: watching versions of those childhood props turn up in the most adult of places—the battlefields of the Middle East. We’ve already had versions of the “exploding walkie talkie” in Gaza over the past year, with reports of radios used by militants that were booby trapped or remotely triggered, turning on their operators.

Then there was the white expanding foam used by Israeli forces in Gaza in late 2023 and into 2024, pumped into Hamas tunnels to block and disable those underground networks. In the pictures it looked like someone had filled the earth with shaving cream. And of course there are the laser beams: the Iron Beam system, a high energy laser designed to burn rockets and drones out of the sky.

And now, it’s the very stuff we used to write with as children.

Ab Boskany

AI-generated photo

On 29 March, Tehran and parts of the surrounding region were reportedly hit by explosions and then, almost straight away, rolling blackouts.

Lights went out and neighbourhoods fell dark. The Iranian regime blamed the usual enemies and talked about damage to “infrastructure”, and commentators and open source reports quickly began talking about something more unusual: graphite “blackout bombs” and other “soft” weapons designed to interfere with power without blowing everything to pieces.

There are claims that Israel may have used graphite “blackout bombs” against Iran’s power grid, but there is no conclusive, independently verified confirmation. A graphite bomb is not a bomb in the usual sense of blowing buildings apart; it is designed to interfere with electricity by spreading very fine, chemically treated carbon filaments over high voltage equipment, like a sky full of microscopic pencil shavings that create wrong paths for the current to flow. In theory, that kind of weapon can trip circuits, shut systems down and throw cities into darkness

without physically destroying every power station or transformer, aiming to disable power and communications, rather than flatten the infrastructure itself.

Whether you find it inspiring, unsettling, or a messy mix of both, it’s hard to deny that these are the stories we’ll be retelling for years: the night the lights went out in Tehran, the tunnels filled with foam, the rockets met by beams of light, the regime silenced by the same graphite we once used to sketch still life bowls of fruit.

Apple kugel Strawberry rhubarb kugel

CONSIDERED OPINION

RABBI EFREM GOLDBERG COURTESY: AISH.COM

Ingredients:

4-5 Granny Smith apples

Iran fires missiles at Israel every day. We can’t allow ourselves to get used to it.

5 eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup plain flour

1 cup white sugar (which can be adjusted, if you want less sweetness)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup orange juice

Cinnamon sugar

This news alert comes regularly: ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward Israel. Within moments, millions of Israelis rush to shelters as air defence systems activate across the country. Sirens blare, families grab their children, drivers pull over and run to the side of the road, and entire cities pause as people search for safety. For the past several weeks, we outside Israel have watched these alerts come several times a day and night. They've come so regularly that our phone dings, we glance at it, and go right back to whatever we were doing. But this is not normal. It can never become normal. No matter how often the alerts come, we need to stay outraged by how abnormal they are.

Resilience is not the same as acceptable

The human spirit adapts quickly. When sirens interrupt life again and again, there is a life-threatening danger to those running to shelters. But there is also a danger that we begin to treat this as routine. Missiles flying toward civilian populations can never be routine. Running with children to a bomb shelter can never be normal. The fact that

Method:

Peel and slice thinly the granny smith apples.

Iran keeps firing, Israelis keep running, we keep scrolling

Place them in two 9 x 9 inch baking dishes, or one 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl. When combined, pour over apples in the baking dish.

Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 50-55 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder ¾ cup sugar 1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla sugar ½ cup oil

Filling:

1 bag frozen

¾ cup sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

Method:

Mix together dough ingredients. Press down half the dough mixture to line the bottom of a greased pan. Mix together filling ingredients. Pour on top of the dough and bake at 180C for half an hour.

Crumble remaining dough mixture on top and bake for another half hour.

Israelis have developed the strength and resilience to endure it does not make it acceptable or ordinary.

Here in America, we do not have reinforced safe rooms in our homes. Our children do not grow up practicing how quickly they can reach a shelter. We do not interrupt dinner, school or sleep to run for our lives. We live with a level of security we often take for granted. That contrast should humble us and awaken a deeper sense of responsibility to those who don't have that luxury.

What we can do from here

After October 7, the Jewish community outside Israel responded in extraordinary ways. American Jews rallied in the streets. Communities organised missions to Israel. We packed duffel bags, sent equipment and clothing, wrote letters to soldiers we'd never met, and added Psalms to our daily prayers. Many of us reoriented our schedules, our conversations and our emotional lives around the reality that Israel was at war.

Now Israel finds itself at war again. True, there are miracles happening each day, and we are fortunately not praying for the safety of hostages right now, but this is still an incredibly dangerous moment for our people. Millions of our brothers and sisters are effectively on the front line because every inch of the country is within reach of missiles.

At the same time, heroic soldiers are defending the nation across multiple fronts: in Lebanon, in Gaza, in Syria and in the skies over Iran. The entire nation carries the burden together.

publicly. No one in Israel expects American Jews to stop living or cancel celebrations. Life must continue. But there is a reasonable expectation that we won't be tone deaf.

Don't talk about being "rescued" or "stuck" in reference to the place that is home to millions of our people, the homeland we should all be working to move to, and from which those who live there have nowhere else to go.

The Torah teaches the prohibition of causing pain through our words. In our time, that principle extends to the images we share and the complaints we broadcast. Everyone has challenges. Life is complicated everywhere. But in moments like this, we must put our frustrations in context. If what we're facing is not life-or-death, if it doesn't involve running to shelter from ballistic missiles, maybe it doesn't need to be shared widely right now.

How many common words of five or more letters can you spell using the letters in the hive? Every answer must use the centre letter at least once. Letters may be reused in a word. At least one word will use all seven letters and have a direct Jewish connection.

Closer than you think

Many of us outside Israel feel helpless. We can't easily travel there right now and there's no urgent call for the physical supplies we mobilised before.

Proper names and hyphenated words are not allowed. Score one point for each answer and three points for a Jewish related word that uses all seven letters.

Rating: 6 = Good; 10 = Excellent; 13 = Genius

But our lives cannot simply continue as if nothing is happening. Our brothers and sisters may not expect us to stop living, but they do expect us not to be indifferent. One small but meaningful step we can all take right now: Set an alert for news about the sirens in Israel. Each time Israelis are running to shelters, let it become a spiritual alarm.

Pause and say one chapter of Psalms. One short prayer. If they are running to shelters, we can run to prayer. Their moment of fear becomes our moment of connection with God on their behalf.

And along with prayer, reach out in simple human ways. Each time there's an alert, send a message to someone you know in Israel. A friend, a relative, a former neighbour. Just a short text: "Thinking of you." "Praying for your safety." "Stay safe." When they run in and out of shelters, they should know that Jews around the world are thinking about them in that very moment.

For many in our own communities, this is not distant news. Around us are friends, neighbours, and colleagues whose children and grandchildren live in Israel. Some have sons or daughters serving in the army. Others have grandchildren running to shelters in the middle of the night. Even as they come to work or sit at our Shabbat tables, their hearts are thousands of miles away, following every alert and every update.

For someone whose child is sleeping near a shelter or whose son is serving near the border, life is not proceeding normally at all. Acknowledge that. Ask how their family is doing.

Yoni Glatt has published more than 1,000 crossword puzzles worldwide, from the LA Times and Boston Globe to The Jerusalem Post. He has also published two Jewish puzzle books: "Kosher Crosswords" and the sequel "More Kosher Crosswords and Word Games".

Words are not neutral

We must also be careful with our language and with what we post

Our brothers and sisters in Israel are living through something no society should ever have to endure. Their resilience is extraordinary, their courage inspiring. But we must never let their reality become something we treat as ordinary. Missiles targeting civilians is not normal. Running to shelters is not normal. Living under that threat is not normal. And even from thousands of miles away, with love in our hearts, loyalty in our prayers and sensitivity to those around us who are carrying this burden personally, we must remind ourselves of that truth, again and again.

ANSWERS PAGE 19

CONSIDERED OPINION

RAMONA FREEDMAN

ALIYAH ADVENTURES

Recently, a friend asked how I was faring with the ongoing war.

Fatigue is a funny thing. You can only prop your eyelids open with proverbial toothpicks for so long. I replied candidly: “Honestly, I am exhausted. Beyond exhausted. I feel like I have a very needy newborn consuming my attention several times throughout the night. Every night!”

Except, it isn’t a beloved baby who has me in sight. It is an evil enemy that wakes me up nightly at approximately 3am, propelling a 500-kilogram ballistic missile my way. A missile that sometimes splits into dozens of others in the guise of an illegal cluster warhead. It is an evil enemy that desperately wants to eradicate me (and every Jewish person on the planet).

Many here are encouraging optimism and resilience. They are urging citizens to transform sour, unexpected hardships into positive opportunities and/or meaningful outcomes. (Rocket casing lands near a building. It is deemed safe. It is then decorated by local residents.)

And the rest? It is not the Israeli way to wax lyrical about the ‘what ifs?’ They get busy with the reality on the ground. The reality of the here and now. This is made up of a multitude of small wins.

At this time of year in Israel, we have a few ‘khamsins’ that blow through. This word begins at the back of your throat, in the most guttural Middle Eastern way. These are hot, dry and dusty winds. They blow with a force and bring a fine mist of reddish sand that leaves its mark on absolutely everything.

So, we wake up and see our car covered in its entirety. We know a professional service is needed to reveal the shiny body of our car again. I take on the challenge. I shall drive my car with its left-side steering wheel. I shall emerge triumphant. I found the local car wash, I prepaid. Small win number one. Unfortunately, the guy in charge spoke no English. I told him it is my first time in a ‘drive-through’ in Israel. Then he started the waterworks while simultaneously screaming at me. And all with a chewed cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

I later found out he was shouting: “Put your car in neutral. Don’t put your foot on the brake. Why is your window down a fraction?” (Hello. Perhaps to hear you?)

Suffice to say it was a comedy of errors and customers behind me were getting frustrated. So was the self-anointed car wash king, but I was there with a mission. That day, did I know the Hebrew words for brake, neutral, reverse and the rest? Why, no, I did not. And yet, on the fifth attempt it did work. The car was restored and I felt like a champion. A small win on a national scale. A major win in Ramona Land.

I love my neighbours here in Ra’anana. Recently, one held an engagement party on a Saturday night. This family also goes to our shul, Kehillat Lev Ra’anana. They had bought a large number of

Small wins

helium balloons for the occasion. Israelis love any opportunity to buy a bunch of balloons for a simcha. The bigger the better.

I stood there listening to the young groom give a talk in Hebrew. I understood about a quarter of his heartfelt content. While my mind inevitably wandered, it wasn’t to the usual thoughts one might have: What is in my diary for tomorrow? Do I have enough food in the fridge?

Oh no. Instead, I was having a conversation with G-d, praying that no phones would wail with extreme alerts for the next few minutes, delivering the urgent news that we all needed to immediately get to a bomb shelter

Dear Lord, let this sweet young man finish his speech to his bride and guests. Let the two religious mothers jointly smash a special plate together. By the way, this religious ritual represents the seriousness of the commitment and that the engagement bond is as irreversible as a shattered plate.

Let the guests schmooze and enjoy without the drama of the bombs and sirens. Please. Okay, pretty please. Wish granted. They didn’t need to roll out their Plan B of rushing all en masse to a large shelter. Small win on my street.

I visited a new fruit shop recently. As I parked, I noticed that next door was a giant indoor trampoline park, full of jumping kids. That didn’t feel war-like. Cue sirens. Cue parents escorting their charges past the fruit shop to the nearest bomb shelter.

Once that danger was over, it was back to the fruit shop. Now, I may not know the names of every fruit and vegetable in Hebrew off by heart, but I am doing better each day. I love the giant citrus fruit called a pomelo. Pomelos are still in season. Just. Small win.

As I approached the counter to pay, I noticed that the employee was busy eating as she was calculating prices. Not unusual here. After all, why prioritise

a paying customer? What left my mouth open (in an unladylike fashion) was when I registered what she was eating. It was red and capsicum-like. This was no salad staple. She was munching on a whole red, hot chilli. Seeds and all. I kid you not.

I thought my mind was playing tricks on me. I couldn’t help but mention it. Israelis don’t have patience for long conversations, so I kept it simple by uttering one word to her: charif? This again employs the guttural back-of-thethroat sound. It translates as a blend of ‘is that sharp/hot/spicy?’

With no eye contact and mid-chew she replied, Not so much. Obviously, she has spent a lifetime refining what would be a great Diaspora party trick. I made it home before another siren went off. Fridge full. Small win.

Recently, we all sat down for Seder. That day was berserk. We had to go into our bomb shelters well over a dozen times. Still, despite all beginning each Seder with understandable trepidation, we had a few hours off from overt war drama. At 1:30am, as we were singing the last stanza of the last song in the Haggadah, yes, sirens again.

The night ended on bean bags in our friends’ bomb shelter. Yet the fact that we enjoyed a whole Seder uninterrupted felt like a succession of small wins all around Ra’anana and beyond.

This is a nation of giving. Each is a small win. Along the way, I have volunteered for a group of barbequing gurus called Grills of Hope. Its mission is to feed, honour and lift the spirits of our brave soldiers all around the State of Israel.

It just celebrated barbeque number 613. This number is significant in the Jewish world because it represents the number of mitzvot, or commandments, in the Torah. Grills of Hope has now officially fed more than 100,000 soldiers.

Yet, you didn’t see this news on the major networks. There are so many

organisations like this – all heroic, contributing their modest, ‘small’ wins. Yet you know and I know that each is the opposite: big, brave and bountiful.

I went to visit a friend last Shabbat afternoon. Her house does not have its own bomb shelter, but shares one with her adjoining neighbour. Cup of tea in hand, I was settled on her couch when the alerts blared again. Thirty seconds later about a dozen of us ended up in their bomb shelter.

We were there for only ten minutes that day. I couldn’t help but marvel at one conversation. From what I gathered, the father next door worked in a lab as some sort of scientist. My friend had a young woman staying who had just made Aliyah. She was studying science at university and was eager to get some work experience in a lab. Long story short: he kindly offered to liaise with colleagues on her behalf and they were going to continue the conversation after Shabbat. Small win? Maybe to some, yet it was possibly life changing for the student. Not so small after all.

It will soon be Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel Independence Day. Here in Ra’anana, the local council offered free flags one day and asked all to drape them around our neighbourhood. Israelis love a good blue and white display.

Only problem was that there were a few sirens sounding at the exact time of pick-up. Granted, I didn’t collect that day. No matter. Every Israeli seems to have flags at home, somehow available just at arm’s length when needed. Even me. The next day there was blue and white tinsel draped around many Ra’anana roundabouts. Resilient lot these Israelis. Small wins indeed.

For now, it is over and out from Ramona in Ra’anana.

To contact Ramona, please email: ramona@keshercommunications.com. au.

AROUND THE COMMUNITY

AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY

For many people, making a legacy commitment is a deeply meaningful decision. It is a way of ensuring that the values which have shaped one’s life will continue to benefit future generations. However, it is rare that one has the opportunity to actually see that legacy taking shape. The Hebrew University Legacy Mission offers exactly that: the chance to witness firsthand the extraordinary work that legacy support helps make possible.

Taking place in early November 2026, the Legacy Mission invites a small group of supporters to experience the Hebrew University of Jerusalem from the inside. This all-expenses-paid journey is designed for those who have chosen to include the university in their estate planning and who wish to see how their commitment contributes to the future of Israel and the Jewish people.

During the mission, participants gain special access to one of the world’s leading centres of research and innovation. They meet the academics and researchers whose work is tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity: from medical breakthroughs and agricultural innovation to advances in technology, law and public policy.

Yet often it is the personal encounters that leave the deepest impression. Participants meet students whose

Seeing your legacy in action

lives are being transformed through education at the Hebrew University. They hear about the ambitions and aspirations of young people who will become the next generation of leaders, scientists, educators and entrepreneurs. These conversations bring to life the real impact of philanthropic support and demonstrate how a legacy gift can open doors for decades to come.

Visitors also have the exceptional opportunity to step inside laboratories and research centres that are usually closed to the public. Here they can see the cutting-edge work being undertaken by Hebrew University scholars, research that not only strengthens Israel but also contributes solutions to global challenges in health, sustainability and

technology. The mission itself is designed to be both enriching and enjoyable. Participants stay in high-quality accommodation, enjoy excellent cuisine and explore some of Jerusalem’s most significant cultural and historical sites. The program is carefully paced, ensuring time for learning, reflection and shared experiences.

This year’s mission will also include a cohort travelling from the British Friends of the Hebrew University, creating a unique opportunity for participants from Australia and the United Kingdom to share the journey.

The experience often leads to lasting friendships and a strong sense of connection within the global Hebrew University community.

For many who have taken part in previous Legacy Missions, the experience has been both inspiring and deeply moving. Seeing the university’s work up close provides a powerful reminder that legacy giving is not simply about the future. It is about making a difference that begins today.

If you are interested in learning more about the Legacy Mission in early November 2026, please contact Rob Schneider, CEO of the Australian Friends of the Hebrew University, on (02) 9389 2825 or ceo@austfhu.org.au.

To learn more about the Australian Friends of the Hebrew University, go to www.austfhu.org.au

Join us in early November on an all- expenses-paid Legacy Mission to Israel generously funded by an anonymous donor who wants to thank and honour suppor ters who choose to leave a bequest to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Experience Israel like never before:

• Special access to Hebrew University campuses and researchers

• Guided tours (including a tour to the South), cultural highlights, and unique events

• Return air fares, accommodation, meals, and all tours included (excl travel insurance)

Your legacy shapes the future of discovery, innovation, and contribution at Israel’s leading institution of higher education, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem – The University of the Jewish People.

This unforgettable journey celebrates you and the impac t you will make benefitting generations to come

To qualif y you must be over 60 and commit to a minimum legacy to The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

COMMUNITY

DAVID SOLOMON AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS OF TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY AROUND THE

New Tel Aviv University research uncovers a surprising brain–immune link

For decades, the relationship between the brain and the body’s immune system has been discussed more as theory than measurable science. But what if specific patterns of brain activity could directly influence how the body responds to disease?

Researchers at Tel Aviv University, in collaboration with Tel Aviv Medical Center (Ichilov) and the Technion, have now provided compelling evidence that the brain is not merely observing the body’s health, it may actively help shape it.

The power of anticipation

At the centre of the discovery is the brain’s reward system, particularly a region known as the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA), which plays a key role in motivation, expectation and dopamine release.

The researchers found that when individuals activated this system –especially through feelings of positive anticipation, such as excitement or expectation of a good outcome – their bodies mounted a stronger immune response.

Crucially, this is not about optimism in the abstract. It is a clearly defined

Thinking your way to better immunity

neurological state – one that can be measured, trained and linked to biological changes in the body.

Training the brain

To explore this connection, the research team conducted an experiment involving 85 healthy volunteers.

Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback training, a method that allows individuals to monitor and regulate their own brain activity in real time. Using mental strategies, such as recalling positive experiences or imagining rewarding scenarios, they

aftau.asn.au

The gift of a lifetime

Discover how your values can live on.

For a confidential conversation, please call David Solomon on 0418 465 556 or davidsolomon@aftau.org.au

learned to increase activity in the VTA.

Researchers then measured how this trained brain activity translated into changes in the body’s immune response.

A measurable biological effect

The results were striking. Participants who successfully increased activity in the brain’s reward system showed a significantly enhanced immune response. Importantly, the effect was highly specific. It was linked to activity in the VTA and to sustained states of positive anticipation, rather than to general emotional uplift or other brain regions.

One of the research heads, Professor Asya Rolls said: “We show that mental states have a clear brain signature and that this signature can directly influence physiological systems, such as the immune system.”

When the mind meets the immune system – a new medical frontier

While the findings do not replace conventional treatments, they point to an important new direction in medicine, one that integrates neuroscience, psychology and immunology.

Scientists have long observed the placebo effect, where belief or expectation can produce real physiological changes in the body. This research goes a step further by identifying a specific brain mechanism behind that phenomenon, showing how measurable patterns of neural activity can influence immune function.

This is not abstract mind–body theory, but biology in action. It also points to the potential use of non-invasive tools to help patients deliberately activate these brain mechanisms to support immune function and enhance medical treatments.

The implications are both scientific and practical. The mind–body connection is no longer just observed. Increasingly, it is understood, measurable and potentially harnessed to improve human health.

CONSIDERED OPINION

NOMI KALTMANN

You are a religious Jew, a wife, mother, lawyer and activist. What drives you? How do you fit everything into your life and stay sane?

Since I was young, I’ve always been drawn to learning and understanding how things work. At school, my friends used to call me “the investigator” because, if something interested me, I always asked a lot of questions. When I meet someone, I want to understand them properly and I’ll always spend time trying to understand who they are, what they think, a little bit about their background and key influences that shape their opinions. When I come across something interesting, I’ll look it up and spend time reading about its history and context. I’ve always been curious about people and stories, and I’ve become quite good at asking the right questions to always have interesting conversations.

My instinct for hearing, understanding and telling stories has shaped who I am. It is not surprising to anyone who knew me as a child that I have become a writer who thinks deeply and tries to make sense of the world. For me, writing is the thing that keeps me grounded. When I have time to write, I feel happiest and most like me. When I don’t have as much time to write, I notice that my happiness dips a little bit.

As for fitting everything in, I think there is some truth to the cliché that if you want something done well, you give it to a busy mother. When your time is limited, you become efficient. There is no room for procrastination or indulgence. If you have half an hour, you use your half an hour, otherwise you won’t be getting any more time that day. You learn to prioritise, to work quickly, and to accept that not everything will be perfect. That discipline, more than anything else, is what makes my writing possible.

What feels comfortable and right about your Jewishness?

Being born Jewish is one of the great blessings of my life. For me, there is something very comforting about belonging to an ancient tradition that has resisted trends and refused to bend simply for the sake of fitting in.

I sometimes joke that Jews were the original uncool kids. In a world of many gods, we insisted on one. In a world without limitations on what we can eat, how we should pray, what our week should look like, we, as the Jewish people, embraced rules. I love being part of a tradition that insists on structure and meaning, and that seeks to infuse the ordinary with holiness.

To me, Judaism is a framework for a really meaningful way of living. It reminds me, constantly, of my obligations to others. Whether it is giving a portion of my income to charity, visiting the sick, or helping those that are less fortunate. Jewish values push me to be better and to think beyond myself. There is also a steadiness to Judaism

Jewish values

that I find attractive. Judaism does not chase trends or reinvent itself to remain popular. It holds onto its principles, even when that may be unpopular or difficult, demonstrating time and again that consistency of faith is a gift.

How important is the Diaspora in supporting a Jewish state?

Being a Diaspora Jew in Australia is a slightly unusual experience. Many Australians assume that being Jewish means being Israeli and are often surprised to learn that my family has been in Australia since the 1860s, arriving during the Ballarat Gold Rush. In that sense, my roots here run very deep.

Australia does not play a major role in shaping global policy on Israel, but I do think the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora operates on a more human level. Over the past few years, Israelis have appreciated the support and solidarity from Jewish communities abroad. At the same time, that relationship goes both ways. After the Bondi attack, Israeli trauma teams came to Sydney to support the local community and reinforced the sense that, despite geographic distance, there is a shared responsibility and a shared fate between all Jews. The relationship between the Diaspora and Israel is in many ways, symbiotic.

Tell me about your reaction to the increased antisemitism in Australia and around the world since October 7.

I was genuinely shocked by the rise in antisemitism after October 7. Perhaps that sounds naive, but it reflects my lived experience. I was born in Australia, as were my parents, and none of us had encountered antisemitism in any meaningful way before October 7.

What has occurred in Australia over the past two and a half years has been deeply troubling. The scale of antisemitism has been confronting, but so too has the response to it. I have been disappointed by what I see as a lack of urgency and clarity from Australia’s government. There has been a hesitancy to act decisively, and I feel strongly that this wishy-washy response has led to some of the devastating consequences that we have seen here,

a sense in Israel that the justification is self-evident and that engaging in explanation is both exhausting and futile. I understand that instinct, but I think it is misguided. Israel’s public communication, particularly in English, is often ineffective.

There is no single, clear voice that consistently articulates its position, and the bureaucratic response to misinformation is often slow. I wish Israel could use its brilliant innovation to properly fix this.

At the same time, there is much that Israel gets right. Israeli society produces young people who are remarkably resilient, capable and community minded. There is a strong sense of responsibility and contribution that is deeply embedded in all areas of Israeli life, and I believe that is something many Western societies could learn from.

How do you see the future of Australian Jewry?

including arson attacks on synagogues and the massacre at Bondi.

I felt particularly frustrated watching the delayed implementation of the antisemitism envoy’s report. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shown poor leadership in supporting our community and it seems that he has always been reactive to antisemitism instead of proactive. When he got up after Bondi and said that he would implement the antisemitism envoy’s report, after shelving it for six months, I was really angry. It took dead Jews on the beach for him to implement the recommendations that he commissioned.

When leadership on antisemitism is slow or ambiguous, it creates space for harmful attitudes to take hold and for antisemitism to escalate. At the same time, I still consider Australia home. I am not ready to give up on it, and I hold onto the belief that things can improve, even if that belief feels more fragile than it once did.

Any thoughts about how to combat antisemitism and anti-Zionism?

It is a difficult question, in part because antisemitism is not always rational. You cannot always reason someone out of a position they did not reason themselves into. In my experience, most Australians I know are not antisemitic. They do not harbour hatred towards Jews. What is less clear is whether the rise in antisemitism we are seeing now is something new, or something that has always existed beneath the surface and has only recently become visible. That’s a hard question to answer.

As for anti-Zionism, some of the most thoughtful people in the Jewish world are grappling with how to respond to it, and there is still no clear or universally accepted strategy. That, in itself, says something about the complexity of the issue.

In your opinion, what is Israel doing right and what could it be doing better?

The Israeli public intellectual Haviv Rettig Gur has spoken about a prevailing attitude within Israel that the country does not feel the need to explain itself and its actions to the world. There is

I would like to say that the future for Jews in this country is straightforward and secure, and that Australia will continue to be a place where Jews can thrive as they have for generations. Until recently, that felt like a reasonable assumption. Now, after Bondi, I am less certain. The events of the past few years have introduced a level of unease that did not previously exist.

Part of me remains optimistic, but I would be dishonest if I said that my optimism was unqualified. There is a tension now between hope and realism, and I suspect many people in our community are feeling it.

And what about Israel? Can you see it continuing to grow and prosper as a proud Jewish state?

Israel’s achievements since its establishment are extraordinary. Each time I visit, I am struck by the pace of development, the innovation and the sense of possibility.

At the same time, I have concerns about its current direction. I think there is a need for renewal and for space to imagine different leadership possibilities. Figures like Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside politicians such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, represent a trajectory that I find worrying.

There are also structural issues embedded into Israeli society that remain complicated.

The ongoing exemption of Haredi men from military service, even as reservists face significant strain, raises serious questions about fairness and shared responsibility. Similarly, new laws and policies that appear to treat different groups unequally under Israeli law risk undermining the democratic foundations of the country.

In my mind, the story of the Jewish people and the story of Israel has always been complex.

That complexity is part of what makes it so compelling, but it also means that course correction is necessary from time to time.

I still believe in Israel’s future. I just think it requires careful stewardship to ensure that it remains aligned with the values that have sustained it for so long.

RABBI ARON MOSS RABBINIC THOUGHT

Question:

It is all very nice that people are getting closer to Judaism after the Bondi attack. The same thing happened after October 7 and the same thing happens after every tragedy. But how real is it? If a Jew is suddenly very Jewish when things are bad, what does that say about their Judaism?

Answer:

Your question was answered by a beached seal.

Last week, my brother was going for a morning run in an urban park, and he saw the strangest sight. There, lying by the side of a river, was a seal. Not your usual visitor in the middle of the city.

This encounter reminded me of a Talmudic discussion about seals. The rabbis debated whether the seal was a water creature or a land creature?

The Hebrew word for seal is Kelev Yam – sea dog. They spend most of their lives in the water. So, does that define them as marine life? Do we go by where they spend the majority of their time?

No. That doesn’t define a seal. We may call it a sea dog, but it is not a sea creature. Why? Because if you want to define a creature, you have to ask one question: where does it go when it’s in danger? Where is its refuge?

For a seal, the answer is: it moves to dry land.

The seal of truth

Under threat, your instincts lead you to where you really belong. Your refuge is your true home. No matter how much time you spend in the sea, if you flee to dry land when your life is endangered, that shows who you really are. You are a land creature.

This is not just a biological fun fact. It’s a spiritual truth. Our soul has a homing signal that brings us back to where we truly belong. That’s why when Jews are in danger, we run to Judaism. Because that’s who we are.

A Jew can spend his whole life distant from his Jewish roots. He can adopt other identities and blend into the surrounding culture. But that is just where he happens to be swimming. A little shake up and the inner self is revealed. He comes back to where he belongs. A Jew’s home is in Judaism.

We have seen this throughout our history. Wherever we have been in the world, Jews have tried to assimilate. Just as they think they are welcome in a host society, antisemitism rises and poses a mortal threat to Jewish life. This leads to a massive return to Judaism. We pray. We fast. We refuse to bow to our enemies. And that leads to victory. The threat doesn't create our Judaism. It reveals it. What my brother saw in the park was a creature finding safety in its true habitat. And what we are seeing today is the same. Torah is our natural home. Jewish life is our life. And if a formerly estranged Jew feels the pull to return to Judaism, he should be welcomed back home. He needs no one’s seal of approval.

Recognising the miracle

RABBI MOSHE GUTNICK RABBINIC ADMINISTRATOR THE KASHRUT AUTHORITY

There are moments in Jewish history when the veil between Heaven and Earth thins, when G-d's guiding hand becomes unmistakably visible. One such moment occurred in the days of King Chizkiyahu, a king whom our Sages describe as righteous, courageous and utterly devoted to restoring Torah to the heart of the nation.

The Assyrian empire – the superpower of its time – had encircled Jerusalem. Sancheriv’s armies were vast, undefeated and certain of victory. Yet, on Pesach night, as the Jewish people celebrated the festival of redemption, a miracle unfolded. Our Sages taught that an angel of Hashem struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night, leaving the mighty empire shattered and Yerushalayim untouched.

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 94a) records a staggering divine intention: Hashem wished to make Chizkiyahu the Melech HaMashiach and the destruction of Sancheriv the war of Gog and Magog. History could have reached its culmination right then. But something was missing.

Our Sages said “they did not give proper thanks for the miracle". Whether this means they failed to acknowledge the miracle, or that they acknowledged it, but did not sufficiently praise Hashem for it, the result was the same. A moment that could have transformed the world

slipped away. The message is piercing: When Am Yisrael does not recognise a miracle, the miracle’s potential remains unrealised.

Fast-forward to our own era. After nearly 2,000 years of exile, dispersion, persecution, and unimaginable suffering, the Jewish people returned to sovereignty in Eretz Yisrael. The establishment of the State of Israel –against all odds, surrounded by enemies, with no logical path to survival – was nothing short of miraculous. Many saw it. Many still do not. But the parallel to Chizkiyahu’s generation is impossible to ignore. A miracle occurred. The question

is whether and how we will acknowledge it.

We have witnessed open miracles in our time: A tiny nation surviving repeated attempts at annihilation. Victories that defy military logic. Ingathering of exiles from every corner of the Earth. A flourishing land that had lain desolate for centuries. And today, new miracles unfolding before our eyes: a lion rising and the lion roaring, a renewed Jewish strength and clarity that few imagined possible. These are not coincidences. They are not “normal historical processes”. They are the hand of Hashem.

If Chizkiyahu’s generation has taught us anything, it is this: Miracles demand recognition. Gratitude is not optional; it is transformative. We dare not make the same mistake – to witness the miraculous and shrug. To see Hashem’s hand and call it “natural”. To experience redemption-like events and fail to say Hallel in our hearts.

Our task is simple and profound: To thank Hashem for the miracle of Israel, for the miracles of our generation and for the miracles still unfolding. When we recognise the miracle, we become worthy of its completion.

THOUGHT

RABBI DR BENJI LEVY RABBINIC

For the modern observant Jew, the "anatomy" of practice is well-known: keep the laws, study the texts and pay community dues. But where is the passion? After years in education wondering how to ignite a fire in my students' hearts, I found the spark through Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, a teacher who moves beyond the text and into its living soul.

The black and white fire Torah is more than ink on parchment; it is a mystical interplay between text and subtext. The Jerusalem Talmud describes the letters as “black fire”, defined and clear, and the white space around them as “white fire”, the infinite light of hidden meanings.

For Rabbi Weinberger, this realisation came from a transformative moment of silence. As a 14-year-old “American kid” more interested in the Yankees than the secrets of the universe, he attended a tish (chassidic gathering). Though the Rebbe didn't speak, his presence was overwhelming.

“I realised there was something much bigger going on than just the written words,” he recalls. “It ignited a fire in me to find that ‘white fire’ that surrounds the letters.”

The white fire between the letters

Peering behind the curtain

“Everything in the world has a body and a soul,” Rabbi Weinberger explains. While the “body” of tradition focuses on the Ma (what), the laws and history, the soul focuses on the Mi (who): the One behind the curtain. He notes that this trajectory is built into our calendar. We begin Seder with Ma Nishtana (“What makes this night different?”), but we end with Echad Mi Yodea (“Who knows One?”). We move from technical

CANDLE LIGHTING TIMES

Friday, Apr 10, 2026 5:21 pm

Shabbat ends, Apr 11, 2026 6:15 pm

Friday, Apr 17, 2026 5:12 pm

Shabbat ends, Apr 18, 2026 6:07 pm

Friday, Apr 24, 2026 5:04 pm

Shabbat ends, Apr 25, 2026 5:59 pm

Friday, May 1, 2026 4:57 pm

Shabbat ends, May 2, 2026 5:52 pm

Friday, May 8, 2026 4:50 pm

Shabbat ends, May 9, 2026 5:46 pm

Sydney Jewish Report Disclaimer:

Except where expressly stated otherwise, content in The Sydney Jewish Report is provided as general informations only. The articles in this paper have been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content here are presented solely by the author, and The Jewish Report assumes no responsibility for them. It is not intended as advice and must not be relied upon as such. You should make your own inquiries and take independent advice tailored to your specific circumstances prior to making any decisions. We do not make any representation or warranty that any material in the papers will be reliable, accurate or complete, nor do we accept any responsibility arising in any way from errors or omissions. We will not be liable for loss resulting from any action or decision by you in reliance on the material in the papers. By reading the papers, you acknowledge that we are not responsible for, and accept no liability in relation to, any reader’s use of, access to or conduct in connection with the papers in any circumstance. Photographs submitted by individuals or organisations are assumed to be their property and are therefore not otherwise credited. All articles in this paper have received the expressed consent of the author to publish in this paper.

The Jewish Report; ISSN 2204-4639

Publisher: The Jewish Report Pty Ltd (ACN 167302981)

Distributor: TJR Distribution Pty Ltd ACN 165158029

Comments or suggestions to: editor@thejewishreport.com.au

Article submissions to: www.thejewishreport.com.au/article-submission-guidelines

Advertising: editor@thejewishreport.com.au

Website: www.thejewishreport.com.au

Printer: Spotpress Pty Ltd

from the infinite skies and puts it into his father’s arms. It is not about making God physical, but about finding a human vessel for nearness.

Practical spirituality

This "inner dimension" isn't reserved for the study hall; it's found in the mundane. Rabbi Weinberger points to the story of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, who saw a man oiling his wagon wheels while wearing his tallis and tefillin. While others saw a lack of respect, the rabbi saw a soul who refused to separate himself from God, even during manual labor.

“Calling your grandmother when she’s lonely is a deeply spiritual act,” Rabbi Weinberger says. “Looking at your children and seeing their inner soul even when they are acting out – that is the work of the inner Torah.”

The ultimate song

details to a curiosity about the Author of redemption.

Visualisation as a tool

To bridge the gap between the infinite and the personal, Rabbi Weinberger uses visualisation in prayer. Theologically, he thinks of Ayin (nothingness), a vast, infinite expanse. "But then I bring that vastness into my father’s face," he explains. He brings the kindness and love he has experienced in this world down

Spelling bee answers

We cannot reach the "Song of Songs", the love of God, until we step outside our own narrow world. A small person sings only of themselves, but as we grow, our song expands to include family, community and all of creation. If we remain stuck in "scrolling and selfies", we lose the ability to compose the music of the soul.

To learn more, visit RabbiBenji.com or follow @RabbiBenji on social media.

Jewish answer: RABBOTEI. Here is a list of some common words (“yes”, we know there are more words in the dictionary that can work, but these words are common to today’s vernacular): ABATE, ABATOR, ABBOT, ABORT, ARBITRATE, ARBOR, AIRBOAT, BAOBAB, BARBER, BARRIER, BARTER, BATTER, BATTIER, BEARER, BEATER, BERET, BETTER, BETTOR, BIDDER, BITTER, BOOBOO, BOOTIE, BORER, BRIAR, BRATTIER, ARBITRATOR, ORBIT, ORBITER, RABBI, RABBIT, REBATE, REBBE, REBOOT, RIBBIT, ROBBER, ROBOT, TABOO, TIBIA, TITBIT and TRIBE.

Questions/comments/compliments: email Yoni at koshercrosswords@gmail.com

Crossword answers

CONSIDERED OPINION

DR YVETTE ALT MILLER COURTESY: AISH.COM

Roald Dahl’s family has apologised for the author’s antisemitism. Is it enough?

To say my family has had a rocky relationship with Roald Dahl’s stories is an understatement. Like their peers, my kids have read some of Dahl’s bestselling children’s books and watched some of the movies based on them. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches, Matilda – we’ve appreciated the writing and (at times) even the cruel-tinged humour. But we’ve always been keenly aware that Roald Dahl wouldn’t have returned our appreciation of his talent: he would have hated us for the simple fact that we are Jews.

Now, a Broadway play is forcing that contradiction back into the spotlight. "Giant", which opened March 23 after a celebrated run in London's West End, stars John Lithgow as Dahl – and it's not a flattering portrait. The play centres on a single turbulent afternoon in which Dahl is confronted by his publishers over antisemitic language in a book review, and his response is to mock, deflect and double down. Lithgow's performance has drawn raves, but the real subject of the play is a question Jews have wrestled with for generations: how do you reckon with an artist whose work you love and whose hatred you cannot ignore?

“There is a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke animosity ... even a stinker like Hitler didn’t just pick on them for no reason,” Dahl said in an interview in 1983. In 1990, just a few months before his death, he doubled down on his antisemitism, telling a journalist, “I am certainly anti-Israel, and I have become anti-Semitic.”

The family of Roald Dahl – and the company managing his literary oeuvre – issued an apology for the author’s anti-Jewish rhetoric. “The Dahl family and the Roald Dahl Story Company deeply apologise for the lasting and understandable hurt caused by some of Roald Dahl’s statements,” they posted on Dahl’s official website. The apology is welcome, but I doubt it can make up for the damage Dahl caused to generations of young readers who looked up to him and who were influenced by his caustic views and anti-Jewish statements.

For years, I’ve used Dahl as a cautionary tale with my kids: an example of a man who’s so overcome with bitterness and hatred that it warps his entire life.

Dahl had some very horrible experiences. His first wife was American actress Patricia Neal, with whom he had five children (and whom he later divorced). In 1960, their infant son Theo was severely injured in a car accident and sustained brain damage. Two years later, their seven-year-old daughter Olivia died from complications after a bout of measles. In 1965, Patricia suffered a series of strokes and became partly paralysed and unable to talk. Dahl nursed her intensely through her recovery and lent his formidable intellect and his resources as a famous author to help support research into brain damage treatments,

Roald Dahl’s antisemitism

stroke recovery and measles vaccines.

But he also responded to some of the tragedies with a coldness that characterised his cruel humour in many of his books. When his daughter, Olivia, was sick with the measles that would soon kill her, Dahl recalled that “we even teased her for her polka dots”. When his wife, Patricia, was unable to remember basic words after her stroke and would mistakenly say nonsense-sounding words instead, Dahl used these oddsounding phrases for comic effect in his book The BFG: “... I suppose, yes, some of the trouble Pat had did work its way into The BFG. Yes, it must have,’ he later said. He spoke publicly about losing his Christian faith as a result of all these trials and missing the comfort and hope that religion might have offered him.

Sometimes tragedy can help spur us to respond with growth, I’d tell my kids. Other times, we risk sinking into depression and despair. Dahl’s antisemitism, his hatred, his bitterness and even the cruelty that works its way into his humour in his books might stem from his inability to deal with the tragedies in his life, I’d suggest.

The hatred for Jews and Israel that Dahl displayed is even more baffling in light of his earlier understanding of the key importance of Israel as a homeland for the world’s Jews. Dahl fought in Britain’s Royal Air Force during World War II and spent time in present day Israel, where he came face to face with desperate Jewish child refugees.

In his compelling non-fiction memoir Going Solo, he describes meeting refugees from Hitler’s Germany near Haifa, in northern Israel. After landing his plane, about 50 young children came out excitedly to look at it. The scores of children were being looked after by a German-Jewish couple. “But who are

you and who are all these children?” Dahl asked the grown up. “We are Jewish refugees”, the man explained. “The children are all orphans. This is our home.” After inviting Dahl into their small, basic shelter for coffee, the husband and Roald Dahl had a long conversation about the centrality of Israel in Jewish life, which Dahl was able to record word for word over 40 years later. “You have a country to live in and it is called England,” the Jewish man told Dahl. “Therefore, you have no problems.” Dahl responded in great anger, pointing out that England was fighting Germany in a war to the death. Didn’t this Jewish man care whether or not Hitler was defeated?

“Of course I care,” the Jewish man responded. “It is essential that Hitler be defeated. But that is only a matter of months and years. Historically, it will be a very short battle ... My battle is one that has been going on since” ancient times.

“I still have a very clear picture of the inside of that hut and of the bearded man with the bright fiery eyes who kept talking to me in riddles,” Dahl wrote. “‘We need a homeland,’ the man was saying. ‘We need a country of our own. Even the Zulus have Zululand. But we have nothing.’”

“‘You mean the Jews have no country?’”

“‘That’s exactly what I mean,’ he said. ‘It’s time we had one.’”

Dahl and the man spoke for hours, then Dahl took photos of the children and the land they were farming. In Going Solo, published in 1986, Dahl wrote “The name of that tiny settlement of Jewish orphans was Ramat David.

It is written in my logbook. Whether or not anything exists on the site today I do not know ...”

If Dahl had only taken the time to investigate, he would have learned that Kibbutz Ramat David did indeed still exist in northern Israel then – and continues to flourish today. The kibbutz was established in 1926, named after former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George (who was in power when the Balfour Declaration, committing Britain to establishing a Jewish homeland, was issued). If Dahl had wanted to, he might have even visited the kibbutz once more and, possibly, met some of those children, now grown, who might have remembered him and thanked him for his efforts in helping to defeat Nazism.

But Dahl never made that journey –just as he never regained the innocence and optimism he seemingly had as a young man.

“A life is made up of a great number of small incidents and a small number of great ones,” Dahl wrote in his introduction to Going Solo. Roald Dahl had a great many tragedies and horrible times in his life.

The acidity in his humour and the resentment against Jews and Israel that he outspokenly shared prevented us from embracing his works as favourites.

The Dahl family’s apology and that of the company controlling his books is of course welcome.

But I can’t help but feel that it’s too little, too late. His family stated in their apology: “We just hope that, just as he did at his best, at his absolute worst Roald Dahl can help remind us of the lasting impact of words.” Those words – describing how he hated Jews – can never be erased. We can enjoy Dahl’s undisputed genius, but in our home, we’ve never been able to enjoy his legacy.

AROUND THE COMMUNITY

RAINBOW ROY & RAINBOW ROSIE

Join Jewish occupational therapist, mother and grandmother Debbie Adler on an adventure across the Australian countryside in her new children’s book “Rainbow Roy and Rainbow Rosie”. The story, set in the bush, is illustrated by Dominique Mumberson, a talented artist from Murrumbateman, in country NSW.

When Rainbow Rosie heads out for a morning ride on her horse Colours she comes across her friend Rainbow Roy and can tell that something is wrong. He is anxious and his thought cloud, ‘Cloudy’, is hovering over him, filled with dark thoughts.

Rainbow Roy tells Rainbow Rosie that he has found a lost lorikeet. They set off on a journey to help the lorikeet, discovering how to deal with anxiety along the way. Each page encourages them to calm themselves, using breathing techniques and visual mindfulness, while seeking support from each other. As they calm their thoughts, the thought cloud lightens and fills with colour, as do their clothes. The techniques Rainbow Roy uses in the book are proven techniques that children and adults can use to support and reduce anxiety by lowering their heart rate and calming their mind in the moment.

Rainbow Roy and Rainbow Rosie was written for primary school students, however it has broader appeal. The aim of the picture book is to help children understand and manage anxiety through a relatable story and visual cues using the colours of the rainbow to gently guide them. As the narrative progresses,

CORNER

This recipe comes from a trained chef, food stylist, recipe developer and writer based in Cape Town, South Africa. Here name is Samantha Linsell. You can find more about her here: https:// drizzleanddip.com/about/

We are friends, dating back to hotel school in Johannesburg and I am inspired by her huge recipe collection.

Ingredients:

1 small red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large red or yellow capsicum, diced into 0.5cm cubes

2 cups mushrooms, finely sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 – 4 tablespoons of Harissa paste, depending upon how hot you would like the dish

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)

5 large ripe tomatoes 800g, or 2 x 400g tins of crushed tomatoes

3 cups baby spinach leaves

salt and pepper

4 – 6 free range eggs

1 small handful coriander, roughly chopped

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until it has softened. Allow 4 – 5 minutes.

Picture book helps with childhood anxiety

those reading it can see how effective these calming techniques are for the key characters. This allows them to learn and practice the techniques for themselves.

The imagery throughout the book helps children to understand and visualise how anxiety feels to them, using language that makes their feelings more tangible. Reading books about emotions they may be experiencing helps youngsters to regard their feelings as normal. Children and adults can begin to use the colours of the rainbow to express their emotions and feelings in their daily lives.

The book, which is particularly relevant given the societal upheaval we are living through, is endorsed by psychologist and teacher Hazel McKenzie. She called it “a beautifully crafted story that explores the full spectrum of emotions, while gently teaching children practical self-regulation skills. Rainbow Roy and Rainbow Rosie is rich in visual symbolism, inviting meaningful conversations about friendship, life challenges and the development of resilience.”

Of great appeal is the vibrant imagery drawn from the Australian countryside with each colour of the rainbow represented through Australian flora and fauna.

Those interested in purchasing the book, which retails for $29.95 plus $9.95 postage, can do so by emailing Debbie directly at hellodebbieadler@gmail.com or by going to her website: www.debbieadler.com.au.

Rainbow Roy and Rainbow Rosie will also be available soon from bookshops throughout Australia.

You can also reach out to Debbie via Instagram: authordebbieadler

A delicious and easy Shakshuka

Photo by Samantha Linsell

Add the capsicum and cook for a further few minutes until they are soft. Add the mushrooms and cook for another minute or two.

Add the tomato paste, Harissa, cumin, chilli, salt, pepper and garlic and cook for five more minutes. If it dries out or becomes too thick, add a splash of water.

Add the tomatoes (I used tinned ones) and the spinach and cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick. Make little wells in the sauce and break the eggs into these. Then simmer for 8 – 10 minutes until cooked. Swirl the egg whites with the sauce and try not to break the yolks. If you cover the pan it will speed up the process.

The eggs are ready when the whites are firm and cooked, and the egg yolks are soft. Spoon out the eggs with the sauce and serve.

Note: This dish is best eaten on the day it is made. Any leftover sauce can be stored in the fridge and used again.

REVIEWS

Superlatives can’t do justice to a magnificent Handa Opera production of The Phantom of the Opera on its 40th anniversary.

With the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge as a spectacular backdrop, the leads are glorious, the chorus captivating and the production values mesmerising.

As far as the staging goes, only outdoors could you achieve the gobsmacking feats seen on Sydney Harbour.

I speak of a massive, four-tiered chandelier risen and “dropped” by crane, a semi-circle of fire beckoning the arrival of a gondola and two tranches of fireworks.

That is not to overlook a massive sweeping spiral staircase and a “slice” of opera theatre VIP boxes.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterful work continues to entice and excite by stirring the soul.

After a prologue involving a Paris Opera House auction in 1919, the story turns back the clock to events at the grand opera in 1881.

As the cast is preparing for a new production of Hannibal, the opera house owner/manager announces his retirement. For three years “accidents” have been happening regularly at the theatre and now there is another near miss, which is blamed on “the opera ghost”.

The resident soprano Carlotta Giudicelli storms out. Rather than cancel a sold-out performance, a young chorus girl with a

A glorious Phantom

well-trained golden voice, Christine Daae, steps in.

The opera’s new patron Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny recognises Christine from their childhood and begins to woo her. Her vocalisation has been shaped by a gifted composer, a grossly disfigured man whose full face she has never seen.

It is his (The Phantom of the Opera’s) jealousy that informs the rest of the narrative, as he casts a large shadow over all future productions at the opera house.

I am in awe of the phenomenal new talent that is baritone Jake Lyle, a 22-yearold Queenslander who tackles the pivotal role as the Phantom.

His depth of feeling and gravitas are outstanding. He inhabits the character as if it had been created for him.

Cast as the Phantom’s charge, Christine Daae, is exceptional Australian/American soprano Amy Manford who, too, has made the part her own.

Her passion for and conviction in the persona have previously been seen and heard in Australia and in London’s West End.

This is a performer at the top of her game, who is utterly enchanting.

Jarrod Draper, who featured in Opera Australia’s Sunset Boulevard, excels as the man who competes with the Phantom for Christine’s affection.

Going toe to toe with the disfigured manipulator in Act II is one of the many highlights of the Handa Opera.

Brent Hill and Martin Crewes lean into and ensure they have fun with their roles

Turning the tables on injustice

The idea for this Broadway musical emerged from an ugly truth. Inclusion is the theme. Comedy is the vehicle.

The Prom has its Australian debut at a new home for musical theatre in Sydney’s west, Teatro at the Italian Forum.

A high profile, Tony Award-winning actress, Dee Dee Allen (Caroline O’Connor) and leading man Barry Glickman (Brendan Monger) are extreme narcissists.

Now, they have been hit by the karma bus.

Yet another show they star in has been forced to close due to terrible reviews.

Still only thinking of themselves, they team up with two washed-up actors.

There is down on his luck Juilliard School graduate Trent Oliver (Thern Reynolds) and life-long chorus girl Angie Dickerson (Bella McSporran).

The four collectively look to reboot their tarnished image.

It is Angie who comes across a cause they believe they can hang their hats on.

They determine they will side with a lesbian teenager named Emma Nolan (Sophie Montague) who lives in the backwater town of Edgewater in Indiana.

Her school prom was cancelled after she wanted to bring along her girlfriend of a year and a half, fellow student Alyssa Green (Paige Fallu).

Alyssa hasn’t come out yet and happens to be the daughter of strong-willed, conservative PTA head Mrs Green (Erin Bruce).

In Emma’s court is school principal Mr Hawkins (Scott Irwin), a fan of Dee Dee Allen’s work. So, it is that the four actors,

with PR manager Sheldon Saperstein (Brad Green) in tow, descend upon Edgewater.

Proudly gay Barry Glickman immediately takes Emma under his wing.

But Dee Dee – who takes a shine to Mr Hawkins – finds it near on impossible to consider anyone but herself.

This story will take more than a few extra turns.

Emma hasn’t invited, and doesn’t like, the focus on her, but inevitably it is.

Dealing with a pair of mean girls, Kaylee (Nina Hurley) and Shelby (Abbey McPherson) is just the start.

With music by Matthew Sklar, book by Rob Martin and Chad Beguelin and lyrics by the latter, The Prom was originally staged in Atlanta, Georgia in August 2016. It officially opened on Broadway in November 2018.

I mentioned that the musical had at its foundation reality.

as Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur Andre respectively.

The new opera house managers/owners are at first delighted to have bought control of the company, but quickly come to realise that they will be sorely tested –and how!

Deborah Krizak impresses with her substantive presence as ballet mistress Madame Giry, who recognises and fears the powerful force of the Phantom.

Australian/Italian soprano Giuseppina Grech is delightfully uppity as the mainstay soprano of the opera, Carlotta. The latter is being pushed aside by the demands of the Phantom.

Her leading man is Ubaldo Piangi. Daniel Belle revels in the indignance and frustration he brings to the tenor.

They are backed by a striking ensemble, led by dance captain Danielle Evrat.

The stunning score, including hits such as the title song, The Music of the Night, All I Ask of You and Masquerade, overseen by Guy Simpson, has lost none of its impact.

Gabriela Tylesova’s sumptuous costuming and breathtaking set design are works of art.

Simone Sault’s choreography is glorious, while Nick Schlieper’s lighting and Shelly Lee’s sound design elevate the drama.

Director Simon Phillips gives us a production of theatrical excellence to be celebrated and savoured.

Two hours 40 minutes, including interval, The Phantom of the Opera is playing at Mrs Macquarie’s Point until 3rd May, 2026.

That involved a senior student named Constance McMillen in Fulton, Mississippi, who in 2010 was banned from attending her school prom.

She found support from several celebrities.

Teatro’s rendition of The Prom is a delightful hoot, headlined by one of Australia’s great musical theatre performers in Caroline O’Connor, who doesn’t disappoint.

With those golden tonsils and wonderful stagecraft, O’Connor is dynamic and showy, just as her role calls for.

Matching her, stride for stride, is the equally evocative, vocally dextrous Brendan Monger, who is so impressive as the male lead. He leans into it as if wearing a most comfortable pair of old slippers.

Sophie Montague brings a big voice and integrity to her pivotal characterisation of Emma. The same, critical authenticity is evident in Scott Irwin as Mr Hawkins.

Erin Bruce plays for keeps as the no nonsense Mrs Green.

Paige Fallu is vivacious at Alyssa. Thern Reynolds and Bella McSporran make the most of their “look at me” moments, while Sheldon Saperstein is noteworthy as the pragmatic, bespectacled PR agent.

Nina Hurley and Abbey McPherson generate the desired attitude as the ignorant girls all too willing to diss Emma.

They, together the other leads and an enthusiastic ensemble, ensure that The Prom leaves a positive, indelible impression.

The chorus numbers are terrific. They are aided by a talented orchestra, under the guidance of musical director Craig Renshaw.

The transition between scenes is seamless and Nathan M. Wright’s choreography slick.

The glitzy costuming by Cornelia Cassimatis is so much fun, while the set design by Nick Fry is also suitably colourful.

The lighting design by Roderick Van Gelder and sound design by Niamh Sinclair hit all the right notes (if you pardon the pun).

With a solid emotional core, The Prom is a musical that is highly energetic, entertaining and engaging.

Winner of the 2019 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, it is playing at Teatro at the Italian Forum in Leichhardt until 26th April, 2026.

For more of Alex First’s reviews, go to https://www.itellyouwhatithink.com

DORRON KLINE CEO TELFED ISRAELI NEWS

Israel is turning 78 and it is time to celebrate.

The milestone will be marked across the Jewish world on Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. In Ra’anana, the Telfed offices are proudly draped in blue and white, a quiet but powerful reminder of what this country represents and what it continues to endure.

Before the State of Israel takes a deep breath and blows out the candles on its proverbial blue and white cake, it is important to pause and reflect.

The past year has been sobering, complex and, in many ways, extraordinary. Since October 7th, Israeli

A time to reflect and rejoice

financial planning workshops, social gatherings and a range of lectures and initiatives. There has also been a notable expansion in volunteering opportunities and in applications for Telfed’s PRAS community service scholarships.

We have lived through a year that, at times, felt almost unimaginable. The return of hostages from Gaza –something many feared we might never see – reminded us of both the fragility and the strength of our reality. We faced major escalations with Iran and the threat of ballistic missiles capable of devastating impact.

While each loss and injury is deeply felt, we are acutely aware of what could have been. There have been moments that can only be described as miraculous.

Above all, we have witnessed extraordinary resilience. People are tired, but they have not given up. There is

Aliyah