Australia & NZ.

Australia and Judaism Combine Celebrating 2020 Hanukkah Season Cairns, QLD, —To celebrate the 2020 Chanukah season, Chabad North Queensland lit up a giant boomerang menorah at the Cairns Esplanade.  The life size menorah, was constructed entirely of boomerangs and provided Cairns’ Jewish and wider community with a safe way to …

MEDIA RELEASE: Adelaide Holocaust Museum is set to open its doors and the hearts of South Australians. The new Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Andrew Steiner Education Centre (AHMSEC) will be officially launched on Monday 9 November in the heart of the CBD.  With the generous support of the Catholic Archdiocese, …

The Zionist Federation of Australia warmly welcomes the signing of an Israel–UAE treaty and a Bahrain–Israel normalisation agreement, and congratulates the leaders of all three countries. Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler said, “From its very establishment, the State of Israel has sought peace with its neighbours. When Ben …

In an ABC documentary series to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Liberal Party of Australia, the daughter of Sir Robert Menzies, Heather Henderson, recalled that “sectarianism was alive and well in the fifties” and that her “father fought against that always.” Appreciating that he was at the helm of what was …

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry- ECAJ, the peak representative body of the Australian Jewish community, has lodged a formal complaint with FreeTV Australia, the industry body that represents the Free-to-air Australian TV network, about an interview that was aired on Ten Network’s ‘The Project’ on Wednesday 5 August 2020. …

This comment (name withheld) was posted on “Are we destined for Galut (Exile) forever?” , and is re-posted with permission. It’s a great source of comfort that we have so many good non-Jewish friends who support us and Israel. THANK YOU ALL. Am Israel chai – Long live Israel. ……………………………………….. …

The rapid spread of the potentially deadly Covid 19 virus has justifiably deeply unsettled people across the world.   People are right to take sensible precautions against contracting the virus.  Media coverage has boosted our awareness of the dangers of the virus and steps we can take to protect ourselves and …

As a very public Free Speech advocate (I am a Spokesperson for the Free Speech Coalition) I took claims that people would be silenced by Wellington City Council’s proposed adoption of the IHRA’s (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) working definition of antisemitism extremely seriously. After pressure from a variety of groups, …

The contemporary far-right in Australia is best described as a conglomerate of different ideas and ideologies, held with varying intensity and activity, but connected by certain political positions.  These positions, in general, include ultra-nationalism and racism, and opposition to multiculturalism, homosexual rights, equality for females, “the Left” and, in many …

Executive Council ofAustralian Jewry. MEDIA STATEMENT: ASIO chief sounds warning on neo-Nazi threat 25 February 2020. The Director-General of ASIO – Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Mike Burgess has warned about the rapid increase in neo-Nazi activity in Australia. “The Director General is correct to sound the alarm about the emergence …

The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA), Zionist Council of New South Wales (ZCNSW) and the Australia/Israel  & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) today all highly praised the fact that Australia has opposed a bid by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate alleged war crimes in the Palestinian Territories. Full document …

Following publication by the United Nations Human Rights Council of a “blacklist” of businesses operating in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) is calling on the Australian Government to maintain its principled stance towards fairness at the UN and condemn the list. The …

OPEN LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU FROM JEREMY LEIBLER, PRESIDENT OF THE ZIONIST FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA. Dear Prime Minister, I write this letter with a heavy heart. As the President of the Zionist Federation of Australia, an elected representative roof body of the Australian Jewish community, I am proud …

After numerous anti-Israel letters to the editor were published in The Press during April/May 2019, co-director of The Israel Institute of New Zealand, Dr David Cumin, wrote in to provide balance and facts on some of the issues. Mr Minto took particular issue with the statement that the Middle East …

Earlier this month on Saturday 2 November 2019, I, along with 2 friends from the Israeli community in New Zealand, went to show our support as Jews and Israelis with the Kurdish people following their betrayal by President Trump and the subsequent attack on them by Turkey. Being the first …

  MEDIA RELEASE ECAJ annual Report on Antisemitism in Australia 24 November 2019 There were 368 recorded antisemitic incidents in Australia during the year ending 30 September 2019, according to the annual Report on Antisemitism in Australia, published by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry(ECAJ).  The incidents were logged by …

A group based in New Zealand has been found to have dozens of antisemitic posts and comments on its Facebook account. The national debate in New Zealand about online hate is being had at all levels of society, with Prime Minister Ardern meeting with other world leaders to garner support …

Growing up in Auckland, I knew I was a bit different. Christmas wasn’t a big deal for me. My family didn’t have a Christmas tree and a wreath on our door, and 25 December was the most boring day of the year. Often, we would travel to a holiday destination …

Our Prime Minister has been outspoken about the need for social media companies to stop the spread of violent and inciting material.  Particularly in the wake of a terror attack on New Zealand soil, this would seem to be an indication that our government takes terror seriously. However, some actions …

Last week, Auckland mayoral candidate John Tamihere caused outrage when he uttered the Nazi salutation “sieg heil” in a debate with Mayor Phil Goff. Tamihere claims his point was that Goff is like Hitler because he purports to dictate what speech is acceptable for Aucklanders to hear.  And of course, the …