Australia & NZ.

Written by Julie Nathan, Research Officer, Executive Council of Australian Jewry………. Melbourne held its first Al-Quds Day rally this year. The short video of the rally and march shows about fifty people gathered on the steps of the State Library, with speakers giving speeches, and protestors waving anti-Israel banners. The …

Written by Julie Nathan, Research Officer, Executive Council of Australian Jewry………… Around 150 people attended, plus a police contingent of over a dozen officers. An Israeli flag at the rally had the words “Delete Zionists” painted on the blue stripes, and the Star of David was circled and crossed out. …

The Union for Progressive Judaism (UPJ)’s Australian website is very professional and is regularly updated. There is a special organisation devoted to social justice, called ‘The Jewish Religious Action & Advocacy Centre‘ (JRAAC) whose mission is: …to pursue the principles of justice, equality and integrity as outlined in Jewish texts …

Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister – Senator Bob Carr – has made the long running Jewish-Arab conflict an issue in the forthcoming elections on 7 September. Speaking at the Lakemba Mosque in Sydney on 8 August at celebrations to mark the end of Ramadan – Carr reportedly committed the Labor Government …

LINK ……….. It was disappointing to hear the remarks made by Foreign Minister Bob Carr outside Lakemba Mosque at the celebrations to mark Eid al-Fitr on Thursday. While we commend Senator Carr for recognising that Palestinian statehood aspirations require “respect for the right of Israel to exist”, it is unfortunate that …

Barney Zwartz writes in The Age that Tim Fischer, the former Australian Deputy PM, claimed the New York Jewish lobby had unfairly blackened the name of WWII Pope Pius XII “in the interests of a modern political agenda”. “Pius has been criticised for not doing enough to protect Jews during …

The Australian Palestinian Lobby are gathering the troops in their attempt to further influence our politicians, mainly the ALP, The Greens and  GetUp to follow the party line, which is the Palestinian party line. A questionnaire has been prepared by the Palestinian Lobby for their constituents and followers to send …

This week’s Torah reading – Shoftim – contains the well-known phrase ‘Tzedek tzedek tirdof’ (Devarim 16:20) – the injunction to pursue righteousness. This comes at the conclusion of verses which mandate the establishment of ‘law and order’ in society, which are built upon a judicial system, and police to enforce …

 What is the Sydney Alliance? This, according to their very expensive web site, is what they are. Sydney Alliance: “The Sydney Alliance is a citizens’ coalition whose vision is to provide the community with a voice to express common values and aspirations for a fair and just Sydney. Sydney Alliance …

Dr Leslie Cannold has announced she is standing as running mate for Julian Assange’s Wikileaks Party. Described as “an author, commentator, ethicist and activist”, she writes extensively about gender issues, and is listed as one of Australia’s top 20 public intellectuals. About Given her feminist credentials, her support for Wikileaks …

Israel and Australia are democracies. They share the same values, including freedom of the press and freedom of religion. The rule of law ensures all are treated equally under the law and the rights of minorities are guaranteed. The principle of separation of powers between the legislative, executive and judicial …

I might have finally understood the Left. The stance of the Left is best explained by one of my favourite jokes – the social worker joke: Two social workers are walking down the street late at night. As they turn a corner, they see a man lying in the gutter. …

  This is a true story. Kangaroo Valley  is a small rural community in the Kangaroo Valley in the Southern Highlands of NSW about 160 kilometres south of Sydney. Accordingto the last census there are only 844 people in the little town and region but very likely there would have been many …

O little town of Bethlehem How still we see thee lie On Tuesday, July 2, in the Tom Foster Hall in Newtown, in the Municipality of Marrickville, Friends of Bethlehem held a Special General Meeting of its membership, who unanimously voted to join the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against …