“The child is the father of the man”: How the birth of my grandson renewed my hope for a gentler year
January 9, 2025 | Rabbi Ralph Genende
When my grandson was soon to be born, I was filled with dread — like the Hebrew parents of my Egyptian slave ancestors, a hundred generations ago, who must have wondered: “How can we bring children into this dangerous world?”
A black day for the international community
December 18, 2024 | Justin Amler
This is a resolution of surrender to terrorism and tyranny, effectively rewarding Hamas by giving it everything it has been asking for since October 7, while sacrificing all Western ideals of justice, fairness and freedom. It is shameful that countries such as Britain, Canada, France and New Zealand could support such a resolution…
Australia is abandoning Israel
December 18, 2024 | Colin Rubenstein
This vote was part of a clear pattern by the Australian Government of deliberately transforming our bipartisan history of warm relations with Israel combined with thoughtful support for a negotiated two-state resolution with the Palestinians. Our new policy appears to be something approaching open antagonism to the Jewish state, combined with a near obsession with demanding Palestinian statehood at all costs.
Maybe she won’t be right after all
December 16, 2024 | Justin Amler
Australia can no longer pretend we are immune to this storm of darkness that has swept across the world and now reached our shores too. And the Jews of Australia are crying out for moral strength and clarity from our country’s leaders…
Australian government’s conduct gravely disappointing
December 13, 2024 | Jamie Hyams
The government’s own calculations no doubt inform its actions. However, the overall effect has been to degrade Australia’s relationship with our most important Middle Eastern partner, while making Australia’s Jewish community, suffering its worst ever wave of antisemitism, feel more isolated.
Australia’s Jewish community under siege
December 10, 2024 | Justin Amler
The impact of seeing a holy place of worship burning in the very heart of Jewish Melbourne, was like a stab in the heart of the Jewish people.
The government’s vilification of Israel has led to a terror attack on place of worship
December 7, 2024 | Joel Burnie
Attacking a synagogue does not only profane a sacred place, it is the ultimate expression of hatred for the entire Jewish community. Desecrating sacred spaces undermines our social fabric and cohesion as well as the foundation of our liberal democratic and multicultural society.
Jewish Australians’ worst fears have come true
December 6, 2024 | Justin Amler
The Jewish community in Australia is angry at the treatment it’s been receiving from the leaders of this country. It is tired and frustrated and upset and disgusted at what’s been happening on the streets of our cities. And it feels abandoned.
Faith, Unity and the Spirit of Abraham
December 2, 2024 | Rabbi Ralph Genende
The conference coincided with the weekly Torah reading of Genesis 12, which concerns the journey and mission of Abraham: to be a blessing to humanity. This is an important reminder to all of us not to despair of our role to repair – and to play our part in mending – the world.
Australia’s shameful government has acted shamefully yet again
November 29, 2024 | Justin Amler
There are simply no words to describe how the Australian Jewish community has been feeling in recent days. Australia, always known to be fair and just, has brought great shame on itself…
An opportunity for Lebanon, a blow for Hezbollah
November 28, 2024 | Ahron Shapiro
Hezbollah will eventually look to undermine this deal. After all, Resolution 1701, which was supposed to have disarmed Hezbollah and kept it away from Israel’s border, turned out to be not worth the paper it was written on.
Federal government’s actions feed antisemitism here
November 28, 2024 | Colin Rubenstein, Jamie Hyams
The Australian government’s November 21 decision to deny former Israeli justice and interior minister Ayelet Shaked a visa was a surprising act of hostility towards a democratic ally, especially considering the government won’t meaningfully act against the Iranian ambassador effectively calling for genocide… This is just one in a series of severely disappointing government actions since October 7.
