Community message
- Published
- Community Message
FROM CAULFIELD, CAROLINE SPRINGS, TO ACROSS THE TASMAN
Strengthening community ties through stories, connection, and shared learning.
LEADERS BEAR WITNESS
March of the Living Australia took nine Victorian MPs to Poland earlier this year to bear witness to the Shoah.
This week, I listened as some of those MPs recounted their visit and the impact it had on them. It was a profound experience to hear from Liberal MPs Rachel Westaway, James Newbury, and David Southwick, and Labor MPs Nina Taylor, Michael Galea and Ryan Batchelor. My message to them is that you are all now witnesses. It is your responsibility to share what you have witnessed, including the message of what can happen when antisemitism goes unchecked.
50 KILOMETRES OF JEWISH CONNECTION
The JCCV took a drive to Caroline Springs this week to meet with the Mayor of Melton Cr Steve Abboushi. We were joined by Bracha Kantor, one of the driving forces behind the new Jewish community in Fraser Rise, in the City of Melton.
Cr Abboushi was eager to learn about how the council can best support the Jewish community, which now numbers more than 100 people.
The next step for the Fraser Rise community is to build a synagogue and community centre. With the energy of the community and the support of the council, we have every hope this plan will come to fruition.
In other council news, the City of Glen Eira welcomed a new CEO recently, Lucy Roffey. The previous CEO, Rebecca McKenzie, was a great supporter of the local Jewish community and we deeply appreciate all the work she did, with the elected councillors, to ensure the City of Glen Eira is a safe and welcoming place for our community. JCCV CEO Naomi Levin met with Lucy this week and we are looking forward to working closely with Lucy.
ACROSS THE DITCH
I managed a quick visit to New Zealand last week and met up with my counterparts from the Auckland Jewish community. It is a small but active community, with a vibrant government-supported Jewish school and three synagogues. But like Jewish communities all around the world, they are always looking for support. I will keep in contact with the community leaders and am keen to find ways for the Victorian Jewish community to help our brothers and sisters in Auckland.
BREAKING BARRIERS WITH A SIDE OF HUMOUR
The JCCV’s Jewish Immersion Program continues to upskill non-Jewish employees, helping them to learn about the Jewish community and antisemitism.
During this fortnight, we will run programs for staff and councillors in the cities of Port Phillip, Stonnington and Glen Eira. We also have a special session planned next week with Jewish Care’s many non-Jewish staff members.
This program continues to break down barriers and build awareness and empathy for the Jewish community. But don’t take my word for it, this is the message one of the participants left after this week’s program:
“Both Josh and Allison [presenters] were incredible! Delivered such complex topics in a very easy to understand manner. Love both Josh and Allison’s humour and ability to present to well.”
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
Finally, an important reminder. As part of the Australian Government’s Seen and Heard Project, the JCCV ran a consultation with men and women from our ultra-Orthodox communities. The stories we heard of antisemitism, particularly attacks on ultra-Orthodox men and boys, who are so easily identifiable as Jewish, were just heartbreaking.
I would like to remind everyone in our community, from the most religious to the most secular, that you are not alone. While we heard, once again, that many feel let down by the authorities, please do not stop reporting antisemitism to CSG and remember the JCCV has an Antisemitism Support Service where we can connect you with help.
JCCV PLENUM: YOU'RE INVITED
