Community message
- Published November 24 2024
- Community Message
PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
DECISION TO BAN AYELET SHAKED
In March 2023, Ayelet Shaked, a former senior minister in Naftali Bennett’s Government, visited Melbourne to speak to our community about the role women play in Israeli society and the opportunities for women in the Middle East’s only liberal democracy. During that visit, she was interviewed by JCCV CEO Naomi Levin at a very well attended UIA Victoria Women’s Division event (pictured).
Ayelet planned to return next week to address an important annual Australia-Israel security dialogue. So we were absolutely stunned to hear that the Australian Government has denied her a visa.
Our roof bodies have coordinated a response to the Albanese Government. This is an outrageous decision and a real insult to a democratically elected former minister of a friendly country.
VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT WON’T RENEW ISRAEL AGREEMENT
It was reported this week that the Victorian Government will allow a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2022 with the Israeli Government to lapse this week.
This MOU had been a formal sign that Victoria and Israel saw opportunities for joint projects that would be mutually beneficial. This decision is an extremely disappointing concession to The Greens, who have repeatedly called for the Victorian Government to divest from Israel.
The JCCV urges the Victorian Government to continue to build trade ties with Israel, including via Victoria’s Trade and Investment Office in Tel Aviv. There are so many areas of mutual interest and benefit, especially in medical research and biomedical technology.
BUILDING ON THE PAST, PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE: INSIGHTS FROM DR DAVID GRAHAM ON STRENGTHENING VICTORIA'S JEWISH COMMUNITY
As a community, we have been so well served by the generations that came before us. Our parents and grandparents established community institutions – Jewish schools, synagogues, caring facilities and cultural organisations – that have kept us strong and united.
It is important though, to not only look back with gratitude, but to look forward and plan.
That is why the JCCV brought Sydney-based demographer Dr David Graham to Melbourne last week to meet with local Jewish leaders and funders.
Working with the NSW Jewish Communal Appeal, David has produced a report called The Jewish Population of Australia: Key Findings from the 2021 Census
David told us we are doing some things really well: the Victorian Jewish community is the largest in Australia (54,500 people in Victoria, compared to 47,000 in NSW), has a greater number of children attending Jewish school (57% of school aged children, compared to 45% in NSW), and has a lower rate of inter-marriage (81% of Victorian Jews have a Jewish spouse) than any other Australian Jewish community.
But we also learned that we have more elders than the broader Australian population, the community fertility rate is below replacement level, and David does not anticipate significant Jewish population growth in coming years.
The question for the JCCV is what do we need to do now to ensure a strong united Jewish community for the next 10, 20 and 30 years?
Those who came to our AGM on Monday heard that the JCCV is putting together a plan to find some answers to this question. The first step is to gather existing data on our community. We have a gold mine of insights thanks to the Census, and the Gen08 and Gen17 surveys led by Monash University’s Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation. But other community organisations have also compiled information – from the Victorian Antisemitism Report and CSG’s impact reports, to Jewish Care’s post-October.
We will also be making the case why it is the JCCV that should be leading the discussion about community planning.
In the meantime, I encourage you to read David’s report, it contains a wealth of interesting information about the Australian Jewish community.
To delve deeper into these important discussions, I encourage you to read an op-ed by JCCV CEO Naomi Levin, titled “Where are we heading as a community?”, which reflects on Dr David Graham’s visit and the key insights shared.
JCCV SAYS NO TO VIOLENCE
On Friday, the JCCV proudly joined the Walk Against Family Violence, standing in solidarity with communities across Victoria for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Violence against women has no place in our society or our Jewish community. We walk together to send a powerful message: we stand united against all forms of abuse.
Together, let us champion respect, equality, and love.
We thank our friends at Jewish Care for organising this important show of solidarity, and acknowledge the difficult work they do providing support to victims of family violence.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the JCCV’s 86th AGM!
It was an inspiring evening reflecting on the past year – a year filled with challenges, strength, and the incredible resilience of our Jewish community. Your participation and engagement highlight the dedication that drives us all forward.
Here’s to continuing our shared journey towards a stronger, united community.
#JCCV #CommunityResilience #JewishLeadership #StrengthInUnity
