Community message
- Published June 30 2024
- Community Message
Community message from JCCV President, Philip Zajac.
RALLIES THAT DISRUPT AND RALLYING THAT INSPIRES
This week, the JCCV was invited by Councillor Roshena Campbell to participate in the City of Melbourne’s City Disruption Roundtable.
Hosted by City of Melbourne CEO Alison Leighton, the forum brought together council staff with state government bureaucrats, Victoria Police, business and resident representatives, union officials and senior State Library of Victoria staff, to discuss, among other things, the persistent pro-Palestine protests each Sunday.
Everyone agreed that after 39 weeks, these protests are having a detrimental impact on our city in a range of ways. The JCCV was represented by CEO Naomi Levin, who worked with the group to try and find creative strategies to reclaim the city from the demonstrators. Suggested strategies will be presented to councillors at a coming meeting to action.
The JCCV thanks Cr Campbell for her ongoing support and for ensuring the Jewish community voice was heard at this important discussion.
In related news, the JCCV has written to the Police Minister Anthony Carbines and Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patten regarding new signs that appeared at last Sunday’s demonstration.
The JCCV has asked Victoria Police to investigate whether these signs breach existing laws banning the public display of Nazi symbols including “a symbol that so nearly resembles the [Nazi] symbol … that it is likely to be confused with or mistaken for that symbol”.
Our community has long held serious concerns about the slogans and placards at these demonstrations, we are calling on Victoria Police to take urgent action against the increasing presence of terrorist group and Nazi symbols. The weekly protests in Melbourne are becoming increasing extreme and violent.
SUPPORT FROM MINISTER CARROLL
I met with Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll this week.
The Deputy Premier has been targeted by protesters himself over his support for Israel and the Jewish community, and he understands how volatile the local situation has become.
Minister Carroll explained the Department of Education had been responding to his instructions to discipline teachers who are spreading inappropriate political messages in the classroom.
We also discussed ways to improve social cohesion and promote respect for all regardless of their backgrounds or culture. I was pleased to hear some of his innovative ideas – in and out of the classroom – and encouraged him to take immediate action.
The JCCV has also met this week with Paul Hamer MP, James Newbury MP, the office of Minister for Children and Disability Lizzie Blandthorn and staff from the Department of Justice and Community Safety to help progress our Action Not Words campaign.
There is a lot of support from both sides of politics for our community and we will continue to work with all MPs to make Victoria a place where Jewish people can proudly and safely live.
A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
There are many Jewish figures who I draw on for knowledge and insight, and you do not have to be especially religious to recognise the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
This week, I read some of his advice which really resonated. The Rebbe wrote:
- Exert your influence through quiet diplomacy but don’t lose your backbone. Maintain pride in yourself as a Jew and in your Jewish observance.
- It’s not effective to confront someone by proving that he or she is an antisemite. On the contrary, where possible, do your best to engage them.
- Concentrate on building relationships with leaders rather than chasing down the misdeeds of the followers.
These are just some of the principles that I would like the JCCV to follow to create a better Victoria for our Jewish community.
GOOD NEWS
Wow! What an incredible effort we saw from our community to rally and find Noam, a young Jewish man who became lost on a cold Melbourne night.
Once the call went out that he was missing, more than a 1,000 people, supported by the amazing Hatzolah volunteers, joined the search.
Noam was eventually found by a young local couple in Dandenong who stopped to help a lost young man.
A JCCV staff member spoke to Noam’s mother a few days after he was found. She was overwhelmed with gratitude, but wanted to make sure that it was known that it wasn’t just the incredible efforts of the Jewish community that moved her. She said that people from all walks of life banded together to find Noam.
The mobilisation of the people in the South Eastern suburbs transcended all divides, and was a reminder of the Victoria that we know and love. What a great ending and what a remarkable community.
#ACTIONNOTWORDS
The JCCV has outlined what #ActionNotWords means to us and what steps we want our state and federal government to take.
Get involved by sharing the campaign on social media and with your local leaders.
#ActionNotWords
