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WHEN OUR VOICES UNITE, WE SHINE BRIGHTER
A week of national collaboration, global solidarity and a Chanukah that promises to shine.
Dear friends,
NATIONAL COLLABORATION IN ACTION
This week, we have seen remarkable national and international coordination to find the most impactful and effective ways to address antisemitism.
Naomi Levin, JCCV CEO, participated in the National Antisemitism Co-Lab hosted by the JCCV member organisation, Australian Jewish Funders, and the Dor Foundation. The event was capably co-led by JCCV board member Rachel Flitman. Participants heard updates from Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal and from Dor Foundation guardian Jennifer Westacott AC.
Around 160 community leaders, allies and supporters from Victoria, NSW, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia and Northern Territory, gathered together over two days to ensure efforts to address antisemitism are following best practice, are impactful and effective and to assess what more needs to be done to address local antisemitism. Many JCCV member organisations were represented including Jewish Care, Stand Up, Jewish Climate Network, March of the Living, Courage to Care, AUJS, Jewish Museum of Australia, NCJWA Victoria, Melbourne Holocaust Museum, and COJA.
Naomi led group discussions around Jewish cultural education, Holocaust education and anti-racism education in Australian schools, and also around community crisis management and resilience. It was clear that the JCCV is seen as a key thought leader in addressing antisemitism locally, and a strategic, collaborative and action-oriented organisation.
I look forward to seeing the impact of this important National Antisemitism Co-Lab in coming months.
THE BIG 7
Looking even further afield, I had the opportunity to hear from leaders from the seven biggest Jewish communities globally – outside of Israel – at a presentation on Thursday in Melbourne.
The J7 – Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism – spent this week in Australia, travelling to Melbourne on Thursday.
Among the observations, the Canadian representative Richard Marceau and French representative Gerard Unger both spoke of the need to “do things differently” when addressing antisemitism. Mr Marceau told of his community’s efforts to encourage legal reform, and as a former Canadian Member of Parliament, spoke of the need to engage effectively with political leaders. American leader William Daroff reminded us that we need to rely on ourselves and to do this, we must remain united. Argentine leader Mauro Berenstein noted that we have to look at antisemitism as a crime, not as a trend, and Germany’s Daniel Botmann spoke about raising the social price of making antisemitic comments. British leader Michael Wegier explained that the UK is planning a national British Jewish Culture Month mid-2026 to celebrate Jewish literature, art, music and move the conversation beyond the conflict in Israel.
The meeting was a timely reminder that globally, Jewish people are dealing with very similar challenges and we must learn from each other’s experiences and support each other at challenging times.
CHANUKAH WILL SHINE BRIGHT
As many of you know, councillors from the City of Stonnington postponed a vote to install a chanukiah outside Malvern Town Hall on Monday night.
The JCCV has worked closely
with City of Stonnington over many years, including upskilling councillors and senior council staff earlier this year via our Jewish Immersion Program. We have worked hard to ensure that the City of Stonnington is committed to supporting the 5000 Jewish residents and the many thousands more Jewish people who work, shop, visit and go to Jewish schools in Stonnington.
In the lead up to this vote, and after it was postponed, the JCCV has been in contact with councillors and council leadership. Councillors will meet again this Tuesday evening at a special meeting to re-consider this motion and we remain confident that a resolution will be reached that allows for a public celebration of Chanukah by City of Stonnington.
This is a great reminder that there are so many Chanukah festivities coming up – please take your families to celebrate at one of the major celebrations at Pillars of Light in Federation Square, at Caulfield Racecourse, or one of the many shule and cultural events planned.
HONOURING A RICH HERITAGE
Finally, I want to reflect on the uplifting first JCCV Commemoration of Jews from Arab Lands and Iran last Sunday night.
Expertly hosted by JCCV Vice President Hayley Southwick, we heard remarkable first-hand reflections on Jewish roots in Iran, Egypt and Yemen, and beautiful Mizrachi music. This event brought a much-needed spotlight on the rich Middle Eastern Jewish culture that our Ashkenazi-dominated community often overlooks. You can read a full report on the event in this week’s Jewish News.
