Australian Jewish Association

AJA Israel Tour 2025 31 July – 8 August, 2025 - Save the date Join the AJA Israel Tour 2025 for an exclusive 8-night/9-day journey through Israel’s most significant historical, political, and strategic locations. From meeting key Israeli leaders to exploring Judea & Samaria, experiencing Shabbat in Jerusalem, and visiting vital security sites in the north and south, this tour offers a unique, in-depth perspective on Israel’s past, present, and future. Includes breakfast, dinner, accommodation, and all activities. You will visit places which no other Australian tour goes. Places are limited. Expressions of Interest are now open REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE - No commitment necessary at this stage https://lnkd.in/gxKRvxPG

The Jewish holiday of Pesach (Passover) begins on the evening of Saturday 12 April. AJA will be offline from Friday evening (Shabbat) until Monday evening. Pesach commemorates the exodus from Egypt, before the Jewish people arrived in the Land of Israel. READ more about Pesach at Chabad.org AJA weekly Zoom Speaker Series will be on a Pesach break for 2 weeks. We have some exciting talks planned for when we return. Wishing all our members, supporters and the Jewish community a Chag Sameach.

The AJA Weekly Zoom Speaker Series heard from One Nation leader, Senator Pauline Hanson & lead senate candidate for South Australia, Jennifer Game, who is Jewish. Jennifer's daughter, Sarah Game is a member of the South Australian Upper House for One Nation and a former AJA guest speaker. AJA is pleased to facilitate speakers from a wide range of political parties especially when it comes to friends of the Jewish community who might otherwise not be given a chance by other Jewish groups. https://lnkd.in/gM7PZN3v

AJA & other religious leaders demand answers By Sarah Ison Jewish, Islamic and Anglican faith leaders have written to Anthony Albanese reminding him of his promise that religious protections for faith groups would “not go backwards” under his prime ministership, and urged for clarity on whether a re-elected Labor government would introduce a Religious Discrimination Bill and amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act. As the government seeks to defuse tensions with the Jewish community across the country and Muslim constituents in key western Sydney seats, a letter sent to Mr Albanese last month demanded answers on Labor’s plans for religious freedom in order to “better inform the choices” of voters from various faith groups when they go to the polling booth on May 3. “During a meeting with key faith leaders on 12 April, 2024, the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, made the commitment to those present that religious protections for faith groups ‘will not go backwards while I’m Prime Minister of Australia’,” the letter, seen by The Australian, reads. “Will the Prime Minister and his government reaffirm this commitment to the Australian people as a key part of their policy platform, should they be returned to government in 2025?” Mr Albanese last year shied from introducing his religious ­discrimination bill, declaring he would not do so without the ­Coalition pledging its support. He said he would not proceed with the debate out of fear of “any divisive debate relating to religion”, refusing to even release his draft legislation. It followed concerns from religious groups over the Australian Law Reform Commission’s recommendations for laws allowing schools to hire staff based on religious grounds to be scrapped. While LGBTQ groups lobbied for greater protections for gay and transgender staff and students, religious groups pressured Labor to honour its pre-2022 election commitment that faith-based schools would be able to employ staff who supported their religious ethos. In the letter signed by more than 20 groups – including the Anglican Bishop of South Sydney, the Australian National Imams Council and the Australian Jewish Association – Labor was urged to clarify if the rights of religious individuals, institutions and schools would “be protected”. “Will the Labor government … commit to a parliamentary inquiry into how Australia’s human rights obligations are not being met and how those freedoms are being eroded?” the letter reads. Labor was also asked to clarify how it would progress religious freedom, if at all, in a minority government. “Various minority parties and independents have committed to positions that are antithetical to the maintenance of religious freedom in this country,” the letter reads. “Will the commitments offered in reply to the above questions continue to apply if you are in minority government?” The Australian understands no response to the letter has yet been sent by the government.

AJA mentioned in Victorian Parliament In the context of debates over the Labor/Greens 'hate speech' laws, Greens Member Aiv Puglielli was called out by Liberal Member Evan Mulholland for consulting with the extremist, far-left 'Jewish Council' about the new Labor/Greens hate speech laws. Evan told Parliament that the Jewish Council is not credible nor representative like AJA. Neither the Greens nor Labor consulted AJA on their new laws although we have spoken to members of other parties and we are the only Jewish organisation to oppose the attack on free speech. The apparent involvement of the 'clowncil' adds yet another concern about these laws. 

AJA slams Labor/Green attack on free speech in Victoria with 'hate speech laws' AJA is the only Jewish organisation to condemn the new Labor/Greens attack on free speech in Victoria. AJA warns that this dirty deal between the Greens & Labor will backfire on the Jewish community. The Greens inserted special provisions into the laws which will make it almost impossible for members of 'protected minorities' to face consequences for antisemitism. What is far more likely is that Jewish people, Christians and other supporters of our community will come under attack by 'lawfare'. Stating traditional Jewish and Biblical values may now be illegal in Victoria. AJA thanks the Coalition, Libertarians and others for opposing these laws and calls on the Coalition to commit to repealing them when they win government.

Courtney Schneider, AJA Officer for Children and Families recently addressed an event of the Drug Advisory Council of Australia alongside Dr Kevin Donnelly AM on the topic of education.

Meeting ministers & Knesset Members AJA President Dr Adler has been meeting Ministers and Knesset Members Sharren Haskel - Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Amichai Chikli Minister for the Diaspora and Combatting Antisemitism Simcha Rothman - Chair of the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee and heavily involved in reforming Israel's judicial system Ze’ev Elkin - Minister in the Finance Ministry. He also oversees the Tekuma Directorate, tasked with rehabilitating the Gaza border communities overrun by Hamas terrorists on October 7, and the Northern Rehabilitation Directorate. Elkin is part of the team formulating the plan for postwar Gaza and sits in Israel's exclusive security cabinet. Ohad Tal, Chair of Israel-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group

Did you see? Last night, AJA President Dr David Adler spoke to AJA Weekly Zoom series about his recent trip to Israel at the invitation of the Government to address a conference on antisemitism. https://lnkd.in/g_HnRQtW

Robert Gregory, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Jewish Association, offered additional insights, particularly regarding the experiences of Jewish students and staff: "We have spoken to many Jewish students and staff at different Australian universities and all are greatly concerned. Many report having witnessed antisemitism or not feeling safe on campus. The University of Sydney and the Australian National University are amongst the worst. Campus antisemitism is almost entirely from the far-left, with some also coming from Islamic extremists. University administrators have been slow to react and weak in punishing students responsible for antisemitic incidents. The ringleaders behind antisemitic incitement should be expelled. We are disappointed that all Australian universities were not quick to listen to the Jewish community and adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. The Australian Government has ignored the pleas from the Jewish community and the Opposition to hold an independent judicial inquiry into the antisemitism crisis on campus, which would have been a crucial tool in uncovering what is going on and suggesting solutions." Mr. Gregory also compared the Australian approach to the actions taken in the United States: "The Australian Government should carefully monitor what is working in the United States such as the withholding of funds to universities who tolerate racism and the deportation of foreign students who incite violence." https://lnkd.in/geXM5MjJ