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No arms embargo against Israel
CANBERRA - Suggestions that the Australian Government is considering an arms embargo against Israel have been quashed. Earlier this month the British Government suspended a
number of arms export licences to Israel in response to the war in Gaza earlier this year.
A number of international news reports suggested Australia had considered doing the same thing, but a spokesperson for the Department of Defence rejected the claim.
"The Australian Government is not considering an arms trade embargo on Israel," the spokesperson said.
The value of Australia's defence exports to Israel is miniscule. About $10 million of defence and strategic goods was sent to Israel between 2008 and 2009.
The defence spokesperson added: "Australia complies with all mandatory United Nations sanctions in considering export applications."
At the moment, Australia does not sell defence material to countries including Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Somalia and Lebanon. In addition, Australia has other autonomous, non UN-specified sanctions against countries including Zimbabwe, Burma and Fiji.
The British Foreign Office recently announced that five of the 182 licences for arms to Israel had been rejected.
Media reports suggested that the five rejected export requests were in relation to spare parts for the Sa'ar 4.5 gunships, which allegedly fired on Gaza during the 23-day war earlier this year.
"Some of the licences have been revoked, but it's very short of being an arms embargo or sanctions of any kind," a spokesperson for the British embassy in Israel said.
"In light of Operation Cast Lead, and in line with our obligations after a conflict -- and as we did after last summer's conflict in Georgia -- we conducted a review of extant export licences
for Israel," the spokesperson said.
Hate crimes likely to receive enhanced sentences
MELBOURNE (Press Release)- The Brumby Labor Government will legislate later this year to ensure sentencing laws take into account crimes motivated by hate or prejudice.
Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls said the Government had now received advice from the Sentencing Advisory Council on amending the Sentencing Act following the Government's referral in June.
"The Council has come back with a number of recommendations based on my referral which our Government will consider," Mr Hulls said.
"The Council has suggested explicit legislative recognition that courts, in sentencing, have regard to whether the offence was motivated by hate for or prejudice against a particular group
of people with common characteristics.
"It has also suggested courts will be able to impose more severe sentences for offences motivated by hatred.
"Sentencing courts would make it clear that crimes motivated by hatred or prejudice will not be tolerated by the community. This would not only punish an offender and denounce their conduct, but it could serve as a deterrent to other offenders committing crimes motivated by hatred or prejudice."
Mr Hulls said the Council's report said that when a victim was selected by an offender because of their hatred for or prejudice towards the victim's identity, the harm caused was serious, significant and far-reaching.
"All Victorians are entitled to feel safe in their community," Mr Hulls said. "The prevailing attitude in our community is that hate crimes are totally unacceptable. We saw that in the Walk for Harmony and we are aiming to mirror that sentiment in new legislation."
"The Brumby Labor Government has been considering for some time the issue of violence and other crimes based on hatred of a person's race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity or language," Mr Hulls said.
"We are looking at a range of reforms that send a clear message that attacks against any Victorian based on these factors cannot be tolerated."
The Government will continue consult widely with the community on this issue, including with the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV), gay and lesbian groups, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, student groups, cultural communities and interested individuals.
Kashrut Authority denies price bias
SYDNEY, July 29- Kosher meat prices are much the same in Sydney as they are in Melbourne, according to NSW Kashut Authority (KA) president Baron Revelman.
"There are slight price differences in Sydney and Melbourne between the major cuts used at functions," he said.
"Comparison between Sydney and Melbourne prices of a basket of 'everyday' cuts of meat will show almost no difference in price, with Sydney cheaper in some, and Melbourne cheaper in others."
His claim comes in response to a string of letters published in the The Australian Jewish News a couple of weeks ago, following mixed reaction to an article published in May on the state of play of kashrut in NSW.
In his letter, Revelman responds to claims that the KA is at the core of the escalating costs of kosher catering in Sydney. "All KA pricing is public knowledge and is freely available for all
to see on the KA website," said Revelman.
The KA president said that any difference in kosher catering prices between Sydney and Melbourne had nothing to do with the KA charges, or the prices of Sydney kosher meat.
"Contrary to the information supplied by the letter writers, in the case of the Melbourne caterers who have recently catered in Sydney under the KA, the kashrut chargers were the usual
KA kashrut charges and Sydney meat was used -- and they were still cheaper."
Responding to accusations that the KA had forced kosher caterers in Sydney to use meat sourced from only one kosher butcher, Revelman said the role and right of the KA was to act as the supervisory body for any products used with its logo and name.
"The primary role of the Kashrut Authority is as a licensing authority, and as such it must have the right to demand certain standards from those to whom it issues a licence."
Some NSW kosher consumers have expressed dissatisfaction with the prices and range of kosher goods available. Other consumers have become so frustrated that they hired
Melbourne-based caterers for their functions.
Growing concern about
community drug culture
MELBOURNE, July 31- Hatzolah operations manager Danny Elbaum would not comment on any specific case due to privacy issues, but said the Jewish ambulance service has, on many occasions, responded to drug-related unresponsiveness and "bizarre" behaviour.
Elbaum also said it was "an issue" he sees across many age groups, from under-age teenagers to adults.
"They need to understand that having fun doesn't necessarily need to be with drugs," he said.
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV), which has recently launched a taskforce into underage drinking, is also aware of a growing drug culture within the community, particularly among young adults.
"I'm very distressed to hear but unfortunately not surprised," said JCCV president John Searle.
"It is built into their system to take risks. Somehow we have to make them and their parents understand that there are some risks you might take and there are some risks you must never take. "
Searle said he hoped those affected would learn from the experience.
"I would assume that not only for the individual who suffered
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this, but also for the rest of them, this will be a huge wake-up call," he said.
"When I go out to talk to kids about this, they are not going to listen to me, but they would listen to a 19-year-old who can say: 'Last year, or two years ago, I was in school and I thought it was a great big joke just like you guys do until it almost cost me my life'," Searle said.
Music Legend wins award
 SYDNEY, July 31 - Michael Gudinski (phot at right0 has bought fame and fortune as a music promoter to pop stars such as Kylie Minogue, Billy Thorpe and the group Split Enz. But at the Helpmann Awards on July 27, at the Sydney Opera House, it was his success that was thrown into the spotlight.
The record industry mogul, who founded Mushroom Records and whose career stretches back in the 1970s, was awarded the prestigious JC Williamson Award for outstanding contribution to the Australian live performance industry.
"I had a dream, a dream I hope will still continue, but that dream wouldn't be there without [my family]," Gudinski said in his signature husky voice.
Born in Melbourne to Russian Jewish immigrants in 1952, Gudinski started running dances in his teens and later dropped out of school to get into the music industry, something he thanked booking agent Bill Joseph for encouraging him to do.
Gudinski also thanked Kylie Minogue and Jimmy Barnes, as well as The Chain, the first band he managed in the 1970s, who he said "gave [him] the light to start Mushroom Records".
Music guru Molly Meldrum, a good friend of Gudinski, presented the award in a moving presentation that chronicled his success over the years from a teenager "who lived and breathed the live scene" to having established a successful
record company, promotion touring company, film company and merchandising company, among other achievements.
"Michael is a pioneer in this business and has achieved groundbreaking success, and paved the way for many to follow and has single-handedly enriched our culture," he said.
"He has never once turned his back on his original passion of people getting together to enjoy great live entertainment."
A video message from Kylie Minogue in London was then screened. "The Helpmann Award is the honour that industry can bestow and there is no one who deserves it more than you, my good friend," she said.
"It's been over 20 years I've known you and . I would be happy to be caught in the whirlwind that is Michael Gudinksi any time."
In a surprise performance, Jimmy Barnes and Diesel joined the surviving members of the band Skyhooks on stage singing Women in Uniform in tribute to Gudinski.
Sound Relief won the Helpmann Award for best special event and it was accepted by the organisers, including Gudinski, who said it was one of the greatest events he'd been involved in.
Meanwhile, troubadour Leonard Cohen's World Tour 2009, with the Frontier Touring Company, was awarded the Helpmann Award for best international contemporary concert.
Jewish music whizz Max Lyandvert was awarded the Helpmann Award for best sound design for his work on Sydney Theatre Company's War of the Roses. The play, which featured Cate Blanchett, took a total of six awards including the major gong for best play.
Lyandvert, a composer, sound designer and director, won the 2005 Helpmann Award for Journal of a Plague Year.
Oscar-winning composer Stephen Schwartz was awarded for best original score for Wicked, which scooped a total of six awards.
Jewish actress Yael Stone missed out on the best female actor in a supporting role in a play, to Marta Dusseldorp, who won with War of the Roses.
Although Jewish choreographer Gideon Obarzanek missed out on the award for best choreography in a musical for his work on Shane Warne the Musical, the musical took out the award for best new Australian work.
Melbourne-born, but now Berlin-based, director Barrie Kosky, also missed out on the best direction of a play to Benedict Andrews for War of the Roses.
Concern over push
by messianic Jews
 MELBOURNE, July 31- A Jewish outreach worker has warned that Russian Jews and backpacking Israelis are about to become the target of a fresh campaign by Jewish messianic organisations. More than 70 delegates attended a conference in Sydney last week, called the Lausanne Consultation on
Jewish Evangelism -- Australasia.
Jews for Judaism executive director Rabbi Eli Cohen (above right) said that sources among the messianic movement were delighted with the conference turnout, with attendees from all parts of Australia and New Zealand.
"It shows that they are getting their act together and working on their pitch," he said.
"My understanding is they left the conference inspired by what they heard and determined to carry out their work.
"Our response is not to stop them, but to take away their custom."
Presenters at the conference included Jews for Jesus executive director Bob Mendelsohn and Celebrate Messiah director Lawrence Hirsch.
Session topics included "Lessons from the Field, What's Working, What's not Working?", "Israeli Tourists and the Gospel" and "Ministry to Inter-married couples".
Rabbi Cohen said he was confident most Jewish Australians were comfortable with their Jewish roots and immune to approaches from Jewish evangelicals, but he held out less hope for those outside the community.
"Israeli backpackers are a concern and New Zealand is a disaster, particularly the South Island, where the Jewish community is isolated and unable to counter the success the messianics are having with the Israeli backpackers, several
of whom have gone back to Israel as professional missionaries."
According to Rabbi Cohen, messianic Jews are also increasingly targeting Jews going through periods of transition, such as children whose parents are divorcing or moving from study to the workforce.
"People who feel a sense of attachment and joy from being Jewish are less likely to be vulnerable to the messianics."
Rabbi Cohen has been speaking at various shulsand schools throughout Sydney to educate the community about the tools and strategies used by messianic Jews.
Jewish Woman Faces
murder charge
MELBOURNE, August 2 -A 21-year-old woman charged
with the stabbing murder of a St Kilda man on Monday is a member of the Melbourne Jewish community.
Natasha Epshtein appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today, charged with having murdered Peter James Len on July 30 and was remanded to appear in court again on November 30.
Epshtein's Facebook page says she attended Shelford and she is understood to have attended Mount Scopus Memorial College as a Year 8 student for one year in 2001.
She was an outstanding junior athlete and twice represented Maccabi Australia at the Jewish Community Centre Games in the United States. In 2001 she took part in track and field, while the
following year she played basketball.
According to her Facebook page, she was employed
at the Corner Hotel, a well-known music establishment. However, it is also understood she was well known to workers who deal with Melbourne's homeless.
Media reports say Epshtein appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Dan Muling with a close-cropped haircut and with tattoos on her upper chest.
Defence solicitor Bernie Balmer reported to the court that she was on medication for a number of conditions including anxiety and depression.
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The Jews Down Under 