|
Australian Government holds judgment on UN report
CANBERRA - The Australian Government has reserved
judgment on the Goldstone Commission Report into the war in Gaza, despite condemnation of the report's findings around the world.
The report, released last week, accuses the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and the Israeli government of committing war crimes during the war against Hamas earlier this year.
Israel refused to cooperate with the commission after Cuba, Egypt and Pakistan drafted the United Nations resolution to investigate "grave violations of human rights" in the "occupied Palestinian Territories".
Israel's fears of bias were confirmed with the report's release,
which took a very heavy hand to IDF actions.
A spokesperson from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade this week told The AJN "the report includes a number of conclusions and recommendations and the government is examining these carefully."
She indicated the Rudd Government supports a "proper investigation" of any violations of international human rights or humanitarian law.
"We would like to underline again the importance of thorough
investigations," she said. "It is important that these matters are
dealt with seriously and carefully."
One of the Goldstone commission members, Hina Jillani, a Pakistani human rights lawyer, was in Sydney last week on a speaking tour.
She told ABC Radio's PM program she believed the report was even-handed.
"Of course it is even-handed," she said. "We had no interest in not being even-handed."
She reiterated the report's findings that the IDF had deliberately killed civilians in Gaza.
"In factual terms we have pointed out incidents where our findings are very clear that these have been deliberate killings."
But Philip Chester, president of the Zionist Federation of Australia, followed the Knesset's footsteps in slamming the report.
"There were a number of serious omissions from the report," Chester said. "The fact that Operation Cast Lead was a defensive war was not given due acknowledgment. None of the members of the commission visited places in Israel that had been the subject of repeated rocket attacks from Gaza."
He added that the report ignored Israel's "unparalleled efforts" to warn the citizens of Gaza of military attack by dropping leaflets.
"The expectation of the authors of the report that it will advance the cause of peace in the Middle East is beyond comprehension," Chester said. "It is in fact set to divide and lead to further rancour in the troubled region."
Rabbis urged to use sermons
to address Iranian threat
MELBOURNE - The Rabbinical Council of Victoria (RCV)
has sent a last-minute request to more than 100 Australian rabbis, calling on them to use their sermons to discuss the threat Iran poses to Israel.
The request comes following the Iranian President's latest denial of the Holocaust. In Teheran this week, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed that the creation of Israel was based on a "lie" of the Holocaust.
"The pretext for the creation of the Zionist regime is false. It is a lie based on an unprovable and mythical claim," he said. He also said that confronting Israel is a "national and religious duty" for Iranians.
In response, RVC president Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant said "It is incumbent upon all rabbis and religious leaders to warn our communities of the real and serious threat posed by Iran, not only to our brothers and sisters in Israel, but indeed to all of us wherever we may reside around the globe," The RCV, following consultation with Israel's ambassador to Australia, Yuval Rotem, contacted rabbis in time for the high holidays, when synagogue attendance is at its peak. Rabbi Kluwgant requested rabbis inform the community about the
danger posed to Israel.
"At this time of year we turn to prayer, and so we pray for peace in Israel and in all countries, for security and harmony among all of God's creations," he said.
A New Begining for Adelaide Shule
ADELAIDE - A new rabbinical era is set to begin at Adelaide Hebrew Congregation (AHC) with the recent appointment of an Israeli rabbi.
Rabbi Natan Friedler, who will begin in mid-October, will lead the congregation through a consolidation phase.
One of his primary objectives will be to attract new members, AHC president Eric Edelman stated.
"He will hopefully bring the synagogue back to where it was some years ago. There are around 200 Israelis in Adelaide and we're hoping he will attract some of them into the congregation as well."
Rabbi Friedler, who comes from Petach Tikvah, studied for his
rabbinate at the Straus-Amiel Institute in Jerusalem and has
completed studies at Bar-Ilan University. He will arrive in Adelaide with his wife Shiri and their two boys.
Edelman said: "The synagogue conducted a lengthy rabbinical search and I had asked a former member of our congregation, who had returned to Israel, to interview him. He came back with an affirmative."
Rabbi Friedler visited Adelaide a few weeks ago to preview his new congregation and meet the locals.
Edelman said there are no outstanding issues regarding a permanent rabbinical appointment in Adelaide.
This follows threats in 2007 by the Sydney Beth Din, which has jurisdiction in Adelaide, to place a siruv (boycott order) on AHC if it appointed a permanent successor to Rabbi Yossi Engel, the congregation's former rabbi.
Rabbi Engel was involved in a legal dispute with AHC over his
contract. The Supreme Court of South Australia has since ruled that the contract had been enforceable and that it had expired.
In June this year, Melbourne's Rabbi Avraham Gutnick ended a temporary appointment as AHC's rabbi.
Mizrachi sets out
roadmap for the future
SYDNEY- After a stormy few months for Bondi Mizrachi
Synagogue that saw it cut ties with its long-standing rabbi after a lengthy court battle, the shul is finally looking ahead.
On Tuesday night, Mizrachi president Mark Schneider mapped out bold plans for the shul's renewal. Those plans seek to wipe out the shul's debt and grow its membership base by almost double within the next decade.
Schneider said the shul expects to meet its obligation to pay its
former rabbi, Moshe Gutnick, an estimated $800,000 over the next 15 years after the London Beth Din ruled he had the right to life tenure in August.
The improving prospects for the cash-strapped shul, which at one point this year said it faced the possibility of insolvency, comes after a benefactor donated $200,000 to the shul this week.
Meanwhile, the shul continues to operate without a rabbi.
"We're a whole lot better off now than we had previously
anticipated," Schneider told about 40 members who gathered in the shul's hall for the briefing.
"We've been able to reduce ongoing cost and return the synagogue to recurrent operating surplus."
The recent contributions, he added, have allowed the shul to shave hundreds of thousands off its debt, which is now projected to peak at $300,000 in 2010 and be paid off by 2018.
Nevertheless, he warned that membership, currently at about 120, was expected to dip by about 20 per cent in the short term. Numbers are expected to recover and begin to grow by 2011.
Schneider said the shul also plans to secure a full-time rabbi by
2012, but has set aside an allowance of up to $10,000 per year in the meantime for guest rabbis and pastoral care.
Other initiatives in the works include setting up monthly women's Torah classes, an adult education program, a children's service and Thursday/Sunday minyans.
Go to top of next column
|
|
The shul also plans to hire out its facilities to bring in additional funds and build on its fundraising efforts. It will hold two benefit shows starring comedian Jack Felman in The Bubba Unplugged in November.
Many members reacted positively to the plans. "I can see there is a fresh beginning," said Cyrill Feilich.
Oli Colman said: "I think this was the turning point for the shul.
Mizrachi will now go from strength to strength. I don't hold any fears of the future of Mizrachi now."
Others also signalled support for the board. "Without this board, the doors of Mizrachi would have been closed," said Chana Hersh. "They definitely have a plan for the future. I'm very committed to the shul."
Some, however, are still wary.
"A lot of the regulars have left the synagogue," said Ron Weiser. "Attendance [at the meeting] was less than a third of the group that attended the previous general meeting. For the shul to have any future, it must retain existing members and attract new ones. This will require the board to act in a healing manner. A change in attitude will be a positive and necessary step."
Millions left to Jewish Care
MELBOURNE - A former Jewish resident has left two Jewish organisations a multi-million dollar gift.
Thirteen years after Aaron Arthur Smith died aged 90, his $4.4 million estate has been left to Jewish Care and Mount Scopus College.
Jewish Care CEO Bruce Salvin said Mr Smith's decision to donate to the two Melbourne institutions was influenced by his family who were committed to education and helping the less fortunate.
His niece Thelma Meerkin was president of the Mount Scopus Mothers Club for many years and his nephew Charles Lux was former president of the Montefiore Home aged care facility. Mr Smith's estate was managed for 12 years before being distributed equally to the two organisations.
Mr Salvin said the funds would go towards a range of programs at Jewish Care. A section of a new supported housing and respite complex for adults with disabilities will be named after Mr Smith. Mount Scopus College will use the money for student bursaries.
Development training offered
for Jewish professionals
MELBOURNE- The Jewish Community Council and The
Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation, Monash University under the auspices of the Roslyn Smorgon Program in Jewish Communal Service and Leadership recently launched their joint skills-based professional development series for current and aspiring Jewish communal professionals and volunteers.
On 26 August and 2 September 2009, the two organisations co-hosted professional development seminars on the subjects of fundraising and project management respectively with expert presenters from Monash University. Attendance was good and participants acknowledged the importance of these forums, not only for the learning of new skills, but also for networking and building communication between organisations.
JCCV president John Searle observed "The JCCV has long been aware that while our community boasts numerous organisations dedicated to a wide variety of local and Israel-based causes, the skills of both staff and volunteers are sometimes not commensurate with their dedication and enthusiasm. This is no reflection on the ability of the persons concerned, but community work requires a particular skill
set. This is what we are seeking to provide, in partnership with our colleagues at the ACJC".
Searle continued, "We have observed that knowledge of governance principles and practices is not as good as it might be. Some Board members are not aware of the obligations required by Government for example and we hope to remedy this with our next course later this year".
Melanie Landau, the program coordinator and lecturer at ACJC Monash, is pleased to be facilitating building relationships between organisations as well as supporting individuals to expand their thinking. "Being involved in this program enhances one's work life and simultaneously enriches the community," she said.
Unhappy parting for JNF executive
SYDNEY — When Paul Leventhal moved to Australia with
his family from Israel last September, he thought he was coming here for his dream posting as director and emissary for the Jewish National Fund (JNF) NSW.
But after only six months on the job, he was let go from his position.
Leventhal said this week he was unfairly dismissed "without due process or reason" and the contract he signed with JNF's parent organisation in Israel, Keren Kayemet LeYisrael (KKL), was "harsh and unconscionable," forbidding him to work in the field for the next three years and ordering him to return to Israel.
He is now taking both groups to the Industrial Relations Court (IRC) to seek 12-months remuneration. The hearing is set for October 8.
"I signed [the contract] in naivety," said Australian-born Leventhal, who made aliyah in 1999.
According to JNF's acting director, Zeev Bashan, Leventhal's contract was terminated because his work wasn't up to scratch, and it was done "according to the law".
Technically, he added, KKL, not JNF, was Leventhal's employer because he originally signed the contract in Israel with them.
As such, JNF is separately challenging the authority of the IRC to rule on the matter in the Federal Court on September 28.
"Paul didn't perform his duties," said Bashan, "and the fact of the matter is there is not even jurisdiction [in Australia] because he signed a clear contract with KKL in Israel. We didn't even see the contract that he signed."
Leventhal said he was first made aware that there was a problem when he received a call from KKL's offices in February asking him to address some concerns about his "management style and interpersonal skills".
He said they gave him a three-week deadline to deal with matters, but at no time indicated they were proceeding with plans to terminate his employment. But in late March, he received his termination notice.
"There was no process of dismissal. They're saying there was one, but it just had nothing to do with me."
He dismissed criticisms of his performance and argued his termination had more to do with "internal politics."
"If they say I didn't raise money, they have to prove it. [But] they can't."
Meanwhile, he is accusing the organisations of wasting donor dollars to pursue the matter in the courts.
"This whole legal war is costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. We were in touch with the Jewish mediation service, and they threw it in our face. They were not interested," he said.
Bashan, however, sees things differently.
"It's really a shame. It could have been finished in an amicable way if Paul had done the right thing by the contract that he signed," he said.
At present, Leventhal is still residing in the Bondi flat that was
part of his employment package, despite a notice to vacate the
premises. He is seeking an injunction to remain there until the
matter is settled.
Top honours shine at award night
MELBOURNE - Playing Coach Andrew Freund and young star
Christian Smak were joint winners of North Caulfield Maccabi's best and fairest gong at the soccer club's 2009 awards night.
Captain Adam Rischin was close behind, remarkably polling 18 votes at the halfway mark of the season, before the Maccabiah Games and travel commitments kept him out for the rest of the 2009 campaign.
The award for the most goals was also a tie, with Dion Esterman and Justin Scrobogna sharing the honours.
Shot-stopper Alex Gutwirth was the recipient of the coach's award, while Jonathan Braver took out the award for the most improved player and also got the nod for the reserves best and fairest player.
Jonathan Rochwerger pulled off an impressive double, snaring the award for most courageous and determined, as well as the players' player of the year.
|
|
The Jews Down Under 