This is the Forward’s coverage of Jewish life in Australia.
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Fast Forward Jewish Hindu Sings Songs About Islam For Kids — To Protest Trump
A Jewish-raised Hindu named Ben Lee is protesting Donald Trump’s travel ban — with a new album of songs for children. It’s titled, plainly, “Ben Lee Sings Songs About Islam for the Whole Family.” Lee, an Australian musician living in Los Angeles, told the Guardian that he is wanted to spread information about Islam at…
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Fast Forward Sydney Jewish Museum Evacuated After Bomb Threat
SYDNEY (JTA) — The Sydney Jewish Museum was evacuated following a bomb threat. The bomb threat was received by museum staff on Tuesday. All staff at the neighboring building housing the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, Jewish Communal Appeal and United Israel Appeal also were evacuated. Police and security officials searched the buildings…
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Fast Forward Australia Reaffirms Ties To Israel As Netanyahu Wraps Up Historic Visit
(JTA) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and his Australian counterpart reaffirmed the strong relationship between their two countries as the former completed his landmark visit to the island nation. The statement issued Thursday by Netanyahu and Malcolm Turnbull also said that “Australia re-affirmed its commitment to Israel’s right to exist as the nation-state of…
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Community Did Netanyahu’s Visit To Australia Teach Us Anything New?
A version of this piece originally appeared in Plus61J, an Australian Jewish publication. If Benjamin Netanyahu could pack up the audience at the Central Synagogue in Sydney and take them back to Israel, he would. No critics. No opponents, from the left, or worse, the right. No journalists waiting to pounce. No police waiting to…
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Fast Forward Australia Backs Israel As Netanyahu Denounces ‘Hypocrisy’ Of Critics
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull offered a staunch defense of Israel on Wednesday, criticizing the United Nations and vowing never to support “one-sided resolutions” calling for an end to Israeli settlement building on occupied land. Turnbull welcomed Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday as the first Israeli prime minister to visit Australia, and reiterated Australia’s support for…
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Community Why Netanyahu’s Australia Visit Is Troubling — And Three Questions We Must Ask While He’s Here
A version of this article originally appeared on Plus61J, an Australian-Jewish publication. For years the Australian Jewish community, and the growing community of Israeli expats, have eagerly anticipated a visit by an Israeli prime minister or president. No Israeli Prime Minister has yet visited Australia and the last visit by an Israeli president was Moshe…
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Community The Child Sexual-Abuse Survivor Who Fought Back
A version of this piece originally appeared in Plus61J. How does a twelve-year-old survive when he has been the victim of child sexual abuse and compounding abuses perpetrated by leaders of the community entrusted with his care? How does he grow up to become a Jewish community leader and one of Australia’s best known advocates…
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News ‘Online Conversion’ Fulfills Spiritual Dreams — But Stirs Controversy
(JTA) — The morning of her conversion to Judaism, Diana Sewell was so nervous she “was running around like a headless chicken” in her Australia home. Meanwhile, some 9,000 miles away in Georgia, her rabbi was dealing with computer difficulties. Neither of those things put a stop to Sewell fulfilling a 60-something-year-old dream of converting…
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