Monthly Archives: April 2020

Commemorate and Celebrate

Union for Progressive Judaism

The Union for Progressive Judaism joins with ARZA Australia, the Assembly of Rabbis and Cantors (ARC) and Netzer, to encourage you to commemorate Yom HaZikaron (honouring Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror) and to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s 72nd birthday).

Yom HaZikaron commemorations

Zionist Council of NSW, supported by JNF and ZDV

Monday 27 April at 7.00pm
Join online at: www.facebook.com/zionistcouncilNSW


Zionist Federation of New Zealand

Monday 27 April at 7.00pm
Join via Facebook (click here) or YouTube (click here)


Zionism Victoria

Monday 27 April at 7.30pm
Join online: www.facebook.com/zionismvictoria/

Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations

Zionist Council of NSW

Tuesday 28 April at 6.30pm
Inspiring Tefilla Chaggigit: with guest speaker Rabbi Doron Perez and a special musical performance by Yoni Tokayer. The ZCNSW encourages you to choose a spot in your backyard or balcony for a BBQ while you listen to the hottest 72 Hits; you can lodge your vote for the top-72 at: https://www.zionistcouncil.com.au/top-72-hits/) and then post photos of your BBQ using the hashtag @alhaesh on Facebook and Instagram.
Lived-streamed at: www.facebook.com/zionistcouncilNSW

Wednesday 29 April at 8.00pm
Special concert live-streamed at: www.facebook.com/zionistcouncilNSW


Zionist Federation of New Zealand

Tuesday 28 April beginning with Ma’ariv at 6.30pm, with the Auckland Hebrew Congregation, followed by a L’Chaim at 7.00pm and sing-a-long with David Shenkin, Avi Shenkin, Julz Nathan, Channan Elias and Alan Brown
Click here to join via Zoom


Zionism Victoria

Wednesday 29 April at 8.00pm
Featuring a live performance by Friends of Shalom Hanoch and Arik Einstein, including Simon Starr, Ohad Rein, Amir Paiss, Anita Lester, Adam Starr, Scott Griffiths, Jonathan Skovron and Lior.
Join online: www.facebook.com/zionismvictoria/

2021-03-01T20:32:07+11:00April 27th, 2020|Events|

Commemorating Yom HaShoah

I write this message after attending an online service commemorating Yom HaShoah, while sitting in my living room. On this day we remember the annihilation of some 6 million Jews including one and a half million children.

It is very strange, not to be going to Shul or the Robert Blackwood Hall for such a remembrance. But it does demonstrate that whether we can join with our communities in person or through the wonders of the Internet, we still show the determination to “Never Forget”. To pass on to each generation the stories of the suffering of past generations of Jews and to learn from history, no matter how painful the memory.

For those still with us, who lived through the holocaust, some are finding the need for self isolation a stark reminder of their childhood years spent in hiding from the Nazis. One such person is Professor Shimon Redlich, who survived a massacre in Nazi occupied Galicia and then spent years in hiding with his mother and Grandmother.

For someone who loves being out and about, Redlich, a professor at Ben-Gurion University, finds it difficult being cooped up at home because of the coronavirus lockdown. “It throws me back into my childhood in hiding,” he says. (Haaretz 20/4)

Israel and Australia have two things in common. Both countries have to date managed to reasonably control the spread of the Coronavirus, but equally are seeking sensible exit strategies to move their populations and economies back to normal. We pray that such strategies will see the maintenance of the diminishing numbers contracting this deadly virus.

We, in the Australian Progressive Jewish Community  and in the name of Progressive Zionism, will continue to support our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisrael and say, “if not this year, then next year in Jerusalem”.

ARZA President, Helen Shardey

ARZA President, Helen Shardey

Join ARZA
2021-03-01T21:02:27+11:00April 21st, 2020|News|

One Thing

Hoffman-030119-Shabbat-Candles

The Progressive Jewish Community in Australia has been very appreciative of the wonderful efforts of our Shuls and the Union of Progressive Judaism for connecting us together through digital Pesach services, Shabbat services and the beautiful Comfort and Healing service on Sunday night.

While we have missed our usual family and friends Seders in person, we have been able to celebrate the Exodus and our Freedom in a very different way. For this we are grateful. We know that this experience will bring us even closer and help us give more meaning to our Jewish and normal lives.

Meanwhile our brothers and sisters in Eretz Israel also suffer our plight. It also seems that our Progressive Rabbonim in Israel will be denied the means by which to financially survive because of their lack of governmental support. We know that even in Australia, our Shuls are having to find ways to reduce spending, which may affect some of our clergy. But they will not be left destitute.

If I can ask you one thing, it would be to make sure you are a member of ARZA Australia, so that if and when the World Zionist Congress actually meets in Israel, as members of ARZA and the ARZENU coalition, we can call for the Israeli Government to support Progressive Israeli Rabbis without discrimination in terms of their salaries.

Join ARZA
ARZA President, Helen Shardey

ARZA President, Helen Shardey

2021-03-01T20:22:54+11:00April 16th, 2020|News|
Go to Top