Joint UPJ – ARZA Australia Announcement
Under a joint agreement, UPJ and ARZA – have agreed to offer a free membership of ARZA -Association of Reform/Progressive Zionists of Australia.
This is in recognition of the financial pressures currently being faced by members of our congregations and also in recognition of the importance of the Progressive Movement of Australia being strongly represented at the World Zionist Congress, when it is held in Israel, either in person or remotely. We are also working closely with our Coalition Masorti partners in this endeavour.
We believe this is a very exciting decision, and one which we hope all our congregational members will strongly support. It means that your voice will be heard by the world Progressive Zionist Movement and help shape Israeli political and economic policies and the challenges facing the Jewish people.
Our Progressive Zionist views support religious equality for all streams of Judaism, a pluralist society, peace, social justice and Tikun Olam in our Jewish Homeland.
With your support, we can continue to add to our magnificent achievements in Israel and ensure the voice of Progressive Judaism continues to be heard in Israel and around the world.
WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT FOR PROGRESSIVE JUDAISM AND PROGRESSIVE ZIONISM
Helen Shardey
ARZA Australia President
UPJ Vice President
David Knoll AM
UPJ Co-President
Brian Samuel OAM
UPJ Co-President
News and Events
Israeli Elections – 5th Wave
Left, Benny Gantz, center, Benjamin Netanyahu, right, Yair Lapid (Hadas Parush, Noam Revkin Fenton, Hadas Parush/ Flash90) What better way to discuss Israeli politics than to invite three Israelis to meet and have a discussion? This happened last night when ARZA Australia and PJV (Progressive Judaism Victoria) jointly hosted a Zoom panel with guests Anna Kislanski, CEO of the Israeli Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) visiting Australia, Sefi Shalam our Victorian Netzer Shaliach [...]
Israeli Elections Discussion
PJV and ARZA invite you to hear Anna Kislanski (CEO of the Israeli Movement for Progressive Judaism), Sefi Shalam (Progressive Community Shaliach) and Orit Elkayam Cohen (Jewish Agency Representative Australia and New Zealand) discuss the latest developments in the upcoming Israel election. 7:30pm Sunday 7 August Online via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83728133947 Helen Shardey OAM ARZA Australia President UPJ Vice President
Russian Jews Will Not Be Held Hostage
Immigrants at Ben-Gurion Airport, in March. Credit: Hadas Parush While Israel has treaded carefully in relation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow seems determined to punish the one country offering a place of safety to Ukrainian and Russian Jews, those lining up to make Aliyah. Russian authorities have taken legal steps to shut down the Moscow operation of the Jewish Agency, responsible for this Aliyah. This has caused the Israeli government to [...]
Nachman Shai Responds to Kotel Riots
Nachman Shai, Israel's Minister of Diaspora Affairs (Moshe Shai/Flash90) Last week I provided a copy of the letter on behalf of the Australian Progressive and Masorti movements to the Prime Minister of Israel. In it we expressed our deep concern in relation to the violence at the Kotel by Ultra-Orthodox youth and men against Progressive and Masorti Jews praying and celebrating a B’nai Mitzvah. Today we received an email from the office of [...]
Letter to the Prime Minister
Prime Minister Yair Lapid The Prime Minister’s Office July 11, 2022 Dear Prime Minister, On behalf of the Australian Progressive and Masorti movements, we write to warmly welcome you to the position of Prime Minister of Israel. When you last addressed the Progressive Movement, you demonstrated a deep and meaningful understanding of the principles, values, and beliefs of our movement. You have also had a long and very positive relationship [...]