Home – J-Wire

Netanyahu heads to Washington ahead of White House meeting with Trump

Featured News

Police reject armed private guards at Jewish events

NSW Police has rejected calls for armed private security officers at Jewish community events,...

News

Commission hears drivers of antisemitism need to be addressed

Physical security measures alone will not address rising antisemitism unless governments confront the social...

Featured News

St Ives Chanukah event had no police presence for 50 minutes after Bondi attack

A Chanukah event attended by about 2,000 people at St Ives had no NSW...

Featured News

Bondi attack prompts questions over future of Jewish community security

The Royal Commission has heard that the key question for Jewish community security is...

News

Knesset legal adviser says controversial draft refusers law was flawed

The Knesset’s own legal adviser urged Israel’s High Court of Justice to invalidate a...

News

Israel to expand counterterror operations in Judea and Samaria

Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that counterterrorism operations in Judea and...

Featured News

Why marking Judaism in the census counts

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry is urging Jewish Australians to accurately record their...

Featured News

ECAJ raises alarm as Labor drops explicit Hamas disarmament call

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) has warned that Labor’s softened platform wording...

News

New Zealand abstains on UN Rights chief reappointment

New Zealand was one of just 13 countries to abstain on the United Nations...

News

Jewish leaders say Labor platform puts too much blame on Israel

Labor has adopted a more critical platform on Israel and Palestine without amendment, despite...

News

UK court gives life term to associate of terrorist who attacked Manchester synagogue

A court in Manchester handed a life sentence on Thursday to an accomplice of...

News

Trump: US-Saudi nuclear conditional on Saudis joining Abraham Accords

In a post on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Thursday that...

Rigoletto..70th birthday smash hit

Victor Grynberg -

Tuesday, July 21st this year was the exact 70th birthday of Opera Australia, originally called the Elizabethan Opera Trust. Though...

Mackenzie (Bell Shakespeare Company)

Alex First -

A Melbourne theatre review by Alex First A delicious, nightmarish hoot, Mackenzie asks what price child fame? This is a dark, camp and satirical reimagining of...

Trump is a puzzle, but he’s standing firm on Iran and the Saudis

Jonathan S. Tobin - JNS.org -

By Jonathan S. Tobin As a man who has always prided himself on his unpredictability, President Donald Trump has achieved at least one goal in...

Israel goes to the polls: A diaspora guide to the 2026 Knesset election

Elliot Vesely -

On 27 October 2026, Israelis will elect the 26th Knesset in the country's first national election since the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack and...

Bring Us Home From Sorrow: A love letter

Anne Sarzin -

Memoir of grief and hope Book review by Anne Sarzin Unless fate cruelly reverses the natural order of the generations, most children will mourn...

On the Other Hand

Michael Kuttner -

Israir has hired three new female pilots, bringing the total number of women pilots at the airline to seven - around 10% of its...

What happened in Adelaide

Michael Easson -

The National ALP Conference, held from last Thursday to Saturday in Adelaide, was a story of contrasts. On the one hand, the statement on...

Hot and getting hotter

Michael Kuttner -

Israel is sweltering in an annual summer heat wave, while temperatures on the local political and international fronts threaten to break all previous records. As...

A tsunami of lies

Melanie Phillips - JNS.org -

We are being overwhelmed by a global tsunami of lies. Flanked by U.S. and New York City flags, the mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani,...

The Blue Trail

Alex First -

A movie review by Alex First A dystopian fantasy set in the Amazon, it concerns the fate of a resilient 77-year-old woman. Her name is Tereza...

Denial inside the modern siege lines on Tisha B’Av

Jonathan S. Tobin - JNS.org -

Jews have two annual holidays that centre around introspection. Obviously, one is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when members of the community are supposed...

Expanding urban green spaces may support healthier pregnancies

Pesach Benson -

Israeli researchers found that pregnant women living in greener neighbourhoods had lower levels of chronic stress hormones during the second trimester, suggesting that expanding...

Shabbat Vaetchanan

Jeremy Rosen -

Why Did Moshe Die When He Did? The question of why Moshe was not allowed to go into the Land of Canaan is problematic because...

Do Not Forget Me Street

Anne Sarzin -

Good men in bad times. Book review by Dr Anne Sarzin Psychologist and author Erica Frydenberg has invented an original and historical collective noun—'Budapesti Schindlers’....

The lies behind Mamdani’s Netanyahu stunt are the real threat

Jonathan S. Tobin - JNS.org -

It didn’t take a statement from President Donald Trump to ensure that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani isn’t going to arrest Israeli Prime...

Have You Heard?

Emanuel students mark Tisha B’Av with reflection and remembrance

Have You Heard? J-Wire Newsdesk -

Students at Sydney's Emanuel School gathered on Thursday to mark Tisha B'Av with a ceremony of remembrance and reflection. Years...

New musical tells story of Jewish refugees expelled from Egypt

Dates for your Diary J-Wire Newsdesk -

An Australian musical exploring the little-known story of Jewish refugees expelled from Egypt in the 1950s will be presented...

Letters, students’ artwork and kippot sealed in Masada College time capsule

Have You Heard? J-Wire Newsdesk -

Letters from students, handmade cards, artwork, photographs and College kippot have been sealed inside a time capsule marking Masada...

00:03:22

Women unite in song for an evening of healing

Have You Heard? J-Wire Newsdesk -

More than 80 women recently came together at St Kilda Shul in Melbourne for From Voice to Song: An...

Teaching Hate documentary now streaming on YouTube

Australia & NZ J-Wire Newsdesk -

What is happening inside Australian schools and universities? The Daily Telegraph documentary Teaching Hate is now available to watch free...

John Waters joins Fiddler on the Roof

Dates for your Diary J-Wire Newsdesk -

John Waters will join the Australian cast of Fiddler on the Roof as Lazar Wolf when the acclaimed production...

Opinion

Bankstown nurses ruling is no vindication

Reader’s letter: “Six months after Bondi”

Your say – University antisemitism

A partially religious assessment of the Hamas-Israel conflict

Readers letters: Adelaide Writers Week

A response to Michael Kuttner’s Brick Wall

John Lyons’ criticism of “the Jewish lobby”: A reader proffers an explanation

The funeral of Rabbi Brian Fox: Where were the orthodox rabbis?

Readers Letters: Courage to Care shares its shock

A tragedy foretold – a reader’s letter

Advertising for a rabbi…a reader’s letter

Photos

Schools around Australia celebrate Yom Haatzma’ut

Have You Heard? Rob Klein - 05/05/2026

Photo gallery Last week, schools across Australia came alive with colour, music and energy as students marked Yom Haatzmaut, celebrating...

Photo gallery: UIA Gala – Sydney

Featured Articles J-Wire photo story - 23/03/2026

Did you attend the UIA NSW Gala at Randwick Racecourse last month? The evening featured addresses from former Israeli minister...

Winner of the Arthur Rubinstein Musical Society visits Australia

Photos Features Desk - 30/11/2025

Australian Friends of the Arthur Rubinstein Musical Society, a prestigious Israeli piano competition, brought prize winner and Japanese piano...

Photo gallery: Pre-Chanukah celebration at NSW Parliament House

Photos J-Wire photo story - 28/11/2025

NSW Premier Chris Minns and newly elected Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane used this year’s pre-Chanukah celebration at Parliament House...

Stepping into the future of the Sydney Jewish Museum

Photos J-Wire - 24/10/2025

Visitors to the Sydney Jewish Museum were recently invited to step into the future. Over a series of preview events,...

Our Big Kitchen honours 9/11 with remembrance event

Dates for your Diary Rob Klein - 18/09/2025

Our Big Kitchen (OBK) in Bondi marked the anniversary of the September 11 attacks with a community gathering of...

Were you at the Sydney Magen David Adom fundraiser?

Featured Articles J-Wire photo story - 19/06/2025

A J-Wire photo gallery.

A private viewing of the Archibalds – Photo gallery

Featured Articles J-Wire photo story - 11/06/2025

The Moriah Foundation was thrilled to host their annual private viewing of Australia’s most popular and eagerly awaited art...

Movies & TV

The Blue Trail

23/07/2026

A movie review by Alex First A dystopian fantasy set in the Amazon, it concerns the fate of a resilient 77-year-old woman. Her name is Tereza (Denise Weinberg), and she has...

The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is an epic retelling of one of the oldest surviving works of ancient Greek literature. Homer composed the poem Odyssey...

Streaming TV – Good Fortune

Service: HBO Max Available: Friday 17 July Stars: Seth Rogen, Keanu Reeves, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh A well-meaning but inept angel interferes in the...

Streaming TV – Marc by Sofia

Service: HBO Max Starts: Thursday 16 July Subject: Marc Jacobs Directed by: Sofia Coppola Sofia Coppola’s first documentary follows fashion designer Marc Jacobs through his working life, creative...

TYCHO! Beyond the Baton – 95 minutes

From Hungarian child prodigy to feted Australian musical genius, Tommy Tycho led a stimulating and adventurous life, overcoming a series of setbacks. He is front...

Israel, aliens and the real disclosure

In Steven Spielberg’s new film “Disclosure Day,” the Pentagon is exposed for hiding evidence of extraterrestrial life. My reaction was to ask: What can we...

Theatre

Mackenzie (Bell Shakespeare Company)

27/07/2026

A Melbourne theatre review by Alex First A delicious, nightmarish hoot, Mackenzie asks what price child fame? This is a dark, camp and satirical reimagining of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, featuring four original...

John Waters joins Fiddler on the Roof

John Waters will join the Australian cast of Fiddler on the Roof as Lazar Wolf when the acclaimed production opens at Sydney's Theatre Royal...

Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of), now in Melbourne and touring Australia

A theatre review by Alex First A glorious spoken and sung hoot, this is an audacious retelling of Pride & Prejudice. Just what would author Jane...

Beau Jest

A Melbourne theatre review by Alex First I can’t think of a Saltpillar Theatre endeavour that I have enjoyed more than this delightful production of...

Cast announced for Australia’s Fiddler on the Roof

Troy Sussman began preparing for Tevye before he knew the role was his. As soon as he found out he was auditioning for “Fiddler on...

Eddie Jaku’s granddaughter reflects on “The Happiest Man on Earth”

By Danielle Jaku-Greenfield You wouldn’t believe how strange it is to see a man you don’t know perform as your grandfather on stage. That’s what I...

Music

00:03:22

Women unite in song for an evening of healing

21/07/2026

More than 80 women recently came together at St Kilda Shul in Melbourne for From Voice to Song: An Evening of Harmony, Healing and Song. The event focused on the...

TYCHO! Beyond the Baton – 95 minutes

From Hungarian child prodigy to feted Australian musical genius, Tommy Tycho led a stimulating and adventurous life, overcoming a series of setbacks. He is front...

Pianist knew he was “overstepping the mark” on Gaza

Concert pianist Jayson Gillham has denied he deliberately misled the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra about performing a piece dedicated to journalists killed in Gaza. It has...

Pianist’s Gaza remarks spark Federal Court fight

A court has heard the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was thrown into turmoil after pianist Jayson Gillham made comments about the war in Gaza during...

Israel defies Eurovision pressure to claim second place

Israel’s Noam Bettan has finished second at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, after a campaign marked by boycott calls, protests and intense scrutiny...

A Jewish Australian story shines again at Eurovision

As Eurovision heads into its 2026 finals in Vienna, Danny Estrin is returning to the contest in a new role, bringing the same Jewish...

Books

Bring Us Home From Sorrow: A love letter

26/07/2026

Memoir of grief and hope Book review by Anne Sarzin Unless fate cruelly reverses the natural order of the generations, most children will mourn the death of their parents,...

Do Not Forget Me Street

Good men in bad times. Book review by Dr Anne Sarzin Psychologist and author Erica Frydenberg has invented an original and historical collective noun—'Budapesti Schindlers’....

Dog

Book review by Anne Sarzin Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and narcotics and alcohol addictions are at the core of Yishay Ishi Ron’s extraordinarily powerful and...

Shalom announces shortlist for Australian Jewish Writer Awards

The shortlists have been announced for the 2026 Shalom Collective Australian Jewish Writer Awards, recognising Australian writing on Jewish subjects published in 2025. The winners...

Female guards and Nazi brutality

Book review by Dr Anne Sarzin It took courage and endurance for historian N. Koster to research and write Female Guards of Nazi Brutality; and...

Sydney Jewish Writers Festival takes stories from page to stage

The Sydney Jewish Writers Festival will move beyond the printed page this August with the launch of Festival of the Spoken Word, a new...

Opera

Rigoletto..70th birthday smash hit

27/07/2026

Tuesday, July 21st this year was the exact 70th birthday of Opera Australia, originally called the Elizabethan Opera Trust. Though this first performance was actually in Adelaide, I definitely remember...

The Merry Widow

An opera review by Victor Grynberg Franz Lehar, the Austro-Hungarian composer born in 1870, composed the music in 1905 based on a French comedy play,...

The Phantom of the Opera

An opera review by Alex First Superlatives can’t do justice to a magnificent Handa Opera production of The Phantom of the Opera on its 40th...

Hansel & Gretel- now a spectacular opera

An Opera Review by Victor Grynberg There would be few people unaware of the famous fairy tale Hansel & Gretel, written by the German brothers...

Sydney Opera House memorial reclaims a national symbol after Bondi attack

Flags above the Sydney Harbour Bridge flew at half-mast last night as families of the victims, Jewish leaders and political figures gathered at the...

Carmen – an opera review by Alex First

Passion, obsession, desperation, jealousy and rage make for a fiery combination in composer Georges Bizet’s Carmen, newly interpreted by director Anne-Louise Sarks for Opera...

Sport

Jewish A-League star playing in Scotland

16/07/2026

Former Sydney FC A-League club player Jake Girdwood-Reich has signed a three-year contract with Scottish Premier League Club Motherwell FC. He leaves U.S. MLS St. Louis City FC following a...

Australian triathlete claims four golds in remarkable Maccabiah campaign

Melbourne triathlete Barry Lipp has completed a remarkable Maccabiah Games campaign, winning four gold medals and a silver only weeks after believing he would...

World Cup antisemitism targets Lionel Messi, revives old anti-Jewish myths

Major international sporting events are increasingly being exploited to spread antisemitic conspiracy theories online, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup serving as the latest...

Israel’s Guy Sasson defends Wimbledon quad doubles crown

Israeli Paralympic tennis player Guy Sasson and his Dutch partner, Niels Vink, won the Quad Wheelchair Doubles title at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships on...

Perfect 10 for Lipton at Maccabiah Games

Australian masters swimmer Alida Lipton has produced a stunning 10-from-10 medal haul at the 22nd Maccabiah Games, winning a medal in every event she...