Lowy donates $10 million to cancer research.

Frank Lowy has donated $10 million towards a new cancer research facility in Sydney. Read more

All is not Kosher in the Land of Oz

The Council of Progressive Rabbis of Australia, New Zealand and Asia have rejected a plan which would create a single authority to certificate Kosher goods. Read more

Auschwitz not a Polish installation

The Polish Ambassador has written in conjunction with the Israeli Ambassador to all major Australian  media objecting to Auschwitz being described as a “Polish concentration camp”. Read more

Moriah elects new Board

Sydney’s Moriah College has elected its new Board of Management. Read more

Danby critical of UNRWA

Federal Labour Party Member for Melbourne Ports, Michael Danby, delivered an appropriation speech  criticising UNRWA in parliamentary committee last week… Read more

Kosher popcorn for Brisbane

Brisbane’s Jewish community can now enjoy warm, fresh, tasty, kosher popcorn thanks to Brisbane Progressive Jewish Congregation (BPJC). Read more

Make a Date with Inspiration – Maccabi Awards Event

What are you doing on the 3rd of August? Want to meet someone very special? Read more

Shechita outlawed in New Zealand

The days of a Jewish mother making the traditional chicken soup for the family Friday night Shabbat dinner have come to an end for New Zealanders. Read more

Lubavitch exchange rate US$1.00=A$18,000

A New York educator who tamed one of the city’s toughest schools inspired an auction held at the North Shore Chabad function of one of the Rebbe’s dollar notes for a record $18,000. Read more

Frank Lowy speaks at Westfield’s 50th

It is truly a golden anniversary for Westfield…an anniversary which has seen the shopping centre company’s founder crowned the richest man in Australia. Read more

Frank Lowy tops the BRW

Westfield shopping centre magnate, Frank Lowy has topped this year’s BRW 200 wealthiest Australian list. Read more

Softly spoken teacher tames the toughest school

Shimon Waronker spoke to teachers and parliamentarians in the NSW Parliament today of the methodology used to turn one of New York’s toughest schools into a palace of hope. Read more

Anne Frank exhibition invokes memories for Leo

The travelling Anne Frank Exhibition is heading to New Zealand’s Whangarei next week…and brings with it special memories for Leo Cappel. Read more

Anti-homophobia policy to be introduced in NSW

The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies has voted overwhelmingly to implement an anti-homophobia/anti-transphobia policy. Read more

Courage to Care says “Stand up to Discrimination”

The Sydney-based Courage to Care organisation is mounting an exhibition aimed at eliminating racism and bullying. Read more

Parliament and Passports

The stoush between Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and Shadow Foreign Minister Julie Bishop over Australia’s forging of passports was performed in the media arena yesterday. Read more

New Zealand short film wins award.

Kiwi short movie ‘Communication’, a story about a gay Jewish student, has won an international award. Read more

New face in U.K. Parliament

Julian Huppert has been elected the Liberal Democrat member for Cambridge in the new U.K. parliament. Read more

Masada launches children’s Holocaust memorial

Sydney’s Masada College has unveiled a memorial to the children who perished in the Holocaust. Read more

Embassy official to be expelled

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has directed that a member of the Israeli Embassy be withdrawn from Australia  within a week following the investigation of the Dubai passports affair.  Read more

Academy BJE joins Montefiore Residents for some Animal Magic

As one of Montefiore’s many intergenerational initiatives, the Sydney Home recently hosted an Animal Farm Day for Residents, their families and visitors. Read more

Maccabi NSW members at work in the community

Maccabi NSW meets the Friendship Circle and is impressed… Read more

Capital Jewish Forum briefed by Allan Gyngell

The Office of National Assessments (ONA) Director-General, Mr Allan Gyngell AO, addressed the Capital Jewish Forum (CJF) on ‘Outside/Inside: Reflections on the Australian Intelligence Community’ . Read more

Former Israeli ambassador’s whistle-stop tour of Melbourne

Former Ambassador Yoram Ettinger had little spare time on his speaking tour to Melbourne as the guest of the Zionist Council of Victoria last week. Read more

U.S. Ambassador and the Annual Human Rights Address

Jeff Bleich,  the United States’ Ambassador to Australia, delivered the annual B’nai B’rith Human Rights Address at Sydney’s Central Syanagogue last night. Read more

Controversial play performed in Perth

Seven Jewish Children. the play which created controversy when shown in Melbourne and Sydney, was performed in Perth last night. Read more

The Good Wife

Catching up with Paula Houseman, aged 56, wasn’t what I expected. I was all ready to hear the woes, the melodramatic outpouring of grief as the longtime suffering Maccabi wife. Nothing came. Paula is the lovely wife of Jeff Houseman, Chairman of Maccabi Australia International Games, “MAIGS” and newly appointed Board Member of Maccabi Australia. My whole story had been squashed in the first five minutes of the interview. I had no chance of being Jackie Collins and revealing all.

Paula has known Jeff since she was 15 years old and they met at a Maccabi carnival. One of those sentimental love affairs cemented in concrete right from the start. They married when she was 20 and as they say the rest is history. Maccabi has been part of their entire life. Jeff who is 58 years old, and a doting grandfather, has been involved in Maccabi since he was 13 years old. Paula knew she didn’t have a chance to compete with that sort of love and dedication and in her own words, “To Jeff sport is his religion. I would never take that away from him. Jeff is so community minded and on the contrary, I have encouraged him throughout his life to face his challenges. Along the way, he has been very unsure about taking Maccabi roles and each time I pushed him because I knew once he faced his fears he would feel empowered.” Passitivity is the enemy and Paula is a big believer about living outside your comfort zone and has gone back to study herself studying a Post Graduate Hons. in Health Sociology. For Paula it is very easy, “We support each other in our passions. Sport and Maccabi are Jeff’s and writing and health in society are mine. Jeff is a great leader he knows how to delegate and always puts his family first.” Paula added: “If I had to sum up Jeff it would be in four words: tenacity, commitment, patience and perseverance. Valuable qualities that inspire me.”

When I asked Paula what she loves about Jeff so much, her reply was simple, “His outrageous sense of humour, strong family values, he’s easy-going and he’s a good person.”

Marathon Man

Maccabi Masters Sportsman of the Year 2008, Michael Besser,  recently competed in the Half Iron Man event in Busselton, WA. Read more

Alcohol a problem with Melbourne teenagers

Melbourne Jewish teenagers are being refused entry to commmunal events….because they arrive intoxicated. Read more

Righteous Gentile Honored in Sydney.

Sydney’s Israel’s Independence Day celebration witnessed the posthumous award of Righteous Amongst the Nations to Irena Szumska-Ingram, a Polish woman who saved the life of a Jewish doctor whom she was later to marry. Read more

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