Australia, NZ and worldwide Jewish news that matters
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott sends a Rosh Hashanah message to Australia’s Jewish community.
Comments received without a full name will not be considered
Email addresses are NEVER published! All comments are moderated. J-Wire will publish considered comments by people who provide a real name and email address. Comments that are abusive, rude, defamatory or which contain offensive language will not be published
Nov-21 7:30pm SBS World Movies: The Last Vermeer
While Joseph Piller, a Dutch Jew, was fighting in the Resistance during the Second World War, the debonair art connoisseur Han van Meegeren was selling Dutch art to Hermann Goring and other Nazis. Read more
Dec-29 11:20pm SBS-TV: Uri Geller’s Secret Treasures
Uri Geller, the man who bends spoons, reads minds, and can stop your watch. Read more
Apr-25 11:45pm SBS-TV: Auschwitz – One Day
This documentary tells the story of a typical day in 1944 in the ‘death factory’ at Auschwitz from the viewpoint of victims – but it also allows insights into the mindset of the perpetrators. Read more
Dear Andrew,
I felt that the Prime Minister’s message focussed more on happiness, celebration and prosperity more than other elements, and in very general terms. And while I certainly don’t believe in foregoing those during Rosh HaShanah, I believe as the High Holy Days progress towards Yom Kippur, we concentrate more on reflection and the deeper, and sometimes darker, aspects of being a Jew and a human being, past and present. It does, of course, culminate in the intensely shared moments of communal prayer when we speak with one voice as many in our acknowledgements and requests to G-d. The nature of this is not something we can expect either Tony Abbott or Bill Shorten to understand, however, it will have been others in their offices who did the necessary research to put the messages together anyway.
On reflection, I think I preferred the tonality of Shorten’s message, and, as I said, it seemed more specific to me at the time, although I’m having trouble finding it to recheck.
I’ve just read Bill Shorten’s Rosh HaShanah Message, which shows evidence of much more homework done as to what this time of year actually means for Jewish people.
We need a bit of tikkun olam from our politicians at this point in time.
Whilst not a huge fan of this political postulating with festive messages from across the political spectrum, I think its unfair to say that this message does not reflect whet Rosh Hashana means for the Jewish people. In the Mussaf liturgy of Rosh Hashana is the Alenu prayer that calls “Letikkun olam”, exactly what the Prime Minister is directing our attention to.
By contrast, Mr Shorten’s message talks about rebirth and renewal, brotherhood and tolerance, which sound more like xmas and easter to me than the Jewish concepts expounded by Mr Abbott.
Liat, if you don’t think that Rosh Hashana focusses us on family and community, introspection, faith and prayer, then what do you think it does actually mean for the Jewish people?
A great message Mr PM!
May you continue to listen to the wiser
Jews in your precious Australia so that we
May have a “wiser” and more peaceful planet!