UN finally says it paid for Albanese’s anti-Israel lobbying trip
July 14, 2024 by Miriam Bell
After months of refusing to state publicly who paid for an anti-Israel United Nations official’s politically-centred visit to Australia and New Zealand, the U.N. Human Rights Office told JNS on Friday that the global body paid for the trip in November. Read more
Resilience and love: Inge Woolf’s legacy
April 24, 2023 by Miriam Bell
Finishing her memoir was Holocaust Centre of NZ founder Inge Woolf’s last wish, and the drive to do so consumed her final weeks. Read more
NZ’s Jewish Museum launches its online presence
April 23, 2021 by Miriam Bell
It’s been a long time coming but the first stage of New Zealand’s new Jewish museum is now up and running online – and it’s just the beginning of what will be a dynamic and evolving resource. Read more
NZ heads to the polls
October 13, 2020 by Miriam Bell
When New Zealand entered its second lockdown in August it led to the election being postponed for nearly a month – from the original date of September 19 till October 17. Read more
Former Nazi’s ski field legacy looks set to stay
September 29, 2020 by Miriam Bell
NZSki has, once again, doubled down on their refusal to remove the Mt Hutt ski field’s homage to former Waffen SS soldier Willi Huber – unless they receive evidence he committed war crimes. Read more
Gifting a legacy to the community
September 16, 2020 by Miriam Bell
For 93-year-old Ann Gluckman, so much these days comes down to a sense of mitzvah and giving back to the community. Read more
Building a Jewish Museum for New Zealand
August 31, 2020 by Miriam Bell
Despite some past efforts, New Zealand doesn’t have its own Jewish museum. However, it looks as though that’s finally set to change. Read more
Over 40% of Jewish community now considers antisemitism a big problem in New Zealand
June 26, 2020 by Miriam Bell
There’s been a significant increase in the amount of Jewish New Zealanders who think antisemitism is a “very big” or a “fairly big” problem, according to a new survey of New Zealand’s Jewish community. Read more
NZ Queen’s Birthday honours for Waititi and Zwartz
June 6, 2020 by Miriam Bell
Non-Zionists’ column does not represent Temple Sinai
February 26, 2020 by Miriam Bell
Wellington’s Temple Sinai has distanced itself from an opinion column, written by two of its congregants, which urged the city council not to consider the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism. Read more
An eternal reminder to us all – NZ PM on Holocaust Remembrance Day
January 28, 2020 by Miriam Bell
It is critical to tell and retell the stories of those who perished in the Holocaust, and of those who survived, to fight against the rise of antisemitism and to ensure that such a genocide never happens again. Read more
New Zealand awaits UNRWA investigation findings
August 27, 2019 by Miriam Bell
New Zealand has not formally suspended funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) confirmed on Monday. Read more
MFAT reviewing New Zealand support for UNRWA
August 26, 2019 by Miriam Bell
New Zealand may be joining a growing number of governments around the world who are putting a halt to their donations to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Read more
More government support for Israel needed – New Conservatives
July 25, 2019 by Miriam Bell
The New Conservative party is calling on the New Zealand government to boost its support for Israel and the Jewish community. Read more
Plans for a New Zealand Jewish Museum
March 11, 2019 by Miriam Bell
In the battle of memory against forgetting, Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett is a formidable warrior. The New York-based scholar is the chief curator of the core exhibition at POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw and the author of many books on Jewish subjects. Read more
The power of a wish
February 28, 2019 by Miriam Bell
One moment rhythmic gymnast Noga Barkan was on top of the world – preparing to represent her country, Israel, at the Rio 2016 Olympics. But in the next moment that world had slipped out from under her feet and she was facing a cancer diagnosis. Read more
Battling antisemitism with Holocaust survivor stories
August 10, 2018 by Miriam Bell
The rising tide of antisemitism around the world, including New Zealand, means that the re-telling and preservation of Holocaust survivors’ stories matters more and more…writes Miriam Bell. Read more
Remembering is a tool for the future
January 29, 2017 by Miriam Bell
Messages about the importance of remembering the lessons of the Holocaust dominated UN International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration in Auckland. Read more
Cemetery desecrator sentenced
February 28, 2013 by Miriam Bell
Punishment for the man who desecrated 15 Jewish graves in Auckland’s oldest cemetery, with swastikas and crude anti-Israeli graffiti, is to be 320 hours community service, nine months supervision and $3000 reparation. Read more
Charges against grave desecration accused dropped
November 5, 2012 by Miriam Bell
Charges against the man named in Auckland’s Jewish grave desecration case have been dropped. Read more
Graveyard attack accused denies charges
October 23, 2012 by Miriam Bell
Three men accused of desecrating over 20 Jewish graves, in Auckland’s oldest cemetery late last week, appeared in court charged with wilful damage today [Tuesday]. Read more
Historic Jewish graves desecrated in Auckland
October 19, 2012 by Miriam Bell
Around twenty Jewish graves in a historic central Auckland cemetery have been desecrated with antisemitic graffiti at some point in the last 48 hours. Read more
New Zealand’s Jewish Movie Bonanza
April 26, 2012 by Miriam Bell
Documentary enthusiasts in New Zealand will have an unprecedented number of Israeli and/or Jewish themed films to choose from at this year’s Documentary Edge Festival. Read more
Focus on Jewish Kiwis’ Histories
March 19, 2012 by Miriam Bell
A “rich treasure trove” of stories about Jewish New Zealanders has been attracting both public and media attention since its recent launch, by Dame Lesley Max, in Auckland. Read more
Kiwi Holocaust Survivors Book in all Schools
May 5, 2011 by Miriam Bell
Educating Kiwi students on the stories of Holocaust survivors – and, in particular, those who migrated to New Zealand – has just got a whole lot easier for high school history teachers around the country. Read more
Commemorating the Holocaust in New Zealand
February 2, 2011 by Miriam Bell
For the second year in a row, record numbers observed New Zealand’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust, on Wednesday January 27, at the Holocaust Memorial in Wellington’s Makara Cemetery. Read more
NZ Moriah reach Milestone in Memorial Button Project
December 9, 2010 by Miriam Bell
Reaching their collection target of 1.5 million buttons has left the pupils of, Moriah School in Wellington, “absolutely thrilled” to have achieved a milestone in their project to create a Holocaust Memorial to the Jewish children who died in the Holocaust. Read more
New Zealand Queen’s Birthday Awards
June 14, 2010 by Miriam Bell
Modesty and diffidence characterise the response of one of New Zealand’s newest knights to the honour he was awarded in the country’s recent Queen’s Birthday Honours. Read more
Anne Frank Exhibition opens in Auckland
April 13, 2010 by Miriam Bell
Working to defeat antisemitism must be a cause for all people, not just Jewish people, said New Zealand’s minister for arts and culture in a strongly worded speech, at the Auckland opening of the Anne Frank travelling exhibition. Read more
Hello, I must be going
March 18, 2010 by Miriam Bell
Israeli Ambassador to New Zealand, Yuval Rotem, has made his farewell trip to the country due to the pending reinstatement of a dedicated ambassador to the land of the Great White Cloud. Read more
