Holocaust survivors in Sydney down to 2,000 What next for AAJHSD?
Members of The Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants came together in Sydney’s Woollahra on Sunday for a frank, no-holds-barred forum to discuss and analyse the future of their organisation.
Facilitated by former NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Vic Alhadeff – whose paternal grandparents were murdered at Auschwitz – the meeting was called by the board.
George Foster addresses the Association
After Association president Dr George Foster opened the meeting, Alhadeff introduced the issue by noting that whereas approximately 12,000 Holocaust survivors had settled in Sydney in the post-war years, that number had dwindled to about 2,000.
“At the same time and with enormous credit due to this Association, among others, our community now has a world-class Holocaust-educational facility in the shape of the Sydney Jewish Museum, which currently attracts 50,000 visitors through its doors annually and is looking to double that number as part of a major master plan,” Alhadeff said.
“Therefore, we are living in a dramatically changed landscape which has seen the Association evolve from being a vital cornerstone of the community when it was established 40 years ago to the above statistics.
“So, the key questions before us are: if we were to create the Association afresh tomorrow, what would its new mission statement look like? Does it still have a role to play in the community? Are there specific needs in the community that are not being met by others, and if so, does the Association have the wherewithal to fill that gap and meet those needs?”
Robust discussion ensued, with overwhelming endorsement of the impact of Zikhron Ba’Salon – a program which is growing in popularity in the Israel and the US and in which survivors or descendants address meetings in private homes about their personal stories. It was initiated in Israel and initially brought to Australia by Shalom. When they were unable to continue, it was brought to the Association by board member Danny Hochberg. About 250 community members participated in the program last year.
Also on the table for discussion was the need to work with YouthHEAR, the need for emotional support for survivors and descendants, the need to avoid duplication of services in the community, the need to launch a membership drive and the possibility of an updated name-change, among other issues.
