As this edition marks the 75th anniversary of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, we thought it appropriate to provide a snapshot of some of our work in recent months. The Board of Deputies:

  • Lodged a proposal with the NSW Education Minister to establish a curriculum on bigotry for the NSW public school sector (in conjunction with the ECAJ).
  • Embarked on a project with the Catholic Archdiocese, Catholic educators and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry to establish a curriculum on antisemitism for Catholic schools.
  • Assisted over 20 communal organisations to secure $5 million in grants, including from the Federal Government’s Safer Community Fund and the State Government’s Community Building Partnership. The funds have been used to improve capital infrastructure and security upgrades.
  • Raised $600,000 for NSW victims of the bushfires, in conjunction with Stand Up.
  • Organised and led a NSW MP mission to Israel
  • Dealt with numerous antisemitic incidents; eg getting an antisemitic question removed from an HSC exam paper; working with authorities in response to a family withdrawing its children from a school after months of abuse; and presenting on the Holocaust to 400 students after students were told “the Jews deserved it”.
  • Is developing an online course to equip members of the community with practical tools to deal with antisemitism.
  • Is running the fourth cohort of We Are All Sydney – equipping emerging leaders from diverse communities with skills in leadership, management, budgeting, conflict resolution, public speaking, coalition building, ethics and community values. Graduates come from about 35 backgrounds, including Aboriginal, Afghan, African-American, Burmese, Chinese, Christian, Cook Islander, Ethiopian, Filipino, Ghanaian, Greek, Indian, Iranian, Iraqi, Kenyan, LGBTQ, Muslim, Pakistani, Rwandan,  Sierra Leonean, Sikh, Syrian, Vietnamese and Zimbabwean.
  • Secured agreement for 28,000 Jewish graves in a cemetery to be established in Varroville, to service the community to the end of the century.
  • Produced the first-ever online Yom Hashoah video commemoration, watched by 6000 people.
  • Held 10 Luncheon Clubs (by Zoom) in 10 weeks during the Covid lockdown, the speakers including the Chair of the ABC, government ministers and union leaders.
  • Has met with over 50 NSW MPs (by Zoom) during the Covid lockdown.
  • Supported AUJS in responding to an antisemitic cartoon which was published in a university newspaper.
  • Ran the Inaugural Jeremy Spinak Young Leaders Program, which saw 15 young adults undertake a leadership training program.
  • Is engaged in ongoing dialogue with Greens MPs.
  • Is building a “Hand In Hand” portal to provide access and opportunities for joint First Nations-Jewish reconciliation work and designing a webinar series on Jewish and First Nations history, culture and contemporary issues.
  • Held the first Shabbat dinner for First Nations Australians at The Great Synagogue.
  • Has supported leaders from many other ethnic and faith communities through the COVID crisis.
  • Co-sponsored the Beyond Duty photographic exhibition at NSW Parliament House, paying tribute to the 34 diplomats who have been declared Righteous Among The Nations.
  • Was instrumental in launching the “Jews from Islamic Lands” exhibition at the Sydney Jewish Museum and is guiding leaders from other communities, including Muslim communities, through it.
  • In response to the COVID crisis, the Jewish Emergency Management Plan (JEMP) was reactivated in March, with Board of Deputies President Lesli Berger chairing a Decision Makers Group.