Eat Kosher / Buy Kosher
There are numerous kosher delis and eateries in Sydney. For a comprehensive list of everything kosher visit the Kashrut Authority and Community Kashrut websites.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies is the democratically-elected representative roof-body of the community, representing it to State Government, the media and other agencies and organisations. It can be contacted 24 hours a day on (02) 9360 1600.
JCA – fundraising, and planning
The JCA fundraises for its 23 member-organisations, as well as conducting planning for the community.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ)
The ECAJ is the official representative organisation and spokes body of the Australian Jewish community. All Boards of Deputies and their equivalents are constituent bodies and major national organisations are affiliated.
Zionist Council of NSW
The Zionist Council of NSW aims to promote Zionism through education and communal functions such as Yom Ha’atzmaut, guest speakers and Yom Yerushalayim.
HUBS
The Sydney Jewish community maintain a close-knit culture through its religious and educational organisations. Most synagogues are to be found in the eastern suburbs or on the north shore and lower north shore. The community also extends to other parts of Sydney including the Illawarra, the Blue Mountains and Newcastle.
Connecting to Israel
Sydney’s Jewish community has a strong connection to Israel, A range of organisations fundraise or advocate for Israel. The Board of Deputies runs a Talking About Israel program, with over 1200 gradutates.
Key organisations include:
Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce
Australian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Australian Friends of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Australian Friends of Tel Aviv University
Friends of Bar Ilan University (NSW Division)
Ha’Tzofim Australia Inc.
Hadassah Australia
JNF NSW
The Joint Australian (Part of the Joint Distribution Committee)
United Israel Appeal NSW
WIZO NSW
Zionist Council NSW
Zionist Federation Australia
ZDVO
Caring for the community
The community has a range of organisations assisting with community care and aged care. Ranging from social services, to people with a disability, key organisations in this sector include:
Access Ezer
B’nai B’rith Retirement Villages Ltd
COA Sydney Incorporated
Jewish Aid Australia
JewishCare (NSW)
JewishCare Foundation Trust / JewishCare Mental Health Foundation
Jewish House
Mum For Mum
PJ Library
Print 35
Shalom Baby
Sir Moses Montefiore Home Hunters Hill Hal Goldstein Campus
Day Centre Hunters Hill Club Monte
Sir Moses Montefiore Home Randwick
Sir Moses Montefiore Home Woollahra
The Burger Centre – A partnership between JewishCare and Sir Moses Montefiore Home
Wolper Jewish Hospital
Youth Movements
Sydney is home to a number of youth movements:
Betar is a Zionist youth movement founded by Ze’ev Jabotinsky and traditionally linked to Israel’s Likud party. The largest Australian Betar branch can be found in Sydney, although there are vibrant branches in other capital cities.
Bnei Akiva is a religious Zionist youth movement which promotes the ideology of Torah ve’avodah – Torah study. Bnei Avika is the largest Zionist youth movement in the world and one of the largest in Australia.
Ha’Tzofim Australia (The Israeli Scouts in Australia) is a Hebrew-speaking Zionist youth movement and part of the biggest youth movement in Israel, Ha’Tzofim. Activities focus on Zionism, Israeli and Jewish culture, leadership and scouting. There are two branches. One on the North Shore and one in the Eastern Suburbs.
Habonim Dror is a socialist–Zionist youth movement whose main ideology is the concept of tikkun olam (‘repairing the world’).
Hineni is the youngest of Australia’s Zionist youth movements and the only one to exist exclusively in Australia. It defines itself as a Modern Orthodox, politically active and pluralist Zionist youth movement.
Netzer falls within the Progressive umbrella (‘Netzer’ is an acronym in Hebrew for Reform Zionist Youth), and, like Habonim Dror, its ideology centres around the principle of tikkun olam.
More information can be found at: Zionist Council NSW
Young adults
Young adults have a number of opportunities to participate in Sydney’s vibrant Jewish landscape.
The Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) offers social and political events around the country, runs programs in Israel and around the world and provides Jewish students with useful educational resources on campus.
Network
Network, based within Shalom, offers young adults an opportunity to connect socially through a broad range of events and social forums. Events include cooking classes, evening drinks, wine and art appreciation, music, and film evenings.
Congregations
Sydney’s Jewish community dates back to 1788, with the arrival from England of the First Fleet, on which there were at least eight, and perhaps as many as 14 Jews. Throughout the 19th century most of the community was based on English Orthodoxy, which was complemented by the arrival of central and eastern European immigrants in the decades before World War II.
What has made today’s local Jewish community so dynamic and vital, however, has been waves of immigration since World War II. In various waves of immigration over the past 70 years, Jews have come here from all over Europe, bringing the strength of their heritage and connection to traditional Judaism.
Immigrants from Central Europe have helped boost the presence of Progressive Judaism as well. In addition, major contributions have been made by a large influx of Jews from South Africa, Israel and the former Soviet Union. Accordingly, Sydney currently has a broad and diverse Jewish population of about 50,000.
The range of Jewish practice in New South Wales today is diverse, including:
Hasidism, particularly through the Chabad movement, is strongly represented through many of the rabbis serving the Orthodox synagogues of Sydney.
Orthodox Judaism is multi-faceted, depending on immigrant backgrounds and constitutions of the many Orthodox synagogues.
There are four Progressive synagogues, one of which is also affiliated with the Masorti/Conservative movement and Jewish Renewal.
In addition to the synagogues, there are chavurot that represent Jews who choose to organise around more common interests in geographical areas. As with elsewhere in the Jewish world, the presence of Jews identifying through Zionism, culture and secular humanist values can also be found.
Jewish media
Australian Jewish News
A weekly newspaper, published in two editions, one each for Sydney and Melbourne. It contains news affecting the community and listings of general information about Jewish activities.
w:www.jewishnews.net.au
J-WIRE
Australian New Zealand Jewish news online
w: www.jwire.com.au
SBS Radio
Jewish programs in Hebrew, Yiddish and English. Frequency: 1107AM
Sunday 11:00am – 1:00pm and Wednesday 2:00pm-4:00pm
w:www.sbs.com.au/radio
