Negba Dolev-Weiss, Hatikvah Australia Board All across the Jewish Community, people are working on submissions to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. This is a crucial undertaking at an historical time. At Hatikvah, however, we feel that the unique perspective of Israelis who have made their home in Australia, is missing. Hence our new initiative to bring the information in Hebrew and run hands-on workshop to enable you to make a difference. Please re

Negba Dolev-Weiss, Hatikvah Board For years, Diaspora Jews and expat Israelis have lived side by side rather than with one another. I know this firsthand. My family came to Melbourne when I was a preteen. Even then, former Israelis were seen as “other”—yordim who had deserted the motherland. My mother, gregarious by nature, built a warm community that included both Diaspora Jews and Israelis. My sister and I went to school here and, after a difficult adjustment, found our pla

Leon Orbach, Hatikvah Board This year 3 pivotal days in the Jewish calendar rolled over each other in quick succession. Yom HaShoah gave way to Yom HaZikaron which in turn is transformed into the celebrations of Yom Ha’atzmaut. So much Jewish history packed into such a short time. Yom HaShoah speaks to the trauma and lessons of exile - Galut. Yom HaZikaron honours the price paid in the struggle for national self-determination – the answer to that exile. Yom Ha’atzmaut allows

Nirit Eylon, Hatikvah Australia President There are two days that carry the full weight and represent the true spirit of Israel: Yom Ha’Zikaron, and the day that follows it, Yom Ha’Atzmaut. No other country moves so sharply between extremes. From the deepest grief to joy,From silent pain to celebration. Growing up, this transition felt almost impossible to reconcile, and yet completely natural.Because in Israel, the two are inseparable. We remember and mourn, and then we live

Romy Zyngier - Board Member On the second night of Pesach, Beit Tarbut Australia came alive with warmth, song, and the unmistakable energy of a community choosing to gather with intention. Around long tables set in a Chet (U-shape), children, parents, elders, and friends sat side by side. An intergenerational tapestry that is both rare and deeply necessary. This was not simply a Seder; it was a living expression of what a progressive Zionist community can be at its best: grou

Nirit Eylon, Hatikvah Australia President As we approach Pesach this year, we find ourselves in a moment filled with uncertainty, concern, and a deep sense of responsibility for one another. Almost a month into the war between Israel and Iran, many in our community are carrying a quiet weight. We are checking the news more often than we would like. We are reaching out to family and friends in Israel. We are holding worry, distance, and at times, helplessness. And yet, alongsi