Events
Below are past and current events, both in-person and online
Kvetch Zine Launch (Sydney + Melbourne)
Kvetch is a grassroots zine project created by Jewish writers, poets, artists, and organisers. Please join us to launch its first edition with food, drinks, and community. Hear from some of our talented writers and artists, and get yourself a printed copy of the zine.
Green Left covers Jewish Council Chanukah vigil
Green Left recently published a story about the Jewish Council-hosted Chanukah vigil titled “Naarm community unites for Chanukah vigil”. Below is an excerpt from the start of the story. More than 300 people gathered for a Chanukah vigil called by the Jewish Council of Australia (JCA) in Naarm/Melbourne on December 21 to commemorate the lives…
Sarah Schwartz speaks at the Bondi massacre community vigil
Executive Officer Sarah Schwartz spoke at the interfaith and intercommunity vigil on Sunday night to mourn the victims of the Bondi massacre. Below is an excerpt from her speech. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jewish Council of Australia (@jewishcouncil) Click here to watch the excerpt on Instagram.
Chanukah – Vigil and candle lighting – Melbourne/Naarm
The Jewish Council planned to hold a Chanukah celebration this Sunday 21st of December, but our community is still reeling after the terrifying attack on the Chanukah gathering in Bondi. Many of us know people who were impacted, and all of us have experienced this as an attack on our community as a whole, and…
Bart Shteinman speaks at vigil for Bondi massacre
Executive Member Bart Shteinman recently spoke at a vigil for the Bondi massacre. Below is an excerpt from his speech. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jewish Council of Australia (@jewishcouncil) Click here to watch the excerpt on Instagram.
Online event: Organising in the Jewish diaspora during a time of genocide
We invite you to join us at 10 am (AEDT) on December 7 for a critical conversation – Organising in the Jewish Diaspora in a Time of Genocide: Lessons from Australia, the UK, and the US. Hear from key organisers from the global Jewish movement fighting Israel’s genocidal efforts in Palestine to share strategies, discuss…
Sydney Chanukah Community Day 2025/5786
Jewish Council Chanukah Community Day: A Light for Dark Times The Jewish Council of Australia invites you to a community Chanukah gathering! There will be something for everyone: eating, kids activities, crafts, more eating, dreidel spinning, and lighting chanukiot. Please bring a plate to share if you’re able. All are welcome as we gather, eat,…
Chanukah Community Day 2025/5786
This event has been changed to a Chanukah vigil and candle lighting to gather in community, mourn for those lost and express solidarity in person. See the updated event details here. Jewish Council Chanukah Community Day: A Light for Dark Times The Jewish Council of Australia invites you to a community Chanukah gathering and pot…
Bart Shteinman speaks at interfaith panel on combatting all forms of racism
Executive Member Bart Shteinman recently spoke at interfaith panel on combatting racism hosted by the Anglican Church. Below is an excerpt from the start of his speech: I’m going to ask you to imagine yourself in Footscray Melbourne, December 1938. A Yorta Yorta man, William Cooper, is leading a 10km march of his fellow Indigenous…
On Revolution – in Palestine, Syria and beyond
What is a revolution, exactly? Where and how does it begin, and, perhaps more importantly, how does it end? This event is not the usual story of revolution: one of Kings and Generals, grand military or revolutionary acts, Che Guevara or Ahmed al-Sharaa style military fatigues and the storming of the capital. Rather, this event…
Tashlich 5786/2025 with the Jewish Council
The Jewish New Year period is once again upon us, and this year the Jewish Council will be holding an open gathering for Tashlich. There will also be some informal discussion after the ceremony. When: Sun 28th Sep 2025, 3:30pm-5:30pmWhere: Alexandra Gardens, MelbourneCost: A $5 donation to Olive Kids (+ processing fee) Click here to…
Conversation with Rachel Shabi
Below is the recording of our event Off White: The Truth about Antisemitism – a Jewish Council Conversation with Rachel Shabi: You can also click here to watch the event directly on YouTube.
Off White: The Truth about Antisemitism – a Jewish Council Conversation with Rachel Shabi
As authoritarian ‘antisemitism’ plans and envoys continue to distort our politics at home and abroad, it has become difficult to talk about antisemitism constructively. Instead, we find ourselves in a storm of misinformation, political mudslinging and bad-faith accusations. Rachel Shabi’s Off-White: The Truth about Antisemitism offers a comprehensive analysis of contemporary antisemitism while combating the pro-Israel lobby’s conflation of…
Linda Briskman and Leia Greenslade speak to Jewish Activists for Peace about their study “Not in Out Name”
Advisory Committee members Professor Linda Briskman and Dr Leia Greenslade recently to Jewish Activists for Peace about their study Not in Out Name, “which amplifies the voices of Jewish Australians who oppose the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza”. Click here to watch the conversation on YouTube or use the embedded player below:
Oscar-winning film screening cancelled after threats, complaints to Melbourne cinema
A screening organised by and for a Jewish audience of the Academy Award-winning film No Other Land at Classic Cinemas Elsternwick was cancelled late on Wednesday, after management said it had received 20 threats and complaints in one day and been warned about protests planned for the evening of the event. The film, which won the 2025…
Louise Adler speaks at public forum event “Who’s Afraid of Khaled Sabsabi?”
Advisory Committee member Louise Adler recently spoke at public forum event titled Who’s Afraid of Khaled Sabsabi? It was a panel discussion at the Greek Centre in Melbourne in response to recent institutional decisions affecting the artist Khaled Sabsabi. Click here to watch the event on the Memo website.
Max Kaiser speaks to Muslim Votes Matter about antisemitism and the Australian Jewish community
Max Kaiser recently spoke to to Muslim Votes Matter about antisemitism and the Australian Jewish community. Click here to watch the interview on YouTube or use the video player below:
Dr Gabor Maté on Healing, Justice and Liberation for All — a Jewish Council of Australia event
Below is the full recording of the sold-out event recently held at the Melbourne Jewish community. You can also watch the video directly on YouTube here.
Free online event: Max Kaiser in Conversation with Robyn Reynolds
Join Max Kaiser and Roby Reynolds on Sun 23 February, 5pm (online) for a conversation about Judaism, antisemitism, and everything in between. Click here to register.
