AJN celebrates 120 years
THE AJN celebrated its 120th anniversary with cocktail functions featuring the who’s who of the Sydney and Melbourne communities.
Treasurer Joe Hockey and Member for Wentworth Malcolm Turnbull were among the speakers at the Sydney event last Thursday night, which saw the launch of the book, The Australian Jewish News 120 Years.
In attendance at the reception at the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Point Piper were key community leaders, state MPs, current and former staff of The AJN and a host of other communal identities. Prime Minister Tony Abbott was due to attend the launch, but cancelled at the last minute to visit cyclone-affected areas of Queensland.
Speaking at the event, Hockey was full of praise for The AJN and the Australian Jewish community, which he described as “one of the great communities of Australia”.
“The Australian Jewish News is an institution of faith. It is an institution of journalism and it is an institution of community,” Hockey said. “No other single community has a greater devotion to its future, no matter how significant the sacrifices have been in the past. The Australian Jewish News has been the embodiment of these values … it has sought to build a better, fairer community where everyone is respected.”
He continued, “Your pages have not only chronicled the achievements of Jewish people, they have documented some of the discrimination, racism and injustices Jewish people have suffered in this country. We are great people, a great nation but we’re not perfect and you’ve made us better.”
Hockey said modern Australia is “unimaginable” without the impressive contribution of Jewish Australians.
“Can we imagine an Australia without Sir John Monash – possibly the only Australian who has changed the trajectory of world history? Can we imagine a modern Australia without the wisdom of Sir Zelman Cowen – bringing his touch of healing after the turmoil of 1975?
“Can we imagine every walk of life from business to football, particularly the contribution and passion and vision of Frank Lowy in many of those regards?” he said.
Hockey, whose father was a Palestinian refugee, also spoke about his family’s history.
“Dad speaks excellent Hebrew – in fact at the local synagogue they thought he was Jewish, which is good for the local member actually, and he speaks Arabic – although he swears at me in Arabic,” Hockey joked.
“And for someone, in the case of Dad, who did lose his home to a war that was essentially based on faith and survival, he taught me and my brothers and sister the value of tolerance during challenging times.”
Turnbull also congratulated The AJN on the achievement and wished the newspaper long life in Yiddish during his address.
“It’s a wonderful publication … kol hakavod on this great achievement, and I look forward to many, many more issues of The AJN,” he said.
Other speakers at the event included AJN national editor Zeddy Lawrence and AJN publisher Robert Magid who condemned the skewed portrayal of the Jewish State by the mainstream media and anti-Israel activists, and urged moderates in the Muslim community to speak out against those who refuse to embrace Australian values.
At The AJN’s 120th celebration at the State Library Victoria, meanwhile, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten spoke of a “great newspaper” and a “magnificent community”.
“In 120 years, under several banners and owners, through hard times and good, The Australian Jewish News has constantly strived to seek and speak the truth,” Shorten said, adding the newspaper has been a “powerful voice and a conduit” for the Jewish community in Australia.
Shorten said that since the creation of the State of Israel, The AJN has “provided comprehensive coverage of uplifting, and sometimes troubling news from the Jewish community’s ancient homeland and its modern hope”.
“Because this newspaper, like all of us, understands that Israel will always be at the core of the Jewish Diaspora and its sense of self,” he said.
Speaking about the role Jewish Australians play in society, Shorten said: “Ever since the First Fleet, the Jewish community have been among the most significant and most influential contributors to our national success and our national progress.”
He said The Australian Jewish News 120 Years is “a reminder of a very proud past – and an inspiration for a brighter future”.
For your free copy of The Australian Jewish News 120 Years, see this week’s AJN.
EVAN ZLATKIS
From left: Lucy and Malcolm Turnbull, Robert Magid, Zeddy Lawrence, Joe Hockey, Karen Klein. Photos: Noel Kessel/Peter Haskin
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