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Thank you Malcolm

He may not be popular today, but the community stands by its mishpocha.

August 24, 2018, 12:02 pm Edit
Malcolm Turnbull at the opening of the Sam Moss Library. Photo: Noel Kessel
Malcolm Turnbull at the opening of the Sam Moss Library. Photo: Noel Kessel

JOSHUA LEVI

ON Rosh Hashanah in 2015 word spread across synagogues that there was a spill in Canberra, and within hours Malcolm Turnbull was the new Prime Minister of Australia.

Turnbull, who fell two weeks short of marking Rosh Hashanah this year in the lodge, has been an amazing friend of the Jewish community and the Jewish Nation.

Turnbull helped secure security funding for key communal institutions, danced with the community at a Central Synagogue Shabbat service, officially opened a Holocaust exhibition and, regularly, referred to the Jewish community as his “mishpocha”.

He has close friends and deep roots in the Australian Jewish community, and specifically in Sydney.

Turnbull is also a donor to the JCA, an ambassador of the Montefiore Home in Sydney and was the keynote speaker at JewishCare’s 80th anniversary celebrations.

Under Turnbull’s leadership, Australia’s connection to Israel has grown exponentially.

His friendship with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu started at a climate change conference in Paris in December 2015.

In 2016 he pulled off a huge coup for the Jewish community, by convincing Netanyahu to be the first sitting Israeli Prime Minister to visit Australia.

Turnbull shadowed Netanyahu for four amazing days in February 2017, which included a speech to the Jewish community at Central Synagogue that those in attendance will never forget.

And Turnbull returned the favour, travelling to Israel later that year for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba.

Before flying to Israel, Turnbull met with alleged child sexual abuse victim Dassi Erlich and, after listening to her horrific story, he asked Netanyahu about the extradition of alleged child sexual abuser Malka Leifer, who is now facing court in Israel.

This week has been complete turmoil in Canberra, and Turnbull has been a large part of that.

But after the dust settles, he will be remembered as the Australian Prime Minister who always supported the Jewish community and the Jewish Nation.

He may not be popular today, but the community stands by its mishpocha.

Thank you Malcolm.

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