JBD in the News

Article of the Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff, 'London must pause to remember murdered Munich team' in  The Australian 29 June 2012.

The Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff, responds to Abe Qadan's article on The Australians for Palestine website.

ABC News Radio Mornings with John Barron:

JOHN BARRON: Jews around the world are preparing for memorial services to commemorate the holocaust. Events taking place will honour the six million Jews killed during the Second World War, and the survivors, as well as recognise those who had the courage to defy the Nazi regime, and rescue people.

Tonight a memorial service in Sydney's east will also feature a presentation from Melbourne, the Melbourne author Elliot Perlman.

Vic Alhadeff the - Chief Executive of, the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, says it's important to remember what took place, and to make sure that it never happens again

VIC ALHADEFF: The importance of commemorating the holocaust lies in the universal lessons which derived from it. In other words, the holocaust did not occur in a vacuum, it was the culmination of a series of steps which evolved from marginalising a minority group, to discriminating, and then to violence. So it stands as an ultimate case study of where racial hatred can lead.

Click below to listen to the podcast.

To read speeches from the Yom Hashoah Rookwood memorial service held on April 15 2012 click below:

Embassy of Israel Deputy Chief of Mission Meir Itzchaki

Sydney Jewish Museum President Gus Lehrer.

The Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff, discusses the UN Human Rights Council and its latest act of duplicity: 'Doublethink at the UN', Australian Jewish News, 4 April 2012

In this article 'Israel: It's not black and white' in The Australian (1/3/12), Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff, counteracts Israel Apartheid Week on Australian university campuses

Board of Deputies condemns Newcastle mosque attack. 6 January 2012

An opinion by the Board's CEO Vic Alhadeff in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age 'Time for blogosphere to exercise discipline' on 28 December 2011 and an Editorial in The Age on December 29 'A case on online moderation' .

Letter by the Board's CEO Vic Alhadeff in The Australian 'Support for Christmas' 16 December 2011

Op-ed by the Board's CEO Vic Alhadeff in the Australian Jewish News 'Confronting the past' 4 Nov 2011

The Jewish Board of Deputies attend the launch of Sydney Alliance

Op-ed by the Board's CEO Vic Alhadeff in the Australian Jewish News 'BDS: To protest or not to protest' 29 July 2011

Board's President Yair Miller in Top 50: The Sydney Morning Herald this week ran a feature on Australia’s 50 most powerful people, with a section dedicated to the five most powerful people in NSW in the world of religion. Yair Miller, President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, was included as one of the five.

The Board branded event with Howard Jacobson, winner of 2010 Man Booker Prize for "The Finkler Question" filmed by ABC TV ‘Big Ideas’

Letter of Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff,on Gaza blockade  in the Sydney Morning Herald 22 June 2011  

Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff, interview on ABC Illawarra with Nick Rheinberger 9 May 2011

Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff, letter re Bin Laden's capture & death. Daily Telegraph 4 May 2011

Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff, discusses St Ives Eruv in North Shore Times 31 March 2011

Board's President, Yair Miller, in The Australian Jewish News on Marrickville's BDS resolution and its role in 2011 State Elections.

Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff, returns to Radio 2UE to debate Israel and Palestine.

Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff discusses the issues that divide the Middle East on Radio 2UE 17 Feb 2011

Op-Ed by Board's President, Yair Miller in The Australian Jewish News: 'The real threat of BDS' 28 Jan 2011

Board's CEO Vic Alhadeff comments in SMH article 'Suburb joins Israeli boycott' 21 Dec 2010

Board's CEO Vic Alhadeff responds to Editorial in SMH "Back to Mid-East drawing board' 14 Dec 2010

Board's CEO Vic Alhadeff' article 'We need to be out there' in The Australian Jewish News 17 Dec 2010

 Itamar Marcus, Director of Jerusalem based Palestinian Media Watch addresses Sydney media 21 Oct 201

Board's CEO Vic Alhadeff responds to an op-ed by public advocate for Australians for Palestine in The Australian, 1 Sep 2010

Board's CEO Vic Alhadeff was interviewed on ABC 'Daily Shift' with Scott Levi. Alhadeff notes there is no synagogue on the Central Coast but there is a small but active community. He says his visit to the Central Coast this week was to speak to the wider community, rather than the Jewish community. He says the mandate of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies is social inclusion and harmony throughout NSW, summing it up as 'bridge building.' He explains one of the programs the board runs called Respect, Understanding and Acceptance, noting he spoke about it on the Central Coast. He says the program involves bringing together 200 high school students who are Christian, Armenian, Jewish, Muslim and hopefully Aboriginal to build respect between each other. He praises Erina High School for the caliber and respect of their students.

Board's CEO Vic Alhadeff on ABC TV Stateline re St Ives Eruv 9 July 2010

Australian politicians speak out at community gathering

On Sunday 6 June 2001, the Sydney Jewish community turned out in large numbers at central Synagogue to hear reports about the Gaza flotilla incident. The gathering was addressed by Members of Parliament from both major parties - Malcolm Turnbull, Mark Dreyfus and Mike Kelly - demonstrating the continuing strong bipartisan support in Australia for Israel and against the orchestrated global campaign of delegitimisation against it. A simultaneous event was held at Kehillat Masada Synagogue for the North Shore community. Below are 3 version of the video of the Central Synagogue event, the first being 4 min long and others containing more details.

Short version

Full video Part 1

Full video Part 2

Opening comments by the Board's President Robin Margo S.C. at the Jewish Community gathering at Central Synagogue 6 June 2010

Flotilla Facts Short version

Flotilla Facts Long version

Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff responds to an interview with Prof George Bisharat advocating boycott of Israeli goods and services. ABC Radio Illawarra 13 May 2010

Notes of speech of the Board's President Robin Margo S.C., at a celebration of Israel's 62nd Anniversary of Independence- 12 May 2010

Address of the Premier, The Hon Kristina Keneally MP, at Israel 62nd Independence Day Reception, 12 May 2010

Introduction of the Righteous Among The Nation Award by Dor Shapira, Spokesperson of the Israeli Embassy, 12 May 2010

Address by Vivienne Ingram upon acceptance the Righteous Among The Nations Award on behalf of her Mother, Irena Szumska-Ingram- 12 May 2010

Holocaust's modest hero honoured, Daily Telegraph, 11 May

Honour for New Lambton Heights woman who defied Nazis, Newcastle Herald, 8 May

?Hand in Hand, 702 ABC Speaking Out - 2 May 2010

ABC Message Stick: The book was an initiative of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies and was written by mother-daughter team, Anne and Lisa Sarzin.

Podcast: http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/speakingout/speaking_o_m1872654.mp3

A Hand in History, Wentworth Courier - 13 April 2010
Interview with Dr Anne Sarzin and her daughter Lisa, local authors of the new book Hand in Hand: Jewish and Indigenous people working together.

National Indigenous Times - Hand in Hand Jewish and Indigenous people working together

An opinion piece by the Board's CEO, Vic Alhadeff, 'First step is accepting Israel's right to exist 'in the Sydney Morning Herald - 15 March 2010

Interview with Vic Alhadeff on the 20 year anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from jail

Adam Spencer interviews Vic Alhadeff on ABC Sydney for the World in Sydney series.
During this programme, prominent Australians talk about their experiences of coming to live in Sydney. Vic Alhadeff, the Board's Chief Executive Officer, talks about coming to Sydney from South Africa, and tells a story of racism, tragedy, serendipity and new beginnings.

Introduction of Kevin Russell by the Board's President, Robin Margo S.C., at the Kristallnacht Commemoration. 9 November 2009

Remarks by the Board's President, Robin Margo S.C., at the 35th anniversary of the presentation of
The Mace to the NSW Legislative Assembly. 30 October 2009

Text withdrawn: Cambridge University Press will withdraw from sale a religious studies book used as an HSC text following complaints from the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies that it contains antisemitic slurs. A statement yesterday said the decision was in response to the 'concerns' about Cambridge Studies of Religion. (SMH, 28 Oct 2009, p 2)

School textbook 'fuels antisemitism' (SMH, 27 Oct 2009)
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies has asked Cambridge University Press for the immediate withdrawal of a book that schools use as an HSC text, which it says contains antisemitic slurs.


The Board of Deputies invited Ehud Ya'ari to Australia as their special guest. Here, a transcript of his interview with ABC National Radio's Mark Colvin (Tuesday 9 June 2009)

Speech by Israeli Ambassador, HE Yuval Rotem, at Israel's 61st Independence Day reception 7 May 2009

Speech by The Hon Nathan Rees MP, Premier of NSW, at Israel's 61st Independence Day reception 7 May 2009

Notes of speech by the Board's President, Robin Margo, at celebration of Israel’s 61^st Independence Day 7 May 2009

ECAJ Statement of Principles about Trade Unions and the Jewish Community 04/05/09

Shoah Commemoration Speech by Mark Dreyfus MP 21/04/09

Shoah Commemoration Speech by JBD CEO, Vic Alhadeff 21/04/09

Notes of Shoah Commemoration Speech at Rookwood by the Board's President, Robin Margo S.C. 09/04/09

Shoah Commemoration Speech by Minister for Education and Training and Minisiter for Women, Verity Firth MP 09/04/09

Passover Dinner for Local Government 01/04/09

"War in Gaza" letter by Vic Alhadeff in Lismore Northern Star 16/02/09

"Mixed Messages" by Vic Alhadeff, ABC Unleashed 06/02/09

Alan Jones interviews Vic Alhadeff on 2GB about the Gaza conflict 20/01/09

"A legitimate right to self-defence" by Vic Alhadeff, Sydney Morning Herald 08/01/09

"Questions for Hamas" by Vic Alhadeff, ABC Unleashed 30/12/08