The media get a thumbs up

As Spiderman and Superman both worked in newspapers and both had Jewish parents (creators), it’s no wonder that the Jewish community thinks that journalists are superheroes, fighting for justice and truth.
But in the words of Australian Jewish News editor Zeddy Lawrence, the media can make mistakes.
“It’s not that the media necessarily let us down, but that your expectations of the media might be too high.”
Zeddy was arguing for the negative at the first of the Great Debates Series II on the media.
In an entertaining and informative evening, the 80-strong audience were given an insight into the world of the media from high profile Jewish journalists including Zeddy, Dr Rachel Kohn from the ABC, Henry Benjamin, founder and editor of J-Wire and Vic Alhadeff, former AJN editor and now CEO of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies.
With Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence as the gavel-wielding host, the four argued the proposition that “The media lets us down”.
In the end, the negative won by acclamation, but it was a close fought debate.
Zeddy Lawrence continued his defence of the media by arguing that this includes the positive good media can do on behalf of a community, particularly the Jewish media. But members of the community should be aware that Jewish newspapers are not only read by a Jewish audience and they must tread a careful line on some debates.
Henry Benjamin, for the proposition, argued that newspapers are businesses and need to make profits.
“So the media want to give the market exactly what it wants, and to some degree Israel is the sacrificial lamb.”
The media fails to focus on other trouble spots in the world where shocking events are occurring, to concentrate disproportionately on Israel.
“But in the end, the media select the truth that sells.
Also arguing for the positive, Vic Alhadeff said the media are about “headlines, a local angle and beating the opposition”.
He said the majority of Jewish media consumers believe Israel is not dealt with fairly and that they have, indeed, frequently let us down.
Arguing for the negative, Dr Rachel Kohn pointed out that she has been given freedom at the ABC to present any topics in her various religious programs and that they have been disproportionately about Jews, Judaism and Jewish attitudes.
She believes this is because Jews are “hungry for knowledge” and around the world many of the great achievers are Jews.
As an example of the ABC’s attitude to this concentration on Jewish matters in her programs, she explained that in 2008 she was permitted to go to Israel for its 60th anniversary and record six programs, each of which was played.
“With programs like these, the ABC has been tremendous in allowing this disproportionate support for Jewish issues,” she said.
She also made a strong case for supporting public broadcasters like the ABC because they are “not open to corruption by advertising” and in other ways.
For the guests, Rabbi Lawrence produced a fascinating pamphlet on Jewish sources concerned with honest reporting, quoting from T’nach and Talmud and other sources a surprising list of admonitions and advice from rabbis throughout the centuries on and around the issue, finishing with a dictum of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter: “It is quite easy to write but far more difficult to erase.”

For documents prepared by Rabbi Lawrence relating to Jewish attitudes toward honest reporting pleases click here 
 

Purim 2010

There was fun for young and old at The Great's Purim celebrations on Sunday morning 28 February.

The Megillah was read by Chazan Hilton in Wizard mode, while Rabbi (Mr Darcy) Lawrence looked on. Greggars were whirled and boos and hisses uttered at the name of Haman and as always everyone had a thoroughly good time.

Then it was downstairs for hamentashen until the entertainment started. For the little people there was  Captain Bandana (aka Sharon Saul) and Splash the Mermaid (aka Amanda Mayhew) as well as a magician, Adrian Dean.

For the grownups (who wanted to behave like children!) there was a very funny Purim Spiel called Megillah Mia which told the Purim story to the tunes of ABBA.

For pictures, click here
 

Mazal Tot Shabbat

Some gurgling, some crying and others overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of The Great Synagogue – some ten babies under one year old were blessed by Rabbi Jeremy Lawrence during a special Mazal Tot Shabbat.

The blessing of babies and their parents by Rabbi Lawrence took place on the bimah under an outstretched tallit with proud grandparents and some great-grandparents taking great nachas from the event.

A project of The Great Synagogue’s Services committee, Mazal Tot Shabbat included a baby-oriented sermon and each tiny tot was given a bib incscribed “I’m a GREAT baby” with a logo designed by Ilana Wahnon based on The Great’s exterior with the towers replaced by baby bottles. Pictured left is Nicholas Henley wearing his "Great bib" .

President Michael Gold said even our most conservative congregants responded warmly to the event.

Ginette Matalon, who was born in Egypt, and Monica Brik from Venezuela told the 80-strong audience about their memories of food and customs for Shabbat and festivals and something of their differing experiences before migrating to Australia. Interviewed by The Great’s Administrator Susan Bures, Ginette recalled one of her earliest memories as visiting the schochet with a number of live chickens then taking the carcasses home to pluck and use every portion of the bird in different dishes. Monica recalled her earliest memories as fruit; tropical Venezuela has fruit available all year round and eaten three times a day. Both women talked about the way the Jewish communities in each place adapting the food of the surrounding culture to Jewish traditions. The Great’s chazzan, Rev David Hilton, also a noted chef, then demonstrated how these various exotic dishes were prepared and cooked. And everyone had a chance to taste the result, to great delight and compliments all round. Pictured above are Ginette Matalon and Monica Brik and, right, David Hilton cooking. 

On Wednesday 24 Feb, it was time to travel to India and Hungary.

Rachel Goldberg told us about the cooking of Jewish Calcutta and the impact of the founding of the State of Israel at the time of the Indian independence movement; for one thing, most of the rabbis and the shochtim left India for Israel so kosher meat became almost impossible to find.

Anna Marks talked about growing up in Communist Hungary and the deprivation of those times when having two eggs was a luxury! She recalled the stories so familiar to many migrants of taking her shnitzel and pickles sandwich to her Australian primary school and dreaming of a Vegemite sandwich instead. Her mother obliged, but lovingly spread the bread with a good half inch of Vegemite, so the experiment wasn't repeated.

Pictured below are Rachel Goldberg (left) amd Anna Marks with chef extraordinaire, Chazan David Hilton!

Belahat Lahma and Loobia, La Reina Pepiada and Hallacas – travellers on The Great Synagogue’s “Gourmet Journey” on the first of our two Wednesday night were tantalised with the flavours and stories of Egypt and Venezuela.

Law Service draws many

A parade of bewigged judges in scarlet and purple robes led by NSW Chief Justice J J Spigelman AC formed a procession into The Great Synagogue on Friday night 5 February for the annual Law Service to mark the opening of the law term.

From a Bat Mitzvah celebrated in 1932 to one celebrated in 2009, women of all ages attended The Great Synagogue’s Centenary Bat Mitzvah celebration last Sunday.

As one congregant said about the function: “What an innovative idea – The Great is always at the forefront of good ideas.”