New Zealand Jewish grave vandal avoids prison

Published on February 28, 2013

A New Zealand man who admitted to desecrating Jewish graves with anti-Semitic graffiti at a historic cemetery in Auckland avoided prison.

Charges dropped against accused Jewish cemetery vandal

Published on November 5, 2012

Police in New Zealand say charges will be dropped against one of the three men arrested in last month's attack on an historic Jewish cemetery.

Part of gold medal ‘belongs to Israel,’ Kiwi sailor Jo Aleh says

Published on August 14, 2012

Jo Aleh, the New Zealand Jewish Olympian who won gold in the sailing regatta, said part of her medal “belongs to Israel.”

Gold for New Zealand Jewish sailor

Published on August 10, 2012

New Zealand Jewish sailor Jo Aleh and her partner Polly Powrie won the gold medal in the women’s 470 regatta.

New Zealand Jewish sailor Jo Aleh guaranteed medal

Published on August 9, 2012

New Zealand Jewish sailor Jo Aleh is guaranteed an Olympic medal with just one race left in the women’s 470 regatta.

New Zealand Jewish sailor in medal contention

Published on August 6, 2012

New Zealand sailor Jo Aleh is in good position to win her first Olympic medal as her event heads into its final stretch.

New Zealand Jewish rower Nathan Cohen wins Olympic gold

Published on August 3, 2012

New Zealand won its first gold medal of the London Olympics when rowers Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan took first place in the men’s double sculls event.

Druze professor appointed Israeli envoy to New Zealand

Published on April 24, 2012

A Druze professor was appointed Israel’s chief diplomat in New Zealand.

Earthquake-damaged New Zealand shul renting for Rosh Hashanah

Published on September 23, 2011

The small Jewish community in the earthquake-ravaged New Zealand city of Christchurch will celebrate Rosh Hashanah in a rental property because the city’s only synagogue has not yet been repaired.

New Zealand Holocaust center honored

Published on August 25, 2011

A Holocaust center in New Zealand won a national award from the country's Human Rights Commission.

Kiwi Jewish leaders dismiss Israeli spy accusations

Published on July 20, 2011

Jewish leaders in New Zealand reacted angrily to explosive allegations that Israeli backpackers caught in February's massive earthquake may have been spies.

Religious books rescued from Christchurch Chabad House

Published on April 13, 2011

Nearly 1,000 religious books have been rescued from the heavily damaged Chabad House in Christchurch, New Zealand. The Chabad House is located in the city's downtown, near the epicenter of the major Feb. 22 temblor that claimed more than 165 lives, including three Israelis. Days after the quake, a rescue worker, at risk to his own life, removed the Chabad center's two Torah scrolls.

Memorial to be built for Israeli New Zealand quake victims

Published on April 12, 2011

A memorial will be built in memory of the three Israelis killed in the recent earthquake in New Zealand. Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin said Monday in Christchurch that Israel would pay for the memorial to backpackers Gabi Ingel, Ofer Levi and Ofer Mizrachi, who were among the more than 165 victims of the Feb. 22 disaster.

Demonstrators protest Israeli Knesset speaker’s New Zealand visit

Published on April 4, 2011

Scuffles erupted between New Zealand police and anti-Israel demonstrators who were protesting a landmark visit by Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin. About 25 protesters, mostly from pro-Palestinian and socialist student groups, were met Saturday night by a strong police presence outside the Auckland Hebrew Congregation, where Rivlin was giving the keynote address to 250 members of the Jewish community.

Brothers reunite with hidden ‘sister’ after 65 years

Published on March 23, 2011

During a teary-eyed meeting in Wellington, New Zealand, on Tuesday, 70-year-old Elli Mantegari met members of the family who hid her for almost two years in Nazi-occupied Holland. The reunion brings an end to a search that has lasted 65 years.

Policeman rescues Torah scrolls from Christchurch rubble

Published on March 3, 2011

Two Torah scrolls buried under the rubble of the Chabad house in Christchurch, New Zealand, have been saved. Rabbi Shmuel Friedman, who escaped from the Jewish outreach center with an Israeli backpacker when a devastating earthquake struck Feb. 22, was trying to salvage remnants of the building in central Christchurch on Wednesday when he was stopped by a police detective, Chris Bell.

Two more Israelis dead in New Zealand quake

Published on March 1, 2011

Two more Israeli bodies were identified in New Zealand, and at least two others remain missing since last week’s devastating earthquake. The dead Israelis, Ofer Levy and Gabi Engel, 22-year-olds from Rehovot, were found in Christchurch Tuesday by New Zealand search and rescue personnel, Israeli officials confirmed. The families were notified Tuesday morning in Israel.

Several Israelis still missing in New Zealand

Published on February 23, 2011

Up to four Israelis who were in Christchurch, New Zealand at the time remain missing and are feared dead. On Wednesday, Israel's consul to New Zealand, Teddy Poplinger, said that his staff is working to contact all Israelis who were reported to be in the area of the quake when it struck on Tuesday.

Israeli killed, Chabad House destroyed in New Zealand quake

Published on February 22, 2011

An Israeli backpacker was among dozens killed in an earthquake that devastated the city of Christchurch, New Zealand and destroyed its Chabad center. At least 65 people are reported dead and many buildings toppled, including the city’s Chabad house, in Tuesday's temblor, which measured 6.3 on the Richter scale.

Tefillin cause bomb scare on New Zealand ferry

Published on December 13, 2010

An Israeli putting on tefillin set off a bomb scare on a New Zealand ferry.

New Zealand schechitah ban to go to court

Published on November 18, 2010

The case against New Zealand’s ban on kosher animal slaughter will be heard in the High Court in Wellington later this month.

Radio host suspended over anti-Semitic jokes

Published on June 29, 2010

A New Zealand comedian who apologized for making anti-Semitic jokes was suspended from his radio show.

New Zealand Jews plan to fight for shechitah

Published on June 28, 2010

Barring a last-minute policy reversal, Jewish leaders in New Zealand appear certain to launch legal action against the government over its controversial new law banning kosher slaughter.

Israel reopens embassy in New Zealand

Published on April 21, 2010

An Israeli embassy was back in New Zealand for the first time since 2002.

Jewish Kiwis Thrive at Bottom of Earth

By Rabbi Arnold Rachlis
Published on December 4, 2003

New Zealand has never been considered a center of Jewish life, but since our congregation, University Synagogue, was visiting Australia, we decided to hop over (1,200 miles) to this incredibly beautiful country.

The next day, we were deeply moved at the Canterbury Hebrew Congregation -- named after the county so as not to be called the "Christchurch Synagogue" -- where our hosts, Dr. David Cohen, a local professor originally from Fresno and a graduate of UCLA, and Dr. Ali Wegner, originally from Buenos Aires and Chicago, introduced us to their synagogue. They moved to what many would consider yenne velt (the end of the earth) to live at a slower pace with serenity and security.