Fired gay day school principal settles with school out of court

Published on February 21, 2013

The fired principal of a major Jewish school in Melbourne reached an out-of-court settlement on the eve of his unfair dismissal case in the Federal Court.

Rabbi denies he knew of sexual abuse at Jewish school

Published on February 21, 2013

A man under investigation for allegedly sexually abusing boys at a Sydney Jewish day school told police that senior rabbis knew of his actions but failed to report them to authorities, a newspaper reported.

Melbourne sex abuse probes spread to Sydney Jewish community

Published on February 15, 2013

Allegations of child sex abuse, rampant in Melbourne’s Jewish community, have spread to Sydney, with police mounting investigations into two individuals.

Principal at Aussie school under fire sees child sex abuse inquiry as ‘welcome step’

Published on November 14, 2012

The launch of a commission to investigate child sex abuse was welcomed by the principal of an Australian Jewish school whose students allegedly were victimized. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Monday that the royal commission -- or public inquiry -- would look into children under the care of religious organizations and focus on the response of the institutions to the alleged sex abuse cases. She called child sex abuse "vile and evil."

Australian bank executive apologizes for calling Hitler a ‘visionary’

Published on August 20, 2012

A senior banker at one of Australia's largest investment banks apologized for suggesting that Hitler was a great visionary.

Fire seriously damages Sydney synagogue

Published on October 4, 2011

A fire severely damaged a synagogue in Sydney on the first night of Rosh Hashanah.

Sydney Taylor Book Awards winners named

Published on March 21, 2011

A spunky 11-year-old, troll-fighting Orthodox Jewish girl who dreams of slaying dragons is the unlikely heroine of this year's Sydney Taylor Book Awards for older readers. The awards, in three age categories, were announced recently by the Association of Jewish Libraries. “Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword” is an inventive graphic novel by Barry Deutsch. The cast of characters in this comic includes a mean-tongued stepmother, an older sister obsessed with finding a husband and a talking pig

Boycott marring Peace Team visit to Sydney

Published on March 17, 2011

A joint Israeli-Palestinian Australian Rules football team due to visit Sydney is embroiled in a row over a local government council’s boycott of Israel. Marrickville Council, in inner Sydney, voted last December to support a Green Party-led ban on all commercial, academic, governmental, cultural and sporting exchanges with Israel. But the same council voted unanimously Tuesday night to allow the Peace Team -- co-sponsored by the Peres Center for Peace and the Al-Quds Association for Democracy and Dialogue -- to appear at a welcome function at the Marrickville Town Hall on Aug. 18.

Radical Muslim cleric returns to Australia

Published on March 15, 2011

A radical Muslim cleric who described Jews as “pigs” and is accused of inciting terrorism has returned to Australia to preach after years in exile. Sheik Feiz Mohammed, a Sydney native, was told in 2007 by then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that he was “not welcome here” after an inflammatory DVD series emerged in which he is quoted saying that “We want to have children and offer them as soldiers defending Islam. Teach them this: There is nothing more beloved to me than wanting to die as a mujahid [holy warrior].”

Olmert goes to China; Hezbollah is back; Euro righties caucus; Jews get blamed again

Published on January 11, 2007

World News Briefs

Local Olympians

By Adam Wills
Published on September 14, 2000

Besides Lenny Krayzelburg, three other American Jews with a Southern California connection are vying for the gold at the Olympic Games in Sydney: a runner who graduated from Agoura Hills High School, a 19-year-old from Valencia who will be the first person of African-American descent to swim in the Olympics, and an Irvine-based swimmer who loves to surf.

From Russia, With Gold

By Avi Machlis
Published on September 14, 2000

Athletes from the former Soviet Union have transformed the Israeli Olympics sports scene. About one-third of the Israeli team in the upcoming Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia - and five of the six strongest Israeli contenders - are originally from the former Soviet Union.