⏰ 6:15pm | 📍NORTH BONDI

Musical Havdallah!

⏰ 6:30pm | 📍NORTH BONDI | ⏳ History & memory

Many Jews don't know that Jewish theatre dates as far back as the Temple in Jerusalem. This session explores the legacy of the Greek-Jewish play "Exagoge", the only known Jewish play to survive antiquity, and investigates the social, religious, and political considerations surrounding the Jewish arts scene in ancient times. The presentation draws on a mix of literary, historical, and traditional sources to argue for the authenticity of Jewish theatre as a traditional art form, helping to hear the echoes of ancient Jewish theatre contained in the narratives of Midrash and Aggadah.

PRESENTER: Dovi Seldowitz

⏰ 6:30pm | 📍RANDWICK | 🇮🇱 Everything Israel

There are a number of changes, paradoxes and complexities reflected in the Zionist movement in 2023. One such change is that while Zionism was traditionally championed by left-wing and radical thinkers, the discourse around Zionism today in Israel is dominated by more right-wing, conservative figures. In this session, we will explore those changes, paradoxes and complexities by studying foundational Zionists texts – including unpacking claims by those who equate Zionism with colonialism. Together, we will learn to sit with some discomfort in order to understand Zionism's historical complexity and necessity.

PRESENTER: Avishai Conyer

⏰ 10:30am | 📍NORTH BONDI | 🗣 Society & politics

How can Jewish education have a real impact in a changing world? What can we learn from the achievements (and mistakes) of the recent past and present? Where do we want to go, and how can educational innovation help get us there? This panel will explore educational innovation across the NSW Jewish community – from the development of our dayschools in the mid 20th century, to Shalom’s role over 50 years in a variety of innovative initiatives (including Melton, Limmud Oz, Sydney Jewish Writers Festival, Adamama), to the JCA’s landmark Jewish Education Review report Survive to Thrive (2022) and its ideas for the future.

PRESENTERS: Jacquie Seemann (moderator), Hilton Immerman, Anna Stern, Shari Lowe, Mira Hasofer

⏰ 10:30am | 📍MAROUBRA | 🎨 Arts & culture | 🧒🏻🙎🏻 Kids aged 5-10 with a parent/guardian

This workshop is an opportunity to create your very own challah cover! Suitable for children aged 5-10 accompanied by a parent/guardian. Using fabric markers and paints, create a unique piece to use at your Shabbat table! Come and learn the reasons behind why we cover our challah, and spend a relaxed morning with other young Jewish families.

PRESENTER: Alla Melman

♿️ Accessible venue

⏰ 2pm | 📍NORTH SHORE (CAMMERAY) | 🗣 Society & politics

An in-depth exploration of contemporary antisemitism placed in the context of the historic experiences of Jewish Australians and the global rises and falls of reports of antisemitism. We will explore often neglected sources of concern, such as churches, and sources of hope, such as dynamic reformist Islam, in a session which will contain more analogies than footnotes, and more dad jokes than other reasons for concern.

PRESENTER: Jeremy Jones

⏰ 2pm | 📍MAROUBRA | 📖 Text & tradition

Talmudic Sages knew the fables of Aesop and other collections of fables circulating. In this session we will examine a number of fables and see how the Rabbis moulded and transformed them and their messages into rabbinic stories.

PRESENTER: Tommy Sterling

♿️ Accessible venue

⏰ 5:30pm | 📍ANNANDALE | 🗣 Society & politics

Later this year, Australians will vote in a historic referendum on constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through the establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament. Do you have questions about what this all means? What does it have to do with you as an Australian Jew? Join our interactive discussion to respectfully engage in an honest dialogue utilising resources from Together, Yes. This is an opportunity to gain new insights and test one’s opinions, while listening and learning together, and to then continue the conversation with your friends and family – perhaps around the Shabbat dinner table!

PRESENTERS: Uri Windt, Ilona Lee

♿️ Accessible venue

⏰ 5:30pm | 📍 VAUCLUSE | 🎨 Arts & culture

How does making online jokes for your friends turn into a very public hobby, job offers, and having a small army of followers who send you dreidel-themed waffle makers? And more importantly, how can we harness Jewish humour in the Instagram and TikTok age as a successful educational tool? Reluctantly-instagram-famous Shoshana (JewishMemesOnly) will take us through these questions and maybe, just maybe, we'll learn how to make a few memes along the way.

PRESENTER: Shoshana Gottlieb

⏰ 10:30am | 📍LITTLE BAY | 🗣 Society & politics

The memory of Israelite slavery in Egypt is central to Jewish narrative and ritual. But slavery – encompassing forced labour, wage theft, child trafficking, debt bondage and forced marriage – still exists in a range of industries, including aged care, hospitality, fashion and food. Governments in Australia and Israel have attempted to tackle the scourge of modern slavery through a raft of legislation. In this session, we will explore how we as Jews can relate to the cause of modern slavery through our own traditions and history. What can we do to both fight against oppressive conditions that constitute modern slavery, and help survivors rebuild their lives?

PRESENTER: Amelia Loewensohn

♿️ Accessible venue

⏰ 10:30am | 📍NORTH BONDI | ⏳ History & memory

Before Oliver Cromwell allowed Jews to live and worship openly in 1656, Jews had been coming to London under the guise of Spanish Catholics since the early sixteenth century. This session will tell the story of their clandestine Judaism and their path to living openly as Jews.

PRESENTER: Benjamin Elton

⏰ 2pm | 📍NORTH SHORE (KILLARA) | 📖 Text & tradition

The documentary Modern Love on Amazon Prime reveals that love in the 21st century is complicated, tender, unconventional, always imperfect, yet drenched in human longing. In the Talmud we have our own versions of 'Talmudic love' between Rabbis and their wives filled with disappointments, distractions and complex yearnings towards multiple beloveds! In this session we will look at a love story from the Talmud and consider it in relation to love of the modern, Amazon Prime variety.

PRESENTER: Adina Roth

♿️ Accessible venue

⏰ 5:30pm | 📍NORTH BONDI | 🇮🇱 Everything Israel

In January 2023, Israel's Minister of Justice Yariv Levin and the Chair of the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, Simcha Rothman, proposed a comprehensive overhaul of Israel's judicial system. The controversial proposal prompted the largest protest movement in Israel's history, unprecedented intervention from President Isaac Herzog, and a nationwide strike involving universities, retailers, transportation, high-tech and even parts of the IDF. What is it about Israel's Supreme Court and constitutional framework that makes reform so difficult and divisive? How does Israel's current judicial system compare to other liberal democracies, and would the proposed changes be good or bad for Israeli democracy? Join legal scholar Kim Rubenstein for an interactive explainer and Q&A.

PRESENTER: Kim Rubenstein

♿️ Accessible venue