NZ Rabbis’ Letter to Imams of Christchurch Mosques 17 March 2019 To Imam Ibrahim Abdelhalim (Linwood Masjid) and Imam Gamal Fouda (Masjid Al Noor) Dear Imam Ibrahim Abdelhalim and Imam Gamal Fouda, The Jewish Community of New Zealand mourns the cold-blooded murder of the innocent worshipers at the…
NZ Jewish Council Statement Following Terror Attack On Christchurch Mosques Terrorist Attack – Christchurch Mosque – 15 March 2019 The New Zealand Jewish Council has no adequate words to described how sickened and devastated we are by the co-ordinated attacks on Christchurch mosques today. We offer our full assistance and…
Trust us. We, the people, know hate when we see it A common backdoor argument against free speech is that platforms (media and speaking engagements) aren’t shared equitably. If more space was offered to far-Left views, some argue, middle NZ would finally “woke up and see the light” and would positively…
Martyn Bradbury drops a bombshell: there is no Israeli apartheid Public discourse has never proved more of a minefield. We’re in the bright and shiny new age of “wokeness” in which good faith arguments have been swapped out for name-calling, smears and gaslighting. Why just the other day I found…
It is anti-semitic to oppose Israel’s right to exist Criticism of Israeli government policy and actions is not only legitimate but is a vital and important aspect of any democracy. Israel should be challenged and scrutinised in the same way as any other country, yet too often this is…
Amnesty International has lost its moral way Amnesty International has unveiled a new campaign to pressure digital tourism companies such as Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb and TripAdvisor to delist properties held by Israelis living in the West Bank, and calling on governments to pass legislation that would result…
Anti-Israel obsessive Malcolm Evans still spreading hate in Northland Age In 2003 cartoonist Malcolm Evans was sacked from the NZ Herald amidst some controversy. His single-tracked focus on Israel, and the vitriolic and offensive nature of some of his cartoons, had led to accusations of antisemitism. He was warned by…
In the End, Israel will still be here The world should hang its head in shame. Deep shame. Embarrassing shame. Penetrating shame. The kind of shame that should cause them to have sleepless nights, as they try to explain to their kids about the day they supported evil….
Hanukkah in the Bays 2018 In a break with tradition, Hanukkah in Auckland was held this year at Okahu Bay, courtesy of local iwi Ngati Whatua. A large crowd gathered to enjoy a joyful celebration of music, dance, food and friendship. Ngati Whatua opened the…
The outsiders The world moves in mysterious ways. A few days after Robert Bowers ranted online about the Hebrew Immigration Aid Society (HIAS) and went on a shooting spree at a Pittsburgh synagogue, my mother discovered passenger records online relating to her…
When hate speech gets a free pass Earlier this year, prominent New Zealanders went to some lengths to demonstrate their opposition to hate speech. Two controversial Canadian speakers were coming into town and were possibly going to say things that, in the words of Auckland’s mayor Phil…
Ugly Politics behind Upper Hutt Posse Like much of New Zealand, you may not have heard of Upper Hutt Posse until Friday, or if you had, it may have been a long time ago. On Thursday night, the band, described on its Wikipedia page as the…
World leaders condemn Pittsburgh attack; NZ government silent Political leaders from the following countries have spoken out in condemnation or sympathy over the recent attack on Jewish congregants in a synagogue in Pittsburgh, in which 11 people were killed: Australia Canada United Kingdom Italy Germany France Israel The…