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Jewish leaders attend Melbourne synagogue for anniversary of firebombing

Leaders of international Jewish communities have walked through the debris of an Melbourne synagogue a year after it was firebombed as two accused men faced court.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-04/adass-israel-synagogue-firebombing-anniversary/106103130

#Arson #Judaism #War

I've been pretty neglect as I wanted to start on Simchat Torah, but can anyone recommend a weekly parashah podcast?

I know there are a few.

#Mazeldon #Judaism

‘It was legs out all the time!’ June Squibb on starring in Scarlett Johansson’s directing debut – and Broadway’s original Gypsy https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/03/june-squibb-interview-eleanor-the-great-scarlett-johansson-broadway-gypsy #ScarlettJohansson #Holocaust #Culture #Judaism #Ageing #Film

Report details attacks and abuse faced by Australian Jews
By Jessica Kidd

Executive Council of Australian Jewry Alex Ryvchin said the data showed antisemitism remained at "deeply troubling levels".

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-03/nsw-anti-jewish-incidents-report-2025-antisemitism-australia/106095142

#Crime #Judaism #Religion #JessicaKidd

La Pascua

https://tishrei.org/journal/17-from-sabbath-to-sunday-passover-to-easter-and-dedication-to-christmas-some-historical-background/

#religion #judaism #christianity #islam #paganism

From Shalom Center:
My name is Hannah Yerington. I am a writer and Jewish arts educator with an MFA in poetry from Bowling Green University. I published my poetry book, Sheologies, a fantastical book of Jewish poetry, folklore, and prayers, in 2023 with Minerva Rising Press. My next poetry book, Garlic Moon, full of talking plants and everyday angels, is forthcoming from Monkfish Publishing Press in late 2026.

I teach Jewish poetry from a mystical bent, drawn to folklore practices, eco-writing, and holy whimsy.

You do not need to be an artist or a writer to be part of this workshop. Just come with a creative spirit and a willingness to engage in sacred play between spell, poetry, and folklore.

Join me in the kitchen, in the little (virtual) cottage at the edge of the woods this Thursday!

Register: https://theshalomcenter.org/magic

#Mazeldon #Jewish #Judaism #JewishHistory

Jewish Magic & Poetry
A three part generative workshop with Hannah Yerington

Folk practice, plant medicine, and writual for dark winter nights.

December 4, 11, and 18 at 730 to 9:00 PM ET on Zoom

Space is limited. Register now at TheShalomCenter.org/magic

We will explore the margins between Jewish folklore and poetry and the importance of language and words in protective and transformational practices.

What is Jewish magic? Simply put, it’s community care. For centuries, those in power have tried to demonize the way women and non-binary folks care for each other, our belief in the power of spoken words, handmade objects, collected stones and herbs, and kitchen mixes.

And while much of Jewish magic is and was shared orally, there is also an emphasis on writing prayers and spells as ways to activate healing and protection, to name what is needed. In this class, we will tap into our collective creativity through arts, crafts, and poetry to bring light to the dark months of winter, to ground ourselves, and to create community with one another and the natural and spiritual world.

We will write our own prekante (a protection prayer) poem, make a bulsika/beytele (protection pouch), create angel cards, and learn to name the Jewish magic we already practice in our lives. And we will joyfully claim back the power that was taken away from our women and gender non-conforming ancestors, power that was silenced either because of misogyny or antisemitism.

From Harif UK:

Hanucah this year begins on 14 December and lasts for eight days. Because the festival commemorates how the oil in the Temple lasted miraculously for eight days, it is customary for Jews to eat fried foods. Ashkenazim indulge in latkes and jam doughnuts, but Sephardim prepare a rich variety of fried foods.

Join Zoom meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88282523576?pwd=8PAMibIC50uwO9oDWRRnWfqySMgjW4.1

Meeting ID: 882 8252 3576
Passcode: doughnuts

IMPORTANT: Please note that no registration is required but for security reasons, only participants identified by name, and not 'Ipad' or 'Wonderwoman', willl be admitted. The event will be recorded.

To see recordings of previous events, click here: https://www.youtube.com/user/bataween1/videos

#Mazeldon #Jewniverse #Judiverse #Sephardi #Mizrahi #MENA #JewishFood #JewishHistory #Judaism #Jewish

BEYOND LATKES! A SEPHARDI HANUCAH
WITH LINDA DANGOOR, VIVIANE BOWELL & RAQUEL LEVY-TOLEDANO

TUESDAY 9 DECEMBER 2025

At 7:30 pm UK / 11:30 am PT / 2:30 pm ET / 8:30 pm Europe / 9:30 pm Israel

Raquel Levy-Toledano from Morocco, Viviane Bowell from Egypt and Linda Dangoor from Iraq will each share a favourite Hanucah recipe. They will talk about how the festival was celebrated in their country of birth.

Photo: Moroccan sfenjs

"After ten years #DanBrown is back with a new #RobertLangdon #thriller — this time set in #Prague and packed with #Jewish #legends, #mysticalscience, and even a villain who believes he is the #Golem of Prague. Beneath the chase scenes and puzzles, the #novel revolves around a single, radical question: What exactly is #humanconsciousness?

While the novel plays with these ideas in dramatic and experimental ways, #Judaism has been exploring the same questions for over two thousand years — with great depth and #spiritual clarity.

Here are three major ideas about human #consciousness that Brown discusses, compared with a traditional Jewish approach to the same questions."

https://aish.com/a-jewish-look-at-dan-browns-the-secret-of-secrets-mystical-science-meets-jewish-wisdom/

Hope that clarifies things, because comments on my previous posts on Zionism show that the two often get mixed up (or deliberately made synonymous) #zionism #judaism #jewish #freepalestine #palestine #westbank #israel #gaza

Jews and Zionists: do you know the difference?

Jewish: 4000 year old religion based on the teachings in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible)
Zionist: 150 year old political ideology aimed to establish a Jewish homeland as a solution to end Jewish persecution in Europe.

Jewish: Religious identity.
Zionist: Secular identity, not religious.

Jewish: Universal religion that welcomes all people to accept Judaism.
Zionist: Exclusive to only ethnically Jewish people deemed to be racially superior.

Jewish: Not strictly tied to the modern state of Israel.
Zionist: Inherently tied to the modern state of Israel established in 1948.

Jewish: Abraham and Moses are considered prophets sent by God.
Zionist: Theodore Herzel is founder of movement.

Jewish: Religiously motivated.
Zionist: Politically motivated.

From Ritual Well:

Join us for an exclusive gathering with acclaimed Israeli writer Etgar Keret, beloved for his wildly imaginative short stories, wit, and deep humanity. In this special session for the Ritualwell community, Keret will share his “10 Rules for Writers”—hard-earned wisdom that’s as funny and surprising as his fiction.

Whether you’re an experienced author, a devoted reader, or just beginning to write, this event will spark new ways of thinking about storytelling and the art of connection through words.

Register: https://ritualwell.org/event/the-10-rules-of-writing-with-etgar-keret/

This session will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.

#mazeldon #Jewniverse #Judiverse #JewishWriters #Jewish #Judaism

Ritual Well - Tradition & Innovation presents:

The 10 rules of Writing
by Etgar Keret

Sunday, January 11, 2026
1:00 to 2:30 PM EST

Etgar Keret is a celebrated Israeli writer known for his inventive short stories, graphic novels, and screenwriting for film and television. His work—marked by its surreal humor and emotional depth—has captivated global audiences and been translated into dozens of languages. Keret is the author of acclaimed collections including Missing Kissinger, Suddenly a Knock on the Door, and Fly Already, which won the prestigious Sapir Prize. His storytelling has also found new life on screen: Jellyfish, which he co-directed with his wife Shira Geffen, earned the Camera d’Or at Cannes in 2007. Additionally, Keret is a recipient of France’s Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Charles Bronfman Prize, recognizing his humanitarian vision and international cultural impact. He currently serves as the MFA Director for JTS’s new MFA in creative writing.

Jewish News: Holocaust Centre North unveils three new digital galleries. “Holocaust Centre North is enabling people to explore parts of its rich archive remotely for the first time via a searchable browser. Three years in the making, it features three new curated digital image galleries, designed to guide visitors through themed selections of digitised photographs, documents, and artefacts.”

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/11/29/jewish-news-holocaust-centre-north-unveils-three-new-digital-galleries/

Imagine discovering your community's centuries-old religion is actually Judaism. That's the incredible true story of a village in Ghana. Now streaming on http://Cpics.tv #ViralContent #TrendingNow #CpicsGlobal #Cpics.tv #Documentary #Ghana #Judaism #Jewish #AfricanJews #Storytelling

For generations, they practiced in isolation. Then, they discovered their ancient faith was Judaism. This is their journey from a tiny community to a global family. Now streaming on http://Cpics.tv #ViralContent #TrendingNow #CpicsGlobal #Cpics.tv #Documentary #Ghana #Judaism #Jewish #AfricanJews #Storytelling

A village in rural Ghana spent centuries practicing their faith, only to discover it was Judaism all along. Their incredible story of connection is now a film. Now streaming on http://Cpics.tv #ViralContent #TrendingNow #CpicsGlobal #Cpics.tv #Documentary #Ghana #Judaism #Jewish #AfricanJews #Storytelling

"Dear #Jew in the City-

This week #Americans will show their thanks by getting together and eating Turkey and stuffing. Are there any #Jewish customs or rituals for expressing #gratitude?

Thanks,
Adam

Dear Adam-

Thanks for your question. There is an important characteristic in #Judaism called #hakarashatov, acknowledging the good. It is stressed that we show gratitude both to other people and to God for the favors they grant us. In the interest of space, let us leave expressions of gratitude towards others for another day and focus upon the ways in which we demonstrate our thanks to God.

I really don’t know where to start because such examples really are so numerous."

https://jewinthecity.com/2025/11/what-are-the-jewish-ways-of-expressing-gratitude/

"#Antisemitic voices are “no longer on the fringes” of #American culture that #students are exposed to, said panelist Daniel Joslyn-Siemiatkoski at a session discussing a new #book, #Judeophobia and the New Testament: Texts and Contexts (Eerdmans, out now), in which 35 #authors devote chapters to each of the 27 #books of the New Testament plus four extra-canonical texts.

“It’s designed for #teaching, to unpack some of the assumptions about #antisemitism and the locations of students in these issues,” says Joslyn-Siemiatkoski, director of the Center for Christian-#Jewish Learning at Boston College. His own book, Resisting Anti-#Judaism: Practices of Christian Solidarity will be released by Fortress in October 2026.

“These issues are not hypothetical, says Eric Vanden Eykel, associate professor of #religion at Ferrum College and one of three editors of Judeophobia and the New Testament."

https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/religion/article/99187-antisemitism-draws-attention-at-aar-sbl.html

From JTA:

Hear some answers from Neil deGrasse Tyson, rabbis and former Jewish astronauts in the entertaining and informative short documentary film "Fiddler on the Moon"!

On Dec. 7, join us as we screen the full 30-minute movie online and then host a virtual discussion with the film's directors and a Jewish aerospace researcher.

Online Event! Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fiddler-on-the-moon-film-screening-and-qa-tickets-1975001960028

#Mazeldon #Jewniverse #Judiverse #Jewish #Judaism #JewishFilm

Jewish Telegraph Agency presents our next JTA Film Event:

Fiddler on the Moon - Judaism in Space
Film Screening and Q&A

December 7 at 7:30 PM ET

Will Judaism Survive in Space?

From Ritual Well:

Whether you’re just beginning your creative journey or you’ve been writing or making art for years, this workshop invites you to discover fresh techniques and pathways that will deepen your connections and nurture joy as a spiritual practice.

Register: https://ritualwell.org/event/rekindling-light-and-joy-through-writing-art/2025-12-04/

All sessions will be recorded and sent to participants. We encourage live attendance for you to get the most out of the experience.

#Mazeldon #Jewniverse #Judiverse #JewishArt #Judaism #Jewish