ECAJ Policy Platform
Confirmed in 2006

INDEX
Click on an item for details

      Preamble 21. Racism in Australia
  1. Israel 22. Anti-Racism Legislation
  2. Recent Events in Israel 23. Anitisemitism
  3. Jerusalem 24. Incidents of Antisemitic Violence,
      Vandalism & Harassment
  4. Jewish Education 25. Antisemitic Vandalism
  5. Restitution 26. Holocaust Denial
  6. Terrorism 27. Interfaith Relations
  7. The United Nations 28. Youth Representation
  8. Israelis Kidnapped and
      Missing in Action 		29. Immigration and Settlement
  9. Iran 30. Holocaust Rhetoric
10. International Committee of Red Cross
     (ICRC) 		31. Holocaust Remembrance
11. Ethnic Affairs 32. Demographic Profile
12. Multiculturalism 33. Israel Experience Programs
13. Aboriginal Reconciliation 34. Climate Change
14. On-Line Services & the Internet 35. University Exchanges Programs
      with Israel
15. National Ceremonies 36. Stem Cell Research
16. Accommodation of Religious
     Practices 		37. Terrorism
17. Jewish Burial Rights 38. UN World Conference Against Racism
18. Gett Refusal 39. Stockholm Forums
19. SBS 40. The Vatican
20. Crimes Against Humanity 41. Human Rights & Equal
     Opportunity Commission (HREOC)

 
    Preamble
   
As members of the First Fleet of settlement of what was to become the country of Australia, the Australian Jewish community is unique among Diaspora communities. It has always been an integral partner in the development of Australian society, not simply because of this historical fact, but also because of two more profound factors.
 
Firstly, it is difficult to think of another country where Jews have been as much part of the larger society as in Australia. Quite simply we are at home here, something that sadly has not always been the Jewish experience.
 
Secondly, and intimately connected to the first point, the Jewish community has made a remarkable and recognised contribution to the Australian way of life. Through the efforts of talented and hardworking individuals or groups, the Australian Jewish community is proud of the part it has played in the many cultural, political, social and economic achievements of this great diverse country. Not least amongst these are the Jewish men and women, many of whom paid the ultimate price, who served at home and abroad in defence of the principles for which Australia stands.
 
The current policy platform of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry is outlined below. These are the beliefs and values of the Australian Jewish community, which we are confident enhance general Australian values of democracy, the rule of law, the freedom, rights and responsibilities of the individual, understanding and respect, and a fair go for all.
 

 
1. Israel
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
1.1 APPLAUDS the efforts by successive Israeli governments to bring about a just and lasting peace and a resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict;
 
1.2 APPLAUDS the Australian government's support for international calls for the Palestinian Authority to recognise Israel, to renounce and prevent violence and to affirm and implement all agreements made with Israel;
 
1.3 REAFFIRMS Australian Jewry's strong and unshakeable solidarity with Israel and her people;
 
1.4 STRONGLY URGES all Jews, individually as well as communally and institutionally, to visit Israel and schedule events in Israel.
 

 
2. Recent Events in Israel
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
2.1 EXPRESSES its unshakeable solidarity with Israel and her people, and in particular with the communities of the north of the State of Israel, who have recently endured tremendous upheaval, physical and psychological trauma, loss of life and property as a result of the unprovoked attack across the border by Hezbollah;
 
2.2 WELCOMES the presence of international forces and the Lebanese army in South Lebanon in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and requests the Australian Government to join in international efforts to ensure that the Hezbollah is fully disarmed in accordance with that resolution;
 
2.3 DEEPLY regrets the loss of innocent life on all sides of a conflict initiated by Hezbollah;
 
2.4 CALLS on the Lebanese Government and Hezbollah to immediately release the kidnapped Israeli soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev and to fully implement all the terms of UN resolution 1701;
 
2.5 SENDS a strong message of support to the citizens of Sderot and all the communities on the border with Gaza who have suffered and continue to suffer daily rocket attacks;
 
2.6 ACKNOWLEDGES the efforts of many parties, to secure the release of the kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and CALLS ON the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Security Forces to actively assist in finding Gilad and ensuring his safe return to his family in Israel;
 
2.7 DEMANDS that the Hamas-led Palestinian Government accept the calls of the international community to recognise the State of Israel, renounce armed conflict and accept all prior agreements entered into between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
 

 
3. Jerusalem
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
3.1 NOTES the centrality of Jerusalem historically, religiously and culturally to Jews and Judaism;
 
3.2 STRESSES the need for free access and worship for Jews at all religious sites, including The Temple Mount;
 
3.3 CALLS ON the Australian Government to recognise Israel's sovereignty over Jerusalem and to transfer the Australian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
 

 
4. Jewish Education
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
4.1 STRESSES the importance of Jewish day schools having high quality Jewish Studies and Hebrew curricula;
 
4.2 ESPRESSES support for the Zionist Federation of Australia initiated "Teaching Israel" program and CALLS ON all Jewish Day Schools and Boards of Jewish Education and Boards of Progressive Jewish Education to substantially increase the teaching of modern Israel and contemporary issues facing Israel and world and Australian Jewry in programs offered from Year 6 to Year 11;
 
4.3 RECOGNISES Australia has a proud record for provision of day school education;
 
4.4 RECONFIRMS the responsibility of leaders of Australian Jewry to seek to ensure that no Jewish child is denied full-time Jewish education due to financial considerations;
 
4.5 RECONFIRMS the responsibility of leaders of Australian Jewry to seek to ensure that no Jewish child is denied full-time Jewish education due to financial considerations; and the continued responsibility of leaders of Australian Jewry to support organisations that provide Jewish education of children who are outside of the Jewish day school system to ensure Jewish continuity for all;
 
4.6 NOTES that the Jewish Community maintains a number of private day schools throughout the nation which are essential to Jewish learning and our community's continuity;
 
4.7 NOTES that the Jewish community has been treated fairly in past allocations of government support for Independent schools;
 
4.8 CALLS UPON the Federal Government to ensure that Jewish Day schools will not be disadvantaged under any amended funding formulae;
 
4.9 NOTES that the provision of Jewish education to Jewish students who do not attend Jewish day schools in some states, particularly through the NSW Board of Jewish Education in New South Wales and the United Jewish Education Board in Victoria, is essential to ensuring Jewish learning and our community's continuity for those outside of the Jewish day school movement.
 

 
5. Restitution
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
5.1 APPLAUDS the efforts of those who are working for the rights of survivors, their heirs and the Jewish world in the areas of restitution and restoration of property and true recording of the history of the Holocaust;
 
5.2 REAFFIRMS the principle that negotiations for restitution and disbursement must include representatives of both resident communities and survivors who live outside those countries;
 
5.3 CALLS for the expedition of all outstanding claims with a minimum of administrative cost or delay, and for priority in the application of funds for the benefit of survivors and the heirs of victims.
 

 
6. Terrorism
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
6.1 JOINS in mourning the victims of terrorism in Israel and throughout the world, and extends condolences to the relatives and friends of those who have been murdered, and sympathy and wishes full recovery to the injured;
 
6.2 SUPPORTS efforts to prevent terrorist attacks, including the enactment of effective anti-terrorism laws, the application of resources for efficient investigative processes, and Australian participation in the international war against terrorism;
 
6.3 URGES the United Nations and all governments to take effective action against countries which have served as a haven and have provided bases and support for terrorists;
 
6.4 NOTES the importance of legislation designed to counter terrorism and to provide security properly recognising the required balance between human rights and law enforcement, and recognising that the great majority of Australian Muslims abhor terrorism;
 
6.5 CALLS ON the Federal Government to have measures in place to respond to promotion of terrorism on Satellite television services available to Australian subscribers, and applauds the efforts made to ensure that the cohesion of Australia's multicultural society is not prejudiced;
 
6.6 URGES the Australian, United States and other governments to act against Palestinian and other anti-Israeli terrorist organisations such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad;
 
6.7 CALLS ON the Federal Government to proscribe all wings of Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and the Al Aqsa Brigades, as well as organisations that fund and facilitate international terrorism.
 

 
7. The United Nations
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
7.1 CONDEMNS the way in which UN institutions and instruments have been manipulated to cast Israel as a pariah state;
 
7.2 WELCOMES the renewal of Israel's membership of the Western European and Other States Group (WEOG), and CALLS on the UN to remove the discriminatory rules which still prevent Israel from participating in Group meetings outside New York or nominating candidates for elections to UN bodies where elections are outside New York, and CALLS for Israel to be accorded full membership in its appropriate place in the Asian Group;
 
7.3 CALLS for the abolition of the UN "Special Committees" on Palestinian issues, and "Palestinian Units" of the UN, the sole purpose of which is to spread vicious anti-Israel propaganda and whose activities degrade the ability of the United Nations to pursue its noble human rights objectives.
 

 
8. Israelis Kidnapped and Missing in Action
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
8.1 SHARES the heartfelt concerns of all Israelis about the fate of the country's missing soldiers and citizens;
 
8.2 CALLS UPON the Australian Government to continue to make representations to the United Nations and to all relevant Middle East states, and in particular Iran, Syria and Lebanon, urging them to seek and provide information concerning missing Israelis and to expedite their prompt return home.
 

 
9. Iran
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
9.1 NOTES reports of continued human rights abuses in Iran, aimed particularly at minority religious and ethnic communities;
 
9.2 REQUESTS the Australian Government to continue to investigate reports of this nature and continue to make representations in support of the victims at all appropriate forums;
 
9.3 SUPPORTS the international condemnation of President Ahmadinejad's statements calling for Israel to be "wiped off the map" and his antisemitic Holocaust-denial statements;
 
9.4 WELCOMES the Australian Government's support for the strongest possible international measures to ensure that Iran does not develop or gain access to nuclear weapons.
 

 
10. International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC)
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
10.1 WELCOMES the admission of Magen David Adom (the Red Star of David) as a full member of the ICRC and the international recognition of its emblem;
 
10.2 RECOGNISES the efforts of the American Red Cross over many years in achieving this result;
 
10.3 CALLS UPON The Australian Red Cross to develop close and mutually beneficial elations with Magen David Adom and its friends in Australia.
 

 
11. Ethnic Affairs
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
11.1 RECOGNISES the distinctive character of the Australian Jewish community as part of the Jewish people, with a shared history, tradition and linguistic and religious heritage, and as a vital and vibrant component of multicultural Australia;
 
11.2 RECOGNISES the pluralistic nature of Australian Jewry and the complex nature of the various ethnicities of Australian Jewry due to diverse language, cultural origin and national background;
 
11.3 ACKNOWLEDGES the right of any Jewish organisation to identify as an ethnic organisation due to the choice of the membership of that organisation or due to specific aims, objectives and programs consistent with policies and programs of the government relating to ethnic affairs;
 
11.4 VALUES the friendly cooperation and cordial relationship between Australian Jewry and ethnic groups and roof bodies within Australia;
 
11.5 ENCOURAGES close liaison between Jewish organisations, ethnic communities councils and other Australian groups in the pursuit of common policies in the best interests of the total Australian community.
 

 
12. Multiculturalism
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
12.1 AFFIRMS its support for Australia's policy of multiculturalism, which has served Australia well as a basis for the social harmony which we all enjoy;
 
12.2 CALLS ON the Australian Government to confirm its commitment to multiculturalism as a policy which respects the right of all Australians to express their individual cultural identity, and to maintain and share their cultural heritage, within an overriding commitment to Australia and the basic values of Australian democracy and the rule of law;
 
12.3 COMMENDS the Government's policy of ensuring access and equity in the provision of government services, including the provision of mechanisms to address the barriers faced by immigrants who are not yet familiar with Australian culture and language.
 

 
13. Aboriginal Reconciliation
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
13.1 RECOGNISES Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first Australians, with unique cultures, languages and spiritual relationships to the land and seas;
 
13.2 PURSUES a vision of an Australia that provides equal rights and life chances for all;
 
13.3 AFFIRMS the fundamental importance of reconciliation as the basis of an Australian Community which respects the diversity of values, cultures, ideas and the contribution of all people;
 
13.4 SUPPORTS Reconciliation Australia's National Program of Action which encourages organisations and individuals to turn their good intentions into action. Accordingly, the Council WILL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT a Reconciliation Action Plan that will include actions, timeframes for implementation and performance measures.
 
Areas for action may include the Council using its networks to:
    o Raise Community awareness and understanding of the historic, social and economic factors which contribute to the current levels of disadvantage confronting many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities;
     
    o Influence governments and business to address the systemic issues that keep many Aboriginal and Strait Islander people and their communities in poor health and poverty;
     
    o Support human rights based approaches to economic and social development programs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;
     
    o Lead inter-faith alliances to develop and provide targeted financial and capacity building support to selected projects which strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations' governance, management, service delivery and professional development.
13.5 ENCOURAGES the Jewish community in Australia to increase its knowledge and understanding of the identity and experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples and reflect this awareness in our social relationships and our support for their advancement;
 
13.6 CALLS UPON the governments, business and civil communities and people of Australia to take action to reduce the relative disadvantage many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people may face by improving education, health, housing, employment, governance, social and communal relationships and law and justice;
 
13.7 CALLS ON Jewish organisations around Australia to speak out in favour of reconciliation, actively participate in the annual events: Week of Prayer for Reconciliation and National Reconciliation Week.
 

 
14. On-Line Services and the Internet
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
14.1 NOTES that the Internet is increasingly being used by individuals and organisations to propagate antisemitism;
 
14.2 RECOGNISES the complexities involved in any system of regulation of on-line services;
 
14.3 AFFIRMS the view that any act which is illegal in traditional means of communication should be illegal if it is committed through on-line services;
 
14.4 SUPPORTS moves to bring in a Code of Practice for Australian Internet Service Providers and other regulatory measures for the Internet based on the principles that:
    o Nothing that is unlawful to print or broadcast should be able to escape the intention of the law due to being published or communicated through on-line services;
     
    o No person, entity or organisation should be punished for an act they could not reasonably know has been committed;
     
    o The right to freedom of speech must be respected, bearing in mind that in democratic societies this right is conditional and, for example, is not extended to allow for the commission or promotion of unlawful acts, or other behaviour contrary to the public good;
     
    o Governments have a responsibility to counter the activities of those who promote contempt and hatred for its citizens;
     
    o The Internet should not be regarded differently to other means by which speech and ideas are disseminated.

 
15. National Ceremonies
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
15.1 CALLS ON the State and Federal Governments to recognise that national ceremonies, celebrations and memorials should be inclusive and not make use of religious words and symbols that may effectively exclude some Australian citizens.
 

 
16. Accommodation of Religious Practices
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
16.1 NOTES decisions by a number of instrumentalities which recognise and support the right of all staff to meet their religious and ceremonial obligations, regardless of religious, ethnic or cultural background;
 
16.2 RECOGNISES the right of all Australians to observe religious and ceremonial obligations;
 
16.3 SUPPORTS the broad thrust of the HREOC's draft guidelines on "Avoiding Religious Discrimination in Employment;
 
16.4 CALLS UPON government and employers organisations to respect and support, as a matter of policy, the right of employees to meet the obligations of their faiths;
 
16.5 CALLS UPON the Australian Government to finetune its Workchoices legislation to ensure that religious and ceremonial obligations can be observed without attracting the threat of loss of employment.
 

 
17. Jewish Burial Rights
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
17.1 NOTES reports that cemetery authorities in a number of jurisdictions are reviewing policies on permanent tenure of graves;
 
17.2 NOTES Jewish law and tradition require burial in perpetuity;
 
17.3 NOTES that a grave containing human remains is demarcated as the final resting place of the person concerned and the integrity of the grave must not be altered without explicit Rabbinic authority;
 
17.4 REAFFIRMS the need to maintain arrangements for Jewish burials in perpetuity and calls on cemetery authorities to respect this requirement;
 
17.5 CALLS UPON State Governments to plan for and ensure sufficient land is allocated for Jewish communities to bury their dead in accordance with Jewish religious requirements.
 

 
18. Gett Refusal
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
18.1 RECALLS the concern expressed by the ECAJ at the need for remedies to alleviate the plight of victims of wilful Gett refusal;
 
18.2 APPLAUDS the efforts over some years by the Joint Task Force of the ECAJ and the Organisation of Rabbis of Australasia to develop useful proposals;
 
18.3 NOTES that the British Parliament has now joined the legislatures of Canada, South Africa and New York in passing laws to provide remedies aimed at releasing those spouses who are "chained" by wilful Gett refusal;
 
18.4 WELCOMES the Report of The Family Law Council of Australia which recommends to the Attorney-General that the joint legislative proposal of the ECAJ and ORA should be enacted as Australian law;
 
18.5 URGES the Australian Government to legislate in the terms of that Report as an urgent human rights measure;
 
18.6 DEPLORES the sudden decision by Rabbi Shlomo Amar, Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, to cancel the International Rabbinical Conference on Agunot and URGES that it be speedily reconvened.
 

 
19. SBS
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
19.1 NOTES that SBS Television and Radio continues to be a frequent cause of concern to the Australian Jewish community with regards to anti-Israel bias and that common fairness standards are not applied to material broadcast in languages other than English;
 
19.2 NOTES the absence of any independent complaints mechanism for SBS and the decision of SBS not to comply with the Australian Standard on Complaints Handling in issuing its 2006 revised Codes of Practice;
 
19.3 DEPLORES the failure of SBS to address these issues in the course of its review of its Codes of Practice;
 
19.4 CALLS ON the Federal Government to implement an immediate and effective review mechanism, at the very least to require SBS to comply with the Australian Standard on Complaints Handling and implement an independent complaint resolution tribunal.
 

 
20. Crimes Against Humanity
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
20.1 NOTES the affirmation by the Australian Government in 1987 that Australia must not serve as a haven for individuals who participated in crimes against humanity during the course of the Nazi Genocide;
 
20.2 RECOGNISES the difficulties encountered in the trials of alleged Nazi War Criminals thus far conducted in Australia;
 
20.3 RECOGNISES that major legal and political obstacles needed to be overcome to establish extradition treaties with some of the countries which were the scene of the crimes of the Holocaust;
 
20.4 RECOGNISES that extradition of Nazi war criminals to the countries of their origin and where their crimes took place is not a substitute for effective Australian legislation but is a welcome complement to it;
 
20.5 SUPPORTS the process of developing extradition treaties between Australia and all countries from which individuals involved in crimes against humanity may have participated in these crimes prior to arriving in Australia;
 
20.6 CALLS UPON the Australian Government to amend citizenship law so as to allow for individuals who concealed involvement in crimes against humanity to have their citizenship removed, regardless of the length of time they have held citizenship;
 
20.7 URGES the Australian Government to ensure, where sufficient evidence exists, that prosecutions continue to be instituted against alleged Nazi war criminals in Australia;
 
20.8 CALLS UPON the Federal Government to introduce legislation to enable persons living in Australia who are accused of ordering, committing or perpetrating any cases of genocide or crimes against humanity to be prosecuted in Australia.
 

 
21. Racism in Australia
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
21.1 DEPLORES all manifestations of racist action and speech;
 
21.2 SUPPORTS public programs to educate Australians regarding the irrationality and evil of racism;
 
21.3 CALLS ON leaders of all mainstream political parties to consistently articulate a vision of Australia which embraces cultural diversity and in which each Australian is guaranteed dignity and rights;
 
21.4 CALLS ON all mainstream political parties to place racist divisive and extremist candidates in the last positions when allocating electoral preferences;
 
21.5 CALLS on political, civil and religious leaders to play public, leadership roles in emphasising the unacceptability of racism.
 

 
22. Anti-Racism Legislation
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
22.1 NOTES the activities of extremist organisations, the currency of certain racist myths and the tolerance given to racist commentary by some sections of the mainstream media;
 
22.2 NOTES that racial vilification and racial violence in Australia has intensified since September 11, 2001;
 
22.3 ACKNOWLEDGES that effective responses to racism include moral and political leadership from public figures, legislation to give victims of racism recourse, and on-going public education;
 
22.4 COMMENDS those public figures who have taken a leadership position against racism and antisemitism;
 
22.5 CALLS ON the Federal Government to strengthen the Racial Discrimination Act by providing improved access, remedies and procedures.
 

 
23. Antisemitism
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
23.1 EXPRESSES ALARM at the escalation in acts of antisemitism throughout the world including assaults on Jewish people, attacks on Synagogues and other Jewish Institutions and businesses owned by Jews;
 
23.2 NOTES that a significant number of incidents have been carried out by Islamist groups who support and engage in antisemitic violence;
 
23.3 NOTES that extremist left and right-wing organisations have encouraged their supporters to work together with extremist elements within Muslim and Arab communities;
 
23.4 CALLS ON the UN and all countries to take all necessary steps to ensure that those violent antisemitic incidents are not repeated and to protect Jewish citizens and communal property and to prevent other acts of anti-Jewish incitement;
 
23.5 CONDEMNS the prevalence of anti-Jewish rhetoric in the mass-media which hides behind criticisms of Israel.
 

 
24. Incidents of Antisemitic Violence, Vandalism and Harassment
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
24.1 NOTES the importance of the Jewish community's national leadership having an accurate picture of the nature and extent of antisemitic violence, vandalism, intimidation and harassment in Australia;
 
24.2 NOTES that the only communal bodies which are in a position to act on behalf of the entire Jewish community in each state and territory are the constituents of the ECAJ;
 
24.3 STRESSES the importance of state constituents making known their role in collating information relating to antisemitism;
 
24.4 REAFFIRMS that all community organisations should promptly forward reports of incidents of antisemitism to the Constituent bodies of the ECAJ.
 

 
25. Antisemitic Vandalism
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
25.1 COMMMENDS the steps taken by Australian police forces to provide visible protection for Jewish communal gatherings;
 
25.2 RE-STATES concern at the failure of law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute individuals responsible for arson attacks on synagogues, assaults and harassment;
 
25.3 NOTES that the perpetrators of other acts of antisemitic vandalism have rarely been identified and therefore remain at large;
 
25.4 CALLS ON state and federal law enforcement agencies to urgently upgrade the capacity to pursue and apprehend the perpetrators of acts of racist violence and vandalism and to fund both public and Jewish communal strategies to achieve those ends;
 
25.5 CALLS UPON the Federal Government to alleviate the costly security burden borne by Jewish communities Australia-wide by enabling donations for the purpose of the provision of security to Jewish institutions to be tax deductible.
 

 
26. Holocaust Denial
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
26.1 NOTES that individuals and organisations in Australia continue to propagate Holocaust Denial as means of attacking the Jewish Community;
 
26.2 NOTES the deception employed by Holocaust deniers in the way they present their hatred in quasi-academic guise;
 
26.3 NOTES THAT Holocaust denial has been found by the Federal Court of Australia to constitute unlawful behaviour;
 
26.4 CALLS ON Jewish organisations to continue the policy of not engaging Holocaust deniers in any public debate which could give credence to Holocaust Denial but to clearly and publicly identify Holocaust deniers as people engaged in antisemitism and promotion of extremist ideologies.
 

 
27. Interfaith Relations
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
27.1 CONGRATULATES members of the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims & Jews, the Anglican Jewish Australian Dialogue, The National Dialogue of the Uniting Church in Australia/ECAJ and Australian Catholic Bishops Committee/ECAJ Annual Conversation on the conduct and outcome of their meetings;
 
27.2 APPLAUDS the development in Sydney of the Women's Interfaith Network which now has four branches;
 
27.3 WELCOMES the development of multi-faith events and contacts between bodies representing many diverse faith groups;
 
27.4 APPLAUDS activities which improve the basis for dialogue between Jews and Christians;
 
27.5 NOTES past efforts at improving Jewish-Muslim relations, particularly those which have recognised common concerns in areas such as religious liberty, racial tolerance and recognition of religious rights;
 
27.6 SUPPORTS dialogue and cooperation between representatives of the Jewish community and all the Faith communities with a view to common action for communal tolerance and inter-community cooperation;
 
27.7 CALLS on all religious groups to respect the dignity and right of all people to maintain their own religious traditions;
 
27.8 APPLAUDS the work of APRO - The Australian Partnership of Religious Organisations;
 
27.9 SUPPORTS the expansion of the dialogue process to include other partner organisations representing religious communities.
 

 
28. Youth Representation
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
28.1 RECOGNISES that the involvement of younger community members is of vital importance to the success of Jewish continuity;
 
28.2 NOTES with concern the lack of youth representation on some key communal bodies;
 
28.3 CALLS UPON AUJS and Zionist youth representatives to prepare an action plan to develop strategies to encourage youth participation on communal bodies.
 

 
29. Immigration and Settlement
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
29.1 NOTES that the Jewish Community now includes large numbers of Jewish immigrants who are on the fringes of the organised community structure;
 
29.2 RESOLVES THAT Constituent organisations take more active steps to devise and implement innovative programs specifically designed to absorb and integrate these immigrants into our Jewish community's communal core;
 
29.3 ENCOURAGES Constituent organisations to foster the establishment of a national group of representatives of Jewish immigrants from the Former Soviet Union, to assist in developing Jewish continuity within the Russian-speaking communities and building better relationships between this sector of the community and established Jewish organisations.
 

 
30. Holocaust Rhetoric
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
30.1 RECOGNISES that the Holocaust, the Nazi program of genocide, was a unique historical event;
 
30.2 NOTES that the Holocaust is generally recognised as the benchmark of human evil;
 
30.3 DEPLORES the inappropriate use of terminology relating to the Nazi Genocide in Australian public debate.
 

 
31. Holocaust Remembrance
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
31.1 ENCOURAGES that all major cities and State capitals hold public remembrances of Kristallnacht and that all Constituents of the ECAJ prioritise the work of maximising public participation in Holocaust Remembrance and education;
 
31.2 CALLS on all State Departments of School Education to ensure that all students have a basic knowledge of the events of the Holocaust, in order to gain an understanding of the fragility of human civilisation and the dangers of irrational hatred.
 

 
32. Demographic Profile
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
32.1 NOTES the importance of the Jewish community basing its decisions and planning on the most reliable information available;
 
32.2 NOTES that the data available to the community from each Australian Bureau of Statistics Census is an important resource;
 
32.3 SUPPORTS the formulation of a demographic profile of Australia's Jewish community being prepared by the appropriately selected persons responsible to the ECAJ.
 

 
33. Israel Experience Programs
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
33.1 NOTES the importance of the relationship between Israel and Australian Jewry;
 
33.2 APPLAUDS the success of many Israel experience programs operated by Australian Jewish organisations in partnership with Israel;
 
33.3 RECOGNISES the central role of the Zionist Federation of Australia in promoting and facilitating such programs;
 
33.4 APPLAUDS the establishment of the Israel Experience Fund/birthright Programme in Australia by the Zionist Federation of Australia with the support and the initiative of the United Israel Appeal.
 

 
34. Climate Change
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
34.1 NOTES that climate change is the greatest challenge facing Australia and the world. The current drought, water shortages, bush fires and record temperatures remind all Australians of our nation's vulnerability to climate change;
 
34.2 APPLAUDS the action of The Climate Institute in bringing sixteen Australian faith communities representing the world's great religious traditions to unite and to speak out on climate change;
 
34.3 DECLARES its support for the five point action plan to tackle Australia's rising greenhouse gas emissions as the basis of an effective response to climate change as issued by The Climate Institute in October 2006, viz:
    o Legislate to ensure Australia's greenhouse gas emissions go down, not up.;
     
    o Set a national price on greenhouse pollution;
     
    o Implement a massive deployment of clean energy technologies;
     
    o Deliver on energy savings and reduce Australia's energy bill;
     
    o Provide international leadership on climate change.
 
35. University Exchange Programs with Israel
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
35.1 NOTES that some treat exchange programs with Israeli universities less favourably than exchange programs with other Western countries' universities;
 
35.2 CALLS upon all Australian Universities to treat exchange programs with Israeli universities no less favourably than exchange programs with other Western countries' universities.
 

 
36. Stem Cell Research
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
36.1 NOTES that leading rabbinic authorities have given their support to the use of existing embryos for stem cell research, mindful that Jewish law concerns itself that such embryos are only appropriately obtained;
 
36.2 NOTES that stem cell research offers great hope to many sufferers and contains the potential to rectify painful, debilitating and life shortening genetic conditions;
 
36.3 SUPPORTS properly conducted research into the saving of life as a part of our human mandate to act in the image of God, to heal and to be merciful;
 
36.4 CALLS ON all ECAJ Constituents, Affiliates and Observer Organisations to encourage Australian Jews to publicly support the opportunities which stem cell research provides as reinforcing and not diminishing the sanctity of life.
 

 
37. Terrorism
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
37.1 NOTES the importance of legislation designed to counter terrorism and to provide security properly recognising the required balance between human rights and law enforcement, and recognising that the great majority of Australian Muslims abhor terrorism;
 
37.2 CALLS ON the Federal Government to have measures in place to respond to promotion of terrorism on Satellite television services available to Australian subscribers, and applauds the efforts made to ensure that the cohesion of Australia's multicultural society is not prejudiced.
 
37.3 URGES the Australian, United States and other governments to act against Palestinian and other anti-Israeli terrorist organisations such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad;
 
37.4 CALLS ON the Federal Government to proscribe all wings of Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and the Al Aqsa Brigades, as well as organisations that fund and facilitate international terrorism.
 

 
38. UN World Conference Against Racism
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
38.1 STRONGLY DEPLORES the conduct, procedures and outcomes of the NGO and Youth Forums which preceded and were integrally related to the United Nations World Conference against Racism (WCAR) held in Durban, South Africa, in 2001;
 
38.2 NOTES that the NGO Forums were undemocratic in the extreme, promoted overt antisemitism, as well as virulent anti-Israel propaganda, and facilitated intimidation and harassment of Jews;
 
38.3 REJECTS the final documents produced by the NGO forums, noting the corrupt and dishonest processes by which they were produced and CALLS ON the United Nations to formally dissociate itself from those documents and the processes they put into effect;
 
38.4 RECORDS ITS CONCERN that the UN Governmental conference failed to adequately confront attempts to use the UN conference to promote extreme anti-Zionism and antisemitism, applauding the forthright and courageous stand of Government of Australia, and the consistent support for principle by the European Union, Canada and other countries who fought against the antisemitic and anti-Israel distortions throughout and after the conference;
 
38.5 COMMENDS the Australian government for opposing attempts at the United Nations to whitewash the WCAR.
 

 
39. Stockholm Forums
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
39.1 NOTES the importance of Holocaust education and remembrance;
 
39.2 NOTES the importance of civil society taking a stand against human rights abuses;
 
39.3 APPLAUDS the decision of the Swedish Government to host the international forum on Holocaust Education and Remembrance in January 2000; the Forum on Combating Intolerance in January 2001 and the Forum on Truth, Justice and Reconciliation in April 2002 in Stockholm; and the International Forum on Genocide Prevention in 2004;
 
39.4 URGES the Australian government to implement relevant recommendations of the Stockholm Forums.
 

 
40. The Vatican
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
40.1 RECOGNISES the importance of the work of the International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Commmittee and its joint declaration of November 4-7 2006;
 
40.2 NOTES the importance of working together and the need to expand and intensify co-operation between our communities, to condemn and respond to resurgent antisemitism, bigotry and terrorism.
 

 
41. Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC)
 
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry:
 
41.1 NOTES the importance of the Racial Discrimination Act in protecting the rights of all Australians to live lives free of discrimination, persecution and vilification;
 
41.2 VALUES that commissioners of the HREOC with specialist advocacy concerns and in particular the advocacy role of the Race Discrimination Commissioner;
 
40.3 CALLS ON the Federal Government to ensure that the HREOC is properly funded and commissioners are retained to perform specialist functions.
 

Copyright 2005-2008 - Executive Council of Australian Jewry Inc.
This site is maintained by
Axiom Compusat Services, Melbourne, Australia