Zionist Federation of Australia announces major series of events commemorating the 25th anniversary of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination
The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) has announced exciting plans for a series of events leading up to the 25th anniversary of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination, promoting Rabin’s legacy of peace and tolerance
ZFA President Jeremy Leibler said, “We are working with many different organisations, including the Rabin Centre in Israel and the Israeli Embassy in Canberra to bring a number of different cultural and educational events to Jewish communities around Australia in the lead up to the anniversary. The continuing COVID-19 crisis may have put a damper on certain plans, but it has also opened up opportunities to ensure that every Jewish community in Australia will be a part of this.”
The main event, to be held around the date of the anniversary in November, will be a Keynote Oration with a high-profile guest speaker from Israel as well as artistic presentations. The ZFA will also be curating and collating educational tools and materials from a range of sources including the Rabin Centre, which will be suitable for use in Jewish Day Schools, through UJEB and BJE, and through the youth movements and AUJS.
“The Rabin assassination sent shockwaves through a generation of Israelis and Diaspora Jews,” said Leibler. “Like other significant moments in history, most Jewish Australians will remember precisely what they were doing the morning that the news came through to Australia that the Prime Minister had been assassinated by a fellow Jew. This is an opportunity to start an important conversation about Rabin’s legacy. We will provide thought-provoking speakers, discussions, educational activities, as well as musical events to mark this important event in Israel’s history.”
CEO of the ZFA Ginette Searle added, “This is also an opportunity to bring the lessons of the assassination and the importance of Rabin’s legacy to a new generation of Jewish youth, who were not yet born during the height of the Oslo Peace Accords. We will also be engaging across the general and Jewish communities across Australia to ensure that the 25th anniversary of the assassination is marked with respect and dignity”.
