The Jews In Australia

Description

Jews form only a tiny proportion of the Australian population, yet they have made outstanding contributions and have influenced Australian society immeasurably. Stories such as that of Sir John Monash, Australian commander-in-chief during World War I, whose legacy continues through Monash University, show how Jews have reached the highest echelons of Australian society. The Jews in Australia explores what makes the Australian Jewish community different from other Jewish communities around the world. It traces the community's history from its convict origins in 1788 through to today's vibrant Jewish culture in Australia, and highlights the social and cultural impact the Jews have had on Australia. As well as looking at the emergence of a specific faith tradition in Australia, the book also explores how Jews, as Australia's first ethnic group, have integrated into multicultural Australia.

Author description

Suzanne Rutland is Chair of the Department of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies at the University of Sydney. Highlights from her major publications include Edge of the Diaspora: Two Centuries of Jewish Settlement in Australia, Pages of History: A Century of the Australian Jewish Press and 'If you will it, it is no dream': the Moriah Story. She has held numerous leadership positions within the Jewish and academic communities, including being current president of the Australian Jewish Historical Society, Sydney, and immediate past president of the Australian Association for Jewish Studies.

Table of contents

1. Introduction; 2. Convicts and settlements; 3. Waves of migration to the 1900s; 4. Relations with the general community; 5. The watershed years; 6. Changing community structures; 7. The changing role of Israel and Zionism; 8. More recent waves of migrants; 9. The aftermath of the Holocaust; 10. Jewish women; 11. Creating a Jewishly learned community; 12. Contributions to the broader community; 13. Conclusions.