ASPJ and AIPA Voice Concern Over Delay in Appointment of POLIN Museum Director
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The Australian Society of Polish Jews & Their Descendants Inc. (ASPJ) and the Australian Institute of Polish Affairs Inc. (AIPA) have written a joint letter to the Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Professor Piotr Gliński, expressing their concern over the delay in appointing a Director of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews.
On 10th May 2019, a competition selection panel made its recommendation as to the appointment of a Director. To date, the Minister has not confirmed that or any other appointment and both organisations have expressed concern that this delay is causing great harm to the reputation of the POLIN Museum, an institution which, since its creation, has won many awards and accolades worldwide.
2019 "Henryk Sławik Award" Presentation
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Melbourne, Australia
The Henryk Sławik Award is presented in honour of the spirit of the life and deeds of Henryk Sławik, (saving over thirty thousand lives in occupied Hungary, five thousand of those being Jews). The Board of Management of the ASPJ has decided to honour individuals who, or organisations which, have worked towards enhancing mutual respect and understanding between the Polish and Jewish communities.
The recipient of the 2019 Henryk Sławik Award is:
Natalie Suleyman MP, Co-Convenor of the Victorian Parliamentary Friends of Poland.
Through her parliamentary and communal activities, Natalie has helped draw Victoria’s Jewish and Polish communities closer together and have greatly added to the betterment of local Polish-Jewish relations.
On Wednesday 4th December 2019, at Melbourne’s Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre, members of the Jewish and Polish communities, members of the Consular Corps and paliamentarians came together for the presentation of the ASPJ’s 2019 Henryk Sławik Award to Natalie Suleyman MP, in recognition of her contribution to the betterment of Polish-Jewish relations.
In accepting the Award, Natalie warned of a threat to cultural diversity from the growing wave of diviseness sweeping the world. She stated that there would always be cultural differences, but that the key was for those differences to be respected.
As Co-Founder and Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Poland group, he work with the Polish community of St. Albans had led her to become acquainted, through the ASPJ, with Victorian Jews who have a Polish background.
Prior to the presentation of this year’s Sławik Award, the audience was treated to a presentation on last April’s Women’s Joint Journey to Jerusalem organised by Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia. The presentation was introduced by JCCV Board member Frances Prince who, in turn, introduced Journey participants Dr Ayesha Aijaz (Muslim), Elissa Roper (Christian) and Faye Haskin-Dubrowin (Jewish), who each spoke of the erperience from a personal perspective.
New Year Greetings From Polish Ambassador
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To mark the Jewish New Year, the Polish Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Mr. Michał Kołodziejski, has sent his regards and warm wishes to the Jewish community, especially to the members and friends of the Australian Society of Polish Jews and Their Descendants.
Since taking up his appointment in Australia, the ASPJ has enjoyed an excellent working relationship with the Polish Ambassador and his staff. We look forward to continuing our mutual co-operation into the future.
ASPJ Genealogy Open Day
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The Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre auditorium, in Melbourne, was filled for the ASPJ’s first Genealogy Open Day featuring special guest, Polish genealogist and historian, Michał Majewski.
Having worked for the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute in Poland and with the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Michał provided the audience with valuable information about resources available to further their own family’s genealogical history.
Following Michał’s lecture and answering general questions, audience members were invited to bring their own, personal questions to representives of several specialist organisations. The ASPJ sincerely thanks representatives of the Jewish Genealogy Society of Victoria, the Polish Museum & Archives in Australia, the Genealogy Society of Victoria and Polaron for giving their time in support of our event.
During his week in Melbourne, Michał met with school students about their “Roots” projects and ran an intensive workshop for people who help others with genealogical research. He toured the Jewish Museum of Australia, the Melbourne Holocaust Museum & Research Centre and the Melbourne offices of the National Archives of Australia.
ASPJ Executive Members Meet New Australian Ambassador
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ASPJ Co-Presidents Bernard Korbman and Ezra May, together with Co-Vice-President Izy Marmur, met today with the next Australian Ambassador to Poland, Lloyd Brodrick, prior to his departure for Warsaw.
Their discussions included several important Polish-Jewish issues., including the impact of some of these issues on the life of today’s Jewish community in Poland.
Mr Brodrick is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He was most recently Assistant Secretary, Budget Branch. He has previously served overseas as Acting Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy, Baghdad; Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy, The Hague; and Counsellor, Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Geneva.
Mr Brodrick holds an Executive Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University; and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from Macquarie University.
He replaces the outgoing Ambassador, Paul Wojciechowski, whose three-year term ends this year.
Our Moshe Fiszman z"l and Polish Friends Honoured
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Our Moshe Fiszman z”l, ASPJ foundation Board member, has been posthumously honoured with an OAM in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday honours list. Our Polish friends, Zygmunt Bielinski and Dr Sylvia Greda-Bogusz, have also both been awarded an OAM .
Moshe Majer Fiszman, OAM z”l
It is with great pride that we learned that our Moshe, posthumously received his honour for “services to the Jewish community of Victoria”.
Among his numerous passions was education – educating the young generation against the consequences of hate. As a Survivor Guide for Melbourne’s Jewish Holocaust & Research Centre, literally thousands of school students, university students, politicians and others have, over many years, listened to Moshe’s animated and articulate description of his own Holocaust experiences.
May his memory continue to be a blessing to his family and to all of us.
Zygmunt Bieliński, OAM
A long-serving President of the Polish community centre, Dom Polski “Syrena” in Rowville, Zygmunt received his honour for “services to the Polish community of Victoria”.
Since the beginnings of the ASPJ, Zygmunt has always made us feel welcome at Dom Polski “Syrena” and has been positive towards the promotion of Polish-Jewish relations. We congratulate him and his family.
Dr Sylvia Greda-Bogusz, OAM
Vice-President and Honorary Secretary of the Polish Community Council of Victoria, Sylvia received her honour for “services to the Polish community of Victoria”.
In the ASPJ’s relationship with the Polish Community Council of Victoria, Sylvia has always been positive and has helped foster good relations between our two organisations. We congratulate her and her family.
Vale Moshe Fiszman z"l (1921-2019)
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It is with immense sadness that we mourn the passing of Moshe Fiszman z”l – Holocaust Survivor – a founding and, until his passing, continuing member of the Board of Management of the Australian Society of Polish Jews & Their Descendants.
Moshe was born in Radom, Poland, in 1921. Apart from one brother, he lost his entire family during the Holocaust. He survived numerous concentration camps and several death marches.
When our organisation was founded and over the years, at our Board meetings, Moshe was the voice of experience and wise counsel.
Among his numerous passions was education – educating the young generation against the consequences of hate. As a Survivor Guide for Melbourne’s Jewish Holocaust & Research Centre, literally thousands of school students, university students, politicians and others have, over many years, listened to Moshe’s animated and articulate description of his own Holocaust experiences
Despite his advanced years, Moshe’s mind was as sharp as ever. He was immensely widely-read and could recite, from memory, great swathes of Polish and Yiddish poetry and other literature in an animated and almost theatrical style – his recitations were such that once witnessed, never forgotten.
Together with his wife Franka and his two daughters, Anna and Lena, we mourn the passing our ASPJ Board Member and friend.
We have truly lost an icon of the Melbourne Jewish community.
May his memory be a blessing to his family and to all whose lives he touched.
In 2014, Moshe Fiszman gave an extensive interview regard his family and his Holocaust experiences.
Inaugural & 2019 ASPJ Oration
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An almost capacity crowd of 200 filled the hall at the Caulfield campus of Monash University to hear our Inaugural and 2019 ASPJ Oration delivered by Professor Dariusz Stola, Director of Warsaw’s POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews.
The audience, drawn from both Melbourne’s Jewish and Polish communities, heard him speak on the topic of The 1968 “Anti-Zionist Campaign” in Poland and Its Echoes Today – Polish Debates on the Holocaust – a topic which resonated with both communities.
The event was MC’d by Melbourne Jewish community leader Nina Bassat AM and was hosted by the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation. The ASPJ sincerely thanks both Mrs Bassat and Sue Hampel OAM for helping to make our Inaugural Oration such a success.
From left: MC Nina Bassat AM, Prof.Andrew Marcus (ACJC), Andrew Rajcher (ASPJ Treasurer), Ezra May (ASPJ (Co-Pres.)
From left: Ezra May (ASPJ (Co-Pres.), MC Nina Bassat AM, Izydor Marmur (ASPJ Vice-Pres.),
Prof.Dariusz Stola (2019 ASPJ Orator), Bernard Korbman (ASPJ Co-Pres.)
During his week in Melbourne, Professor Stola was interviewed by the Polish program of SBS Radio and live-to-air by Bernard Korbman and Dominic Carter on J-Air’s “Open Minds” program. He toured the Melbourne Holocaust Centre, where he met staff and volunteers, the Australian Jewish Museum, where he met the staff, and was especially impressed with the museum at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance.
He also took the opportunity to meet members of the Australian Institute of Polish Affairs and also met the board of the Polish Community Council of Victoria. He finished his Melbourne visit with a little tourism – a day-trip to the Healesville Sanctuary to “get up close and personal” with Australia’s unique fauna.
The ASPJ would like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed towards making our Inaugural and 2019 ASPJ Oration an outstanding success.
We’re already planning our 2020 ASPJ Oration!
Click HERE to view Professor Dariusz Stola deliver the Inaugural and 2109 ASPJ Oration.
2018 "Henryk Sławik Award" Presentation
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Melbourne, Australia
The Henryk Sławik Award is presented in honour of the spirit of the life and deeds of Henryk Sławik, (saving over thirty thousand lives in occupied Hungary, five thousand of those being Jews). The Board of Management of the ASPJ has decided to honour individuals who, or organisations which, have worked towards enhancing mutual respect and understanding between the Polish and Jewish communities.
The recipients of the
2018 Henryk Sławik Award are:
Marian Pawlik OAM
and the
Polish Community Council of Victoria Inc.
Since the Australia Society of Polish Jews & Their Descendants (ASPJ) re-emerged, in 2009, as an organisation with a new name, a new Board and a renewed desire to improve the relationship between our local Poland and Jewish communities, the Polish Community Council of Victoria (PCCV) has welcomed us and has always been open to a mutual dialogue.
One of those at the forefront of bringing our two organisations – and our two communities – closer together has beenMarian Pawlik OAM, current President and long-serving Board member of the PCCV.
Through his efforts and those of the PCCV, together, we have endeavoured to highlight those things which our two communities have in common, particularly throughout history. The PCCV and Marian have endeavoured to make us an integral part of Polish community activities. Their continuously extended hand of friendship ensures that the steps which we have taken together thus far bode well for an even closer relationship into the future.
The Award is presented in recognition of efforts made towards enhancing mutual respect and understanding between the Polish and Jewish communities. Marian Pawlik OAM and the Polish Community Council of Victoria are worthy Award recipients.
This year’s Guest Speaker was newly-appointed Polish Ambassador to Australia, Michał Kołodziejski. We were also honoured to have this year’s Award presented in the presence of three currently-serving members of the Polish Senate – Senator Elżbieta Stępień, Senator Dr. Tomasz Latos and Senator Grzegorz Długi.
A special award was presented posthumously to the family of the late Andrew Korab, who sadly passed away in January 2018. As the President of the Polish Club Albion, he was a good friend to the ASPJ and a strong supporter of our efforts in bringing our communities together. Polish Club Albion Acting President, Dr Marek Kijek, (pic right) accepted the certificate on behalf of the Korab family and read a very moving letter from Andrew’s wife.
As in previous year’s, the Award’s musical interlude was provided by members of the Melbourne’s well-known klezmer band “Klazmania”
ASPJ at Melbourne's 2018 "In One Voice"
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The ASPJ took the opportunity to promotes ourselves at Melbourne Jewish community’s “In One Voice” event held in Elsternwick on Sunday 18th March 2018.
While the pics here show pleasant weather, it did turn a little nasty during the day. But despite that, our stall did arouse a pleasing amount of interest amongst those who attended the event.
Our thanks to all those who helped out on the day!