AJN celebrates its 120th
HOLD the presses – a whole host of events are being planned to mark the 120th birthday of The Australian Jewish News this year.
One of the oldest continually-published Jewish newspapers in the world, second only to the UK’s Jewish Chronicle, The AJN began life in Sydney as The Hebrew Standard in November 1895.
In the years that followed, it was renamed a number of times, before eventually merging with its Melbourne counterpart in 1990 under a single banner The Australian Jewish News, publishing a different edition for each state.
While its title may have changed, one thing has remained the same over the past 12 decades: its mission to report on the people, the events and the institutions that touch the lives of our community.
From the end of the 19th century when a small number of descendants of Jewish convicts and free settlers was bolstered by an influx of Eastern European Jews fleeing pogroms, through to the present day, The AJN has chronicled the evolution of Australian Jewry.
Our year-long birthday party starts with the launch this month of The Australian Jewish News 120 years: the people and events making the headlines. Produced by Karen Klein, project manager for our birthday year, the book will be available to all subscribers free of charge.
Former advertising representative Myrna Kangisser has been appointed community liaison manager (Sydney) to assist with the co-ordination of activities and events.
Community engagement at all levels is high on the agenda with The AJN joining forces with key organisations to co-present standing events and launch new ones.
Among the highlights, The AJN is sponsoring the ‘Our New Voice’ competition as part of this year’s In One Voice festival in Melbourne. The paper is also co-hosting post-Israeli election forums in March, as well as photo exhibitions at Melbourne’s Jewish Museum of Australia and the Sydney Jewish Museum.
Exciting new initiatives include the launch of an annual AJN Media Oration, an AJN Literary Prize and AJN Junior and Senior Sportsperson of the Year awards.
Meanwhile, Q&A-style forums on hot topics, business breakfasts, Jewish festival-themed events and movie screenings will take place throughout the year.
“Everyone loves a good party and we have plenty to celebrate, as a newspaper and a community,” Klein said. “The book illustrates the energy and diversity of Australian Jewry, which we aim to mirror in our range of events.”
AJN STAFF
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