AFTAU celebrates 50 years
An inspiring evening was held in Sydney with TAU president Professor Ariel Porat making the keynote speech; the university’s President’s Award was given to Sarah Murdoch
“When we speak about Israel as the ‘Startup Nation’, the centre of the startup nation is Tel Aviv. And the centre of Tel Aviv is Tel Aviv University.”
A packed room of communal supporters gathered in Sydney on Thursday night to hear Tel Aviv University president Professor Ariel Porat speak those words at a dinner celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Australian Friends of Tel Aviv University (AFTAU).
Opening the evening, AFTAU NSW president Silberberg said the “50 Years of remarkable partnership” was “built on a shared belief in the power of education, innovation and human potential”.
Prof Porat noted that many of the people working in startups and companies that make Israel the ‘Startup Nation’ come from Tel Aviv University “and also of course from other universities in Israel”.
“And this is part of the technological strength of the country. The economic growth, the economic resilience, comes from universities – from alumni and from professors,” he said.
Prof Porat noted that his last visit to Australia was “exactly” on October 7.
“Tel Aviv University lost 23 students, and more than 100 families of Tel Aviv University community lost their first degree relatives. During the two last years, there were a lot of challenges to Israel,” he said.
“As you know, just 10 days ago, the day of the release of the hostages, I think, was one of the happiest days in our life, not just as a nation, but as individuals. I’m sure that you feel the same.”
Prof Porat discussed the university’s post-trauma centre, established in the wake of the Hamas-led atrocities.
“It’s a long-term challenge for Israel to handle this huge challenge of post-trauma,” he said.
“Soldiers, civilians, hundreds of thousands have post-traumatic symptoms. We established just a couple of months after October 7, in my view, the best centre for post-trauma in Israel to not only to do research in that this specific area – and research is extremely important – because we need to plan for the future.”
He also took aim at those who seek to boycott Israeli universities. “It’s a big loss to give up the Israeli science for the entire world … this is something that we should tell to people who think that Israel is a country that just takes care of its own interest,” he said. “No, the Israeli academia, and indeed, the State of Israel, is a huge contribution to humanity.”
Praising Australian contributions to the university, Prof Porat concluded by saying “it should go both ways”.
“We know that the Jewish community in Australia was always very Zionist and is still caring so much about Israel,” he said. “Exactly as you care about Israel, and you do so much to help Israel, there is an obligation also upon us do whatever we can to help you.
“Antisemitism in Australia, it’s not only your problem, it’s also our problem, and we need to find more ways to work together, not only to fight the BDS, but to fight antisemitism in the world.”
A special moment in the evening came when Prof Porat presented the university’s President’s Award to Sarah Murdoch in recognition of her support for Israel and the Jewish people. Introducing Murdoch, Sky News host Sharri Markson praised her “unwavering clarity and conviction”.
“There are too few in public life, both within our Jewish community, let alone outside of it, who have the courage to speak out,” Markson said. “She’s [Murdoch] encouraged Australia’s leaders and the non-Jewish community to understand what’s at stake and she’s provided extraordinary and I’m sorry to say, rare support for the Jewish community in the virtue vacuum of the past two years. Sarah has been the shining exemplar of moral leadership, and for this moral leadership, she deserves our immeasurable gratitude.”
Accepting the award, Murdoch spoke of visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau about a month after the October 7 attacks. “I felt compelled deeply to see it and to feel it firsthand. I saw the gas chambers, the cremation ovens, where untold atrocities were committed against innocent Jewish families. I saw the horrifying reality of where antisemitism can lead and of course, I saw those words, never again,” she said.
“But on October 7, it did happen again. And in only a short time, a day in fact, we were made all too aware of what was simmering underneath, not just here in Australia, but the world over.
“I have felt desperately sad, sad that I have to hear from my Jewish friends what their children are experiencing in their schools, the chants on the streets, businesses doxed, antisemitism in all its hideous and really quite unbelievable ways.
“The fight is not only yours to bear. We stand with you now and always, because this hatred is unconscionable and it is un-Australian, it has been an assault on our national values, our tolerance and our sense of a fair go. The fight against antisemitism isn’t just one for the Jewish community, it’s a crucial battleground to preserve our nation.”
Also on the night, AFTAU CEO David Solomon thanked major supporters of the university from within the Australian Jewish community by presenting them with awards. Among those recognised were the Brender family, Solomon Lew, the Lowy family, the late Millie Phillips and the Smaller and Winnikow families.
The evening ended with a foreign policy Q&A with Liberal Senator Dave Sharma, in conversation with Markson, discussing among other topics the recent Trump peace deal in Gaza, Israel, the Palestinians, the Australian government’s relationship with Israel and other relevant geopolitical players and factors. Sharma ended the discussion on a high note.
“I think truly when we look back on this, Israel will largely be vindicated, and I think most of the accusations that have been levelled against Israel will be shown to be false,” he said.
“The Middle East has been more dramatically reshaped in these last two years than it has been in the last three to four decades. And basically, the forces of modernity have won, and the forces of backwardness and nihilism have lost.
“And if that’s the legacy of this war, then that will be a good thing.”
A dinner was also held in Melbourne last Sunday.