Farewell to a gentle giant of Jewish journalism

Mike Golland – a pillar of Jewish journalism and community service in Sydney – passed away peacefully on June 17, aged 93.

A devoted husband, respected journalist, and generous volunteer, Golland dedicated more than six decades to the Jewish News, and to the community it served, from the early 1960s.

Born in London, Golland’s childhood was shaped by the hardships of the Second World War.

His family emigrated to Sydney in 1949, where his natural curiosity and love of learning found a perfect home in journalism.

Beginning as a cadet with the Australian Jewish Times, he rose through the ranks to become a reporter, editor, and eventually managing director of the Sydney Jewish News.

Sport was a lifelong passion.

Golland served as sports editor and used his media expertise to champion clubs including Hakoah FC, where he was a member, and in 1987, he received Maccabi NSW’s inaugural Service Award.

In his retirement, playing tennis and lawn bowls brought him great enjoyment, and he volunteered to produce the Double Bay Bowling Club newsletter, and for a time, B’nai B’rith Retirement Village’s newsletter.

But it was love that truly defined his life.

More than 70 years ago, Michael met Betty at a Sunday night social at the Maccabi youth club, and six months later, they were married at The Great Synagogue.

They built a life together – and for a period, both worked at the same time at the Jewish News’ Sydney office.

Service to others was woven into their lives. Alongside his father, Sam, and Betty, Golland volunteered for Montefiore for more than 35 years, and he and Betty have lived at Montefiore’s Hunters Hill campus for much of the last two decades.

As Rabbi Yossi Friedman said in a eulogy at Golland’s funeral on June 19 at Macquarie Park Cemetery, Golland never sought recognition, he volunteered because “he simply believed in helping where he could”.

“He was gentle, kind and thoughtful, and a true gentleman.”

Betty told The AJN on Tuesday that Mike enjoyed his work at the Jewish News, and was well-liked.

“He put quite a few cadets through, teaching them in their early days, and he also did a lot of volunteer work in the community, and never expected anything in return,” she said.

“We lived a very nice life together, and it’s hard now that he is gone.

“I just know I’m going to miss him very much.”

Former editor of The AJN Vic Alhadeff worked for more than a decade with Golland, and described him as “the unofficial backbone of the newspaper”.

“While he served as sports editor during our years working together, he brought unique wisdom and intelligence to the table, emanating from the fact that he had held so many roles on the paper,” Alhadeff said.

“He was popular with the staff, had a quiet sense of humour, and was always the true gentleman.”

Former editor of the Sydney Jewish News Susan Bures commented, “Mike Golland’s name was synonymous with Jewish journalism and newspapers for decades.

“He was a skilled journalist, and an even better editor, but he excelled as a managing editor – making sure an entire paper was written, edited, laid out, typeset, and proofread – and he trained generations of journalists.”

Frank Lowy, commenting from Israel, described Golland as “a person of note who was devoted to the Jewish community and worked tirelessly for its benefit”, adding that Golland was also “an ardent soccer supporter” who used his media knowledge to promote Hakoah.

“His passing is a sad event for the whole community,” Lowy said.

Tom Goldman, former Maccabi Australia president and former Maccabi World Union vice-president, recalled first meeting Golland 40 years ago, and being struck immediately by how “very passionate about sport, Maccabi and Hakoah FC” he was.

“He was always very objective in his opinions, and kept a level head,” Goldman said, “and in his reporting of Maccabi sport, he was very supportive.”

And Montefiore noted that Golland volunteered at its Randwick and Hunters Hill campuses from 1993 until his retirement in 2019, alongside Betty, taking care of engraving needs and creating staff badges, signs and plaques, contributing with his professional skills and experience.

“He was a very valuable member of our volunteer team, and we shall miss him.”