Joyous Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration in Melbourne
Positive and relaxed atmosphere attracts 8,000
The Melbourne Jewish community came together in huge numbers on Thursday night as Caulfield Racecourse hosted Zionism Victoria’s Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations.
The event, organised by Zionism Victoria, attracted an estimated 8,000 people throughout the afternoon and evening.
ZV Executive Director Zeddy Lawrence described the turnout as incredible, emphasising the community’s desire for unity after challenging times.
“We’ve been wearing a metaphorical yellow star for more than a year and a half now, and it was good to have a relaxed, happy celebration of the joy of being Jewish,” Lawrence said.
The family-friendly festival provided a much-needed opportunity for community members to reconnect with their Jewish heritage in a positive environment.
“Every event over the past 18 months has had this cloud casting a shadow over it,” Lawrence explained.
“The focus really is on just uniting as Jews, as one people, and celebrating all that Israel stands for.”
He noted that despite remembering the hostages and those lost, the event aimed to highlight the positive aspects of Jewish identity often overshadowed by current events.
“People just associate being Jewish with negativity. We’ve got to remind them there’s a lot of fun to be had and a lot of great food, a lot of great music. And there’s thousands of people out there who are part of the same family and just want to enjoy their culture and their heritage,” he said.
The festival featured numerous family attractions and community stalls.
Hila Ben Gera from PJ Library, which provides free Jewish books to families with children monthly, engaged young visitors by dressing as Golda Meir and inviting children into her “kitchen” to read books.
“A lot of kids came, especially the young ones. They love the kitchen. It’s very friendly here and everybody has their own kind of different vibe, which is really beautiful,” she said.
Natalie Gutman from United with Israel ran a stall selling “support the hostages” materials to raise funds for mental health in Israel.
“I’d say we’ve had at least a hundred people tonight, yeah, the community is amazing. People have been absolutely beautiful opening their hearts and opening their wallets, getting stuff and wearing it proudly” she said.
The event also acknowledge those affected by current crises in Israel.
Rabbi Moshe Kahn, President of the Rabbinical Council of Victoria, led prayers on the main stage for firefighters battling blazes in Israel, hostages still in Gaza, and IDF soldiers fighting in the region.
For many attendees, the celebration provided a rare oasis of calm in the midst of the current tension.
Lawrence said, “The atmosphere was incredible. People looked like they were relaxed and enjoying being Jewish – that’s a sight we haven’t really seen at communal events for the past couple of years.”
There was a strong Victoria Police presence inside and outside the venue. Photo: Bruce Hill.
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