NCJWA opens bookings for national conference

The National Council of Jewish Women of Australia (NCJWA) has opened bookings for its national conference, titled Unbreakable Jewish Women: Then, Now, Always, which will be held in Sydney in August. NCJWA president Lynda Ben-Menashe said the title was chosen as a reflection of the resilience shown by Jewish women in recent years.

“We named the conference as a reminder that we are strong and that we can overcome everything that has been thrown at us over the past few years.”

The conference, which is usually held every four years, had a longer hiatus this time.

“We’re long due for an opportunity for Jewish women and allies across Australia to come together in a way that will empower and uplift all of us,” Ben Menashe said.

“The last few years have been tough. October 7 and its aftermath, Bondi, and the Royal Commission have meant that a lot of our energy and headspace have been taken up by world events and the increase in antisemitism.”

Ben-Menashe explained that the NCJWA conference is an opportunity to help heal, engage with others and enjoy positive experiences that remind us that Jewish women are, indeed, unbreakable.

“We also know from our work with Jewish women across the country how vulnerable so many are feeling. This conference has been planned as a kind of antidote to everything we have endured recently,” Ben-Menashe said.

Spread across two days in August, the conference includes speakers and sessions to engage and inform, with subjects ranging from an exploration of contemporary feminism through a Jewish lens to what happens when four rabbis walk into a bar.

Three of the highest profile non-Jewish speakers are Australian Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay, thought leader Professor Nareen Young and Lisa Annese, the CEO of Chief Executive Women.

The Governor-General, Sam Mostyn, has also given the conference her endorsement, and will host an invitation-only opening night at Admiralty House, where the inaugural Esther Awards finalists and winners will be announced.

The Esther Awards aim to recognise women who step forward with courage, act with purpose, and lead with integrity.

“Our national conference will provide a unique platform for attendees to reaffirm a commitment to Jewish’s women’s empowerment and to foster the next generation of leaders,” Ben-Menashe added.

“We’re expecting women of all ages and backgrounds to join us. It’s an opportunity to come together with other fearless, feminist and future-focused women and to remind ourselves why we are proud to be Australian Jews. It will also be loads of fun.”

NCJWA’s National Conference will be held on August 23-24. For more details including how to nominate someone for an Esther Award, go to ncjwa.org.au/conference