New federal president elected
Lynda Ben-Menashe has spent many years working in and for the Jewish community in advocacy and outreach.
The National Council of Jewish Women Australia (NCJWA) has announced Lynda Ben-Menashe as its new federal president, taking over from Melinda Jones.
Ben-Menashe has spent many years working in and for the Jewish community in advocacy and outreach.
“NCJWA has always focused on issues that affect all women, including gender inequality, domestic violence, the disintegration of civil discourse and reconciliation,” Ben-Menashe said. “Today we must also address the feminist movement’s marginalisation of Zionists, the tsunami of racism against Jewish people, and the disproportionate amount of it expressed by so-called female ‘influencers’ in this country.”
She also paid tribute to Jones.
“Melinda brought comfort and connection to Jewish Australian women during one of the most trying periods we have ever faced,” she said. “Her legacy and the legacies of all past national and state section presidents give me both inspiration and strength.”
Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) co-CEO Peter Wertheim commended Ben-Menashe’s appointment.
“In recent times marginal individuals who have only tenuous connections to the Jewish community have set themselves up with high-sounding, thoroughly deceitful organisational names and promoted themselves as a Jewish community voice, with the connivance of forces who are hostile to the Jewish community,” he said. “To counter them, we need experienced, trusted voices like Lynda’s – now more than ever.”
Member for Wentworth Allegra Spender said, “It is a critical time for women and the Jewish community, and Lynda will bring a wealth of experience in her leadership of this important organisation.”
Federal Member for Berowra Julian Leeser said, “Our community has never needed her calibre of leadership more.
“When there are Australian academics denying the rapes of October 7, to have Lynda Ben-Menashe heading the Jewish community’s peak advocacy body for women is a blessing,” he said.
State Member for Coogee Marjorie O’Neill said, “Lynda brings an unprecedented wealth of experience and expertise to the leadership of the NCJWA which is very much needed in the current conflictual and worrying climate.”
NCJWA has also appointed a number of new board members, including highly accomplished women aged from their 20s upwards from across academia, business, government, law, human rights and media.
The first order of business for the new board is to conduct a nationwide Listening Campaign, to discern what Jewish women in Australia are concerned about and their ideas about how NCJWA might help address them.
“Join us. Raise your voice with us. And work with us to make a better Australia for the good of all its people,” Ben-Menashe said.
Melinda Jones.
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