New scholarship in William Cooper’s honour
The Golimdja William Cooper Memorial Scholarship will be officially launched at events in both Melbourne and Sydney.
The Australian Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU) has announced a new scholarship for an Aboriginal postgraduate student to undertake an MSc course at the Hebrew University in 2024.
Made possible by the generosity of Ilana and Martin Moshal, the fully sponsored Golimdja William Cooper Memorial Scholarship is named in honour of the late Indigenous leader who petitioned the German government in 1938 when he became aware of the atrocities being perpetrated against the Jews.
The word “Golimdja” is Yorta Yorta for “brave”. AFHU CEO Rob Schneider conceived the idea of a scholarship as way to honour Cooper’s memory.
“The programs being offered as part of the Golimdja William Cooper Memorial Scholarship build further on the Jewish ethos of tikkun olam, which means ‘healing the world’, and are being offered to a suitably qualified Indigenous Australian student in the hope that Australia – and in particular, Indigenous communities – will benefit from Israel’s experience and expertise in these areas,” Schneider said.
Schneider is a long-time friend of the Cooper family and escorted family members, including William Cooper’s closest living relative, his grandson Alfred (Uncle Boydie) Turner, on their first visit to Israel in April 2009, when 70 trees were planted, to mark the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht and William Coper’s brave act.
In welcoming the scholarship named in honour of his late grandfather, Uncle Boydie said, “It is pleasing that our long connection has resulted in a Hebrew University scholarship being offered to an Indigenous Australian.
“My grandfather understood the importance of education and demanded that our people should no longer be denied the opportunity to learn. I am delighted that this scholarship in my grandfather’s name will give an Indigenous student the opportunity to bring back knowledge and benefits for our people, and for all Australians.”
Speaking on behalf of himself and his wife Ilana, Martin Moshal said, “As long-time supporters of the Hebrew University through the Moshal Scholarship Program, we are delighted to be able to honour the memory of William Cooper, who bravely stood up for the Jewish people and to do this through the scholarship in honour of his name and all that he did, for postgraduate study at the Hebrew University in areas that will benefit the Aboriginal community.”
AFHU president Michael Dunkel thanked the Moshals for their generosity and added, “Hebrew University scientists and scholars have played a leading role in Israel’s transition from an inhospitable, semi-arid and disease-ridden environment into a highly developed, first-world country that today is an international leader in health care, hi-tech, agricultural production, industry and social welfare despite ongoing threats to its security.
“To be able to share this expertise through this scholarship program can only benefit the Aboriginal community and Australia in general.”
The Golimdja William Cooper Memorial Scholarship will be officially launched at events in both Melbourne and Sydney.
The Melbourne launch at the Jewish Museum of Australia is on Sunday, November 19 with keynote speaker Dr Lois Peeler, 2022 NAIDOC Female Elder of the Year, 2017 Victorian Senior Australian of the Year and a member of the Cooper family.
The launch at the Sydney Jewish Museum on Monday, December 4 features keynote speaker Professor Lisa Jackson Pulver, deputy vice-chancellor Indigenous strategy and services at the University of Sydney and herself a former student at the Hebrew University.
Info on events: (02) 9389 2825 or austfhu@austfhu.org.au.
Info on scholarship: austfhu.org.au/students/admissions/scholarship-opportunities/the-golimdja-william-cooper-memorial-scholarship-information-sheet/
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