Queen’s Birthday honours for members of the community

NAOMI LEVIN

THE dean of a law faculty and a Jewish fundraiser who passed away recently from cancer are among the members of the community recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Professor Arie Freiberg, dean of the faculty of law at Melbourne’s Monash University, and Dr Jack Bendat, a quiet businessman whose interests are largely Western Australian media organisations, were the only Jewish people to be named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

Prof Freiberg was honoured for his service to law, particularly criminology and sentencing reform, while Dr Bendat was recognised for his philanthropic work, including a $5 million donation to a Perth cancer centre and ongoing support for youth services. Victorian Jews led the Queen’s Birthday charge, with nine people receiving honours.The honours committee showed community volunteering is highly valued in Australian society with medals of the Order of Australia (OAM) awarded to long-time King David School president Jim Cyngler tireless National Council of Jewish Women Australia past president Di Hirsh and Jewish Day Schools Integration Program, Australian Jewish Geaneological Society and Australian Jewish Historical Society stalwart Lionel Sharpe.

North Eastern Jewish Centre founding member Benjamin Alexander was also on the OAM honours list. Other Victorian OAM recipients include educator Helen Morris, clinician Dr Laila Rotstein and haemetology expert and B’nai B’rith international vice president Dr Peter Schiff.

Harry Gelber received an OAM for service to the community through the establishment of mental health programs supporting children and the Indigenous community. New South Wales Jewish honours recipients included Roz Feitelson, a tireless community volunteer who was best known for her assistance with Jewish Communal Appeal campaigns and B’nai B’rith’s Courage to Care program, was posthumously awarded an OAM.

Robyn Gerber’s work in the Jewish community and with Oxfam was recognised, as was Barbara Clayman’s role in recording and distributing copies of The AJN to people with vision impairments. Amateur astronomer and volunteer guide at the Sydney Observatory Monty Leventhal will be presented with an OAM, as will Norton Whitmont, a former president of The Great Synagogue and also president for 10 years of the NSW Caravan, Camping and Touring Industry.

Peter Price, the chairman of Crime Stoppers Australia, was also recognised for his contribution to crime fighting. Dora Eisenberg received an OAM for service to the community of Sydney as a volunteer, while Professor Gerald Westheimer received an AM for services to vision science as a researcher, through optometric education and as a mentor.

Dr Lesley Sharp received an OAM for services to gymnastics in the Canberra region as a coach and administrator. In Western Australia, Sydney Berinson was awarded an OAM for his long-time commitment to Perth Hebrew Congregation, and in Queensland, National Council of Jewish Women Australia stalwart Carolyn Goldsmith -— a member of the women’s organisation since 1962 —- was also an OAM recipient.