Rabbi’s PNG mission draws warm reception  

Rabbi Daniel Rabin from Melbourne’s Caulfield Shule received a “rock star reception” during his recent visit to Papua New Guinea.

He met with Christian groups eager to support Israel

The Melbourne rabbi was invited to the Pacific nation by Gil Grinberg, a Melbourne businessman with connections to Papua New Guinea advocacy networks, after Grinberg noticed Rabbi Rabin’s LinkedIn posts supporting Israel.

“Honestly, it was phenomenal,” Rabbi Rabin said of his welcome.

“They all wanted to take photos and selfies and wanted to talk to me and ask me questions. It was incredibly warm and welcoming.”

The visit coincidentally overlapped with the Israeli Ambassador’s trip to PNG, allowing both delegations to attend joint events, though Rabbi Rabin emphasised he was not representing the Israeli government.

Rabbi Rabin’s mission included meetings with various Christian organisations and professional groups across PNG, many of whom had never met a rabbi before.

The groups included business networks, Christian professional groups, and pastors from different Christian backgrounds.

“[They asked] questions like, what more can we do to support Israel? How can we connect more with Australian Jewish community? What’s happening in Israel?” Rabbi Rabin said of the inquiries he received.

The rabbi’s visit culminated in a private meeting with PNG Prime Minister James Marape, who specifically left a state dinner to spend time with Rabbi Rabin.

“He wanted to meet with me. He wanted to get a blessing from me, and I sounded the shofar for him,” Rabbi Rabin said.

“It was quite beautiful.”

Remarkably, Prime Minister Marape left the state dinner with Anthony Albanese to meet privately with the rabbi.

The Australian PM was in the country to finalise a defence cooperation treaty that remains unsigned.

Rabbi Rabin briefly encountered the Australian Prime Minister, saying “He walked past me, and I said hello to him, and he shook my hand. I think he was a bit confused what I was doing there.”

The rabbi attributes PNG’s strong support for Israel to deeply held Christian beliefs.

“They obviously very strongly believe in God’s blessing to Abraham Isaac and Jacob,” he said.

“They say that whoever blesses Israel will be blessed. They feel that it’s their moral duty to support Israel and stand by Israel.”

Unlike perceptions that Pacific Island support stems purely from biblical connections, Rabbi Rabin found genuine interest in modern Israel.

“There’s a very big interest in the modern state of Israel, wanting to know and connect with the modern state of Israel, to learn from it, to grow with it, to partner with it, and to support it.”

Some attendees inquired about volunteering with the IDF and visiting Israel, while others sought guidance on how to defend Israel against critics.

PNG community leaders have invited Rabbi Rabin to return for larger audiences and are discussing deeper connections between PNG and Australian Jewish communities.

“I think there’s certainly a real gap of information. There’s certainly an opportunity for more dialogue or more interaction,” Rabbi Rabin said.

The rabbi hopes his experience will encourage Melbourne’s Jewish community during difficult times.

“Just to know, there’s this huge support out there, people who love Israel, who would do anything for Israel,” he said.

“There are voices out there who share our sentiments, who are prepared to stand with us.”