Sir Zelman Cowen honoured
DALIA SABLE
FORMER governor-general Sir Zelman Cowen gathered with personal and professional friends at law firm Arnold Bloch Leibler on October 14 to celebrate his 90th birthday.
The lunch included representatives from the legal, commerce and art worlds, as well as Justices Michael Kirby and Michael Rozenes, who both spoke about Sir Zelman.
In welcoming the guests to the lunch, host Mark Leibler referred to Sir Zelman as a “national treasure”. Leibler described his teacher and friend as “moderate and accepting in his views”.
Retired High Court judge Justice Kirby said Sir Zelman’s life, like the branches of a menorah, could be divided into seven public and private facets.
On the public side, Justice Kirby spoke of his service to education, as an academic and subsequently university vice-chancellor; his contribution to law reform; his role as governor-general; and his work in both the United Kingdom and Australia — the latter for which he was recognised with an Order of Australia Medal.
On the personal side, Justice Kirby described him as modest and endearing; a lover of art, music and ideas; a person with a loving nature; a man of courage; and a genuine intellectual with a developed sense of humour.
“His good fortune was our nature’s good fortune,” Justice Kirby said. “He is the most decorated and honoured scholar in Australia, but nonetheless he is a person of the utmost humanity and humility.”
Justice Rozenes spoke of Sir Zelmand being a “key player” in the Jewish community for more than seven decades.
Justice Rozenes talked about the Jewish Museum of Australia’s upcoming birthday celebration for Sir Zelman, during which the Australian Jewish history gallery will be re-named in his honour.
“Like Sir Zelman, the museum will be distinctly Australian and distinctly Jewish,” Justice Rozenes said.
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