Students class in real-world politics
AGAINST the backdrop of election uncertainty, 35 politically minded Jewish students set off for a three-day political training seminar to Canberra.
AGAINST the backdrop of election uncertainty, 35 politically minded Jewish students set off for a three-day political training seminar to Canberra.
Hosted annually by the Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS), this year’s seminar gave participants the chance to dissect the campaign with political strategists, Members of Parliament, and representatives from government departments.
Labor MPs Michael Danby and Mike Kelly addressed the group — which included students from Australia and New Zealand — discussing their respective experiences during the campaign and their reflections on the election’s implications for the future of Australian politics.
“Being able to hear from two politicians who our community hold in such high regard was an honour. They understand Australian politics like the back of their hands, but particularly also our relationship with Israel, and the broader campaigns Australia’s involved in to stabilise the Mid-East, and the world as a whole,” AUJS chairperson Liam Getreu said.
Students also heard from Tim Harcourt, the chief economist of AusTrade who recently returned from a trip to Israel, as well as retired major general Jim Molan, the former chief of operations in Iraq, who provided insight into the role Australian troops played in Iraq. The group also ran into a number of big names, including Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, former prime minister Kevin Rudd and independent Bob Katter.
Uniquely, this year was the first with a large hasbarah (public relations) training element, and community leaders from the NSW Board of Deputies, Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry were all on hand to address the group on Israel advocacy.
“We were also lucky enough that Einat Weiss from the Israeli embassy and Michelle Rojas-Tal from StandWithUs were able to run a number of enlightening sessions to help us understand the way in which they advocate, and how we can be better activists for Israel,” Getreu said, adding that students participated in a session to learn how best to “disarm” anti-Israel messages on campus.
“Students were also given opportunities to plan some very exciting campaigns to be run for Jewish and non-Jewish students into the future,” Getreu explained. “The 35 students there are really some of the best young Jewish minds and their understanding, activism and experience is amazing.”
In addition to the political program, AUJS recently announced it had formed a partnership with Jewish Aid Australia to send a group of 15 students to Nepal on a five-week education and volunteering program in December.
“This represents much of the direction of young Australian Jews — social justice projects around the world.
“It could be in Israel, but increasingly young Jews are seeing war-torn regions, Third-World countries and disaster-struck areas, such as Nepal and Haiti and Pakistan, and wanting to go there and actively make change for the better. It really is a wonderful opportunity to activate that desire,” Getreu said.
AJN STAFF
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