This week, the ZFA will be commemorating the 25th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, a man who’s legacy still makes an impact a quarter of a century after his death half a world away.
Twenty-four Australians and Israelis with connections to Australia have written how Rabin’s life, legacy and murder has influenced their personal and professional lives. Some of our contributions weren’t born when Rabin was murdered. Others knew him. All celebrated his life and internalised the profound lessons of his death.
The book will be available online from 30 October at www.zfa.com.au/RememberingRabin. Hard copies are also available; be in touch if you want one.
We are thrilled that this week’s Lockdown Learning will launch the book. We will speak with two of the book’s contributors about what they wrote, about Rabin’s legacy and how it continues to impact the Australian Jewish community.
Simone Szalmuk-Singer is motivated by a strong sense of service to the Jewish community and holds several leadership positions. She is co-vice president of Jewish Care Victoria, co-chair of the Australian Jewish Funders, director of the Erdi Foundation and co-founder of Jewish Women of Words. She is passionate about developing Jewish communal leadership and is a mentor in several leadership programs, a senior fellow in the Schusterman Fellowship program and a member of the Schusterman Foundation Senior Fellows Advisory Committee.
Sam Lipski AO is a Pratt Foundation Trustee and former CEO (1998–2019). He served as foreign editor of The Bulletin, executive producer for Four Corners, Washington correspondent for The Australian and Jerusalem Post, foreign affairs commentator for the Channel Nine Network, editor-in-chief of the Australian Jewish News and founding publisher of the Jerusalem Report. Sam’s book Let My People Go: The untold story of Australia and the Soviet Jews 1959–1989, written with Suzanne Rutland, shared the 2016 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Australian History.
As always, this week’s Lockdown Learning will begin on Sunday at 8pm AEDT (5pm in Perth, 11am in Israel). You can register at www.zfa.com.au/LL to watch it on Zoom, or else see it live right here on our Facebook page.
We look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we launch this important marker by the Australian Jewish community on the life and legacy of one of Israel’s most important leaders.