Zionist Federation of Australia

We just saw an announcement for the upcoming one year memorial for Shlomo Ron z”l, a founding member of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, so we thought we would remind you of Shlomo’s stunning story of bravery and the way he sacrificed his own life for the sake of his loved ones on 7 October.

We remember Shlomo’s bravery and sacrifice today and everyday 💔💔

יהי זכרו ברוך

🎗️💔 “It took me 24 years to find you. Come back to me, I can’t anymore”.

on 7 October, David Cunio was kidnapped with his wife Sharon, twin daughters Emma and Yuli, and Sharon’s sister Daniele and her daughter Emilia from his house on Kibbutz Nir Oz. His brother Ariel, and Ariel’s partner Arbel, were also kidnapped separately from their home.

Sharon, Daniele and the children were all released in November, but David, Ariel and Arbel remain in terrorist Hamas captivity.

David was kept with his wife and daughters until they were released. Now, on the anniversary of their first date, Sharon writes to David:

“12.9.13 - The best day of my life. The day we met for our first date. The day that marked the rest of my life.
We always joked about how we weren’t each other’s type, and that was probably the magic secret to the ease of our first date. Tomorrow we will be together 11 years, and it’s clear that I will be a wreck, so I’m writing this tonight.

You make me a better woman, a better mother, a better friend and since the damned day you were taken from me l am lost. Every day there is news about another hostage, about the terrible conditions, about soldiers who die and leave behind broken families. It’s only you l know nothing about. I have never been so helpless as I am now. Where are you David, where? How am I supposed to live here without you. For 9 months I have been a ghost. Running on steam for the two amazing creations our love gave birth to.

They look exactly like you, walk and talk like you and it’s hard. It’s hard for me to see you in them every day without you here, without you experiencing them with me every day. The three of us end the day alone, crying for fear of never seeing you again and I have to pretend to be strong for them to give them hope, but I am broken. The only thing that can fix us is you. I want to wake up and believe this whole thing turned out to be one big nightmare - but this is our damn reality.

You are my other half. It took me 24 years to find you.
We have been through ups and downs and survived it all. You are my soulmate, the one who completes me. Come back to me. I can’t anymore.”

Source:

🎗️💔101 hostages are still there.

As we continue to reel from the images of the difficult and inhumane conditions in which six Israeli hostages were kept, and as the heartbreak continues following their cold-blooded ex*****on by Hamas terrorists, we must remember that 101 hostages are still in Hamas’s terrorist captivity.

Hamas is holding the bodies of 35 murdered Israelis and foreign nationals, meaning that 66 hostages are being held in unbearable and unfathomable conditions.

We must continue to call on responsible leaders from around the world to pressure Hamas to release all 101 hostages being held in Gaza immediately.

Let them go now.

🎗️

💔💔 Yesterday, a Palestinian terrorist rammed a gas tanker into an IDF unit engaged in an operational mission at the Asaf junction. The terrorist crashed into a bus stop critically wounding a soldier who later died of his wounds.

The soldier has been named as First sergeant Geri Gideon Hanghal z”l, aged 24 from Nof HaGalil.

Nof HaGalil Mayor Ronen Plot said, “The city of Nof HaGalil mourns and grieves the loss of Staff Sgt. Hanghal. Gideon was a member of the Bnei Menashe community, which is very dear to my heart—good, humble and patriotic people.”

He continued, “Like his peers, Gideon saw his combat service as a mission. He loved the army, took pride in his uniform, contributed greatly to Israel’s security, and his commanders saw in him the potential for a continued military career, tragically cut short. We bow our heads and share in the sorrow of his family and loved ones. May they be comforted from heaven.”

We send our deepest condolences to his family. May his memory be forever blessed.

יהי זכרו ברוך

💔💔 Earlier today, a helicopter crashed in southern Gaza, killing two Israeli Air Force soldiers.

They have now been named as:
🕯️Sgt. Maj. (res.) Daniel Alloush, 37, from Tel Aviv
🕯️Sgt. Maj. (res.) Tom Ish-Shalom, 38, from Nes Harim.

Both served in the IAF’s elite search and rescue Unit 669.

Among the seriously wounded in the incident were two pilots and a mechanic, a reservist doctor and another soldier. Additionally, a reservist doctor and another mechanic were moderately wounded.

Separately, a soldier was seriously wounded during fighting in Rafah. He was supposed to be evacuated by the Black Hawk that crashed. We send a refuah shlema, a speedy and easy recovery to those injured.

We send our deepest condolences to the families of Daniel and Tom. May their memories be forever blessed.

יהי זכרם ברוך

We need to tell you about Daniel Lewin z”l, the Israeli American who is considered to be the first victim of the 9/11 attacks 💔😢

September 11, 2001: It was one of those moments in history when everyone remembers exactly where they were when the first plane hit the World Trade Center’s North Tower, and how everything around them stopped as they watched, in real time, the tragic events unfold. It feels like only yesterday, yet it has now been 23 years.

Today, we remember the victims, who innocently went about their morning, unaware that the world was about to change forever. We extend our deepest condolences to the thousands of families affected, whose grief extends well beyond this annual day of memorial.

Pictured here is the only 9/11 memorial outside the U.S. that includes the names of every man, woman, and child who perished on that fateful day. It stands just outside Jerusalem, Israel, and was partly made from the remains of the Twin Towers.

Twenty-three years on, the names of terror organizations may have changed, but the fight remains the same. The same ideology of darkness that perpetrated 9/11 is behind the horrors of October 7th, waging a relentless battle against freedom and peace. We hope and pray, for the sake of the entire free world, that light will prevail 🙏🏽

ZFA President met with Israel’s Ambassador to the UN, .danon in New York yesterday. It is difficult to believe that the UN general assembly is yet to condemn Hamas or 7 October attacks.

Thank you Ambassador Danon for continuing to fight against the obsessive anti-Israel agenda of dictators and despots at the UN 🙏🏽

🎗️😢💔 Yosef Haim Ohana turns 24 today. But he will not be surrounded by his loved ones because he has been in terrorist Hamas captivity for 340 days.

Yosef Haim was at the Nova Festival when the Hamas terrorists came rampaging. He and a friend helped those injured at the party, taking them to ambulances and medics before fleeing themselves. While hiding under a car, the terrorists fired a RPG. His friend was injured but survived. That was the last time he saw Yosef Haim.

Yosef Haim was considered missing for several weeks before his family were finally notified that he had been kidnapped and was being held in Gaza. For 340 days they have been painfully waiting for Yosef, who they describe as having a heart of gold, to come home.

Yosef Haim must come. They all must come home 😢

🎗️
yosef.home

Ori. Hersh. Alex. Almog.
In their final moments.
After 329 days in hell.
Injured.
Starving.
Vulnerable.
In their final moments it is believed that they fought their armed captors to protect Eden and Carmel.

Their final moments in hell reveal exactly the kind of people they were. Exactly the kind of homes and communities they came from.

And that does not bring much comfort when they are not here.

But for now, it’s something.

יהי זכרם ברוך

💔💔 Shani Louk z”l and Orión Hernández Radoux z”l.

This photo popped up in our feed today and we had to share. A reminder of everything that once was and is no longer.

This gorgeous couple were both murdered by Hamas terrorists on 7 October. Shani’s limp body was paraded around Gaza on the back of a pick up truck and broadcast to the world in images we will not soon forget.

At the same time, Orion’s friends and family began receiving messages in Arabic from his phone saying “Palestine will be liberated, Jerusalem will be the capital of Palestine, and Palestine will be free.”

For 230 days his family held onto hope that he was still alive. But then his body was recovered along with the bodies of Hanan Yablonka z”l and Michel Nisenbaum. All three were murdered on 7 October and their bodies kidnapped to Gaza.

A week earlier, Shani’s body was also recovered along with the bodies of Itzik Gelernter z”l, Amit Buskila z”l and Ron Benjamin z”l.

Shani and Orion. Together forever 💔

💔🎗️Twins Ziv and Gali Berman turn 27 today, but they will not be surrounded by their loved ones because they have been in Hamas captivity for 340 days.

Ziv and Gali are from Kibbutz Kfar Aza and were kidnapped along with their friend and neighbor Emily Damari by Hamas terrorists on October 7th. Since then, their family has only heard from returning hostages who saw them, each on a separate occasion. Although they are not together, their brother Liran believes that they can sense each other because twins have that unique ability.

We hope with all our hearts that Ziv and Gali return together to their loving family.

Until then, we will not stop saying their names, in every corner of the earth, so that the entire world knows about Ziv and Gali and joins in the fight to bring them home.

🎗️

We need to tell you about Carmel G*t z”l, who was held in Hamas captivity for the first 50 days alongside two siblings from Kibbutz Be’eri, Noam and Alma Or, and the way she courageously protected and cared for them during this period.

💔💔💔 Yesterday, three Israeli men were murdered in a terrorist attack at the Allenby crossing on the border between Jordan and Israel.

The three Israelis have been named as:

🕯️Adrian Marcelo Podsmeser z”l, aged 57, a father of 4 from Ariel
🕯️Yohanan Shchori z”l, aged 61, a father of six from Ma’ale Ephraim
🕯️Yuri Birnbaum z”l, aged 65, a widowed father of three from Na’ama.

All three worked at the cargo depot of the border crossing and were shot at close range by the terrorist.

The terrorist, a Jordanian truck driver, was neutralized by a security guard.

Adrian’s son, Sebastian, a survivor of the Nova Party attack, was a good friend of Almog Saris, whose body was recovered from Rafah after being murdered by Hamas terrorists last week. Sebastian said of his father, “Dad accompanied me all of the months after the attack on 7 October. He was always there for me and always helped. He really was an amazing man. The pain is great; I still can’t believe what has happened... Dad—Papito—was a guy with a huge heart... He would make us laugh and lift everyone up.”

Yohanan worked as a manager in the cargo depot. When the war broke out in October, he was conscripted to the reserves and joined his community’s security team. It is said that he carried out “every mission he was assigned to with a sense of purpose and commitment to the security of the residents.”

Yuri worked as a forklift operator at the Allenby crossing. He had immigrated to Israel in the 90s from Russia with his wife Tovah, who died of cancer several years ago.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attack was an act by a “despicable terrorist who murdered three of our citizens in cold blood.” He continued, “We are surrounded by a murderous ideology led by Iran… murderers want to kill all of us, without differentiating between left or right-wing views, religious or secular, Jews or non-Jews.”

We send our deepest condolences to the families of Adrian, Yohanan and Yuri. May their memories be forever blessed.

יהי זכרם ברוך

We need to tell you about Mark Peretz z”l, who left his home in central Israel on 7 October to try and save his daughter who was trying to escape the Nova Music Festival. Maya made it to safety, but Mark was murdered by Hamas terrorists.

Keep saying Mark’s name and telling his story so that he will never, ever be forgotten 💔

יהי זכרו ברוך

The Zionist Federation of Australia expresses deep concern at the revelation that an Australian National University student who was expelled in June for declaring that “Hamas deserve our unconditional support” on ABC Radio has had her expulsion overturned by the University.

President of the Zionist Federation of Australia, Jeremy Leibler, said “it’s beyond comprehension that ANU has overturned the expulsion of a student who very publicly declared that Hamas deserves unconditional support; the terrorist organisation that brutally murdered over 1,200 people on October 7, took hundreds of hostages, killed women, children, and the elderly, and committed unimaginable acts of sexual violence. Just last week, Hamas executed six young Israeli hostages in cold-blood.

ANU is setting a loud and clear precedent to other students that they can say and do whatever they want with zero consequences.

This is a complete failure of leadership at ANU, and the university cannot be taken seriously when they say they uphold their core values of safety and wellbeing. The university has many questions to answer; including how they can guarantee the safety of their students with an individual back on campus who is openly supportive of a genocidal terrorist organisation.”

The CEO of the Zionist Federation of Australia, Alon Cassuto, continued “ANU welcoming back a student who proclaimed on ABC radio their support for a listed terrorist organisation demonstrates exactly why we need a Parliamentary Inquiry to investigate antisemitism on our campuses. Many universities have been unwilling or unable to implement effective solutions, and in the case of ANU, appear to have completely caved to pressure to overturn the student’s expulsion.

The situation at our universities is untenable; Jewish students don’t want lip service anymore, they want action. Students just want to be able to go to uni, attend their classes, finish their degrees without facing aggressive antisemitic mobs who have, so far, faced very little discipline from university administrators.” The Zionist Federation of Australia has strongly called for a Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism on Campus. You can read the ZFA’s submission here:https://www.zfa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ZFA-submission-to-Senate-committee-review-into-comission-of-inquiry-August-2024.pdf

💔😢 Hamas has spent the last few days cruelly releasing videos of the six hostages they executed just over a week ago: Hersh Goldberg-Polin z”l, Eden Yerushalmi z”l, Alex Lubanov z”l, Ori Danino z”l, Carmel G*t z”l, and Almog Sarusi z”l.

Among the Hamas propaganda they were coerced into saying, each video does contain a heartfelt moment at the end when they speak to their families directly. Hersh asked his family to stay strong for him, echoing the words his mother, Rachel, had used in every public speech, video, and plea to him. Carmel heartbreakingly wondered whether her family was still alive. Alex Lubanov addressed his wife and his son; Ori and Eden cried out to their families.

And now, Almog Sarusi’s video has truly broken our hearts too. Almog was at the party with his girlfriend Shachar, who was severely injured by Hamas terrorists. Instead of fleeing, Almog stayed by her side for hours, which ultimately led to him being kidnapped by Hamas.

Did Almog know Shachar had died from her wounds? We wondered this every time we came across photos of the smiling, gorgeous couple from before October 7th.

In his video, it turns out he did not know. He addresses his family, and then says, “Shachar, my love, I hope that you are still alive and we will meet again.” 💔💔

Perhaps it was that hope that kept him going. We will never know.

If there is something up above, we hope with all our hearts that Shachar and Almog have reunited.

May their memories be forever blessed.

יהי זכרם ברוך

A few months ago, we told you the story of 9-day-old baby Kai on October 7, and how his parents’ level-headed decision to put him on the windowsill after terrorists set fire to their house on Kibbutz Nirim saved his life. Now we have to share this photo of gorgeous Kai, just before his first birthday!

On October 7, so much was lost. There was so much pain. There still is. But we also pause to celebrate moments like this one ♥️

We’ll share Kai’s full story of survival in our stories ♥️♥️

It is 7 September. How can we be just one month away from 7 October when we are still living the nightmare of last 7 October? 🎗️

ZFA President on the retirement of from politics:

Bill Shorten has been a steadfast and dedicated supporter of the Australian Jewish community throughout his distinguished career. His support for the State of Israel has been unwavering, rooted in his deep belief in the right of the Israeli people to live in peace within secure and recognised borders. Bill’s multiple visits to Israel are a testament to his admiration for the nation’s achievements and the enduring strength of its democracy.

Bill has consistently championed tolerance, multiculturalism, and peace here in Australia. He has been a vocal and courageous opponent of antisemitism, particularly in the challenging period since October 7, demonstrating his deep commitment to the Jewish community during difficult times.

Bill Shorten’s retirement from Parliament marks the end of an era for Australian politics, and Australia will undoubtedly be poorer without his leadership and vision. I wish him every success in his next chapter as Vice Chancellor of the University of Canberra, where I am confident his leadership will continue to have a profound impact on all those around him.

💔💔 Grief understands grief.

Leo Dee’s wife Lucy, 48, and their daughters Maia, 20, and Rina, 15, were murdered in April 2023 by Palestinian terrorists in a drive-by shooting.

Rachel and Jon’s son Hersh was murdered by Palestinian terrorists in the tunnels of Rafah late last week after almost 11 months in captivity.

Now, Leo sits in the shiva tent with Rachel and Jon, offering his condolences.

Their personal grief echoes a national grief, binding them in shared tragedy and heartache 💔💔💔💔

Photo: Michael Dickson on Twitter

4 family members, 2 graves 💔💔💔💔

Yesterday, four members of the Hetzroni family, who were murdered on 7 October, were laid to rest at Kibbutz Be’eri.

Avia Hetzroni, his sister Ayala, and Avia’s 12-year-old twin grandchildren, Liel and Yanai, were moved from their temporary burial site at Kibbutz Revivim and reburied at the Kibbutz they lived in and loved so much.

Each child was buried with an adult who loved and cared for them deeply, so they will never be alone.

So much sadness and pain. But they are home. 💔

יהי זכרם ברוך

💔🖤 Hersh Goldberg-Polin z”l was a huge Hapoel Jerusalem fan. In his memory, the team will wear jerseys at their next match featuring his picture, along with the words “May your memory be a revolution” and “Child of light, love, and peace.”

“Jewish education is more than just a transfer of knowledge; it is the lifeblood of our collective identity.” - ZFA’s CEO reflects on our Educators’ Conference, which recently brought together 400 Jewish educators from around Australia and New Zealand in today’s

The six Israeli hostages were found murdered in this tunnel shaft in Rafah. Notice anything interesting about the room above it?

We’ll give you some clues.
Mickey Mouse and Snow White.

😳How’s your day been?

🎗️😢A question we ask ourselves daily.

And you need to be asking responsible leadership from around the world the same question. Continue to pressure Hamas. Bring these babies home 🎗️

A spokesperson for Hamas announced that the guards of Israeli hostages in the tunnels have new instructions to kill them if the IDF was closing in on them. The instructions were given out after the June rescue mission - Operation Arnon - in Nusseirat which saw the rescue of Noa Argamani, Almog Meir Jan, Shlomo Ziv and Andrey Koslov.

Hamas claims this is why Eden Yerushalmi z”l, Almog Sarusi z”l, Alex Lubanov z”l, Ori Danino z”l, Carmel G*t z”l and Hersh Goldberg-Polin z”l were executed late last week.

But is this really a *new* tactic?

Hamas has been murdering Israeli hostages in captivity since 7 October.

Here are a few examples.