Australian Jewish Association says Indigenous voice to parliament advocacy goes against values

Many Jewish organisations back the voice, but one has taken issue with the advocacy.

Australian Jewish Association David Adler, whose organisation was going to stay neutral on the voice until other Jewish organisations publicly supported the Yes campaign. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gaye Gerard

A conservative pro-Israel community organisation that opposes an Indigenous voice to parliament has hit out at representative bodies for actively campaigning on the referendum, saying the ­Albanese government’s proposal was “contrary to Jewish values and community interests”.

Many major Jewish organisations have backed the voice, ­saying it resonates with them ­because they understand what it’s like to be voiceless.

But Australian Jewish Association president David Adler, who sits on the advisory board of No organisation Advance Australia, took issue with Jewish Community Appeal – which asks the community for money to help fund organisations’ ­programs and services to those in need – giving money to a group advocating for the voice.

The NSW-based JCA gave ­social justice group Stand Up, which is running the Kol Halev Jewish voice for Yes campaign, a $200,000 grant.

Stand Up said that money had not been used for its voice campaign, which hosted prominent Yes campaigner Thomas Mayo at an event in Sydney on Thursday night. Its Victorian arm hosted Indigenous leader Marcia Langton in Melbourne this month.

The Jewish Community Council of Victoria, the recognised roof body and voice of Victorian Jewry, supported Stand Up’s Melbourne launch.

“The Jewish community comprises a range of diverse opinions like the wider Australian community, yet some of the elitists in leadership positions seem to prioritise various left-wing and non-Jewish activism,” Dr Adler said.

“Will the JCA be making a $200,000 dollar grant to a Jewish group advocating for the No campaign? Many in our community would also be shocked that a body like the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, which claims to represent the entire Jewish community in its state, would be involved in divisive activism siding with the Yes campaign.

“AJA holds that the voice as proposed is contrary to Jewish values and community interests.”

AJA committee member and former NSW Zionist Council president Brian Levitan said he could not recall a case where funds for the Jewish community were diverted to an organisation backing one side of a political campaign “in such a blatant manner”. “Many would consider that a wholly inappropriate use of community funds,” he said.

JCA donor Terry Davis said he would hesitate before donating again. JCA was approached for comment.

Stand Up did not want to respond directly to AJA’s criticisms but told The Australian the launch events were exclusively funded by ticket sales, with around 300 attending the Melbourne event and more than 150 paid for the Sydney event.

Jewish Community Council of Victoria president Daniel Aghion. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Andrew Henshaw

“No funds from the JCA or JCCV have been used on the event, or on the Kol Halev campaign. The campaign is funded by individual donors who have decided to give directly to our community campaign,” Stand Up chair Dean Levitan said.

“As a community, we know, from our own history what it’s like to be voiceless. We believe that every community deserves a voice, a chance to be heard and to be listened to.”

JCCV president Daniel ­Aghion KC said: “Members voted unanimously to endorse the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and the voice to parliament. The JCCV’s support for the voice stems from this vote.”

AJA public affairs director Robert Gregory said it initially ­remained neutral on the voice but came out against it when other Jewish organisations publicly supported the Yes case. It is considering running No events.