Australian Jewish Democratic Society

A letter in today’s Australian from Harold Zwier , an AJDS member
AS the party boarding the ships to enforce their naval blockade of Gaza, the Israelis had a duty of care in dealing with civilians. The death of nine civilians and injury to more than 30 others is a clear indication that the Israelis failed in that duty of care.

The Gaza Flotilla fiasco doesn’t bode well for democratic reform on several fronts:
* Within Israel, it will create tensions between the military top brass who are now being blamed for a bad job, and the political elite who authorised it.
* The sense of victimhood that is pervasive in the Israel and international Jewish media will only further push many people further to the right (and fewer to the left), and the secular, progressive left will have an even harder task in convincing the population that the current political set up is a disaster.
* On the part of Hamas in Gaza and its supporters in the West, a hard-line agenda will also be given a spur and intolerant Islamic nationalism, rather than democratic secularism will appeal to more people, continuing the split with the PLO in the West Bank.

If you knew Norman Rothfield or knew of him, his family would like to invite you 3.00pm, Sunday 4 July, St Kilda Town Hall, Brighton Rd St Kilda
An early RSVP to the family would be appreciated, either by email [email protected] or by phone to messagebank at 9482 5574.
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The AJDS deeply mourns the passing of Norman Rothfield, who died on 4 June aged 98. Among his many activities, he was a founding member and supporter of the Australian Jewish Democratic Society and an inspiration to all who knew him.
Norman’s 76 years of activism went back to the 1930s in the UK, where he was elected to local government at the Age of 22, and he was a member of many progressive organizations in Australia, including the Council Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism (President 1947), Paths to Peace, and Australian Friends of Peace Now. He was active in the anti-nuclear and the Vietnam peace movements and the Fabian Society.
A detailed obituary can be found in The Age.
Norman was interviewed at length by Phillip Adams of ABC Radio several years ago, and the interview can be played or downloaded via this link.
You can also see a brief video clip of him speaking on December 13 2009 at the AJDS Annual Dinner in response to Denis Altman on Youtube at about 6″25′ onwards.
Norman’s publications included:
The Trial of God-a Challenge to Conventional Thinking (1998)
Many Paths to Peace: The Political Memoirs of Norman Rothfield (1997)

From Gush Shalom
This night a crime was perpetrated in the middle of the sea, by order of the government of Israel and the IDF Command. A warlike attack against aid ships and deadly shooting at peace and humanitarian aid activists. It is a crazy thing that only a government that crossed all red lines can do.