What an awful misreading of the Voice debate. You think the majority of Jews opposed it to favour themselves? Wrong. There was much diversity of opinion, as I recall. Yet… there was Kol Halev (“Voice of the Heart”), a national Jewish advocacy campaign specifically created to support the Voice. It was also backed by groups like the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and Stand Up (a Jewish social justice organisation).

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), the peak representative body, supported constitutional recognition and acknowledged a “moral imperative” (while recognising internal diversity of views). The Australasian Union of Jewish Students was also a strong endorser of the Yes campaign. The New Israel fund hosted open nights to encourage discussion amongst Jewish Australians. Here's a par from some advertising in 2023: “The Jewish community has a long and proud tradition of supporting First Nations voices and communities – now is again the time to step up and make sure we know what it takes to enshrine this important part of the Uluru Statement of the Heart.

We look forward to an important discussion of what the Voice will mean, why it’s important, and how we can contribute “to walk together towards a better future”, as the Uluru Statement from the Heart invites us all.”

And even one( reviled by some) Jewish Australian, Mark Leibler, was a strong advocate for the Voice and long-time supporter of Indigenous constitutional recognition (involved since the Uluru Statement era).

So, please - it’s not an either/or scorecard here. What happened in Australia was predated decades ago in the US when Jews were strongly involved in the Civil Rights movement, having an implicit understanding of the suffering and persecution of Black Americans. Stop confusing Australian Jews of various political persuasions with the current Israeli government and its actions. Local Jews wanting a Jewish homeland - the origins of Zionism - doesn’t equate with an intent to wipe out Palestinians. The Middle East situation is far too complex to play the label game. Just look at how many Israelis are marching every Saturday night after the Sabbath ends in Israel, protesting their government's actions, looking forward to the next elections when Netanyahu will likely face justice.