Light of Torah
6 December: Anniversary of Aboriginal leader's protest against the Nazis
On this day, 6 December 2024, the anniversary of William Cooper's courageous protest in the wake of Kristallnacht in 1938, and as a...
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weekly insights
Light of Torah
3 days ago3 min read
Jacob's Ladder: A message of comfort and reassurance
Our Torah reflection this week, from Chapter 28 of Genesis, opens with Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, fleeing to Haran having just...
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Light of Torah
Nov 295 min read
Rebecca's Prayer
"She went to inquire of the L ORD , and the L ORD answered her…" (Gen 25:22-23, JPS). Pregnant with two sons who are already warring...
44 views
Light of Torah
Nov 262 min read
Interfaith Dialogue gathering 2-4 Feb 2025 | Melbourne
If you are in reach of Melbourne this February 2025, I encourage you to register now for a three-day Gathering of people from Australia...
21 views
Light of Torah
Nov 224 min read
Did Abraham marry Hagar?
" Now Isaac was coming from the approach to Be’er-lachai-ro’i" (Genesis 24:62). In Torah studies we are taught to be alert to deeper...
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Light of Torah
Nov 153 min read
So, why did the Lord visit Abraham?
“The Lord appeared to him [Abraham] by the terebinths of Mamre; he was sitting at the entrance of the tent as the day grew hot” (Genesis...
51 views
Light of Torah
Nov 83 min read
Go Forth! Give Life!
Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make...
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Light of Torah
Nov 14 min read
The Tower of Babel
With an eye to the Jewish cycle of readings, this week we open the Book of Genesis and ponder the story of the Tower of Babel (11:1-9)....
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Light of Torah
Oct 285 min read
Beginnings
A new idea has extraordinary power. It can be embraced, rejected, or ignored, but what one cannot do is ‘unthink’ it. So says creative...
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Light of Torah
Oct 283 min read
Dear Friends,
Dear Friends, According to the rhythms of the Jewish liturgical calendar, having just celebrated Simchat Torah ('Rejoicing in Torah')...
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Light of Torah
Sep 52 min read
Confronting Evil: a resource to assist Christian leaders this Sunday
For this Sunday, 8 September 2024, here are some words to speak and pray for the six hostages murdered by Hamas In my previous blog...
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Light of Torah
Jul 143 min read
A “Week of Goodness”? For goodness sake. Trust the Jews to think of that.
Trust a Jewish Israeli couple, parents of a hostage in Gaza, to launch a “Week of Goodness” in the midst of unimaginable parental...
125 views
Light of Torah
May 313 min read
Antisemitism: Four clear reasons why Catholics must speak up
Hatred of Jews is “a sin against God” (cf. Pope Francis, Feb 2024). When it comes to antisemitism, Catholics have a document, a history,...
168 views
Light of Torah
May 34 min read
Screams Before Silence: A Film That Bears Witness
Screams Before Silence is a harrowing, yet sensitively crafted and ultimately viewable, documentary film about the weaponisation of rape...
271 views
Light of Torah
Mar 195 min read
Ten Ways to Avoid Anti-Judaism in Holy Week
“The Jews killed Jesus.” For much of church history, this erroneous, unjust and lethal accusation of Jewish collective guilt held sway...
178 views
Light of Torah
Feb 163 min read
Pope Francis: Antisemitism is "a sin against God"
Pope Francis has written a letter to “his Jewish brothers and sisters” in Israel (2 Feb 2024) in response to communications received and...
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Light of Torah
Jan 304 min read
“Never again” means protesting Hamas’ brutal crimes against Israeli women
Will Catholic feminists be a voice for the voiceless when it comes to the Israeli, mainly Jewish, October 7 victims of rape who cannot...
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Light of Torah
Jan 108 min read
'Baby Jesus in the rubble': handle with care
By Teresa Pirola and Julie McCrossin AM Historically, theologically and morally, the nativity scene of ‘baby Jesus in the rubble’ must be...
261 views
Light of Torah
Dec 24, 20231 min read
A light of hope & humanity in dark times
Amidst so much suffering in our world, the fact remains that there are people who continue to get up each day, every day, and apply...
79 views
Light of Torah
Dec 24, 20234 min read
May our Christmas remembrance be inclusive
Homily prompts for remembering Israelis in our hearts and prayers this Christmas As Christian homilists finetune their Christmas messages...
176 views
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