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weekly insights


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...

Light of Torah
Dec 6, 20241 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...

Light of Torah
Dec 6, 20243 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...

Light of Torah
Nov 29, 20245 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...

Light of Torah
Nov 26, 20242 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...

Light of Torah
Nov 22, 20244 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...

Light of Torah
Nov 15, 20243 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...

Light of Torah
Nov 8, 20243 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)....

Light of Torah
Nov 1, 20244 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...

Light of Torah
Oct 28, 20245 min read


Dear Friends,
Dear Friends, According to the rhythms of the Jewish liturgical calendar, having just celebrated Simchat Torah ('Rejoicing in Torah')...

Light of Torah
Oct 28, 20243 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...

Light of Torah
Sep 5, 20242 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...

Light of Torah
Jul 14, 20243 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,...

Light of Torah
May 31, 20243 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...

Light of Torah
May 3, 20244 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...

Light of Torah
Mar 19, 20245 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...

Light of Torah
Feb 16, 20243 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...

Light of Torah
Jan 30, 20244 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...

Light of Torah
Jan 10, 20248 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...

Light of Torah
Dec 24, 20231 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...

Light of Torah
Dec 24, 20234 min read
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