The Jews in Australia

This book traces Jewish community history from its origins in 1788 to today's Jewish culture in Australia.

Suzanne D. Rutland (Author)

9780521612852, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 2 November 2005

214 pages, 40 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 1.2 cm, 0.28 kg

' … an indispensable resource for those seeking a broad overview of Australian Jewry.' The Times Literary Supplement

Jews form only a tiny proportion of the Australian population, yet they have made outstanding contributions and have influenced Australian society immeasurably. Stories such as that of Sir John Monash, Australian commander-in-chief during World War I, whose legacy continues through Monash University, show how Jews have reached the highest echelons of Australian society. The Jews in Australia explores what makes the Australian Jewish community different from other Jewish communities around the world. It traces the community's history from its convict origins in 1788 through to today's vibrant Jewish culture in Australia, and highlights the social and cultural impact the Jews have had on Australia. As well as looking at the emergence of a specific faith tradition in Australia, the book also explores how Jews, as Australia's first ethnic group, have integrated into multicultural Australia.

1. Introduction
2. Convicts and settlements
3. Waves of migration to the 1900s
4. Relations with the general community
5. The watershed years
6. Changing community structures
7. The changing role of Israel and Zionism
8. More recent waves of migrants
9. The aftermath of the Holocaust
10. Jewish women
11. Creating a Jewishly learned community
12. Contributions to the broader community
13. Conclusions.

Subject Areas: Sociology & anthropology [JH], Australasian & Pacific history [HBJM]