Calendar

Here is a calendar of upcoming events, up and down the country. Some are organized by us, others by like-minded organizations and groups.

Jun
16
Sun
CHRISTCHURCH: A HATEFUL STATE OF MIND: HATE SPEECH AND FREE SPEECH IN NEW ZEALAND @ Spark Room, Christchurch Central Library
Jun 16 @ 2:00 PM

Professor Paul Moon

Where:  Spark Room, Christchurch Central Library, Turanga.

When:  2.00pm, Sunday, June 16.

Admission:  A plate of finger food.  Please avoid pork and seafood products. A collection will be taken to defray expenses.

With talk of new Hate Speech Legislation in NZ, this free talk shows how ineffective such legislation has been; and offers a robust alternative to counter ideologies of prejudice and intolerance. 

NZ Friends of Israel wishes to acknowledge the kind support of the Holocaust Centre of NZ.  This address was originally part of their Human Rights Series of lectures.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Having written over 25 books, Professor Paul Moon is one of New Zealand’s best-selling and respected historians and social commentators.

His specialist area is New Zealand history, and in 2014, he was shortlisted for the international Ernest Scott Prize in History for his book Encounters: The Creation of New Zealand, which academics described as ‘powerful’ and ‘truly fascinating’. His works have been published by Penguin Random House, and HarperCollins.

He has worked on several Treaty claims, and with numerous government agencies, on Treaty-related issues. In 2003 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society at University College, London, and has since gained fellowships in the Royal Geographical Society and the Royal Society of Arts. He also has been a consultant on documentaries about New Zealand history

Dec
10
Sun
@ Bridge of Remembrance
Dec 10 @ 3:00 PM
Jan
14
Sun
CHRISTCHURCH: 100 Days In Captivity Rally: July 14 @ Bridge of Remembrance
Jan 14 @ 3:00 PM
Jan
18
Thu
CHRISTCHURCH: 100 Days: Bring them back! Jan 18, 7.30pm @ Halswell Centre, Hao Room
Jan 18 @ 7:30 PM

The Bibas Family, in happier times

The DCM at the Embassy, Yael Holan has asked if we would like to “adopt” a family of hostages to raise awareness of their plight.

They are the Bibas family.

Kfir, Ariel and Shiri Bibas, and presumably their father Yarden were all kidnapped from Nir Oz, an Israeli kibbutz that was devastated when it came under attack by Hamas militants on October 7. The attackers murdered more than a quarter of the community and seized scores of others, as they fired at people’s homes, looted and destroyed what they could.

The armed wing of Hamas has claimed, without providing evidence, that Kfir, his 4-year-old brother, Ariel, and their mother, Shiri, were killed in an Israeli airstrike. The armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said they had been killed in earlier Israeli bombing.

Kfir was nine months old when he was abducted, he will turn one on January 18.

We are proposing to hold a special meeting for them on Thursday, January 18.

Hao Room, Halswell Centre, 341 Halswell Rd, Christchurch.

Feb
27
Tue
Israel on Trial in the Hague — thinc. @ Online
Feb 27 @ 12:00 AM

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Andrew Tucker (1963) studied law in Australia (BA/LLB), UK (BCL) and The Netherlands, and has worked since 1988 as an adviser and consultant to private companies, governments and (semi-)public entities in various fields of international law.

Andrew was a Fellow of the Law Faculty of the University of Melbourne from 1994 to 2001, and Research Associate at the TMC Asser Institute in The Hague from 1996-1998. Based in The Netherlands, he is Principal of Tucker & Associates.

Andrew is co-author of ‘Israel on Trial’, Soest (NLD), thinc. (2018) and “Two states for two peoples?” (2022/23)

 

Israel on Trial in the Hague — thinc. @ Online
Feb 27 @ 7:00 AM

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Andrew Tucker (1963) studied law in Australia (BA/LLB), UK (BCL) and The Netherlands, and has worked since 1988 as an adviser and consultant to private companies, governments and (semi-)public entities in various fields of international law.

Andrew was a Fellow of the Law Faculty of the University of Melbourne from 1994 to 2001, and Research Associate at the TMC Asser Institute in The Hague from 1996-1998. Based in The Netherlands, he is Principal of Tucker & Associates.

Andrew is co-author of ‘Israel on Trial’, Soest (NLD), thinc. (2018) and “Two states for two peoples?” (2022/23)

 

Mar
21
Thu
CHRISTCHURCH: Sheree Trotter: Indigenous Peoples and Israel @ Te Hapua Halswell Centre
Mar 21 @ 7:30 PM

Dr Sheree Trotter

Indigenous Peoples and the Middle East Conflict

Today, one hears that the Palestinians are an indigenous people that is having their homeland stolen from them by the white settler colonialists, the Jews.  Is this true?

The events of October 7 have divided New Zealanders.  The connection to indigenous rights has created fault lines for our Maori community.

On Thursday, we are delighted to welcome Dr Sheree Trotter to talk to us about the establishment of the Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem and her views on how the Middle East Conflict has impacted her Maori Community.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Dr Sheree Trotter is a researcher, writer, and co-director of the Indigenous Coalition For Israel. She also co-founded the Holocaust and Antisemitism Foundation, Aotearoa New Zealand (formerly Shadows of Shoah). Sheree is Māori (Te Arawa) and earned her PhD in History at the University of Auckland.

Apr
7
Sun
AUCKLAND Release the Hostages Rally – April 7 @ Britomart
Apr 7 @ 2:00 PM
Apr
21
Sun
CHRISTCHURCH: Open Meeting Panel Discussion on the Christian attitude toward Israel and Gaza @ Hornby Presbyterian Church
Apr 21 @ 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Hi Folks

Are you shocked by the killing of innocent civilians?  Are you feeling conflicted as to who is “in the right” in the Israeli-Gaza conflict?  Why as a Christian should you care about a dispute on the other side of the world?  Are you puzzling over what a Christian response should be?  If any of these questions resonate with you, then this event is for you.

Hope Presbyterian in Amyes Rd Hornby, has invited us to join a discussion panel at their evening service, this Sunday at 7pm.

The topic is:  What should be the Christian attitude toward Israel and Gaza?

They have already had two sermons over the last two weeks on the history of Israel for background, and the sermons can be found here (click the image):

You’re invited to take part in this fascinating discussion.  The Q&A session is going to be informative and rewarding.  Even more so, if you have thought about it already so bring some questions with you.

See you there!