Here is a calendar of upcoming events, up and down the country. Some are organized by us, others by like-minded organizations and groups.
CHRISTCHURCH FEBRUARY GATHERING: THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
2.30pm, Sunday, February 28
Hao Rm, Halswell Centre,
341 Halswell Rd, Christchurch
From 6:30 am Sunday, February 28, Christchurch will be in a Level 2 Lockdown. Under Level 2 rules, attendance will be limited to a maximum of 100.
NZ Friends of Israel invites you to a discussion on the issues arising from renewing the Iran nuclear deal.
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- What was the original nuclear deal?
- What was learnt from it?
- What are the risks to Israel if Iran successfully develops a nuclear weapon?
- What can be done about it?
- What can we do about it?
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Admission: Bring a plate of finger food, please no pork or seafood products.
Sarri Singer
We are honoured to have Sarri Singer talk to the Zionist Federation of New Zealand direct from New Jersey.
Join us at 6pm on Sunday 7 March on Zoom (details below) to hear Sarri talk about her first hand experience of Palestinian terrorism and how from this she has set up the organisation Strength to Strength.
This will be a fascinating and no doubt emotional talk as Sarri recalls what happened as she boarded bus number 14 in Jerusalem.
To join the Zoom Meeting, please use the link below
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89508695325?pwd=eTR6Y2hEMUE3U0NudndjSlFhb2dZZz09
Meeting ID: 895 0869 5325
Passcode: 441936
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Sarri Singer, born in Lakewood, New Jersey, is the daughter of New Jersey State Senator, Robert Singer. Until 9/11, Sarri worked a few blocks away from the World Trade Center. Deeply moved by the tragedy of 9/11, Sarri decided to resign from her position in December 2001 and move to Israel to help victims of terror. While there, Sarri volunteered with various organisations working with victims of terror.
On June 11, 2003, Sarri was on Bus 14 in Jerusalem when an 18-year-old Palestinian terrorist dressed as a religious Jew boarded and blew himself up. 16 people were killed, including all those seated and standing around her, and over 100 people were injured. Sarri was hospitalized for two weeks and then returned to New Jersey to be with family. Her story became high profile. She appeared on television stations such as CBS, FoxNews, CNN and radio interviews. She spoke before Congressmen and Senators in Washington, D.C. and politicians in New York and New Jersey. In September 2003 she returned to work and volunteering in Israel. In June 2004, she returned to the United States to take care of ongoing medical issues associated with her attack.
Sarri is the Founder and Director of Strength to Strength (www.stosglobal.org), which focuses on bringing together victims of terrorism together from around the world and assisting with long term psychological needs. Sarri has addressed audiences throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Israel and continues to share her unique insight into the ongoing struggle for victims of terror in Israel and around the world.
Iron Dome SAM missiles on the left, rise up to intercept Hamas’ rockets on the right.
CHRISTCHURCH: IN THE WAKE OF THE LATEST GAZA-ISRAEL CONFLICT, WHAT’S NEXT?
20 June 2021, 2.30pm
Halswell Community Centre, 328 Halswell Rd, Christchurch.
GPS coordinates: -43.581902, 172.568741
- Why did the police storm the Temple Mount?
- What is Sheikh Jerrah?
- How was the conflict conducted by both sides?
- What was the reaction in NZ to the conflict?
- Why was there no public rally in support of Israel in Christchurch?
Please bring a plate of finger food. No seafood or pork based products, thanks.
- Resistance – How did people resist the Nazi Regime?
- Rebellion – Fighting back against Nazi atrocities
- Righteousness – Helping your fellow person against Nazi persecution
Students will learn how Jews and Europeans fought against the onslaught of Nazi aggression and antisemitism from 1933 – 1945. From resistance movements such as the Jewish resistance groups or the Maquis; Warsaw Uprising against Nazi deportations; Righteous peoples that helped Jews escape Nazi terrorism like Kingdom of Denmark and Kingdom of Bulgaria as well as individuals such as Irena Sendler, Reverend Bruno Reynders, and Miep Gies.
Common misconceptions around the Holocaust include, but not limited, to the idea that there was no resistance against Nazi aggression. During this programme, students will be exposed to the different ways in which Jews and Europeans resisted and rebelled against the Nazis. Students will also learn about how nations worked to protect or shelter Jewish communities from the atrocities of the concentration and death camps. The goal of this programme is for students to learn how passive and active resistance helped serve to protect the communities targeted by the Nazi regime. Students learn that resistance came in many forms and the illusion of passivity was part of the myth spread by the Nazi regime.
Links to school curriculum
- Level 6 Social Studies: Understand how individuals, groups, and institutions work to promote social justice and human rights.
- Level 6 Social Studies: Understand how cultures adapt and change and that this has consequences for society.
- Level 6 History: Understand how the causes and consequences of past events that are of significance to New Zealanders shape the lives of people and society.
- Level 7 Social Studies: Understand how conflicts can arise from different cultural beliefs and ideas and be addressed in different ways with differing outcomes.
- Level 7 History: Understand how historical forces and movements have influenced the causes and consequences of events of significance to New Zealanders.
- Level 8 Social Studies: Understand how policy changes are influenced by and impact on the rights, roles, and responsibilities of individuals and communities.
- Level 8 Social Studies: Understand how ideologies shape society and that individuals and groups respond differently to these beliefs.
- Level 8 Geography: Understand how people’s diverse values and perceptions influence the environmental, social, and economic decisions and responses that they make.
Leon Malmed
Wednesday 21 February @ 6:30pm
Leon Malmed was born in France in 1937, and is a survivor of the Holocaust, in which his parents were killed at Auschwitz. Leon moved to the USA in the 1960s, where he lives today. After 60 years of total silence about his childhood and experience during World War II, Leon decided to write and publish his memoir “We Survived… At Last, I Speak”. Leon is visiting Christchurch and graciously offered tell his story while he is in town, to talk about his life and answer questions.
Because of heightened security alerts because of October 7, here are the protocols for admission:
1. You must be a paid up member.
2. You must RSVP to NZFOI by email to contact@nzfoi.org by Tuesday 10pm.
3. If you are a paid-up member then we will advise you of the venue by return email.
4. On Wednesday evening, your membership and identification will be checked at the entrance to the venue.
These terms will be strictly adhered to: Exceptions will not be accepted.
If you are unsure of your membership status contact our treasurer jaclarke@orcon.net.nz.
We are gathering at 11.30am behind the Verdict Cafe for prayer, briefing and singing.
Our theme song is
OH DAUGHTERS OF ZION
We will have song sheets available.
At 12 noon we will raise the flags and walk to opposite the Plaza, where we will sing, pray, and declare we are with the Nation of ISRAEL.
Come and stand with us.
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!
Yom HaZikaron commemorates those who lost their lives in the struggle that led to the establishment of the State of Israel and all military personnel who were killed while in active duty in Israel’s forces.Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, holds deep significance for Israelis. It is observed on the fourth of Iyar, the day preceding Israel’s Independence Day. This day commemorates those who lost their lives in the struggle that led to the establishment of the State of Israel and all military personnel who were killed while in active duty in Israel’s armed forces.
Unlike the American Memorial Day, Yom Hazikaron has a distinct character and mood. For 24 hours, from sunset to sunset, all places of public entertainment are closed, including theaters, cinemas, nightclubs, and pubs.
The most poignant feature of the day is the sound of a siren heard throughout the country twice: once at 8 p.m. to mark the beginning of Memorial Day, and again at 11 a.m. before the public recitation of prayers in the military cemeteries. During these moments, the entire nation observes a two-minute “standstill” of all traffic and daily activities.
Radio and television stations broadcast programs that honor fallen soldiers, often featuring Israeli songs that convey the somber mood of the day.
Yom Hazikaron serves as a powerful reminder of the price of Israel’s independence and the ongoing challenges it faces. It fosters a sense of unity and collective responsibility as Israelis come together to honor the memory of those who gave their lives in service to their country.
By the time of Yom Hazikaron in 2024, the commemoration honored over 24,000 fallen individuals.