Looking back on the calendar year, I’ve decided to publish the inaugural Jewgle Perth annual awards. The awards are based on what has been a busy 12 months and reward accomplishment during the year of 2011. The nomination and selection of awards is determined solely by the one judge, with complete subjective bias and based on the judge’s decision alone. Correspondence will be entered into. In assembling this list I have reviewed 44 blog posts I have placed on Jewgle this year, and drawn on a lot of personal experience.
Jewish Organisation of the Year Award
Goes to Maccabi WA for completing and opening the new gym complex which has proven to be a very valuable community facility. Not content to stop there, Maccabi has also turned a second rate playing field into a superbly curated ground, employed a top rated professional administrator and soccer coach, opened new clubs, and provided a clear direction for its future as a Jewish sports organisation.
Event of the Year Award
Ahead of many big and public events for the Perth Jewish community, this award is made for a play performed by a small group of drama students from Carmel School called “And A Child Shall Lead”. This play brought the emotions of children from Terezin to life and was exceptionally well performed by very talented people.
Worst Politician of the Year Award
Goes to Kevin Rudd for placing personal ambitions for a seat at the UN Security Council ahead of the moral responsibility of Australia to hold the UN to account for its one sided demonisation of the State of Israel. It was reported earlier in the year that Kevin Rudd had attempted to persuade Julia Gillard to change its vote, and more recently Australia has indeed abstained from voting in routine Israel bashing motives.
An honourable mention is made for Melissa Parke, Member for Fremantle for attempting to remove religious freedom from the Jewish community of Australia by attempting to regulate the stunning of animals prior to slaughter, effectively banning shechita.
Best Politician of the Year Award
Goes to Senator Glenn Sterle for his ongoing support of the WA Jewish community and his realistic appreciation of Israel’s political landscape. Most recently Senator Sterle stood up to protest the vile and unfair portrayal of Religious Zionists in a drama show broadcast on SBS.
Honourable mentions to State Parliamentarians Ian Britza and Michael Sutherland for their continued and consistent efforts to engage and represent the needs of their Jewish constituents, and a further honourable mention to Premier Colin Barnett for just being a competent leader and good decision maker.
Most Inspirational Moment of the Year Award
This event was way back earlier in the year. It was the wedding of Tim and Ella, which touched a very large contingent of the Perth Jewish community and was simply a magical occasion. This award is made to Tim and Ella as representatives of an entire generation of quality young adults in the Perth Jewish community. There is nothing more satisfying than building the future of our community by celebrating weddings.
Most Boring Annual General Meeting of the Year Award
Although the Maurice Zeffert Home is normally a clear frontrunner for this title, they were discounted from contention this year. The nominees included Dianella Shule, Carmel School, and the JCCWA. But the clear winner by an undisputed margin is the Maccabi Soccer Club.
The “It looks like a bulldog, smells like a bulldog; it’s a bulldog” Award
Goes to the ABC and their news correspondents who continue to pollute our news service with lies and biased coverage that is anti-Israel. It looks like its anti-Semitic, and smells like its anti-Semitic.
The Booshah Award
I’d like to introduce this award with a small joke. A man is stuck on a desert Island and after several years a rescue boat shows up. He gives the rescue team a tour of the Island, showing them the village he has built. He points out the eruv, the kosher shop, the mikveh, the chevra kadisha, his house and his holiday home. On one side of the street is a building, which he notes is a Shule. On the other side of the street is another building. He mentions that this is also a Shule. A rescuer asks him why he has two Shules. He points the one over the street and says, “nu, that’s the Shule I don’t go to”.
And now time to present this award. Unfortunately I cannot publish the winner. This award has been censored from publication so that I am not sued for defamation.
The Random Act of Kindness Award
I would like to award this award to the person who triple parked me in. I had plenty of time on my hands which allowed me to fully enjoy observing the frustration and “park rage” of the person who had double parked me in for a good ten minutes while she schmoozed with her friend and ensured that at least two traffic accidents occurred on Woodrow Ave.
The Nuremburg Award
Goes to the misguided numbskulls who led vocal protests in WA Shopping malls against Seacret cosmetics, and marches in the City calling for the Boycott of business on the basis of their warped belief that Israel is apartheid.
The Tzedakah Award
Goes to my blue box collector who is the sweetest, most dedicated, and slightly zealous collector who will visit a thousand times if I am not home to ensure that I am not missed. How can I not give? Thank you Luba.
Quote of the Year Award
“I don’t mind coming to Shule, but this three hour wait to go home is just nonsense” – awarded to the visitor who sat next to me in Shule, but I would have loved to have taken credit for the quote myself.
Best Jewish Leadership of the Year Award
Goes to the Mazkir of Bnei Akiva, who has led an incredible team that have boundless energy, lots of great ideas, and are hugely effective as role models and informal educators.
An honourable mention to the JCCWA Director of Public Affairs who invests huge amounts of time to advocate for Israel and combat anti-Semitism .
The Antisemite of the Year Award
Goes to Brendan O’Connell , whose appearance in court was a most convincing demonstration as to why racial vilification laws are essential in Australia, and whose attempts to delegitimise Judaism would be comically funny were it not so apparent that he actually believes in his own conspiracy theories. I for one am happy to have my taxpayer dollars dedicated towards keeping this individual safely incarcerated and out of harm’s way.
Best You Tube Video of the Year Award
Goes to the kitchen team at Bnei Akiva camp for their Mary Poppins encore.
Most Disappointing News of the year Award
Sadly, there were many nominations for this award. Without getting into any discussions surrounding departing Rabbis, teachers and shlichim from organisations, the Perth Jewish community suffered the loss of many talented people this year.
However it was the closure of the Maccabi Cafe, Simbucks, and Bagels and Beyond as three very useful kosher facilities that takes the title. Kashrut facilities are vital to sustain our community and it is an indictment on the Jewish population of Perth that it cannot collectively provision the spend power to make ventures such as these economically viable.
The Useful Idiots Award
Is presented to Australian Jewish supporters of New Israel Fund who established an Australian branch and claimed to be “friends” of Israel. This award is presented for the lack of awareness and/or intellectual honesty of NIF supporters in our community of the NIF role in funding NGO organisations that were critically involved in supporting anti-Israel testimony to the infamous and discredited Goldstone Report.
The World is a Better Place Award
This award is shared by Osama Bin Laden, Colonel Gaddafi, and Kim Jong Il.
The Best Speech of the Year Award
Again the list of nominations was strong. However the November speech by Bibi to the United Nations must stay on the historical record as one of the most important and articulate orations of 2011.
The Best product innovation of 2011 Award
Mattisyahu launches new aftershave.
The Person of the Year Award
The award for the person of the year goes to Simon Lawrence for his boundless energy, and striking rapport in his role as Youth Director at the Perth Hebrew Congregation. Simon has inspired a positive Jewish identity for large numbers of young community members and will no doubt continue to achieve positive outcomes when he commences his new role at Carmel School.
That’s it for the 2011 presentations. What an amazing year. So much happened, and there are so many more awards that could be presented if only there was time. If you have any awards of your own please feel free to add them to the comments.