Zionism Victoria Broke Capacity. Again.
Dear Community,
Last night we hosted our 87th Annual Assembly, featuring a conversation with Michael Gawenda led by Julie Szego. The event was completely sold out! A reminder that thoughtful, meaningful conversation still matters.
We opened the evening with the formalities of our Annual General Meeting, hearing from our president, Elyse Schachna, members of the Zionism Victoria Board, and ZFA President Jeremy Leibler.
Elyse spoke about Zionism as a lived expression of Jewish identity, shaped by a Jewish story in which Israel sits at the centre of who we are. She emphasised openness, meaningful engagement and the importance of teaching the next generation why Israel matters. She highlighted ZV’s role in strengthening community across all ages and reaffirmed our commitment to lead, support and build.
We were proud to present the Zionism Victoria Annual Awards:
Zionism Victoria Community Award – The Project A Team: Lillian Kline, Moran Dvir, Ginette Searle and Liora Miller
Project A is a national, grassroots initiative dedicated to combatting antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and misinformation through advocacy and education. The team stepped forward during incredibly difficult times to bring comfort, connection, hope and purpose when our community needed it most. They are humble, dynamic and remarkably effective, embodying everything that is great about volunteering in our community and continue to do incredibly important work.
Sam Tatarka OAM Youth Leadership Award – Zoe Fried
Zoe was recognised for her bold, instinctive leadership in creating a WhatsApp space that connected thousands of community members at a critical moment. Her ability to build community, offer clarity, and then close the space responsibly when its purpose was fulfilled reflected maturity well beyond her years. She continues to contribute actively as a Board member of Young UIA.
We concluded the night with a thoughtful and grounded conversation between Michael Gawenda and Julie Szego. Their dialogue brought depth, clarity and honesty, which cut through the noise and spoke directly to the questions our community is grappling with: identity, responsibility and the pressures shaping today’s public discourse.
Shabbat Shalom,
Zionism Victoria