As a Jew, I continue to support the Asylum Seekers Centre

Hosting an angry pro-Palestinian outburst should not mean an important service loses Jewish support, argues EVE REED.

In his article As an Israeli, I can no longer support this Australian charity, Ori Golan expressed a particular view about an unpleasant occurrence at the Sydney Asylum Seeker’s Centre’s 30^th anniversary event. This article, and the events which prompted it, have resulted in some donors and volunteers withdrawing, or considering withdrawing, their support for the Centre.

I was at the same event, but I have a different view.

I have been involved in supporting the Asylum Seeker's Centre for about 15 years, as part of a group of like-minded Jewish and non-Jewish people. We do this in support of the mission of the Asylum Seeker Centre – to be a place of welcome and support for asylum seekers living in the community.

I attended the 30th anniversary event of the centre which was mostly uplifting and heartwarming, featuring the successes of asylum seekers and refugees in the arts and in sport.

Unfortunately, one of the items was preceded by an outburst from the director of the Sweatshop Literacy Movement Michael Mohammed Ahmad, in which he spoke angrily about the large number of Palestinian refugees around the world because of the Nakba in 1948 and expressed his outrage about the experience of Palestinians during this time of conflict between Israel and Hamas.

I was upset, shocked and disappointed that Ahmad used this occasion as a platform for his personal feelings and opinions.  

Others involved in the Centre clearly felt the same way. The following day the CEO of the Asylum Seekers Centre Francis Rush, rang one of our group to apologise. She said she was upset and disappointed that this had happened. Of course, she had no idea that Ahmad was going to use this occasion to express his personal political views in such an inappropriate way.

On the following Tuesday, when a group of our volunteers was serving lunch at the Centre, Rush once again came and personally apologised to them.

Despite these personal apologies, some members of the Jewish community feel that the

Asylum Seekers Centre’s response to Ahmad’s behaviour and its Statement on the escalating violence in Palestine and Israel are “too neutral” and that they can no longer support the Centre.

I do not agree. One person inappropriately expressing his personal views should not counter all the positive reasons to support this worthwhile organisation.

The Asylum Seekers Centre is a charity that does wonderful work supporting vulnerable people of different religious and cultural backgrounds who are seeking asylum in Australia. It has done this work for 30 years with very little government funding.

This unfortunate incident has not changed my commitment to continue supporting their important work.

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As an Israeli, I can no longer support this Australian charity (The Jewish Independent)