Australian Jews talk about the Voice to Parliament 

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    It’s a cry for recognition, it’s a statement for justice, it’s a plea for compassion. It could be a Jewish statement but rather it’s one of the first people of the Australian continent. One that we more than others, we the people intimate with powerlessness, endurance, and the lure of ancestral land, should respond to with energy and empathy. It’s a space where we, the people of the dream, can meet the people of the Dreamtime.”

    Rabbi Ralph Genende, Melbourne

    • If successful, this upcoming referendum will allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to finally have a say on the policies and laws that affect their communities.

    • Shabbat Table Talks, in partnership with Together, Yes invites people from all walks of life to engage in an honest conversation about the historic opportunity that a Voice to Parliament represents.

    WHAT ARE SHABBAT TABLE TALKS?

    We are working across Australia’s Jewish community to dispel doubts and provide information about the case for voting YES. 

    Hosting a Shabbat Table Talk is a powerful way to be informed in the lead up to the upcoming referendum. 

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    Hear from advocates across the Australian Jewish community.

    Our Aim

    Enable people across the nation to participate in Shabbat Table Talks built on respect, safety, listening and learning;

    Act as a counter and unifying force against willful confusion, negativity and racism; and

    Help achieve a strong YES vote for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

     

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    Our values

    Shabbat Table Talks uses the Kitchen Table Conversations model designed by the Victorian Women’s Trust more than twenty years ago. The idea is to engage people in respectful and honest dialogue to create real and lasting change.

    This civic engagement model is built on a set of important values centered around a Shabbat meal where people come together. Participants are encouraged to:

    • 1

      Help create a safe place for thinking, talking and taking action;

    • 2

      Acknowledge the experience and wisdom each person brings to the table;

    • 3

      Enter discussions in good faith with an open heart;

    • 4

      Engage in respectful discussion, even in the face of dissent; and

    • 5

      Be prepared to listen, gain new insight, and test one’s own opinions.

    Become a Shabbat Table Talk host

    • Shabbat Table Talk Hosts (or Co-Hosts) play a pivotal role in the campaign.

      • Hosts gather around 10 people – friends, family, workmates and neighbours;
      • Host two powerful conversations (ideally 3-4 weeks apart); and
      • Talk, listen and learn together.

      Once you register as a host you will receive practical advice and materials to help guide your discussions.

    • Following these two sessions, all group participants will be encouraged to carry out as many individual conversations or their own Shabbat Table Talk until polling day.

      The more people who step into the role of Host, the more informed the Jewish community can be about this historic opportunity.