NZ Jewish community: a David facing a Goliath of hostility

Rabbi Ralph Genende

In the city of Whangarei, 160 km north of Auckland, stands an extraordinary building: an arresting modernist construction of towers and spires, curvaceous walls and exuberant colours.

It’s the Hundertwasser Museum of Art conceived by Viennese-born Jewish architect and painter Friedrich Stowasser, better known by his pseudonym Hundertwasser). 

The interior is no less entrancing with Gaudi-inspired spaces, windows that invite the trees inside, even toilet facilities that astound with their winding entrance and polychromatic displays.  That’s without even mentioning the artwork:  live and lithe richly colourful paintings of this unusual and eccentric artist.

Hundertwasser escaped the Nazis but most of his extended family did not. The loss would surely have scarred his sensitive soul but there is no direct evidence of this in the museum. Looking closely at a series of black and white drawings, I found them eerily Shoah -like in their depiction of ghastly crematoria type towers of grey smoke. But his work is typically vivid, a defiant protest against a world which tries to extinguish the light.

There is only one work which directly references his Jewish connections. It’s entitled Among Trees You Are at Home and the inscription below proclaims it was created for the JNF and donated to promote the afforestation of the Negev Desert. 

Perhaps before October 7, I wouldn’t have been as excited as I was by this poster but in the context of a country currently awash in Israelophobia, it was delightful to find a revered artist whose Jewishness was boldly evident for all visitors to the museum.

Hundertwasser was not a traditional Jew, but he drew inspiration from the Judaism of his ancestors and cared enough about Israel to donate this painting for the greening of the Negev. 

If Australian Jews are reeling from the antisemitism unleashed by the war, our Kiwi cousins are feeling acutely isolated, under siege by anti-Israeli sentiments in the media and on the streets.

David Nathan, a descendent of New Zealand’s first Jews, notes:

“The Pro- Palestinian rallies have been huge and ugly and Orthodox Jews in particular have been scared and intimidated as has anyone who supports Israel’s position publicly.”

There is some comfort at a political level. The Greens of NZ are as green in their ignorance as their Australian counterparts, and the Labour Party is also hostile to Israel, but the incumbent Nationals are more sympathetic towards Israel than our belaboured government.

In other parts of society though, there is little sympathy for Israel. On October 20 the Catholic and Anglican Archbishops issued a joint statement calling for an immediate ceasefire and quoting the Al Ahli Hospital as being a place where those seeking sanctuary were not protected. They equated antisemitism and Islamophobia and made no mention of Hamas. When I pointed out to the Catholic bishop that the statement was neither empathic nor helpful against antisemitism, he seemed surprised. And I didn’t even mention its inaccuracy and self-righteousness about the hospital.

The entrance to Auckland's Jewish school Kadimah College (Deborah Stone)

The hostility has had the effect of bringing the small community closer together, says President of the NZ Jewish Council Juliet Moses.

“There are increasing numbers of Jews who are now identifying as such and/or wanting to get involved, as well as of outspoken allies who see very clearly what is happening.

“The community is very worried for our fate as well as that of our fellow Jews around the world, but I would say we are also resolute. We are getter better at organising and advocating for ourselves, and I think this is what we need to keep doing – organising, advocating and educating, building relationships, and staying true to who we are and what we know is right.”   

 Another community leader, Kerry Knight, was more upbeat in his assessment:

“The community is in good spirits as we have personally experienced very little antisemitism or community hatred, but the majority of Jews in NZ do keep their heads down. Those on the NZ Jewish Council and other organisations are taking the brunt of the criticism and anger.

“I think most New Zealanders do understand why Israel is doing what it is but don't like and are against the harm caused to Palestinians. The war has probably brought more NZ Jews together and allowed those on the periphery to become involved.”

While these are difficult and precarious times for Jews across the world, they are often especially hard for smaller communities which don’t have the security and comfort of numbers.

The NZ Jewish community is Davidic in taking on the ogre of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment. They have feisty and talented leaders, smart and determined activists. They may not be as brash as Australians but in their understated Kiwi way they are standing up for Israel and fighting for Judaism. Like the young David they are choosing to use their slingshot with skill and agility and they need and deserve all the respect and support we can give them! 

In 1999 Hundertwasser wrote: “A fountain is …an unmistakable symbol against everything static, hardened, mindless.”

In this age of mindless antisemitism, hardened anti-Zionism and static soulless polarisation, we need to remind the world that Jews, from New Zealand to New York, will keep the fountains of humanity bubbling, the rivers of justice and compassion flowing.

Rabbi Ralph Genende is the Interfaith and Community Liaison at the Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council. He is also Senior Rabbi to Jewish Care Victoria.