New Zealand Jewish Council

New Zealand Jewish Council
Founded	1981; 43 years ago
Headquarters	Auckland, New Zealand
Region served	New Zealand
President	Juliet Moses
Website	https://nzjc.org.nz/

The New Zealand Jewish Council (NZJC) is a Jewish communal organisation in New Zealand. Aided by regional Jewish councils, it was established in 1981 to respond to antisemitism in New Zealand and misinformation.^[1] The Council also monitors and responds to the New Zealand government's foreign policy and attitudes towards the State of Israel and the Middle East.^[1] It acts as the representative body of Jewish communities in New Zealand, therefore representing 10,000 Jews across the country.^[2] It is an affiliate of the World Jewish Congress.^[3]

History

The Council was established in Wellington in 1981 at a national conference of Jewish leaders from across New Zealand.^[3] Wally Minsch was appointed as the chairman of the Council.^[3] The Israeli ambassador, Yaacov Morris, also attended and spoke at the conference.^[3] Also present was Israeli-Australian Jewish activist Isi Leibler, who had been working with local Jewish leadership to form the organisation.^[3]

In 1991, the Council supported the government's investigation into whether suspected Nazi war criminals were living clandestinely in New Zealand.^[4] In 2010, the Council criticised a government ban on Shechita (Kosher animal slaughter), arguing that “denying us a fundamental tenant of our religion is a direct challenge to our existence. It is unintentional anti-Semitism.”^[5]

In March 2022, the Council published the Survey of Antisemitism in New Zealand in 2021.^[6] Since the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, the council has criticised civic and political leaders for not denouncing what it called anti-Semitic rhetoric at pro-Palestinian demonstrations in New Zealand.^[7]