In ‘Soldiers and Aliens’, June Factor explores the forgotten history of the remarkable contribution of non-British subjects to Australia in World War II.
In this Book Chat, June discusses the ‘Employment Companies’, a uniquely multicultural force in the Army long before the term ‘multicultural’ was coined.
How tolerant are the various Jewish communities when faced with stories and articles that question or provide external insights into their ways of life? What have been the experiences of novelists who have provided narratives that question accepted norms, or of journalists whose articles have caused controversy and dissent?
Bram Presser (moderator), Lisa Emanuel, Ashley Golderg, Julie Szego
Two recent books have offered new insights into the remarkable exploits and achievements of the ‘Dunera Boys’. Leah Garrett’s X Troop recounts the story of a secret commando group made up of Jewish refugees in Australia and elsewhere, who returned to Europe to liberate concentration camps. The Passenger, a lost novel by Ulrich Boschwitz, a Dunera Boy, describes the descending cloak of Nazi atrocities in Germany, and has been translated and published to universal acclaim. Sarah Krasnostein and Gideon Haigh discuss the enduring legacy of the Dunera Boys.
Jonathan Pearlman (moderator), Sarah Krasnostein, Gideon Haigh
Ben Lewin, internationally renowned Australian film director, considers himself a ‘forty year overnight success.’ Join us for an evening packed with his witty insights as he talks to local film critic Jan Epstein about his recent work The Catcher Was A Spy and beyond. Lewin will consider the creative complexities involved in successfully bringing a book from page to screen, followed by a Q&A session.
Supported by the Australian Jewish News