In June 2017 NIF Australia launched "Kingdom of Olives and Ash", a collection of essays exploring the 50th anniversary of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. Journalist Debbie Whitmont joined contributors the Pulitzer Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks and Israeli prize-winning author Assaf Gavron, as well as Breaking the Silence executive director Avner Gvaryahu at our events.
To create the book, co-editors Ayelet Waldman and Michael Chabon teamed up with Breaking the Silence – an Israeli NGO which uses the testimonies of Israel Defence Force soldiers to highlight what is being done in Israel’s name in the Occupied Palestinian territories.
A series of eminent Jewish, Israeli, Palestinian and international authors – including Colum McCann, Jacqueline Woodson, Colm Toibin, Geraldine Brooks and Mario Vargas Llosa – all contributed chapters.
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our offices stand and we pay our respects to Elders past and present. We also accept the invitation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart with gratitude. We acknowledge the sorrow of the Stolen Generations and the impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and recognise the resilience, strength and pride of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website may contain images or names of people who have since passed away.
New Israel Fund Australia (ABN 70 151 140 377) is registered as a public benevolent institution with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. We are an independent organisation that works with the New Israel Fund to further equality, inclusion and democracy in Israel. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
