Click HERE to read the latest (March '20) Newsletter![]() Category 1 Research Grant Category 2 Travel Grant Download the application form / guidelines Click above to download the 2020 forms. SIXTY YEARS ON, A LIVING MEMORIAL REMAINS It happened in 1955. Summer holiday period. Hume Highway. Car, driver, two passengers. The car swerved off the road and hit a tree. A common event, a tragedy, more frequent then than today. Two young men died. The woman passenger survived. The accident ended the life of Bernard Lustig, a brilliant young barrister, winner of the University of Melbourne’s Supreme Court Prize. He was the older son of Adolf and Kate Lustig, German refugees from Nazism who fled to Australia before the war. As the war ended Adolf helped found the first B'nai B'rith lodge in Melbourne. Bernard followed in his father’s footsteps as a lawyer, although Adolf’s career in Munich was cut short by the Nuremberg Race Laws. Bernard also became interested in B'nai B'rith in 1951, becoming a founding member of B'nai B'rith Youth Melbourne and one of its earliest presidents. His death generated a thought among the members of the BBY committee. Let’s establish a scholarship in his memory. Too ambitious, said some. But anyone who knew the late Pauline Richter (later Pauline Glass) would testify that this was a young woman who was motivated, capable and persistent. She won the day. With financial contributions from B'nai B'rith Melbourne Lodge and its Women’s Chapter, the youth group set up a fund later that year, and awarded the first scholarships, to assist capable Year 12 students about to embark on a university course in 1956. Six decades have passed, and the scholarship is now the oldest continuing B'nai B'rith project and the longest running scholarship in the Victorian Jewish community. As with any project that survives for so long, it has had to change with the times. The first scholarship was worth ₤50. Today, winners receive $2500. Winners are decided by a long-serving group of trustees comprising senior academics and representatives of the Lustig family. The administration has changed. BBY Melbourne no longer exists: the scholarship is now a B'nai B'rith Victoria project. Instead of treasurers handling a couple of cheques, the scholarship receives some of its funding from an investment fund managed by the B'nai B'rith Charitable Fund (and from numerous individual donors). Information technology has wrought changes too. Originally, applicants sent hand-written letters in response to an AJN ad. Now there are detailed guidelines and an extensive application form, submitted by email. Nearly all communications among the trustees are handled electronically. The purpose of the scholarship has also altered since its early days. The scholarship is now offered in two categories: as a research grant to master’s and doctoral thesis candidates, and as a travel grant to outstanding student leaders at university level, to fund overseas travel to participate in leadership development programs. Some recent winners have travelled to Israel to participate in short courses at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Another worked as a deputy speech-writer for the Israeli Mission at the United Nations in New York. A young medical practitioner was assisted to pursue post-graduate research at Harvard University. The major winner in 2017 was a school counsellor researching for a master’s degree in psychology. Applications open in March each year and close at the end of April. Intending applicants should send an email to the B'nai B'rith Victoria Office, council@bbvic.org, requesting a copy of the guidelines and an application form. Download the program for Sunday's Concert.![]()
2019 Showcase Committee.![]()
"The booklet should be printed as a 2-sided document, short-edge binding"
![]()
The B'nai B'rith Showcase is a member of, and has accreditation with,
The Association of Eisteddfod Societies of Australia Inc.
This is the only Jewish Showcase in Australia and fulfills a specific need - it does not replicate what any other Jewish organisation is doing. Jewish musicians are enabled to compete in an officially recognised Showcase; as most are held on Shabbat, this competition acts as a bridge through all streams of Judaism - covering Primary, Secondary and Tertiary levels (ages 8 - 25).
Register now and you too can be part of this exciting event! Please see the attached files on the right for sign up information or phone the B'nai B'rith Office on (03) 9523 0888 or email showcase@bbvic.org JUDY FIRESTONE-PODCAST PROMOTING SHOWCASE ON J-AIR 24/07/20
Our Solo Sections are:
Vocal: Classical Vocal: Contemporary Hebrew and Yiddish Vocal Strings: Classical Piano: Classical Piano: Contemporary Woodwind and Brass Guitar Showcase Background
In 2019, B’nai B’rith Vic celebrated its 27th year of holding the Jewish Youth Eisteddfod and
rebranded its name to ‘Showcase: Fostering Jewish Musical Talent’. Its first chairperson was Rosalie Maller and its second was Esther Gross, who guided the project through until 2012, when ill health forced her retirement. Until then, it remained a special project of B’nai B’rith Unit Re’ut. Andrew Kolb took over the chair of the Eisteddfod in 2014, and retired at the end of 2019. During those 6 years, the Eisteddfod grew to 8 Heats namely: Classical Vocal, Contemporary Vocal, Hebrew and Yiddish Vocal, Woodwind, Classical Strings, Guitar, and Classical and Contemporary Piano. It was also exciting to see a rapid rise in school ensemble participation. There were performances from Melbourne’s four Jewish day schools: Mount Scopus Memorial College, Bialik College, King David School and Leibler Yavneh College. Showcase is made possible by the generosity of the many donors and sponsors, including B’nai B’rith Victoria, the Pratt Foundation and Glen Eira City Council. The Australian Jewish News kept people informed of our activities via advertising and featured articles. The Rt. Hon. Sir Zelman Cowen was our distinguished patron. After his death, Lady Anna Cowen AM accepted the offer to become our new patron. This year, she will be joined by Mr Doug Heywood OAM as Joint patron. 2020 is not like any other year that we have previously faced. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to try new options: Zoom meetings and Online Showcase 2020. Who could have predicted this only 3 months ago? 2020 will certainly be a different type of Showcase without ensemble participation. On behalf of the Showcase Committee I would like to thank our new chair Judy Firestone. We cannot do this without community help and support. Together we can be triumphant. Andrew Kolb Chair of Showcase (formerly Eisteddfod) 2014-2019 |
Our ProjectsLearn more about how B'nai B'rith Australia / New Zealand is making an impact in communities across our region. categories
All
Archives
November 2020
|