We are a collective of Aotearoa Jews, from the Far North to Otago. We live our Jewish lives here in Aotearoa New Zealand as tangata Te Tiriti, and acknowledge and support mana motuhake of tangata whenua across Aotearoa.
The purpose of our collective is to publicly air Jewish voices and views on issues that are important to Jews.
We are pro-Jewish and anti-Zionist. Israel as it exists today is an apartheid state, systemically oppressing indigenous Palestinians – and now committing genocide. Each part of that offends core Jewish values.
There are many ways to be a Jew in New Zealand today. We live our Jewish identities differently, but we have a few core principles in common.
We are antiracist, and we distinguish between antisemitism and valid protest against Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Some of us protest by joining organisations that boycott Israel.
Beyond those principles, we are drawn to different aspects of Judaism.
We have come together to demonstrate our breadth, host discussion, and speak out about important issues. We are expressing only personal (and, on occasion, our shared) points of view here. We represent no one else.
We are a collective of individuals who learn from our differences. Because we don’t always agree, we are careful to state whether we are writing or speaking as individuals or on behalf of the group.
Follow us on facebook: Sh’ma Koleinu – Alternative Jewish Voices
or on Instagram – Shma.Koleinu
Sh'ma Koleinu - Alternative Jewish Voices (NZ) 