Sydney Jews argue over timing of fundraising event featuring Al Gore

04 November 2005

November 04, 2005

Former US vice president Al Gore is at the center of a row that has divided Sydney Jews and prompted a prominent Jewish property developer, Harry Triguboff, to warn of the dangers of a "civil war". Some Jewish leaders in the Australian State of New South Wales are refusing to attend a fund-raising appeal organized by the Jewish National Fund featuring Gore as the main speaker. The regional Jewish Board of Deputies argues that the promotion of the Gore function clashes with the period set aside for a local Jewish school to conduct its one-off capital appeal. The Jewish National Fund maintains that the timing of the Gore event, to be held on 7 November, was determined by Gore's availability and could not be changed. In a statement to the media, Triguboff condemned the row as counterproductive, saying "We must all stand united and not score points against each other. A civil war is not what we need. We need peace in Israel and we definitely need peace here." However, the row does not appear to have affected the Gore fundraiser, with the Jewish National Fund claiming that the 1000-seat event has sold out already.