Australian Jews elect new leader 

A Melbourne-based lawyer has been elected president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. The Council is effectively an umbrella group for most Australian Jewish organizations. Graham Leonard, 63, replaces Jeremy Jones, who spearheaded the use of interfaith dialogues to foster better understanding among Australia’s ethnic and religious communities. “We have a first-rate team and will maintain the already high standards of support for Israel, interfaith dialogues and restitution advocacy for Australia’s community of Holocaust survivors," Leonard said. He is the 16th president of the ECAJ in the organization’s 60 years of existence. Leonard cited financing communal security, education and governance as his key priorities.