Despite four years of difficult relations, New Zealand's prime minister Helen Clark has hailed the Jewish community's contribution to the nation. Clark entered the Banqueting Hall of Parliament to the strains of the shofar blown by Wellington Hebrew Congregation's rabbi Chaim Dovrat. It was the first time that a kosher function has been held in the parliament building. More than 350 people, mostly from the Jewish community, joined a pre-Rosh Hashanah celebration initiated by the minister for ethnic affairs, Chris Carter.
"Jewish immigrants have brought a passion for education, a devotion to family and community, and a strong social conscience to New Zealand," Carter said. "Jewish New Zealanders have included prime ministers, business leaders, high court judges, academics, local body politicians and have been well represented in the medical and legal professions."
John Barnett, the immediate past president of the Auckland Hebrew Congregation, noted the contribution of Jews since the first European settlers arrived in the 1830s. Relations between Clark's Labor Party and the small Jewish community of about 7,000 became strained in 2004 when Clark suspended high-level diplomatic relations with Jerusalem after two Israelis, suspected of being Mossad agents, were caught and jailed for trying to illegally obtain a NZ passport. Israel apologized the following year and diplomatic relations resumed.
Among the guests was opposition leader John Key, who has been leading in the polls for the last 18 months and could become the nation's third Jewish prime minister in the upcoming 15 November parliamentary elections.
