Jeremy Jones (1958–2023) was a prominent

Australian Jewish The history of Jews in Australia traces the history of Australian Jews from the British settlement of Australia commencing in 1788. Though Europeans had visited Australia before 1788, there is no evidence of any Jewish sailors among the crew. T ...

leader, interfaith activist, and director of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC). He also served as president of the

Executive Council of Australian Jewry The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) is a peak body representing the Australian Jewish community, and the umbrella organisation for over 200 Jewish organisations across Australia. It is the Australian affiliate of the World Jewish C ...

(ECAJ)."Jeremy Jones: Australia has lost a giant, and the Australian Jewish community is poorer for his passing." 7 Sep. 2023. ''www.jwire.com.au''. Accessed 10 November 2023.
/ref>Stone, D. (2023). "Vale Jeremy Jones, Jewish communal and interfaith leader." ''Plus 61J Media''. 8 Sep. 2023. Accessed 10 November 2023.
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Overview

Jones was born in Melbourne, Australia. He studied history and government at the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD) is a public university, public research university in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in both Australia and Oceania. One of Australia's six sandstone universities, it was one of the ...

. After graduating, Jones worked as a researcher for the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies. In the 1980s, he joined the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) as a member of the staff. At the ECAJ, Jones held a number of senior positions, including executive director from 1994 to 2006. During his time at the ECAJ, Jones played a leading role in promoting Jewish communal life and advocating for the interests of the Australian Jewish community. He was also a strong advocate for interfaith dialogue and understanding. In 2002, he represented the ECAJ in a landmark court case against Holocaust denier Fredrick Toben. In 2006, Jones was appointed director of international and community affairs at AIJAC, where he worked to promote understanding and support for Israel and the Australian Jewish community. He was also a member of the board of directors of the

International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), until January 2013 known as the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research or ITF, is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1998 wh ...

. Jones was a highly respected figure in the Australian Jewish community and beyond. He was awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal in 2007 and the Stepan Kerkyasharian AO Medal for Community Harmony in 2016. He was appointed a

Member of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

in 2005. Jones died on the 6th of September 2023.Jones-Pelach, P. (2023). "Jeremy Jones Passes Away Following A Battle With Cancer." ''SBS Hebrew''. 11 Sep. 2023. Accessed 10 November 2023.
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Jeremy 1950 births 2023 deaths Australian Jews University of Sydney alumni Members of the Order of Australia