Life’s like snowboarding: it’s a lot more fun when you know what you’re doing.
Join the action at Aish Australia. Connect with other young Jews in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Learn Jewish wisdom to help you get more pleasure out of life and get yourself closer to reaching your potential. And have a lot of fun along the way.
Depression, Low Days and Self-Esteem
Tuesday night’s class might help you save a life.
Mental illness, particularly depression, affects more of our community every day. And sometimes it has tragic consequences.
As a friend or family member of someone with depression, we have a unique opportunity to offer support, once we have a basic education in how to help.
With that in mind, on Tuesday you’ll learn:
- What is depression?
- How is it different than having a bad day, or low self-esteem?
- Why is it more common than ever?
- and perhaps most importantly: What can I do to support someone who has it?
Your next adventure
Whether it’s a party, a huge Friday night dinner, a seminar in our Library or a trip away, there’s always something going on at Aish.
Meet our students
Meet the team
Rabbi Andrew Saffer
Executive Director
Rabbi Andrew Saffer went to Scopus and Monash, anticipating a career in internet law at the same commercial law firm as his many cousins. A six-week Jerusalem Fellowship summer trip to Israel changed that. Andrew stayed on after the program ended, and after six years at Aish Jerusalem (while moonlighting as a graphic designer and events photographer — he shot Dame Margaret Thatcher!), Andrew became a rabbi. He met his wife, Rachelle (also from Melbourne) in Jerusalem the very next day. They married, moved back to Australia and now share five very cute children. Andrew spends his spare time listening to the same music your parents did and making ‘dad’ jokes. Contact Rabbi Saffer
Rabbi Jon Neumann
Educational Director
Rabbi Jon Neumann grew up in Melbourne, went to school and university for a bit before deciding that working in Consulting and IT were more fun. After maxing out his corporate life, Jon moved to Israel, and spent 7 years learning at Aish HaTorah Jerusalem and working to expand Aish’s international outreach efforts. In 2006, Jon moved back to Melbourne to join Aish Australia and help teach and share the wisdom of Torah with the local community. Jon is married to Rivka and they have four amazing children who specialise in coming up with new schemes to ensure their parents don’t have too much free time on their hands. Contact Rabbi Neumann
Rachelle Saffer
Events Director
Rachelle Saffer went to Beth Rivkah Ladies College and Lauriston Girls School, planning to study psychology. After Year 12, she also went on a Jerusalem Fellowship program to Israel – and stayed… While at Neve Yerushalayim Seminary, where she studied in the Moreshet teacher training program and the Maalot University program, she met Andrew. They were married soon after. Rachelle now divides her time between preparing exquisite salads and explaining her husband’s bad jokes to people who don’t catch his obscure cultural references. Contact Rachelle
Aish International
Aish Australia is part of a global network of dozens of branches and programs, with headquarters directly across from the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Our goal is to revitalise the Jewish people, and we’re regarded as a world leader in creative Jewish educational programs and leadership training. Find out more at the world’s most popular Jewish content website, aish.com.
Browse our library
Aish Australia has one of Australia’s largest public collection of books on Jewish thought. Our library has opening hours every day, so drop in during the week or on a Sunday to browse our collection.
Meet the sponsors who make it all happen
Meet our ambassadors
Aish HaTorah enables young Jews to visit their heritage, to become immersed in it, to understand the fount of inspiration that drives Jewish history, to become better Jews, prouder Jews and more secure Jews.
Bibi NetanyahuAish HaTorah means to me the passion of teaching, the passion of learning. The study of Torah, the source of Jewish values, is the way to Jewish survival.
Elie WieselThank you Aish HaTorah for the good work you do, and the message you put out. I could have used you in my life about 25 years ago.
Steven SpielbergAish HaTorah has made tremendous strides in highlighting the key contributions of Jewish heritage to Western civilization. Keep up your excellent educational endeavors.
Dame Margaret ThatcherSupport our work
Through our weekly learning opportunities, Shabbat dinners and events, we have created a place for young Jews from all Jewish backgrounds. We are a tax deductible charity organisation. All our activities rely on private donations and corporate sponsorships. If you’d like to see real opportunities for Jewish twentysomethings in Australia, click here to discuss sponsorship opportunities with Aish Australia’s Executive Director, Rabbi Andrew Saffer.
