Jeremy Jones, one of the most influential figures in Australia’s Jewish community, passed away on Sept. 6 after losing a battle with cancer.
The 64-year-old was the director of international and community affairs at the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC.) He worked for years to promote peace between communities and received awards recognizing those efforts, including the Australian Human Rights Medal and the Stepan Kerkyasharian AO Medal for Community Harmony
Jones was also recognized as an expert in antisemitism and contributed to the drafting of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.
AIJAC’s national chairman Mark Leibler and its executive director Colin Rubenstein stated that “everyone at AIJAC is utterly devastated by the passing today of our beloved, and widely admired and respected, colleague.”
International Legal Forum CEO Arsen Ostrovsky said Jones “was not only a titan of the Australian Jewish community and a world recognized leader in combating antisemitism, but he was also a mentor, a mensch and a dear friend.”
Ostrovsky described Jones as “a man with unmatched compassion, wit, kindness and a Rolodex like no other. What a tremendous and devastating loss to Australia, Israel and the world at large. May his memory always be a blessing!”
He is survived by his wife, Naomi, and their children: Gidon and Galit.