Derech Eretz (Jewish - Aboriginal Partnership)

Derech Eretz (DE) is a Jewish/Aboriginal Partnership with the Indigenous communities of Boggabilla and Toomelah on the border of QLD and NSW. DE takes a group of university-aged students for ten days to Toomelah/ Boggabilla, once or twice a year, to run school holiday programs for the community children. There have been 8 visits over the last 5 years.

DE was established because we wanted to build a sustainable relationship with an Indigenous community that would allow for intensive engagement and learning for the volunteer students, and provide useful services to the communities at the same time. Because DE is a pioneer program in the Jewish community and as far as we are aware, there has been nothing similar established since its inception 5 years ago. This is a joint program between JAA and the Shalom Institute in NSW.