July 29, 2012

SYDNEY, Australia (JTA) – Australian Jewish leaders observed a minute’s silence in honor of the 11 Israelis murdered 40 years ago at the Munich Games.

The gathering July 27 at the Jewish community center in Sydney heard Vic Alhadeff, chief executive of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, recount the story of the darkest day in Olympic history.

Lauding the governments, prime ministers and presidents who supported the call for a minute’s silence at the opening ceremony, he said: “We deplore the consistent refusal of IOC president Jacques Rogge to heed these calls – and we deplore his decision to hold a low-key memorial ceremony away from the public eye – in the shadows, out of sight of the thousands of spectators who will be at the opening ceremony; out of sight of the one billion global television viewers.

“The IOC – the world’s ultimate sporting arena – has yet again bowed to expediency and failed in its moral responsibility,” he said

The two umbrella Jewish organizations in Australia – the Zionist Federation of Australia and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry – had called upon all Australians to onserve a moment of silence at 11a.m. on July 27.
 

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