Eitan Neishlos to drive social harmony as new Courage to Care Chairman

Philanthropist Eitan Neishlos will help educate Australians of the dangers of prejudice and discrimination as the new chairman of non-profit Courage to Care.

Mr Neishlos replaced James Altman, who has been a significant figure in the Jewish community due to his tireless efforts for humanity.

Mr Altman, who recently stepped down as Courage to Care chairman, was President of B’nai B’rith Australia/New Zealand from 2002 to 2006 and again from 2010 to 2013, during which he played a part in securing a Resolution on the Rights of the Child in the UN Commission on Human Rights. He has also worked for the Refugee Council of Australia and the Australian Refugee Foundation on a voluntary basis.

In 2008, Mr Altman was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the Jewish community and for fostering intercultural understanding.

During his appointment Mr Neishlos thanked his predecessor for his impact on the community.

“You have left an indelible mark on the organisation and really big shoes to fill,” he said.

Now at the helm of one of the most successful social acceptance organisation, Mr Neishlos said he plans to forge close partnerships with the Jewish Board of Deputies, YouthHear and the Sydney Jewish Museum.

“I am absolutely intent on carrying out the meaningful work that has been conducted … and honouring the vision of our founder Andrew Havas,” Mr Neishlos said.

Despite admitting that he had big shoes to fill as chairman, Mr Neishlos as a philanthropist has already achieved much for the Jewish community.

Mr Neishlos was instrumental in the creation of ‘Unity’, an exhibition which launched on November 4 dedicated to the life and legacy of the late Israeli Prime Minister and Nobel Prize peacemaker Yitzhak Rabin.

Available for six months at the NSW B’nai B’rith centre, the exhibition marked the 25^th anniversary of Rabin’s death and was designed to symbolise the special bond between Australia and Israel and Rabin’s pursuit of peace, human rights and the sanctity of life.

READ MORE: Yitzhak Rabin’s life and legacy celebrated with ‘Unity’ exhibition launch

“I’m so proud to honour Yitzhak Rabin through Unity, an Australian exhibition to honour a man I’ve looked up to my whole life,” Mr Neishlos said at the exhibition’s unveiling event.

“A man who negotiated from strength, who commanded the respect of all Israelis of all persuasion, and international leaders.”

Mr Neishlos was also recognised this year, together with partner Lee Levi, for providing the financial backing to digitise and release 180 years of Australian Jewish newspapers.

Thanks to his financial support the project will digitise over 200,000 pages from Jewish communities across the continent, which will be free to access as part of a collaborative initiative between the National Library of Australia (NLA), the National Library of Israel (NLI) and the Australian Jewish Historical Society (AJHS).

Courage to Care is an outreach program of Jewish service organisation B’nai B’rith, and was established to educate individuals about prejudice and discrimination, and to empower them to take action and not be bystanders.