Elise Hawthorne
The word refugee means a lot to me and many others in our community. Just over eighty years ago, the Australian Jewish Welfare Society, now known as JewishCare helped my Austrian grandparents and my ten-year-old father Fred and his younger sister Eva when they sailed into Sydney Harbour aboard what was essentially a rescue ship full of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Europe. Sydney was about as far away from their homeland as they could find, just the way they liked it. They felt lost in a sea of strangers but felt safe from the horrors of war. They knew no one except their fellow refugees who they had bonded with on the journey to safer shores.
My family were forever grateful for the help and just as importantly the friendship that JewishCare offered them, and many others, on their arrival in Sydney town. It was no easy feat settling into society as so-termed ‘enemy aliens’- finding work, a place to live, schools; just trying to resume a somewhat normal existence. The kindness of strangers, JewishCare’s staff and volunteers made the transition to their new life all possible. JewishCare continues to assist refugees via its various community programs, which would sit well with the men and women who established the Australian Jewish Welfare Society all those years ago.
Philip Feinstein, a man who dedicates his time to helping refugees not only in this country but also thousands of kilometres away in Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya. Philip, originally from South Africa, come to Australia in the early 1970s settling in Sydney, escaping the dreaded apartheid regime seemingly firmly entrenched back in his homeland. Philip is a composer and talented music teacher, who established Music for Refugees twelve years ago, to provide free music instruments for refugees and asylum seekers throughout Australia; knowing firsthand that music can soothe the soul.
Philip has a history of helping others when he can. He was a volunteer on the Board of the Uncle and Aunties organisation and was an Uncle for many years. He has helped many people kick the dreaded smoking habit via the Smokender program, offering it free of charge to various jails and the Aboriginal Medical Service on numerous occasions.
The plight of refugees looms large in Philip’s daily life. He volunteers his time running Music for Refugees, meaning that he must be a jack of all trades – fundraiser, logistics expert, musical instrument repairer, teacher, marketing guy and spokesperson. Philip reaches out to organisations willing to help such as the Uniting Church, who have teamed up with Music for Refugees by offering to be the drop-off point for donated instruments at their churches across Australia. Philip’s dining room looks like a second-hand music shop as he tries to juggle his three-person operation, as he calls it, “Music for Refugees is run by me, myself and I.” Philip does have help once a fortnight from his friend Adriaan Mees, both men taking turns visiting Villawood Detention Centre, running their popular music sessions for detainees.
Philip is a can-do sort of guy who succeeded in getting the Australian government to deliver musical instruments to refugees at both Nauru and Manis Islands. Philip has visited Christmas Island, which was, in his words, “a confronting experience.”
Forefront in Philip’s mind is the work he does helping Burundi refugees residing in the Nakivale camp in Uganda. He has hopped on a plane to personally deliver musical instruments to the refugees and recently conducted a fundraiser to help pay for basic amenities, such as a borehole and flooring for the camp’s makeshift medical centre. Philip was amazed when he first sighted the Burundi flag, noticing three Magen David’s taking pride of place – it was explained to him that the three Stars of David’s were there to protect the three tribes of Burundi; the Tutsi, Hutu and Twa peoples.
Philip has been recognised for his work receiving the Sydney Volunteer of the Year Award 2019, as well as the Human Rights Community Individual Award from the Australian Human Rights Commission 2019.
He was nominated for the Australian of the Year in 2018 and was honoured with the Humanitarian Award 2016 from the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS).
I could fill a book writing about Philip’s volunteer efforts as he is a man of commitment. He reaches out to help fellow humans, it is his mission in life, and many thank him for it.
To donate music instruments, visit Music for Refugees at: www.musicforrefugees.org
This article first appeared in JewishCare Matters magazine: www.jewishcare.com.au
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