In this powerful collection of personal essays, thirty-six Australian Jewish women, including Ramona Koval, Dani Valent, Kerri Sackville, Deborah Conway, Rachelle Unreich and Kylie Moore-Gilbert, reveal how their lives were turned upside down in the wake of October 7 attacks.

 

Our hope is that these essays, the opportunities they offer to hear and understand us, can become tools for repairing the rupture between our community and the world around us.

 

The world changed irrevocably on October 7, 2023.

 

From race-walker Jemima Montag’s account of competing in the Olympics as a Jewish athlete, to actress Dena Amy Kaplan encountering hostility when she speaks against Jew-hatred, to author Elise Esther Hearst’s attempts to find solace in making comedy, Ruptured showcases compelling true stories where narrators reflect on the profound rift
created that day and their attempts to mend it.

Dr Lee Kofman is the author of six books, including a book on writing, The Writer Laid Bare (Ventura Press, 2022), memoirs Imperfect (Affirm Press, 2019), which was shortlisted for Nib Literary Award, and The Dangerous Bride (Melbourne University Press, 2014). She is the editor of Split (Ventura Press, 2019), which was longlisted for ABIA Awards
– anthologies of memoir by prominent Australian authors. She also co-edited Rebellious Daughters (Ventura Press, 2016) and Ruptured (LJLA, 2025). Her short works have been widely published in Australia and overseas.

 

Lee regularly speaks at literary events, judges literary awards, mentors writers and teaches writing.

 

 

https://leekofman.com.au/

 

Joanne Fedler is the author of 15 books, a writing mentor and ocean swimmer. She has a Master’s degree in law from Yale, is a Fulbright scholar and was once named Asshole of the Month by Hustler magazine for her work to expose the impact of violent pornography on gender equality in South Africa.

 

Her next writing retreats are in Portugal and Hydra in 2026.

 

www.joannefedler.com

Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio OAM was born in Adelaide, South Australia. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Law degree at Adelaide University. Following law school, she worked as a lawyer, specializing in family law. Rabbi Ninio then attended rabbinical school at the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion. She received a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters and was ordained as a rabbi in 1998. She began her work at Emanuel Synagogue in Sydney, Australia that year. Rabbi Ninio was the first female rabbi at Emanuel Synagogue and the third Australian born woman to be ordained as a rabbi. In 2023, Rabbi Ninio received her honorary Doctorate of Divinity and in 2024 an OAM for services to the Jewish community and interfaith dialogue.

 

Rabbi Ninio has an interest in midrash and liturgy as well as a passion for storytelling and Jewish folktales. She is an active leader in the Synagogue’s social justice programmes and is committed to the pursuit of tikun olam, working to heal the world through deeds and actions. Rabbi Ninio has been involved in interfaith work and is a regular participant on panels and speaker about Judaism but especially issues of women and religion. She has served in executive positions, including chair of the Assembly of Rabbis and Cantors of Australia, New Zealand and Asia and is currently the Vice Chair of that body.

Michaela Kalowski is an interviewer, moderator and curator for writers and ideas festivals. Highlight interviews include Margaret Atwood, Amos Oz, Tim Minchin and Etgar Keret. She’s curator of ABC RN’s on-air writers’ festival, Big Weekend of Books.

 

Michaela has conducted radio interviews and presented programs across ABC radio and TV and is the co-presenter and co-writer of a two-part family history podcast for ABC RN called Laya’s Way Home.

 

https://www.michaelakalowski.com/

Simonne Whine is contributor to Ruptured, member of the book’s steering committee and project manager turned accidental activist.

 

In the wake of October 7, she founded J-United, the largest grassroots activist movement mobilising thousands to combat antisemitism and strengthen Jewish identity. Through strategic action she has created platforms for unity, advocacy and empowerment, inspiring others to stand up and take action.