Letters to Bondi

Joshua Dabelstein is a writer and communications specialist. He is Head of Communications at the Online Hate Prevention Institute (OHPI), Head of Movement Against Antizionism Australia (MAAZ.AU), and non-fiction editor at Verity La. His work focuses primarily on language, culture, and media analysis. He is currently contributing a chapter on institutionalised anti-Jewish ostracism to a forthcoming volume from the US-based Institute for the Critical Study of Antizionism (ICSA).​​​​​​​​​​ Between 2 and 4am, he self-publishes at For Nomal People (URL – https://fornormalpeople.substack.com).

Jessica Chapnik Kahn is an Argentinian-Australian writer, singer-songwriter and actor who trained at the Atlantic Theatre Company Acting School in New York. She has performed across stage, television, and film, released two albums under the moniker Appleonia, and earned an ARIA nomination. As a writer, Jessica is the author of the poetry collection MADRE, the children’s book Lenny and the Ants, and co-author of A Repurposed Life, which was longlisted for an ABIA Award. In 2025, she was a featured speaker and performer at TEDxSydney, and her collaborative work The Fire Always Says Yes had its world premiere at the Sydney Opera House.

Jonathan Seidler is an author, creative director and music critic. His work is published frequently in The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian. Jonathan launched two nationally syndicated fiction series for Broadsheet and edited an Unyoked nature writing anthology. His memoir, It’s A Shame About Ray, was released to critical acclaim and adapted for an immersive live performance for Sydney Writers’ Festival in 2023. Arrivederci, his second book of fiction, will be published early 2027.

Roz Chapman-Bellamy (she/they) is a Melbourne-based, Sydney-born, author and researcher. Her debut book, Mood: A Memoir of Love, Identity and Mental Health, was shortlisted for the 2024 Young Jewish Writers Award in the Shalom Australia Jewish Book Awards, and her work-in-progress, Eggs and Bones: Essays on Endings and Beginnings, was shortlisted for the Wingate Award for Unpublished Manuscripts (Jewish subject). Roz’s writing has been published in Australian and international publications. She completed a PhD in Gender, Sexuality and Education at La Trobe University in 2022, researching the use of life writing for improving mental wellbeing.

A storyteller at heart, Anthony Levin is an award-winning writer, broadcaster and human rights lawyer whose creative work examines memory, trauma and the broken rhythms of justice. His writing has appeared in publications in Australia and abroad including The Guardian, Prospect Magazine, academic journals, books and anthologies. He was a recipient of the Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship for Prose – which ironically led to a book of poetry – and his most recent work was featured in the exhibition October 7: Atrocity, Antisemitism and Resilience at Goldstone Gallery (Melbourne). As a broadcaster, Anthony is the co-host of the multi-award-winning SBS podcast Grave Matters which takes a lighter look at death and dying; over the years, he has been featured as a guest on ABC Breakfast with Fran Kelly, ‘Science Friction’ and the Compass program ‘Faith & Funerals’.

By day, Anthony is a human rights lawyer who specialises in civil liberties and discrimination law. He was a Finalist for Government Lawyer of the Year in 2024 and is a two-time recipient of the John Hennessy Legal Scholarship for his advocacy on indigenous healthcare in prison. His past community positions include Vice President of the Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors & Descendants and Board Member of the Sydney Jewish Museum. What gives him hope and joy is the sound of his little family laughing at his absurd jokes.

Tami is a Sydney-based creative with a background in spoken word, theatre and comedy. She’s the writer behind The Jewish Independent’s ‘Sex and the Shtetl’ column and co-host of the podcast Ashamed to Admit. Tami is the author of the best-selling Tiny Tradies series and her novel So That Happened … is a CBCA Notable Book. Her next book ‘One Summer’ is a clean tween romance and will be out this year.

Simon Tedeschi is an internationally acclaimed Australian pianist who has appeared in major concert halls and festivals around the world. The recipient of numerous honours, including Symphony Australia’s Young Performer of the Year Award (1998) and the Australian Book Review Calibre Prize, he has performed for world leaders and alongside leading orchestras internationally. In addition to his musical career, he writes widely across essays and criticism. His debut book, Fugitive, was shortlisted for several major literary awards.

Justine Saidman is a community engagement professional and educator. She has held several professional roles in the Sydney Jewish community including as PJ Library Director and Director of the Sydney Jewish Writers Festival. Justine is currently the CEO of the Australian Jewish Fertility Network. She feels passionately about creating safe spaces in our Jewish community where every Jewish person feels that they belong with their voices heard. In addition to her professional work, Justine volunteers on the Launchpad Leadership team, a role she has relished for 7 years. She also regularly takes courses at Matan’s Women’s Institute for Torah Studies. Justine has a number of different academic qualifications. Feel free to ask her about them.

When Justine isn’t learning or working to actively grow and enrich the Jewish community, she is reading or thinking about reading. She enjoys a wide array of genres from memoir to poetry, books about development, leadership or Jewish wisdom. Justine believes in the magic of storytelling – its power to connect us, to help us make sense of our experiences and to remind us that we are not alone. The written word has always brought her a sense of safety and peace and while some people are visual thinkers, Justine always thinks and dreams in words. Indeed the notion that G-d created the world with language resonates deeply with Justine.

Michaela Kalowski is an interviewer, moderator & curator for writers and ideas festivals. Highlight interviews include Margaret Atwood, Amos Oz, Zadie Smith, Etgar Keret & Stan Grant. She’s curator of ABC RN’s on-air writers’ festival, Big Weekend of Books. She produces and hosts a monthly books conversation event for Petersham Bowling Club. Michaela has conducted radio interviews and presented programs across ABC radio and is the co-presenter & co-writer of a two-part family history podcast for ABC RN called Laya’s Way Home.

Adam van Rooijen is a tech curator, arts advocate, and cultural entrepreneur based in Sydney.

He has served as committee member of Sydney Jewish Writers Festival and is currently the Chair of the Board at Writing NSW, one of Australia’s leading centres for writers and writing, where he champions literary access, emerging voices, and the transformative power of storytelling. With over a decade of trade publishing experience and a career that has spanned the tech sector, brand strategy, and the Arts, Adam brings a blend of creative and passionate instinct to everything he produces.