Media mogul Rupert Murdoch praised Israel’s resilience and predicted stronger American support under President-elect Donald Trump at a pre-Chanukah event last Friday at Sydney’s Central Synagogue.

Speaking before a packed congregation, Murdoch declared, “Israel, over the last four years, has stood alone on the front line of Western democratic civilization, defending shared values with incredible resilience.” He then expressed optimism that with Trump’s return to the White House, “Israel won’t be alone anymore.”

Murdoch attended the event with his wife, Elena; his son, Lachlan; and daughter-in-law, Sarah. He was recognized by the shul for what its leaders described as his “steadfast commitment to truth and moral clarity through his media platforms.”

Rabbi Levi Wolff, the shul’s rabbi, introduced the Murdoch family, highlighting the importance of moral courage in an increasingly turbulent world. “Over the last 14 months, it feels like we have been living in a world that has completely gone mad,” Wolff said. “But just when I think the world has gone meshuga, I turn on Sky News Australia, and my faith in humanity is restored. There is a voice of reason that has reverberated. That voice of reason is thanks to the extraordinary man that we are honored to have here today in Mr. Rupert Murdoch and his wife, Elena.”

Wolff likened Murdoch’s work to the Chanukah neis, invoking the image of the jug of oil that refused to be contaminated. “Perhaps God granted you all this to prepare you for this very junction, to stand up and give you the strength so that you will be the one who can help the world appreciate the truth,” Wolff said. “Mr. Murdoch, hold on to that jug of oil.”

In his address, Murdoch thanked Rabbi Wolff and the congregation. “I feel really humbled,” he said, adding that he had enjoyed meeting both old and new friends during his visit. He underscored Israel’s unique global role over the past four years, pointing to what he characterized as a lack of support from the current U.S. administration. “Israel, in the last four years, has been alone on the front line of Western democratic civilization,” he said, adding, “I just pray that starting in another month, America gets back.”

An Australian-born American media magnate, Murdoch built a global empire through News Corp, which includes major newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal, The Sun, and The Times, as well as TV networks like Fox News and Sky News Australia. He has long been a vocal supporter of Israel, which has earned him accolades from many organizations.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)