Year 8 students were privileged to hear Eli Parkes speak about his experience making aliyah to Israel and his contributions to the war effort after Oct 7. Eli was raised in Melbourne and barracks for the Pies. He made aliyah after he finished university. Eli moved because he “wanted to be in the place where the Jewish story is currently being written.” 
Eli spoke to students about Israel’s place as the biggest technology hub outside of Silicon Valley. He shared his work with Apple as a chip designer, working on Apple’s first in-house system on a chip (SoC) chip. After a few years at Apple, he left his role to pursue working for a start-up. 
However, shortly after he left Apple, Oct 7 occurred and Eli found himself without a job and wanting to help the war effort. Eli said that during this time, the sense that ‘Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh’ – all Jews are responsible for each other – was particularly pertinent. Shortly after Oct 7, a friend contacted him and asked him to contribute to the National Public Diplomacy Directorate. This was a team of Israeli Olim (immigrants to Israel)  who would work from the Prime Minister’s Office to help get Israel’s perspective to foreign media outlets.
Eli shared stories from this work, including entering tunnels in Gaza wide enough to drive a truck through. 
Together with Eylon Levy, Eli has started the not-for-profit ‘Israel Citizen Spokespersons’ Office’ which is speaking up for Israel and the Jewish people in the international world. 
Thank you to the Zionist Federation of Australia for bringing Eli to Melbourne.