Shepparton Jewish Agricultural Settlement Migrant Stories

Not so long ago there was a thriving group of Jewish farmers here in Victoria. Around 60 or 80 Jewish families grew fruit for Australian tables and lunchboxes.

Devorah Zmood’s new book “Shepparton Jewish Agricultural Settlement – Migrant Stories”.  recounts the story of a strong Jewish agricultural community in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley from the early 20th century till the 1960s. It is a story close to Devorah’s heart, she lived in Shepparton herself!

Zmood said the book had not been planned and that she had never set out to become an author but was encouraged to record the community’s history by people at the Lamm Jewish Library of Australia.

“They sat me down and said, ‘You’ve got too much material for an exhibition. Put it in a book”, she said.

Zmood grew up in Shepparton, attended Shepparton High School and left the town at the age of 17. She said she wanted to preserve the stories of a community that had largely disappeared.

The book includes six first-hand accounts of the Jewish settlement, written by people from the community. These accounts make up about a third of the book.

Zmood said the book was intended to preserve and share the stories of those who built new lives in regional Victoria.

“It’s a personal story to celebrate the people who started their journeys here as migrants,” she said.