Asher Joel

Sir Asher Alexander Joel (4 May 1912 – 12 November 1998) was an Australian public figure and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council for 20 years. Although he was Jewish, he received a papal knighthood in 1994.

In 1946 he founded Asher Joel Pty Ltd, a public relations firm. He was instrumental in the 1949 founding of the Public Relations Institute of Australia.

In 1958, Joel was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council as an Independent, but joined the then Country Party (now the National Party) the following year. In 1971–1972, he served as party treasurer, and in 1971, he served on the central executive. He retired from the Legislative Council in 1978.

In 1975, he established the Sir Asher Joel Foundation to assist Macquarie University students to participate on archaeological digs with Tel Aviv University.

During the course of his career, he helped to organise a number of large-scale events, acting in an honorary capacity:

the visit of Princess Alexandra of Kent in 1956 the visit of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966 the visit of Pope Paul VI in 1970.

He was also heavily involved with the establishment of the Sydney Opera House.

He was also a member of NAJEX (NSW Association of Jewish Service & Ex-Service Men & Women); it is one of the oldest Jewish organisations in Australia.

Death At Joel's funeral in 1998, Rabbi Raymond Apple of the Great Synagogue, Sydney, described Joel as an "Australian legend", having "walked with kings, queens, princes of the Church... with a genuine aristocracy of personality and presence. He had elegance, style and bearing, but humanity too."

Joel was survived by his wife Lady Joel (née Sybil Jacobs, 1924–2024), children Richard, David, Michael, Alexandra and grandchildren Natasha, Phoebe, Bennett, Alina, Arabella and Nicholas.

Honours The honours Joel received included: U.S. Bronze Star Medal, 1945 Knight Bachelor, 1971 Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE), 1974 Maginoo (Officer) of the Ancient Order of Sikatuna, Philippines, 1975 Citation of Honour, New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, 1992 Certificate of Honour from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Books Australian Protocol and Procedures, 1982 Without Chains, Free, 1977