In the 1930s he worked in
journalism and
public relations. During
World War II, he enlisted in the
Second Australian Imperial Force in 1942, then transferred to the
Royal Australian Navy, joining the staff of General
Douglas MacArthur between 1944 and 1945. He was discharged with the rank of
lieutenant on 17 August 1945. 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==