Australian Jews stand strong
Published in The Australian Jewish News
November 2, 2023
Photo: Peter Haskin.
As the days since October 7 have passed, and we continue to come to terms with war and the ever-evolving details of the horror inflicted on slaughtered and kidnapped Israelis; we also grapple with the world that remains.
A world where angry rioters storm an airport terminal in Russia’s Dagestan, hunting for Jews.
Where the walls of Jewish businesses in France are daubed with the Magen David.
Where Jews are bashed on the streets of Chicago.
Where an ancient synagogue is burnt to ashy rubble in Tunisia.
Where chants of “Gas the Jews” echo before our national treasure, the Sydney Opera House.
Where every antisemite – and every ignorant person who has unwittingly succumbed to the narratives peddled by the Hamas PR propaganda powerhouse – is a keyboard warrior, emboldened to express their hate in shareable sound bites.
It’s a world in which we grapple with the silence of many “friends”, professional colleagues, fellow students, or peers in social justice spheres and movements in which we have dedicated our passionate voices – or have even led.
A world where Jewish lives are also valued, but …
It’s a world where #NeverAgain is happening again – right now.
Yet, across the country Jewish Australians have stood defiant, declaring we won’t be cowed by rising antisemitism or anti-Israel demonstrations. Jewish Australians are reclaiming the streets and public spaces in their cities to stand up for Israel and the Jewish people.