A family that stands together
A remarkable week of international visits reminded Australian Jewry that in times of uncertainty, we are family.
As the saying goes, “Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh” – all of Israel are responsible for one another.
Wherever we are in the world, the Jewish people are family. We look after each other.
As we continue to grapple with the events of December 14 and our future in Australia, never has this been more evident than in the past week, with our community blessed to receive a number of high-profile international visitors.
United Hatzalah’s Eli Beer inspired audiences in Sydney and Melbourne with his warmth, commitment to inclusivity and desire to help others.
Those fortunate enough to meet him personally would have been struck by his compassionate and engaging personality and his unique ability to bring people together in aid of the common good.
Around the same time, Jewish Federations of North America head Eric Fingerhut led the most senior international delegation to Australia since Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit in February.
While a packed three-day itinerary meant the group was unable to visit Melbourne, the delegates visited the site of the Bondi attack, met with bereaved families and learnt about the resilience our community has shown over the last six months. Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler and CEO Alon Cassuto travelled from Melbourne to join the delegation.
Among those visiting from the United States were Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh CEO Jeff Finkelstein and 10/27 Healing Partnership director Maggie Feinstein, who were on the coalface after the 2018 Tree of Life shooting and brought valuable lessons for our community on crisis management, leadership and grieving.
The visit was only the beginning of a deep spirit of cooperation as our communities work together to find solutions to our common challenges.
Finally, Hollywood television royalty graced JCA NSW’s major event on Sunday as Will and Grace star Debra Messing – one of the highest profile defenders of Israel and the Jewish people in the world today – recounted her Jewish upbringing and her journey into advocacy.
The presence of all them in what was a remarkable week for Australian Jewry reminded us that while we may face uncertainty, under no circumstances do we do so alone.