A hopeful future

Many people tell me that I am lucky to still have two grandparents at my age. And whilst I know that is true, I also know that because of their age and frailty, they are largely sheltered from the news of the world, and the almost daily things that most of the rest of us hear about, including antisemitism and other horrors. For the most part, they are not exposed to and are oblivious to any anti-Jewish rhetoric.

So much so that just last week, my 102-year-old grandfather was telling me about some of his ailments, but also about how well he was being treated at Jewish Care. And then in the next sentence he said, “we are so lucky that we came to this country.” At that point, my 100-year-old grandmother, who was only half listening, pipped up and agreed effusively. “Yes indeed,” she said. “This country is wonderful!” These are sentiments that my grandparents have shared with me for many years, but this time it resonated with me more than on previous occasions.

For two and a half years at least, I have been preoccupied with following the news coming out of Israel, and with the developments in the Jewish community at home. From the rise in antisemitism to the lack of condemnation by the government; from the seemingly acceptable nature of anti-Jewish protests, to the shock of the attack at Bondi, and so many more events. My life – like that of so many others in the community – has been consumed by news and negativity, and has at times felt hopeless. With the hearings of the Royal Commission currently in progress, these stories and events are being amplified even more.

But seeing my grandparents, even in their elderly and feeble state, gives me hope. Not only do they regularly praise their carers, but they also often talk about the services that this country provides – services that they could have only dreamed about during their lives in Eastern Europe. These include services like Centrelink and job assistance, plus NDIS, My Aged Care, in-home supports, cleaning services and even meal delivery options, not to mention the vast array of choices in all the supermarkets, and things we all take for granted, like weekly bin collections. On top of that are the Jewish community organisations and services, like Jewish Care, where they currently reside, as well as C Care, Kosher Meals on Wheels and many others. My grandparents have availed themselves of many of these, and without them, they know that they wouldn’t have enjoyed the longevity that they currently have.

Engaging in these conversations gives me hope because it reminds me that we really do live in a great country. The hopelessness that I and many others have felt over the last few years is not reflected in the general community, and is not even always reflected in the Jewish community. Despite the horror of the last few years – or maybe inspired by it – numerous Jewish organisations have proactively thought about the future of our community and are determined to make it positive and bright.