‘Eyes on the Wolf at the Door, Not on the Leak in the Floor’
Israel is fighting a war of survival. The Jewish Diaspora is waging a war of information and narrative. Both are critical; both must be won.
Three main thoughts struck me over the weekend:
1. We are living in a time of profound historical significance. Near the anniversary of Kristallnacht, an actual pogrom occurred in Amsterdam. This event cost me sleep, as I had once believed in the promise of “never again.”
2. There is a profound disconnect between the peaceful and kind nature of Jewish people and how they are portrayed by bigots, antisemites, and biased commentators in both social and mainstream media.
3. There is something urgent we can—and must—do to address the growing threat of antisemitism: simplify the narrative and keep our “eyes on the wolf at the door,” not “the leak in the floor.”
The “wolf” is the existential threat, while the “leak” is a nuisance. The “wolf” endangers our children; the “leak” merely irritates those with sensitive toes.
The “wolf” is the Jihadist. For years, Douglas Murray has been clear-eyed about the necessity of acknowledging and confronting explicit threats from such groups. The events in Amsterdam remind us that this isn’t a Middle Eastern issue alone—it is a global problem, one that Western democracies must recognise and resolve. The “leak” includes grievances one may hold against leaders like the Prime Minister of Israel or the President-elect of the United States, which, however valid, cannot distract from the larger threat at hand.
Israel is fighting a war of survival. The Jewish Diaspora is waging a war of information and narrative. Both are critical; both must be won. Israel is winning on the battlefield, but the narrative war is being weakened by internal divisions and trivial disputes.
To illustrate, consider Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur. She “keeps it simple,” and although I find her views reprehensible and baseless, her message gains traction because many non-Jews find her narrative compelling. We must take a page from our adversaries and focus our message on what truly matters: the safety of our children.
To my friends in the Progressive Australian Jewish community, I urge you to help sharpen this focus. Many in the broader community remain blissfully unaware of what happened in Be’eri and Re’im on October 7, 2023, or in Amsterdam on November 7, 2024.
If you are not prepared to help carry this message, please refrain from undermining our efforts.
For those who wish to be part of “the solution,” I recommend two recent podcasts:
1. Amjad Taha, a Muslim expert in Strategic Political Affairs from the United Arab Emirates, discussed the UAE’s zero tolerance for antisemitism and terrorism on November 6, 2024. Listen here: Amjad Taha Podcast.
2. Ayaan Hirsi Ali spoke with Dan Senor on his “Call Me Back” podcast on November 8, 2024, where she reflected on the pogrom in Amsterdam. Listen here: Ayaan Hirsi Ali Podcast.
I close with words I recently saw in a synagogue: “Pray like everything depends on G-d. Act like everything depends on you.”
Colonel Michael Scott, CSC, is CEO of the 2023 Foundation, a harm minimisation charity dedicated to combating antisemitism. He is not Jewish but shares a deep affinity with the Jewish people and Israel. This is an adaptation of his keynote address at the Union for Progressive Judaism Biennial Conference in Canberra, ACT, held on 7-10 November 2024.
These opinions are his own and do not reflect any official stance of the Australian Government or the Australian Defence Force.
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