Letters, December 10, 2010

THE expression “Jewed out” (AJN 03/12) sent shivers down my spine. It reminded me of “Jews out”.

Nobody “Jewed” the youngsters out , they did it to themselves.

I blame the parents. Organisations can only be of some help. But education, manners and attitudes start at home. It is not enough to put a kippah on a 13-year-old boy or to arrange elaborate bar and bat mitzvahs (while trying to outdo one another). Now the troubles begin: the difficulties of dealings with teenagers.

“Jewishness” means family, tradition, togetherness. The parents of the 20-30 young adults are mostly our grandchildren. Our third generation. But they do not step into the shoes of their own parents – our children.

Despite the fact we arrived in this country some 60 years ago, without money, without the knowledge of the English language and still bewildered after the Holocaust, we managed to raise our own children in a deeper awareness of Jewishness, without the help of any organisations. We encouraged them to join Jewish movements and Jewish communities, which we have mostly established . We instilled in them the importance of having our own country. We kept repeating to them that had we had Israel in the late 1930s, the Holocaust would not have happened. And this must be repeatedly drummed into the heads of young adults, by their parents.

Also, the young parents should try and attend the many Jewish functions together with their own children. That would perhaps create opportunities for them to meet and mingle with one another.

And who knows, maybe it would even diminish the growing number of mixed marriages, which is a serious threat to the future of Israel’s existence.

OVER the years, many non-Jewish people have approached me, in particular politicians, and have marveled at how sophisticated and organised the Jewish people are at raising money for various Jewish charities, schools and organisations, both in our home country, as well as for Israel.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m over 50, or that I spent a period of time incarcerated, or because I have just finished reading a very interesting book by Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks called Future Tense, but from my eyes, I feel that the Jewish community is forgetting the individual, and is more concerned about pledging at larger functions than ever before. The kudos and respect of giving appears to far outweigh the reason for giving.

Rabbi Sacks said, “Judaism is the code of a nation that would be called, through its history, to show that civilisations survive not through strength, but through the care they show for the weak; not by wealth but because of the help that they give to the poor. Nations become invulnerable by caring for the vulnerable … the people of the Covenant were never numerous. The Holy Land was never large.”

But the greatest empires have attacked us, as a people, and we have outlived them all. The superpowers of history have disappeared into the pages of history, while we live as a people to give hope to the hopeless and dignity to humanity.

So why is it that I know of a person whose extended family is very wealthy, but they watch as he sinks into oblivion due to financial mistakes, and yet these same people think nothing of donating $200,000 to a Jewish cause or going on a $75,000 holiday? How is it possible that the son of a very wealthy individual’s best friend was forced to borrow money for an operation, while this “friend” did not offer to help him?

I am beginning to wonder if our community has become so mature and prosperous, and so caught up with attending dinner parties and functions during the various Jewish charity seasons, that they are forgetting that there are people of real need that require help, sometimes close friends and family, but none is forthcoming.

ON December 6, 1938, at the age of 77, William Cooper (an Aboriginal leader at the time when his people were not even citizens of this country), having heard of the actions of Kristallnacht, led a deputation from his home in Footscray to the Nazi German consulate in Melbourne to draw attention to, and present a letter protesting, the treatment of Jewish people in Germany and Austria. At a time when those much closer to the scene were mute. The Nazis refused to meet with him, but his march and cause received publicity in Australia and overseas.

His endeavours have been recognised by Yad Vashem and by Israel.

On Sunday, we were privileged to attend an event at Federation Square marking 72 years since his walk, which was replicated by his great-grandson and 81-year-old grandson. They, together with other family members, will be travelling to Israel this week, where a Hebrew University Chair in Holocaust research has been established in his name.

Given the significance of Australia as a refuge for those fleeing Nazi Germany (like my parents) and a haven for Holocaust survivors, we felt saddened at the tiny number of Jews in attendance at the event.

Are we so tied up in the day-to-day ­humdrum of our lives that we cannot take a few hours to recognise and celebrate the life and efforts of a true human being, who rose above his own adversity to carry a message in support of Jews when no-one else gave a damn?

THESE poor Afghan and Iraqi refugees are desperate and are living in a hopeless situation in their home countries, where poverty is an everyday occurrence and racial and ethic discrimination is driving them to seek a better life.

This scenario could be set in the 1930s, when German Jews were in a similar position. Should we as a community, that is fairly prosperous and living in a democratic country with liberty and justice, allow these scenes to be repeated on a daily basis?

Don’t let the political parties, either Liberal or Labor, use the boat people to score political points. They are human beings who are after a better life. As a community that received help all those years ago, let us not turn our backs.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Victorian Liberal Party for winning the elections. During the campaign I met the Liberal candidate for my electorate several times while he campaigned in the local streets. Not once did I encounter any of the other four candidates. Mazal tov to David Southwick, the new Member for Caulfield, on a well-deserved victory.

The majority of Victorians saw through Labor’s baseless election campaign. As for John Brumby, who’s the meerkat now?

I WAS somewhat bemused to see an advertisement in the December 3 edition of The AJN from Caulfield Hebrew Congregation, in which it boldly asserts itself as “Melbourne’s Premier Shule”.

Personally, I find this mildly offensive. There are around 50 Orthodox shuls in Melbourne, each contributing in its unique way to the wonderful tapestry of Melbourne’s diverse Orthodox community. For any one shul to proclaim itself as better than the others, let alone to refer to itself as Melbourne’s “premier” shul, creates a hierarchal environment that is not conducive to inclusiveness and equality.