Miracles
Our final edition of 2024 finds us just days from Chanukah, a celebration of miracles and a reminder of the enduring light that continues to inspire us.
Our last edition of 2024 finds us just five days away from Chanukah.
Chanukah, as we all know, is the celebration of a miracle. And so as we all begin to unwind for the holiday season, let’s talk about miracles.
That the Victorian Government has finally released a package of reforms to tackle antisemitism after it has run rampant for 14 months could be seen as a miracle by some. But it was really just the right thing to do.
The Federal Government matching the Coalition’s promise of $8.5 million for the expansion of the Sydney Jewish Museum was also just the right thing to do.
A true miracle, for which thousands marched in Sydney last Sunday, would be to see antisemitism in Australia, and everywhere, eradicated altogether. Let’s pray for that.
It also seems that right now, given Australia’s most recent UN votes and Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s apparent equating of Israel with Russia and China, that it would take a miracle for Australian foreign policy to be reset to a position that supports our only democratic ally in the Middle East, Israel.
And, of course, speaking of Israel, where the story of Chanukah happened, there are many miracles we hope for.
A true miracle would be to see the remaining hostages that were taken on October 7 released from their dark tunnels under Gaza. A further miracle – though sadly one that will not be realised – would be if all were still alive.
Of course, the miracle we all wish for is peace between Israel and all its neighbours.
Some may view Israel’s recent military successes against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, which are changing the geopolitics of the region for the better, as almost miraculous. But a true miracle would see military posturing replaced with friendship, and war replaced with cooperation, to see a better future for all.
A hopeful end to the war in Gaza and a new US administration may yet see an Israel-Saudi deal, once itself thought to take a miracle.
But as Israel’s founding president David Ben-Gurion famously said, “In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”
We wish you all a Happy Chanukah, a safe holiday period and all the best for 2025.
comments