October 7 reflections: One year on
We will always stand proudly for who we are and what we believe in.
Today my children will take part in the commemoration of October 7 during the school assembly. Coincidentally, it’s also my son’s 18th birthday. Reflecting on the past year fills me with a flood of emotions when I think of what our city streets have turned into. A year ago, I would have laughed if someone had told me what a typical Sunday in the CBD would look like today.
In 2019, I went on a life-changing trip to Poland with my father. We visited the places where my grandparents once lived, where they were herded onto trains bound for death camps, and stood at the sites of gas chambers that claimed the lives of their families. Upon my return, I questioned how an educated society could allow such a regime to rise to power, unleashing unimaginable torture, pain, and death. Now, seeing what is happening in Australia, that has been answered.
I sadly say I am thankful my Holocaust survivor grandparents are no longer here to experience this. My grandfather gave his Holocaust testimony to the Shoah Foundation in the 1990s. His final message to the next generations was: “You are lucky to grow up in a country like Australia, a country free of the antisemitism we grew up with in Poland. Don’t let anyone make you feel second class. Always be kind to all mankind, but importantly, always be a proud Jew.” It is a message I hold dearly and one I will never let go of. It is a message I have instilled in my children.
I never believed we would ever see Australia resemble European countries in the 1930s where the government would appease those who yell “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and other chants reminiscent of that pre-Holocaust era. The Holocaust didn’t start at the camps. It followed years of boycotts, restrictions, expulsions and harassment.
I never imagined the day would come when “Death to Jews” would be scrawled on my children’s school, or that a riot could occur so close to home in Caulfield, Melbourne, after a burger shop was firebombed and falsely blamed on Jews. I never thought I would see Jewish people doxxed resulting in threats, bullying and intimidation so severe that businesses were forced to relocate or close down. I never imagined hate speech would become normalised, with the government demonstrating a complete failure of leadership.
I never expected a radical party like the Greens to openly suggest that Jews in Australia deserve harassment simply for being Zionists. Anti-Zionism, which opposes Jews having a right to their ancestral homeland in Israel, has tragically become a new form of antisemitism. I never thought I’d see politicians sign a letter calling for the reinstatement of funding to UNRWA, despite clear evidence that much of it ends up supporting terrorists, all while Hamas and Hezbollah leaders enjoy luxurious lives in Qatar. My own MP, Zoe Daniel, signed that letter.
I never imagined that the Foreign Minister would visit Israel but decline to visit the site where an Australian citizen was murdered by terrorists on October 7, or that the Prime Minister would not visit at all. I never believed the Australian government would capitulate to terrorism, appease those who support regimes that foster terror, and fail to defend Australian values and allies.
I never thought I’d see war memorials vandalised without consequence, or our government rewarding terrorism by calling to recognise Palestine at the UN. Freedom must always be defended, and we must honour those who have fought for it. One of the proudest achievements of Tim Wilson in Parliament was helping to officially list Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organisations. I am still shocked that so many people fail to recognise what these groups stand for and openly support them. Their antisemitism clearly overshadows any concern for the harm they inflict on their own populations, including the torture and murder of women and children.
I never imagined that universities would be overrun by protests and demonstrations, encouraged by meek vice-chancellors and university staff. Now, I find myself concerned for my son’s safety as he prepares to enter university.
We will not be intimidated. We will always stand proudly for who we are and what we believe in. Our Jewish community is strong and has made significant contributions to the country, and we will continue to do so well into the future. We will not bow to these radicals.
I never felt the need to ask my grandfather what he would say today. I would ask him, “Are we fortunate to still be living in Australia?” Unless we vote in the Coalition, who have been vocal and have demonstrated true leadership, I fear the answer will be no.
Shane Shmuel is a member of the Melbourne Jewish community. He is also a candidate in the upcoming local government elections.
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