‘One nation, one heart’
"A year of shattered innocence or was it blissful naiveté for those of us that believed antisemitism had been banished to the dark quarters of humanity," says Rabbi Ralph Genende.
A moving October 7 memorial was held at Jewish Care’s Schwartz Family Synagogue in Melbourne to honour the victims killed and taken hostage in the Hamas attack on Israel a year ago, with around 300 in attendance.
Rabbi Ralph Genende led the service with prayers for the victims and hostages and gave a stirring address noting rising antisemitism. “A year of shattered innocence or was it blissful naiveté for those of us that believed antisemitism had been banished to the dark quarters of humanity,” he said.
“The ferocity and pervasiveness of the new antisemitism has sent us spinning into a vortex of doxxing and cancelling, cold isolating spaces.
“It has been especially hard for us here in Australia, in our Jewish community, where for the first time in our long and noble history many of us today are feeling unsettled, unwelcome, misunderstood and unappreciated.”
Keynote speakers were former treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) executive manager Joel Burnie, who each spoke about their time in Israel, where they went to the site of the atrocities and met with survivors.
Frydenberg condemned rising antisemitism. “We have been failed by our leaders. Failed in the parliaments, failed in our institutions, failed by our university leadership in our houses of learning, failed by the absent Human Rights Commission,” he said.
“At a time when we needed conviction, clarity and courage, we have had doublespeak, equivocation, silence and inaction.”
Burnie said his message to the community is clear. “We will not be victims to a growing tide of antisemitism or government inaction, we will continue to fight for our community and for the values we hold so dear,” he said.
“We need to be loud and proud as Jews, for how can we expect the silent majority to rise if we ourselves are hiding? So, my message is: Am echad, lev echad. One nation, one heart.
“We need to look to Israel to find the strength and resilience to confront our own domestic challenges, for their passion, courage and zest for life is the ultimate example and personification of determination and survival.”
Jewish Care president Lisa Kennett noted that many people in the community have reached out to Jewish Care for help over the last year and that they had employed a psychologist to provide mental health support to students.
Memorial candles were lit by Jewish Care resident Miriam Sharp, Jewish Community Council of Victoria president Philip Zajac, the Hindu Council’s Harshad Kale, the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation’s Dr Alan Finkel, the Jewish Museum’s Gid Klein, board members of Jewish Care Victoria Adam Joel and Simone Szalmuk-Singer, MP for Macnamara Josh Burns, MP for Caulfield David Southwick, Victorian Multicultural Commissioner Viv Nguyen, president NCCA Bishop Philip Huggins and AIJAC’s Helen Brustman. And Rabbi Philip Heilbrunn blasted the shofar to signify broken hearts and eternal hope.
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