OUR SAY

Rising above

One of the people who travelled to Melbourne's inner north from the south-east bagel belt said, "It feels like community."

Photo: Supplied
Photo: Supplied

In the face of despicable antisemitic attacks on Jewish-owned businesses in Melbourne and Sydney recently, our community has demonstrated what we’ve known for millennia: Jewish solidarity is our greatest strength.

When vandals targeted Brunswick East Wine Store in Melbourne and Avner’s bakery in Sydney, they unwittingly sparked a remarkable display of Jewish mutual support. Within hours of these incidents, social media channels and WhatsApp groups buzzed with calls to action.

The response was swift and overwhelming. In Melbourne, wine enthusiasts and casual drinkers alike queued to purchase bottles, transforming an act of hate into a celebration of Jewish entrepreneurship.

One of the people who travelled to Melbourne’s inner north from the south-east bagel belt said, “It feels like community.”

In Sydney, Avner’s continued to serve customers despite the inverted red triangles associated with Hamas still visible.

Particularly heartening is how this surge of solidarity transcended religious and cultural boundaries.

Non-Jewish Australians, recognising these attacks for what they are – an assault on our shared values of tolerance and diversity – turned out in droves.

Their message is clear: hate has no place in our multicultural society.

This grassroots response exemplifies the Jewish tradition of gemilut chasadim – acts of loving kindness. We don’t just sympathise; we mobilise. We don’t just condemn; we act.

When one Jewish business is targeted, we respond by making it everyone’s business.

These incidents, while distressing, have proven once again that antisemitism cannot break our spirit. Instead, it strengthens our resolve and unity. Our community’s response demonstrates that we won’t be intimidated into invisibility or silence.

To those who would seek to intimidate us, your actions only serve to strengthen our bonds and showcase our resilience.

To our fellow Jews: continue supporting Jewish businesses, not just in times of crisis but always. And to our non-Jewish allies: your solidarity touches us and reinforces our faith in Australia’s multicultural fabric.

Together, we’ve turned acts of hatred into demonstrations of community strength.

That’s the Jewish way.

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