The deepest defence of Jewish life

For nearly three years, much of my time, and much of the ZFA team’s time, has been consumed by advocacy: engaging governments, confronting antisemitism and now the Royal Commission.

These are necessary fights, and we will keep fighting them. But it has always been clear to me that this is not where the Jewish future will ultimately be determined.

The important question we need to answer is: what makes Jewish life worth protecting?

Many of our Jewish schools are protected by high walls, secure gates and security guards. Those walls are not the purpose of our schools. They exist to protect what happens inside them.

While we have been forced to ensure that the physical perimeter is more secure, I believe that the intellectual life within must become more open: places where difficult questions are welcomed, where nuance is valued and young Jews develop the confidence not simply to defend their identity, but to understand it deeply.