When moral clarity collapses

JNF Australia’s recent Gold Patrons lunch brought together supporters and community leaders for a conversation with Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ).

In discussion with Jeffrey Appel, Ryvchin reflected on the profound challenges confronting Australian Jewry since October 7, 2023, and the alarming rise in antisemitism that has followed. Drawing on his advocacy at Australian universities ahead of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, he spoke about the responsibility of bearing witness during difficult times and the importance of maintaining moral clarity when public discourse grows increasingly confused.

The theme of the event – When Moral Clarity Collapses: The Royal Commission and the Future of Jewish Life in Australia – captured a concern that extends far beyond the Jewish community itself.

Ryvchin reflected on testimony that has revealed not only the extent of antisemitism experienced by Jewish Australians, but the uncertainty many now feel within institutions they once trusted. Schools, universities, workplaces and public spaces have become sites of anxiety for many Jews in ways that would have seemed inconceivable only a few years ago.

Yet his message extended beyond antisemitism alone.

Democratic societies depend upon their ability to distinguish truth from falsehood, hatred from activism, and intimidation from legitimate protest. When those distinctions begin to erode, minority communities are often the first to feel the consequences. His willingness to engage publicly and persistently on these issues has placed him at the centre of one of the most consequential national conversations facing Australian Jewry.

Guests also heard from Tammi Faraday, who delivered her first major address as executive director of JNF Victoria.

Reflecting on October 7, Faraday observed that “every Jewish generation hopes history will ask less of them than it asked of those who came before. Then history returns without warning.” For many Jews, she suggested, the attacks shattered the illusion that Jewish history belonged solely to the past and served as a reminder that the challenges that have shaped Jewish life across generations remain neither theoretical nor resolved.

Yet her message was ultimately one of responsibility rather than fear.

Faraday highlighted the role JNF has played in Israel’s recovery and renewal since October 7. While much of the world’s attention moved elsewhere, communities across Israel’s north and south faced the difficult work of rebuilding lives, restoring confidence and renewing daily life.

Since October 7, JNF has delivered more than 100 projects across frontline communities, supported more than 50,000 families and invested more than $31 million in recovery, resilience and renewal.

As Faraday noted, the figures alone cannot capture the full picture. The true impact is found in kindergartens reopening after months of silence, trauma services supporting families long after headlines fade, and communities returning home determined that devastation will not define their future.

Ryvchin and Faraday converged on a common theme: Jewish continuity has never depended on certainty, but on the responsibility to speak, to maintain moral clarity, and to continue building when destruction appears to have the final word.

As Faraday reminded guests, “Jews have endured not because the world grew kinder, but because enough Jews refused to surrender the future.”

JNF Victoria’s Annual Event will be held on Thursday, September 3, 2026. Further details to be announced.