Seven Diaspora Reflections for October 7

Dark, damp – 60 feet underground.

I descended down narrow stone steps into the depths of the earth to find myself standing in water. Below Ortygia, a neighbourhood of Syracusa in Sicily, I was at the oldest mikveh in Europe. This mikveh was discovered by chance in 1987 when the owner of the palace above it was converting the palace into a hotel. She noticed some unusual structural elements and began excavating. After removing 156 truckloads of mud, the mikveh used for 1000 years, was unearthed. Incredibly, it had been hidden since the Jews were expelled from Spanish controlled Sicily in 1493. It was preserved perfectly as, aware of their imminent fate, the Jews filled the mikveh with mud and rubble and sealed it off to prevent its desecration following their expulsion.

As I stood there in the dark this August, ten long months after October 7, two alternative narratives circulated in my mind. By the time I walked back up into the day light, I chose to adopt one of them. Hold that thought.

One year on, I will share seven reflections as seven is a significant number for this date and in Judaism. “Shiva” refers to the period of mourning, which is constantly being renewed and extended as hostages, civilians and soldiers are tragically killed.

My reflections sit in the context of my experience as CEO & Director of the ERDI Foundation, a foundation funding organisations in Israel, the Jewish and general communities in Australia. And from my experience across various other lay leadership roles.

These thoughts span a continuum of time and learnings throughout this past year. They seek to enable us to hold both our sadness and strength at this challenging time.

1. Present tense

Today we mark one year since Simchat Torah in what has been called a “commemoration” event, however, the events on last Simchat Torah, October 7, are not yet in the past tense, as the term “commemoration” infers. Until the hostages are returned, the atrocities of that day have not concluded. As Jews, we cannot abandon our duty to ensure that all “commemorations” and opportunities to talk about the situation, are framed as reminders that the hostages must be released. This is a statement about our humanity, our values, and long term security.

2. Betrayal and Support

“What happened to Australia?”  When I was in Israel in January and March, that was the question I was asked repeatedly.

My late mother, Mira Szalmuk came to Australia from the horrors of Auschwitz and Theresienstadt with A15798 tattooed on her arm. In her book From Tragedy to Triumph, my mother wrote of “reaching another continent, another country, to begin a totally new life, a life that would perhaps help to forget the past…I had never met a more tolerant and more compassionate nation than Australians. Their acceptance of us, our different customs and lifestyle…we were lucky to be here.”

I often wondered how my mother would have answered my 16 year daughter Mia who, after seeing the increased anti-Semitism, asked me in June, “Mum where do you think they will put the ghetto in Melbourne, Caulfield or an outer suburb?” How would my late father, George Szalmuk have reacted to seeing the gates of Mount Scopus College graffitied with “Jew Die”.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s very first tweet at 6.46pm Australian time on Oct 7, 2023, condemning Hamas and calling for restraint, as the slaughter and rape were in full flight being livestreamed across social media, gave us the clearest insight into the confused approach and lack of moral clarity we would face in the year ahead.

Then came the anti-Israel statements from those with whom we thought we shared the same values. Some of the many organisations that the ERDI Foundation supports include those empowering disadvantaged women, addressing homelessness, family violence and social cohesion. Disappointingly, despite their work being locally focused, some organisations publicly condemned Israel’s actions as “genocidal”. I have had countless conversations and meetings since October 7 with such organisations. Sometimes, after they issued an offensive statement, other times, before. Whilst the ERDI Foundation mourn the loss of ALL innocent lives, we discontinued funding where values no longer aligned.  The ERDI Foundation is a proud Australian foundation of Jewish heritage. We say it on our website, on socials, we said it at the Melbourne Town Hall in February 2023 opposing an anti-Israel motion by the Melbourne City Council.

I am often asked whether “engaging” in challenging conversations with “social justice” organisations makes any difference. Whilst impact varies, one should always start with an open mind.

• There are those whose views won’t change no matter what. They know exactly which river and which sea they are referring to but deny they are anti-Semitic.
• I have encountered several who fail to connect anti-Zionism to anti-Semitism and anti-Semitism to DEI (diversity, equity & inclusion) and in turn to discrimination. The thread between these concepts is broken for them. Put simply – MeToo unless you’re a Jew. In these situations, there is room to shape opinion. I have had successes, as have many in our community.
• I have met with those who have not heard our side due to the algorithms of news and social media. I had success here too.
• There are those who no longer follow the war or anti-Semitism, as there are so many other stories happening in the world. Consequently, they are oblivious to how bad things are.

When lunching with a CEO of a large organisation we work with, he casually asked me how I was, so I casually spoke about Oct 7 and anti-Semitism. He confessed he stopped following the conflict but had many questions. So, I made him feel safe to ask any question he had. After lunch, he walked back to his office through the CBD past the anti-Semitic stickers he passed every day – this time he noticed them. That afternoon, he wrote a heartfelt email offering to stand by our community however needed.

In an article in The Australian marking International Women’s Day this year, I called for the silent majority to speak up. However, sometimes, silence is a win. Understanding the ecosystem of the “social justice” organisations is critical. Some operate within networks exerting enormous pressure to post statements irrelevant to their mission. In these circumstances, refusal to do so and remain publicly silent about the conflict is actually positive. Our reactions should be clever, nuanced and strategic.

Finally, not everyone has lost their moral compass. In July an organisation the ERDI Foundation funded for years, reminded me of this. Mentally armed to defend Israel and discuss anti-Semitism, I walked into the organisation’s premises to discuss a prospective grant. The visit began with a tour. The organisation had grown and was doing wonderful things for women “When is it going bad?” I thought to myself. In the new workshop facilitation space, I searched for signs about anti-Israel protests, only half listening to the tour provided.

I sat with the CEO and her senior leadership team who commenced the meeting by asking me about ERDI funding in Israel. Wow, straight to the point. I explained our work with approximately thirty organisations in the social cohesion and shared society space where Jews, Bedouin, Druze, Arabs work together and how we assist those affected by Oct 7.  The CEO interrupted and asked “Do you work with any Israeli organisations assisting women in trauma as we are prepared to hand over all our IP in that area to help Israelis? Tears welled up my eyes. It didn’t end there. I continued discussing local anti-Semitism. The CEO then said, “I am not Jewish, but am horrified at the rise of anti-Semitism in Australia. My great grandmother was a righteous gentile who hid Jews during the Holocaust.” I honestly did not hear much after that. I was so taken aback.

Indeed, we feel triggered and betrayed by some, but we are surrounded by many good people who have retained their humanity.

3. Jewish clarity

Whilst we implore the broader community to show moral clarity, perhaps it is also us who need to be clear about who we are. Israel is the beating heart of our Jewish identity; accordingly, anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism.

Throughout this year I have worked with Jewish leaders across the breadth of our communal and grassroots organisations who struggled with questions which may surprise some:

• How and when do we raise Oct 7? The hostages? Is it too political? Have we heard too much?
• Can we be a Jewish organisation, focus on our Jewish values and avoid Israel as it’s controversial, divisive?
• If we don’t ask our collaboration partners questions, we won’t get answers we don’t like, so it’s safer not to ask.
• “Can I separate out my Jewish identity at my non-Jewish workplace?”

These questions come from brilliant, committed Jewish leaders who never dreamed of these questions before October 7. We have done so well at embracing Tikkun Olam seeking to improve the world through a Jewish lens.  Yet some are now hesitating to be loud and proud about their Jewishness and Israel.

This hesitation indicates that we are now at an inflection point in which we need to own our Jewish story. To do so it is up to us to hold our definitional lines clear and resist blurring them in the hope that perhaps our narrative will somehow be more palatable. Agreement and coordination on definitions matter. For instance, as a community we should agree that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. We should look no further than the most widely adopted IHRA definition. (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance).

In this context I also suggest it is timely to review our approach to Holocaust education. I refer to an article Yossi Klein Halevi wrote earlier this year in which he questioned how far we may have universalised the lessons of the Holocaust. The Holocaust was an act of genocide against the Jews. Further, when “contemporising” the lessons from the Holocaust, anti-Zionism is the modern manifestation of anti-Semitism.

4. Victimhood and resilience

Post October 7 we saw the emergence of an inspirational wave of activism, communal spirit and the “October 8 Jew” – Jews whose Jewish identity was energised or renewed. However, despite this energy, as streams of solidarity trips go to Israel to bear witness and volunteer, we continue to draw strength from Israelis, rather than ourselves. We marvel at Israeli resilience in the face of terror, loss, and war and bemoan our local situation.

Over the year, I have wondered whether through our intense focus on local anti-Semitism and worry for Israel, we are inadvertently internalising a Diaspora victim narrative, rather than seeing ourselves more akin to the Israelis we admire, the strong Jews who will not cede our place in Australia, the world or Israel.

We must feel empowered to hold both our sadness and our strength at the same time, like Israelis.

It’s not easy. There were many days after listening to harrowing accounts from my colleagues in Israel, having Jewish leaders cry in my office or seeing the latest anti-Israel statement from an organisation we had funded, that I too wondered, where is the light?

At those dark moments I turned to my late parents for resilience. My father fought in the Palmach for Israel’s establishment; my mother survived Auschwitz. I do not have the privilege to give up.

In the words of a popular Israeli song written post October 7, by Hatikva 6, called Giborei Al – Superheroes, behind every ordinary citizen in Israel, the bus driver, the teacher, the famous singer, there is a fighter, a soldier or civilian, willing to drop everything to defend the country and defend the nation of the Jewish people. We too can be superheroes, here in the Diaspora in the many ways that help Israel and our local community. We just need to believe we can.

5. Israel Diaspora relations

October 7 reminded Jews in Israel and around the globe, what the world would look like without a Jewish state. It also reminded us that Israel and the Diaspora exist in a symbiotic relationship. A significant opportunity of this time is the ability to reset the relationship that was in freefall prior to Oct 7. Yes, our Australian community was always Zionist, but the relationship is two-way. Critically, post October 7, Israelis have been reawakened to the existence of the Diaspora and Israel’s place in the global Jewish family, including that beyond the US.

My dear friend Yoni Heilman wrote these words from reserve duty on 7 December 2023.

As I look at what’s happening in the West, and I see both fear and courage on the part of those who are speaking up against Antisemitism, I believe a big part of why they feel able to speak up is because Israel exists. Israel a nation and army stronger than any might have believed possible – is a nation of all of its citizens, but also of the people of Israel around the world.

So to all of you who are standing up against the vitriol of hate against Jews, who are speaking out in places public and private, in the halls of Congress and on university greens;

 Thank you for having our backs. We have yours too.

We know how Israel is helping us at this moment. How do we help Israel is a question I am asked almost daily.

• Show up. Visit, volunteer, call and message regularly.
• Speak up. Publicly, on social media, or privately to your work colleagues, your dentist, anyone who will listen. Every conversation is an opportunity.
• Donate money, time and skill. The needs in Israel are complex and will not end when the war ends. Do your research, speak to people who understand the evolving needs and the gaps.
• This is a time to dig deeper. Israel needs all forms of support as does our own local community. It is not one or the other – it is both, it is more, more than ever.

6. Community coordination

Many have questioned our communal structure and the need for a single voice, coordinated resources and strategy.

Throughout the past year, our communal infrastructure has and is still being tested in a way that it was not designed nor funded for. It has had to adapt quickly and without the necessary resources to do so. It will be incumbent upon brave leadership from all corners of the community, including funders and donors to conduct a forward facing strategic review. In doing so, it will be helpful to learn from the examples of increased collaboration and coordination that occurred since October 7, analyse why and where they worked and did not work.

Apart from the wonderful and visible advocacy by people like Josh Frydenberg, Jeremy Leibler and others, let’s not forget organisations such as the CSG for keeping our community safe and coordinating the crisis management function for our community from day 1 and Jewish Care Victoria for helping us feel safe. Jewish Care was a central repository for thousands of calls seeking mental health and financial support, assistance for Israelis arriving and caring for our triggered elders.

I want to express gratitude to the many organisations who stepped up and acknowledge that whilst not everything worked, not everything was perfect, our community is a shining light of Jewish identity and continuity that is the envy of the world.

As we enter an exciting era where new ideas, structures and thinking will be borne, let’s ensure we do so respectively, acknowledging that we are standing on the shoulders of great leaders who built and grew this community for us.

7. Jewish guilt

Is our depleted resilience tied to our guilt? Jews do guilt so very well. We are doing guilt all the way from the bravest of heroes who saved hundreds of lives on October 7 and feel they could have saved more, to those who fought in Gaza and Lebanon through to those who mobilised movements to feed soldiers, help the elderly, keep businesses and families functioning with spouses on endless reserve duty. Israelis are dealing with trauma far and wide yet so many of them do not want to treat their own trauma as “others have it worse”.  They will need to set aside guilt and make space for their trauma as this is an extremely long marathon.

Guilt travels the oceans to Diaspora Jewry who do not live in Israel. From the early stages of Zionism where Aliyah was seen as the ultimate Zionist expression, we have an ingrained sense of guilt for not living in Israel. Discussions around the “A team” (Israel) v the “B team” (Diaspora) are no longer constructive. Our challenges are different, indeed life in the Diaspora is easier. However, in an increasingly anti-Semitic world where Israel and Jews are interchangeable targets, we are all soldiers in this fight. Let’s fight it together.

Back to the mikveh in Sicily where I stood pondering a choice in narrative. Was this the same story over again where they never stop trying to kill us Jews?  As I walked up into the sunlight, I internalised the alternative story of strength. They may keep trying to kill us, but we are still here and we are stronger than ever with a Jewish State, an Israeli army and thriving Diaspora communities. We will prevail.

Am Israel Chai

*Adapted from a speech given at the Chabad Malvern Synagogue, Melbourne, Australia on Simchat Torah