It’s time to reinvigorate Jewgle Perth.
Finding time to blog may be a challenge, but the events of the past few days have been astonishing and have inspired me to blog again.
Never before has the stark difference in the morality of the Jewish nation and its neighbours been laid so bare for the world to see.
Never has the global unity of the Jewish people been so evident, with the power of social media and real time communications sending the Jewish communities of the world into an overt display of solidarity, consolidating a campaign with a speed unseen before.
The Synagogues, schools, community halls and sportsgrounds of the Australian Jewish community have been filled with people reciting Tehillim (psalms). The facebook feeds and twitter accounts have been streaming with messages of support, hope, and raw emotion. Incredible scenes of prayer at the Kotel have been emailed, as have moving descriptive accounts by madrichim from Perth on Zionist youth programs who were present at the time.
The picture below was taken just minutes prior to uploading this post. It is from prayer service at the Knesset, the Parliament of Israel, as they daven together for the safe rescue of our brothers. What other nation boasts a Parliament that can accomplish such unity of purpose, sovereign expression, and yet set still reserve a place within its hall to accommodate hostile ethnic minorities?
At the same time the ABC news website posts a headline ““Israeli army arrests 80 Palestinians in bid to find three missing Jewish teenagers”. The Herald Sun carries the headline that “Israel accuses ‘terrorist group’ as search continues for missing teenagers”. Images flow from the Palestinian territories of celebratory acts, and other sick displays of joy that three youths have been abducted by terrorists. To them its just another crime that Israel brought upon itself. There are no victims here.
The Jewish perspective is somewhat different. Gilad, Naftali and Eyal have become the sons of every Jewish family in the world. Whilst it is regrettable that it needs to take vile and inhuman acts like this to bring forth the power of Jewish unity, it will be the collective power of the Jewish sprit that prevails.
No other nation is capable of such a heartfelt and genuine mobilisation over the welfare of their citizens. When millions of people come together across the world in grief and compassion, willing on their army to do what it takes to rescue the captives, then we can suddenly see just how powerful a force Jewish unity can be.
To the north, east, west and south of Israel brutal acts of barbarism, the slaughter of populations, wanton terrorism and destruction prevails. Thousands of Iranian Shiite troops battle Sunni Islamists in Iraq. Bloodthirsty fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) are reportedly too radical for al-Qaeda, Syria burns, Egypt starves, Iran enriches uranium and the terrorists of Hizbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza stockpiles missiles for their Jihad on Israel.
All the while, Bob Carr and Gareth Evan’s biggest problem is that Australia seems to recognise that the eternal capital of the Jewish nation happens to be disputed and not occupied in the eyes of the Australian Government.
Never has the Middle East been so divided as it is today. And never have the Jewish people been as unified as they are over their expression of hope that three young and innocent boys will be returned to their parents.
The media can report whatever narrative they like to pursue their victimisation of Israel and to romanticise the evil and very real horror of kidnappings, missile attacks, suicide bombers and gun battles that destroy humankind. It will not change the reality that Jewish values are centred on the preciousness of life, and the horror of death. That is our national expression. We will cry together until there are no more tears. That is the holiness of our people. Our spirit cannot be broken.
