Ask any person who has been part of the Perth Jewish community, or even hosted by the community for a short time, and they will tell you the same. This community has some amazing people in it that will move mountains to contribute to the community, and who dedicate themselves well and beyond the call of duty. This community provides high quality services and facilities that communities four times the size of our own struggle to deliver, due only to the strength and resolve of its membership.
Here is one outstanding example of the moment as to why the Perth Jewish community is so fantastic. It is because of the quality of our educators, in particular Israeli shlichim.
There is an article in this weeks Maccabean by community Shlicha Maya Shabi who writes to the memorial of Yitzchak Rabin. Maya has chosen to focus her remarks on those attributes of identification that unify as opposed to divide us. In beautiful words, an extract from her article is as follows:
“Political differences amongst Israeli’s are much muted today, much less than they were in November 1995, but no one should doubt that all Israelis yearn for peace.
This Rabin Memorial Day therefore reinforces the essential and deeply significant message of fundamental unity of purpose within the democratic differences of our Jewish State, the strongest pillar of our independence, and the basis on which our neighbours will eventually make their peace with the fundamental decency of Zionism, epitomised by Yitzchak Rabin, may his memory be blessed.”
Maya deserves a huge yisher koach for providing our community with such a wonderful article, and for all the work she does to work with our youth and Zionist community to connect us with Israel.