Everything has changed

Everything in my life changed since 7/10.

First, my relationship to Australia has changed. I came here in 1971 as a young bride and fell in love with Australia. It felt like home, was home. I considered myself blessed to have two homes that I love: Australia and Israel. October 7 changed this. I feel betrayed by Australia in so many ways… I know it will change, but for me Australia somehow died on the 9th October at the feet of the Opera House. Maybe it was a ‘wake up’ call, now Australia feels like my physical home because my children and grandchildren are here but the place it held in my heart has gone. I no longer feel the same sense of belonging and safety that was part of my being Australian. This makes me feel sad and I do not know if I will ever re-gain this feeling of belonging and safety. I also had to leave some of the groups and activities I was eagerly involved with for a number of years due to conflicts and feeling ‘not safe’ there, another sad state of affairs.

With regard to the Palestinians, I always believed in peace and the possibilities of peace, being raised in Israel, peace was always the future vision to which I was educated to strive for. And maybe this is the saddest thing of all – because since October 7 I sincerely lost the hope and faith we can make peace with the Palestinians. I can see that the level of hate is too deep, the denial of the Jewish rights to their home in Israel, the recognition that it was and is a Jewish home well before Arabs set foot on the land, the denial that even though it is a Jewish home we can share it and live side by side, seems too rooted… I think it will take a few generations of re-education within the Palestinians to create space for peace if at all… The death of this hope for peace is the hardest of all for me to cope with… It makes the issue of ‘occupation’ harder to resolve…

On the positive side, my relationship with Israel, although has always been strong, is now stronger. I know without hesitation who I am and where I belong. This is not to say I agree with all the Government is doing – I certainly do not agree with all the actions of the current Government (even though I sincerely feel it is often unfairly and overly criticised), but the people are shining to me brighter than even before. Israel is its people, like all people not perfect, but with lots to admire and look up to regardless of the faults. I love the country’s democracy, the people’s ability and freedom to speak up even in war time.

I am also comforted to see that the relationship between the Jewish people outside of Israel and Israel has strengthened. It is a mutual recognition that we are one, that we need each other, depend on each other, impact each other. Indeed we finally recognise that the Jewish world is inclusive of both.

Another positive change I see is within the Israeli society… Regardless of the division within, I see a greater willingness for communication between Jewish Israelis and Beduin Israelis, Druze Israeli, Arab Israeli (Muslims or Christians – and I do not regard Israeli Arabs as Palestinians, to me they are simply Israelis). I also think the coming to the surface of the rift between Jewish ultra orthodox Israeli and more moderate/or traditional/or conservative Jewish Israelis is a positive thing as it needs to be faced and resolved, likewise with the issue of extreme settlers violence, and other ills that exists. Let us remember that ills exists in every society, what is important is to allow them to be seen however painful it is, only this way can they be attended to. Indeed I see an Israeli people and Jewish people that love their country and are willing to fight for it and to re-create the country we love better and stronger. And so I try to focus on this.

Thank you for this opportunity.