Hearing the news in Antarctica

Bad news travels fast and travels far. Very soon after the horrible event on Bondi Beach I had news of it in Antarctica and was absolutely gutted. There are a few Jewish people on board the Sylvia Earle, in fact many more than I might have imagined and some of them from the Eastern suburbs of Bondi with family within ear shot of Bondi Beach.

Needless to say, there was a lot of emotion among those of us who were touched by the events. The ship leaders allowed us to occupy the library last night for a gathering which took the form of a  Hannukah candle lighting. We made a human Hannukiah, with three people lighting up their head torches as we said the brochot appropriate to the celebration.

It was an opportunity to talk with each other and, as non-Jewish people were also invited to participate if they wished, we found it heart warming to also receive their support and sympathy. We cried together and we laughed together as we gambled with dreidels and Hannukah gelt and told the story of Hannukah.

So many expressed their gratitude for being able to come together with other Jewish people to talk about their feelings, their past experiences, and be a small, close, impermanent community on board this voyage. Regretfully, I took no photos. It was a time of feeling.