I now wear a Magen David

The events of October 7 came as a profound shock to me. A pogrom in Israel in my lifetime. A deliberate targeting of peace builders and young people at a music festival. It shook me to my core.

I have always felt safe and secure in Australia, strong in my sense of identity as a Jew and an Australian and proud of the contribution our community makes to the broader community. As Geoffrey Blainey wrote recently in the Australian, Jews have been present since the first convicts landed on our shores and my family has been here since the later 19th and early 20th century, building businesses, serving as doctors and lawyers and contributing philanthropically.

I was always aware of a mild level of antisemitism bubbling below the surface but rarely experienced it personally. I felt safe in public spaces and at home. I have experienced the backlash towards Israel and the eruption of virulent anti-semitism in Melbourne and around the country in a way that I can only describe as visceral. I no longer take place, safety or security for granted in my birthplace. Something I never ever expected.

In the weeks after October 7, I experienced the targeting of Jews living in Caulfield, though I do not live there myself, the doxing of friends who are artists and academics, a couple of instances of people close to me who are unable to understand the complexity of the conflict and the war who are blindly anti-Israel.

That said, I chose to display my Judaism overtly, something I did not do before – I now wear a Magen David around my neck together with a yellow wristband and sometimes the dog tags inscribed with ‘Bring Them Home”. I have attended Jewish solidarity protests and joined the Ha’Lev choir singing at community events.

As for how I feel about Israel or Palestinians, my attitudes have not really changed. Israel is core to my identify. I have many friends and some family there and I visit regularly. I love the vitality of the people and the country. At the same time I have no respect for the current government.

I have been associated with civil society, peace building and health diplomacy not for profits operating in Israel for over 15 years (NIF au) and I have been a board member and now chair of Rozana Australia for the last four years. I have visited the Ramallah and Hebron and met with Palestinian partners. While the current war has made all our work more difficult, common humanity has meant both Rozana and NIF, not only to continue, but to expand their efforts. After the initial shock, Rozana has been able to adapt and continue all our programs and to engage with new partners and develop new initiatives both in Israel and in Palestine.

Finally, I would like to reflect on what I see as the way forward. In this time of war there is understandably significant hostility between Israelis and Palestinians. That said, there are two peoples living in the land with common aspirations for a good life for their children and themselves, one which is safe, secure and peaceful; in which they exercise citizenship and personal autonomy. Rozana’s work and that of wider civil society groups like NIF demonstrates that cooperation is possible. As a recent Shakaki/Shenkin poll (2024) stated:
“Incentives remain capable of reversing the hardline views producing strong majorities among both sides for a peace package that permanently ends the conflict.”