Cancel Hate, Not Jews

At a time when Australia’s political relationship with Israel has sunk to new lows, one truth stands firm: Israel remains a beacon of resilience, and courage, a nation that refuses to bend to hate or fear. Here in Melbourne, the Jewish community mirrors that same strength: proud, unbroken, and deeply connected to our people everywhere. No cancellation, no policy, no hostility will ever sever that bond. Our spirit outlasts politics, always has, always will.

History reminds us that struggle is never permanent, but identity is. Jewish life in Australia endures, because what is eternal cannot be erased. For Australian Jews, Israel is not distant, it is family. And family always stands together.

As we approach two years since October 7, we invite the community to come together.

October 7 was Shabbat, the seventh day of the week, the seventh day of Sukkot, and the last day of the world we once knew. Two years on, we gather for a unique tekes — not a performance and not a ceremony, but a ritual of seven stages, echoing the flow of a Shabbat dinner. Through story, song, testimony, and silence, we will move together through grief and memory toward the fragile beginnings of healing.

Shabbat Shalom