On Passover, Israel, and the scourge of antisemitism

Originally printed in The Spectator on 23 April 2024. Click HERE to read the original.

Passover commemorates the grace of God during the plagues in Egypt, and the exodus from Egypt of generations of Hebrew slaves, oppressed for centuries because of their race and religion.

For thousands of years, the Jewish people have fought for their very existence. Even today, that struggle continues.

On October 7, we saw the most barbaric massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust, in a terror attack that killed over 1,200 innocent Israelis. Since October 7, we have seen antisemitism in the Western world escalate to levels we haven’t seen since the days of Nazi rule throughout Europe.

But what occurred on October 7 and what has taken place since are not new. We have seen the darkness of antisemitism cloud even the most advanced nations, festering in the shadowy recesses of marginalised communities, radical groups, and online.

We saw it in the Passover story, with Jews enslaved in Egypt. We saw it in the medieval persecution of the Jewish people, demonised, defamed, and put to death by those in positions of power. We saw it in the lead-up to and during the Second World War, resulting in the worst crimes against humanity we have ever seen.

And we see it pervading the developed world, as the infection of antisemitism and bitter hate spreads from Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Houthis to the streets of modern Australia.

Just last week, the Islamic Republic of Iran launched the largest ever drone strike and missile attack in history, against a nation just 1 per cent of its size and just 10 per cent of its population. While the Australian government stood back and criticised Israel from the sidelines, ancient foes came together in support of peace and democracy, as the Kingdoms of Jordan and Saudi Arabia joined the US, UK, and allies in defence of Israel.

There is hope and strength when we stand together against the tide of evil. But the Australian government has consistently failed to take a stand at all, or when it has, it has stood against the people of Israel, calling for the enactment of a two-state solution, whilst more than 130 Jewish hostages remain captive in Gaza.

More must be done to stem the tide of antisemitism. And more must be done to protect the people of Israel – our democratic, freedom-loving, innovative partners in the Middle East. This is not ‘a Jewish problem’ – antisemitism is a threat to peace, democracy and liberty everywhere.

As communities come together to celebrate Passover – from the seder table to the boardroom – may we remember the faith, resilience, and achievement of the Jewish people, in the face of most incomprehensible evils.

Rabbi Shimon Raichik said: ‘The message of Passover remains as powerful as ever. Freedom is won not on the battlefield, but in the classroom and the home.’

Author Anita Diamant said that the Passover makes the ‘memory manifest, tangible and solid’. Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel called the Passover ‘a cry against indifference, a cry for compassion’.

This Passover, may we take seriously our responsibility to enliven that memory, wherever we find ourselves. May we choose justice over indifference and compassion over ignorance.

In Exodus 5:1, Moses demanded of the Pharaoh, ‘Let my people go.’ It has been the cry of the Jewish people through thousands of years, and the song of many movements since.

Today, we invoke that same anthem and demand. We call on Hamas to release every single innocent civilian it still holds hostage in Gaza. We call on Iran and their axis of resistance to cease their financing and fomenting of terror. We call on the Australian government and allied nations to speak up, step up and stand up to declare: ‘Let my people go.’