We are One - Connected by Community

Ian Sandler, outgoing President of JCA’ speech , was a powerful reminder of the strength, unity, compassion and resilience of the NSW Jewish community.

Community is not built by proximity.

It is built by showing up.

By caring.

By standing with each other through the good times and the difficult times.

By lifting people up when they need it most.

Over the past year, the Jewish community has faced challenges many of us never imagined possible. Antisemitism moved from the fringes to our streets, our campuses, and even places where we once felt completely safe.

The events following October 7 reminded us that vulnerability can arrive unexpectedly. But they also reminded us of something far more powerful.

Our unity.

We refused to be intimidated.

We refused to disappear.

When our community was challenged, we moved as one.

We debated, as Jews always do. As the saying goes, two Jews, three opinions. Yet when it mattered most, we stood together with courage, compassion, and determination.

That collective response demonstrated who we are and who we have always been.

Through unprecedented collaboration across organisations, leaders, volunteers, donors, and families, we strengthened the bonds that make our community one of the strongest in the world.

The work of JCA and the many organisations it supports is more than an obligation. It is an investment in a future where Jewish life continues to flourish in Sydney and across New South Wales. A future where our children can grow up safely, proudly, and connected to their heritage.

As leaders such as Ian Sandler, David Ossip, Myron Salinger, Alain Hassan, and countless others have demonstrated, the answer to adversity is not fear.

It is strength.

It is generosity.

It is community.

And through it all, one thing has remained constant:

We show up.

It has been an honour to serve alongside so many remarkable people.

Am Yisrael Chai.

In times of unity we a me stronger when we work together - how do we work together 

We need to be one 

Every aspect is as one 

We are one connected by community 

For our Children

There are roughly 14 million souls living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

About 7 million Jews. About 7 million Arabs / Palestinians.

They are not going anywhere.

And until that reality is fully accepted—by both sides—we will remain trapped in an endless cycle of conflict, retaliation, and grief.

The Illusion of Victory

For decades, each side has believed—at different times—that it could “win.”

Win through military strength.

Win through political pressure.

Win through demographic shifts.

Win through force.

But history keeps delivering the same message:

There is no version of this story where one people disappears and the other thrives in peace.

The idea of total victory is not just unrealistic—it is dangerous. Because it justifies everything.

Extremism Is the Real Enemy

There are extremists on both sides. There always have been. There always will be.

But the real danger is not their existence,the real danger is when they gain power.

When extremism moves from the fringes to leadership, something shifts:

• Violence becomes justified
• Dehumanization becomes normalized
• Collective punishment becomes policy
• And morality becomes conditional

What we are witnessing today is not just conflict.

It is the normalisation of behaviour that, in any other context, would be universally condemned. And that should concern all of us.

No Justification for Barbarism

Let’s be clear:

• There is no justification for terrorism.
• There is no justification for targeting civilians.
• There is no justification for revenge-driven violence.
• There is no justification for collective punishment.
• Not from Hamas.
• Not from settlers.
• Not from any government.
• Not from anyone.

If we start making exceptions, we lose the very moral framework that allows societies to function.

The Leadership Vacuum

At the heart of this conflict is not just land.

It is leadership.

Because peace requires something incredibly rare:

Leaders who are willing to care not only for their own people—but for the humanity of the other side.

Leaders who:

• Reject short-term political gain in favor of long-term stability
• Refuse to inflame fear for votes
• Are strong enough to stand up to their own extremists
• And courageous enough to tell hard truths

Right now, that leadership is missing.

On both sides.

A Different Standard

If we are honest, the future will not be decided by ideology alone.

It will be decided by standards.

• What do we tolerate?
• What do we condemn?
• What do we reward?
• What do we normalize?

Because whatever we excuse today… becomes tomorrow’s precedent.

And let’s be clear - we need to build something better for our children and grandchildren

From Survival to Coexistence

The next phase of this region cannot be about survival.

It must be about coexistence.

Not because it’s idealistic—but because it’s the only realistic option.

• Two peoples.
• One land.
• Shared future.

The sooner that is accepted—not politically, but culturally—the sooner the violence begins to lose its grip.

A Call Forward

Peace will not come from slogans.

It will not come from outrage.

And it will not come from one side “defeating” the other.

Peace will come when enough people—on both sides—decide that:

• The other side is not going anywhere
• Their children deserve something better
• And moral lines cannot be crossed, no matter the justification

Until then, the cycle continues.

Let’s Be Clear About What We Want

If we truly want peace, then we must be willing to say:

• We reject extremism—on all sides
• We reject barbarism—without exception
• We demand better leadership
• And we believe coexistence is not weakness—it is strength

Let’s Pray—and Act

Hope alone is not enough. 

But without it, nothing changes.

So yes

let’s pray.

But 

• Let’s also advocate.
• Let’s speak.
• Let’s hold leaders accountable.
• Let’s refuse to normalize what should never be normal.

Because 14 million lives depend on it.

Let’s pray and advocate and act towards this change in our lifetime.