Think Again - ANZAC day

Probably the most revered day on the Australian Calander is ANZAC Day. It commemorates Australia’s and New Zealand’s heroic War Effort during World War I. The day goes down in folk lore as the day Australia became a nation, the day she found identity. The day she accepted and embraced the values principals of the Democratic way of life. It became the war that defined who we are, the battle for freedom; freedom of race religion gender and equality. Anzac Day became the call for all Western Democracy’s and for Australia’s very own democracy. Over the last few years Anzac Day has become very popular especially amongst the young. It has become a day revered and sacred. A day of reflection something holy and very special. It has become the foundation bedrock of Australian Society. It is the covenant the statement of Rights between the People and Government. It has religious Connotations upholding the principals of a Judeo- Christian Society. History has moved on from the millennia of Jewish Christian enmity and has now emerged throughout the 20th century and through World War 1 to become two closely aligned religions with common ideals values and a common way of life. More than that we see our common future as an alliance of Judeo Christian Values.

Please don’t get me wrong I invite the religion of Islam to join with us in values ethics and principals. I await the day that this can happen.

Lately however I have given thought to the very essence of Anzac Day. I have been prompted by the current Iran US and Israel War.

I perceive Australia’s entry into World War 1 together with Britain not as an alignment of values but as an alignment of family, simply as standing up for family for brothers and sisters helping each other. Australia was England and England was Australia we were deeply entrenched as the British Empire. Britain was our big brother. Britain was family. Britain was who we were and when family are in trouble you go out and fight for each other. I think ANZAC day was and is no more and no less than one family. It is about family loyalty. It is about being there for each other. In the 20th century England and Australia were family. There was no question as to our participation in battle during World War 1. Over 60,000 Australian soldiers were killed for no other reason than family, loyalty to family. If England went to war in 1915, well then, so did Australia. In hindsight no one can ever judge Australia’s justification in the participation of World War 1.

Which is why I am so troubled by Britains nonparticipation in the current War in the Middle east with Iran. If your brother is fighting, then you stand up together in solidarity. If family is hurting, then you raise your hand and your army to assist. We are family and family do one thing, we help each other out. It is surely a sorry site when loyalty stands for nothing it is surely a sorry site when family is betrayed and allowed to flounder, to go it alone. There is perhaps nothing so hurtful. It is sad to see England’s values so eroded that it can’t find it in its heart to stand with the US its family.

Little Isreal lives daily and for the last 70 years under the threat of missiles and rockets aimed at its very heart every moment of the day. That surely is reason enough, it is a Human Rights Red line for England’s participation. Yet England does not stand in solidarity with Israel nor does it stand in solidarity with their US brothers and sisters. England has lost family values and loyalty. England is ready to cut blood ties. The US feels betrayed. Probably they don’t feel betrayed but rather much more disappointed. That is just plain sad. That was the strength and core of ANZAC Day. Loyalty one people one country one nation. It was about forging an Anzac Family. England once knew what family meant. It is a sad day when you lose family. I wish them long Life.

Wishing you all Happy Anzac Day.

Our Synagogue will have a special Anzac Day Ceremony with the recital of the ODE this Shabbat Morning.

I hope you can join us for this moving ANZAC ceremony.

SHAVUOT

Date to Remember: Shavuot - Thursday evening 21st May from 6.00PM

TOPIC:“After Bondi Beach - Where To Now”

1. Rabbi Elozer - where was God, the Theology to pain and suffering2. Chazan Neach - stories of joy from Bondi, post Bondi3. Wilfred Lax Psychologist - coping with trauma4. Miri - Coping with disappointment from the perspective of the Prophet Ruth5. Rivki Koncepolski - giving back to the Bondi Beach Victims

Refreshments: Light Dinner served - special Shavuot Cheese cake and Blintzes - Q&A

As always L’chaim

Praying for the Cease Fire to become a real peace in Israel

See you in shule