When “Never Again” happens again

One of the fun things about growing up with grandparents who survived WWII was imitating their European accent. In fact, most of my friends in Sydney, Australia had grandparents who had either survived or escaped the Holocaust and made it Australia to start a new life.

And even though they spoke funny, their words spoke of resilience, bravery and the pain of losing parents, brothers and sisters in the most inhumane and cruel ways. At school, we listened to testimonies from countless survivors who witnessed these atrocities with their own eyes. At birthday parties, communal events and at synagogue, we’d mingle with relatives and their friends, whose fading numbers tattooed on their arms at Auschwitz, were still clearly legible. My late grandmother’s friend who is today 101, still has one. Yet the message was clear. It wouldn’t and couldn’t happen again.

But, just over a week ago, it did.

The only difference between 1930s Germany and 2023 is that today, we have a strong, if imperfect State of Israel and an army to protect us.

Last week, when Hamas broke through the barrier that was built to keep them out, the only objective they had was to kill. Yet they only made it so far. And despite their hours-long murderous rampage, unlike during the Holocaust, a Jewish army caught up with them and stopped them in their tracks.

Instead of more terrorists flooding through and making their way to towns and cities across Israel, their campaign was shut down. Still, even as I write this, behind that breached barrier, countless more lie waiting, bidding time until they can try again.

My grandparents are no longer with us. If they were, they’d undoubtedly be besides themselves with worry. Thinking of us running to shelters under the threat of rockets would probably bring back memories of the traumas they suffered in Europe. But even though they were concerned when I moved here, they supported me and took great pride in the life I built. They cherished their Israeli great-grandchildren who still continue the tradition of saying some of the funny things they used to say.

To secure and protect that generation, we have to be more than just strong. Hamas have no interest in their people living next to my family, side-by-side, in peace. Their objective is to exploit our weaknesses so they can kill, maim and destroy. If it was them on the other side of your fence, what would you do?