‘A conflict of heart and mind’: Jewish communities celebrate ceasefire but remain wary

More than a year of false hopes and heartbreak has left Australian Jewish communities cautious but relieved following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Jewish leaders (from left) Rabbi Levi Wolff, Rabbi Benjamin Elton and Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion have reacted with relief but caution to the ceasefire.

More than a year of false hopes and heartbreak has left Australian Jewish communities cautious but relieved following the Thursday announcement of a ceasefire between Israeli and Hamas forces.

According to reports two American hostages are expected to be released in the first phase of the peace deal, with Qatar confirming the truce would begin on Sunday.

Rabbi Levi Wolff of the Central Synagogue in Sydney said the announcement represented a conflict of mind and heart for Jewish communities but unity was essential in order to move forward.

“The brain says: Terrible deal. The heart says: Rejoice – they’re finally coming home,” Rabbi Wolff said in a message to his community.

“But as one united Jewish community, we cannot allow our hearts and minds to collide. In this rare instance, let us agree on one thing: we all want our hostages home. We must rise above our differences of opinion and show unwavering support for Israel, especially when the world has turned its back on us. Despite our different views, we can agree that only when the hostages are safely home can the process of national healing truly begin.”

Rabbi Benjamin Elton of the Great Synagogue shared the sentiment, saying it was an “enormous relief” that at least some of the hostages would be coming home, adding that there would be no confidence until all the hostages were safe.

“I don’t think anybody will be confident until everybody is back home and accounted for,” he said. “There’s always a level of anxiety and scepticism, and hope that it won’t fall through at the last minute. So no one’s going to be completely relieved until the process of bringing hostages home has concluded.”

The ceasefire announcement comes as Australia reels at a surge in anti-Jewish attacks, with three synagogues in Sydney alone recently targeted with anti-Semitic graffiti.

Rabbi Elton said that although he had no doubt of Premier Chris Minns’s commitment, a change in strategy was needed to meaningfully address the issue.

“Objectively, whatever has been done so far hasn’t worked. So he has to try new and different things, and a more intense application of the methods he’s already attempted to do it with. I believe this problem can be solved. It’s just a matter of finding the correct methodology for doing so, and I urge him to keep on looking for it.”

Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion said the Australian Jewish community is “greatly relieved”.

“For the past 15 months, we have watched in dismay as civilian hostages have been held and used as a bargaining chip to achieve Hamas’s evil ends,” he said.

“We congratulate the Israeli government for achieving a ceasefire and we hope and fervently pray that the deal will stick and the hostages will be returned.

“There is still the question of Hamas control of Gaza, which will need to be dealt with if the Palestinians are to have any chance of self-determination in the Gaza Strip.

“For now, however, we are pleased to see a resolution and we hope that this difficult war will soon come to a permanent end with peace for all peoples of the region.”

The ceasefire will have three stages: an initial withdrawal of Israeli forces, with three hostages released straight away and the remainder over the following six weeks, an eventual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza completely, and a final stage in which reconstruction of Gaza can begin, aid can be delivered and border crossings opened.