Hopes for Peace

This week we fulfilled our commandment to multiply our joy with the celebration of Purim. It was a joyous day and our students celebrated in true KDS style. However, as we recounted the stories of ancient Persia, our hearts and minds turned to the same region, to contemporary Iran, and the latest iteration of the multi-front war which has seen Israel and the United States take on the Iranian regime. Once again, the citizens of Israel have been racing to bomb shelters as wave after wave of attack occurs.

While Israel possesses one of the most advanced air defence systems in the world, the sheer volume and power of the missile and drone waves means that if even a minute percentage are able to bypass the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow systems, the damage can be catastrophic.

For context, missiles from Iran can travel at speeds of up to Mach 5 which is five times the speed of sound. These can traverse the 1300km between the countries in 12 minutes. The high altitude of the flight paths means that the defensive systems have only a small window in which to act. The sheer size of the missiles means that a direct hit can level many buildings and cause devastating impact.

The cost of this war for Israel’s citizens is immense. However, the prospect of life without the ongoing lethal threat of Iran and its proxies - the former regime in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen - makes many in Israel feel that it is necessary.

It was only two months ago that the Iranian regime slaughtered some thirty thousand of its own citizens in two days. At the time, the Australian Iranian community gathered to protest the bloodshed and to call for international intervention. The tone was grim and angry.

On the weekend I was in Melbourne’s CBD and I saw the rally of thousands of members of the Australian Iranian community. They were again demonstrating against the oppression of the Iranian regime. Among the sea of pre-regime flags were Australian, American and Israeli flags. The joy and gratitude on display was immense as the speakers expressed hope that their prayers for freedom for their families and friends might finally be answered. Alongside expressing thanks to the USA, the crowd were shouting cries of “God bless Israel!” and “Long live Israel!”

As we face another period of anxiety and sleepless nights and worries for friends and families in Israel, we do so with the hope that we will soon see safety for the people of Israel, the gulf states and Iran and instead a new era of peace and cooperation can reign.

May the words of Isaiah 2:4 be fulfilled: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

Shabbat Shalom,

Marc Light, Principal