Much has been written about the massacre in Sydney at Bondi Beach, but allow me to add my two cents.

When Hamas attacked the Gaza envelope on Oct. 7, 2023, The UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared that what occurred “did not occur in a vacuum.” He was basically saying that it was Israel’s fault.

Rabbi Steve Roth was the founding Rabbi of Congregation Eitz Chaim of Passaic, New Jersey. He is now a resident of Boynton Beach. (Rabbi Steve Roth/Courtesy)

What happened on the first night of Chanukah in Sydney also did not occur in a vacuum. Antisemitism in Australia since Oct. 7, 2023, had reached an unprecedented high. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s recognition of a Palestinian state certainly added fuel to the fire.

It is time for Jews around the world to take stock of what is happening. The night before the attack in Australia, a gunman opened fire in a classroom at Brown University, in a room where a Jewish teacher usually taught. While the authorities have yet to declare this event a hate crime, there is enough to make us concerned.

Just a few days earlier in California, a house that had been decorated with lights celebrating Chanukah was riddled with bullets, with the assailant having been heard to yell anti-Jewish epithets.

The previous week, a Rabbi riding on a bus with his family in England was told to take his children to the gas chambers. The very same night of the attack in Sydney, an anti-Israel protest in Amsterdam took place and turned violent against the local Jewish population.

Then there was the protests outside of the Park East Synagogue just a few days after Zohran Mamdani was elected as the next New York City Mayor. Mamdani’s condemnation was lukewarm at best.

We here in Florida may be insulated because of Governor Ron DeSantis’ relationship with Israel and the local Jewish community. However safe we may feel now, it is only temporary. A new administration that does not feel the way the Governor feels could change everything. It may not be next year or the year after that, but change is inevitable.

I believe that G-D has been sending us messages for the past several decades, and we just aren’t getting it.

There is the joke about the man and the flood. The neighborhood is flooded and the man goes up to his roof to escape the flood waters. A fire truck comes to save him and he says, “I have faith in G-D. He will save me.” Next comes Emergency Medical Services in a rowboat. He again says, ”I have faith in G-D. He will save me.” He is on the roof and a helicopter comes to save him. Again, he says, “I have faith in G-D. He will save me.” Ultimately, he drowns. When he arrives in heaven, he says to G-D, “I had such faith in you, why didn’t you save me?” And G-D says, “I sent you the fire truck, the rowboat and the helicopter.”

As Jews, we have become very comfortable in the diaspora. We have our livelihoods here, our friends and relatives are here. It’s easy to remain where we are. For two thousand years, our prayers were for us to return to Zion and Jerusalem. In every prayer, every day, we yearn for the rebuilding of our ancient home.

For more than 75 years, we have had our homeland returned to us. Israel’s Jewish population today stands at nearly eight million. Slowly, Jewish numbers are returning to pre-war numbers. When will we realize that we are only tolerated by our host nations, and that we truly belong in Israel?

When I tell assimilated Jews and non-Jews that I am going to Israel to visit my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, inevitably the comment I get is: “Aren’t you afraid to go there? There are terror attacks every day, and Israel is always at war.” My response has always been the same: “I feel safer in Israel than I do here.”

My youngest granddaughter, who lives in Israel, has no fear of going out with her friends on Friday night at 11 p.m. My oldest granddaughter, who lives in Teaneck, New Jersey, doesn’t go out after 8 p.m. on any night.

For better or worse, Jews, especially Orthodox Jews, tend to live in insular communities; almost as if we are living in ghettos without walls. For us, it is necessary, since we don’t drive to shul on Shabbat. Yes, we interact socially with our non-Jewish neighbors, but how many times have we thought: Can I count on them if we are attacked? Which of my neighbors would be willing to hide me if necessary?

Some of you who read this may say I am a fatalist. Life is good here in America. Why should I leave? Ask the Jews in France, Australia, England, Germany, Holland, Brazil, Peru, and yes, even Canada, how safe they feel today. How does it feel to go to the synagogue on Shabbat and see it protected by armed security?

Think about the future. Israel is not as isolated as it once was. The world has come to realize that Israel and the Jews are not going away. Let’s make Israel our home. Sooner than later.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Rabbi Steve Roth was the founding Rabbi of Congregation Eitz Chaim of Passaic, New Jersey. Married for more than 50 years to his wife, Fern, they resided in Passaic until 2017 when they moved to Boynton Beach full time. They have three children, 13 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. Rabbi Roth had the privilege of delivering the opening prayer in Congress in 2014. He can be reached at Rabbisteve.oped@gmail.com.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2026/01/06/lets-make-israel-our-home-commentary/