Epic Fury. Roaring Lion. And Purim.

This year, our joyous celebration of Purim was not merely a retelling of ancient history. We were living it. In the very same land of ancient Persia, history echoed once again.
At Central, the celebrations rose to the moment. The costumes were brighter. The singing louder. The Megillah reading more spirited than ever. And each time Haman’s name was drowned out, it carried deeper resonance. Because this year, the story wasn’t distant. It is here and now.
In Israel Purim celebrations took a different turn. In bomb shelters across the country children dressed up as Esther and Mordachai, clutching mishloach manot against reinforced walls. Parents baked hamantaschen, DJ’s blasted music and singers lifted their voices with defiance and joy. There was even a wedding celebrated under fire and an ingenious dating app alerting singles to potential matches within their shelter.
This is the Jewish spirit. Joy, even in the shadow of fear.
And the fear is very real. War is terrifying. Anxiety runs high and every Israeli carries the weight of uncertainty. Yet they also understand the necessity of this moment. Our modern-day Amalek cannot be ignored. Our brave and brilliant soldiers of the IDF stand mobilised and resolute. Our steadfast ally, President Trump projects strength and determination. And across the globe, we pray that the dark threat of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard will finally be dismantled.
Miracles unfold before our eyes. Precision strikes neutralised forty evil masterminds of terror in forty seconds. Breakthrough laser and counter-drone technologies redefine defence capabilities, leaving the world watching in awe.
But the pain of war is very real. We are devastated at the loss of ten of our brothers and sisters in Iran’s indiscriminate attacks on civilians. Our hearts ache for grieving families and we mourn the loss of American servicemen who paid the ultimate price. We pray for civilians. We pray for soldiers. We pray for peace.
It took barely a day for commentators and politicians to cry out about “forever wars” and demand timelines. How long will this take? When will it end? This week’s parsha offers a powerful answer.
In Parsha Ki Tisa, we confront one of the Torah’s lowest moments. Our people have just stood at Sinai. We heard the voice of God. All we need to do is wait for Moshe to return from the mountain. But when he doesn’t come back on our schedule, anxiety overtakes faith. Impatience gives birth to the golden calf.
It’s a timeless lesson in patience. Redemption does not unfold according to our clocks. Victory does not come on demand. Faith requires patience. What appears chaotic may conceal a deeper plan. Behind the scenes, history is moving with purpose. And so must we. We too should move with purpose in our own everyday lives.
How can we join this moment? For starters, we can come to shul tomorrow for a special Friday night service. We will hosting some very special guests – the first responders of December 14. The Bondi lifesavers, paramedics, emergency crews, and volunteers who ran toward danger when our community was under attack.
When we needed them, they ran toward us. Now, we run toward them with enormous gratitude. Please come and show them a warm welcome with a l’chaim at 5:15, Kabbalat Shabbat at 6:00pm, followed by a booked out Shabbat dinner at Central.
See you tomorrow.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Levi and Chanie