Magen Inon, a peace activist whose parents were murdered on 7 October, spoke to an appreciative audience of 75 people at Mosaic Jewish Community.
Magen, a former teacher with a large extended family in Israel, described his childhood home and the rich community – of Jews and non-Jews – which his parents helped to build on Netiv Ha’Asara, on the Gaza border.
Alongside moving images of better times, Magen described in devastating terms the trauma of that community’s invasion and his parents’ murder.
Magen described how, since then, his family have refused to allow their trauma to be manipulated by those seeking revenge.
He emphasised that “between the river and the sea today” there are some 7 million Jews and 7 million Palestinians. Since “neither are going anywhere”, he argued, finding paths towards respectful co-existence presents the only possible future.
Magen insists that the cultivation of moderate voices is a precondition for peace, which he continues to believe is “inevitable” despite today’s “bleak situation”. The audience, of members of Mosaic and neighbouring synagogues, responded with admiration and gratitude to Magen’s story of striving for peace.
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