Thought of the week: 17 December 2015 (Rabbi Maurice Michaels)

Written by Writings & Sermons by others — 16 December 2015

We are fast approaching the end of 2015 and the world looks very different now than it did a year ago. From whichever perspective we use things have changed dramatically. Internationally, we see a whole range of new coalitions, all with the primary purpose of eliminating Daesh. which somehow has managed the remarkable feat of bringing together by dint of their beheadings and other atrocities, including the bombings in Paris and the bringing down of a Russian airliner, as wide-ranging a group as the Chinese, Japanese, Russians, Americans, British, French, and Jordanians. In the last few days, a coalition of nearly 40 Sunni Muslim states, led by Saudi Arabia, have committed to destroy Daesh. It is not yet clear whether Shi’ite Muslims will similarly be so explicit – at the moment, the Iranian-led grouping is more concerned with keeping Bashir al Assad on the Syrian throne.

Economically, the Chinese and other Asian countries, whose achievements have enabled the world economy to grow during the past few years, have seen their growth slowing, their demand for oil reducing and yet oil prices remaining low, as Saudi Arabia and OPEC maintain production levels. As a result, the anticipated implosion of the euro has not occurred and that currency ends the year stronger against the dollar and sterling than it started.

The talks in Paris have ended with a greater understanding by both the developed and developing countries of their obligations and elicited more positive targets towards a reduction in carbon levels, so as to ensure that global warming and the threat to the environment that it brings is kept at least under control. Of course, there are those who feel that the commitments don’t go far enough and are too late, but all and every step forward has to be encouraged and applauded.

Perhaps the most obvious, and potentially the most dangerous, change has been in the substantially increased numbers of refugees coming from Syria and elsewhere in the Middle East and Africa into Europe. Countries which have traditionally been welcoming to refugees are finding the increase both financially and socially unsustainable, while other countries have virtually closed their borders. Germany alone has taken in 1 million people, but is now finding a backlash from its indigenous population difficult to ignore, with the likely result of fewer refugees in 2016. The UK has been far less generous with its offer to take in 20,000 refugees from Syria over a five-year period. Yet even that has created some opposition.

National politics has seen a major shift to the right with political parties such as the National Front in France, Jobbik in Hungary and UKIP here significantly increasing their share of the popular vote as they increase the volume of their rhetoric. In America, presidential candidates have jumped on a similar band wagon and look to be making inroads in the popularity of more mainstream politicians, indeed there is a remarkable move away from politicians.

Of course, all of the above are global issues over which we as individuals have very little control and it is all too easy to just sit back and say what can we do. And the truth is, there is little we can do on these issues. However it is precisely because the world is in such turmoil that we need to do our bit to at least bring a bit of stability. And this means holding onto and implementing the values we hold dear. It means making sure that we play our part in providing a better life for those around us; those who may be in need of support, who may be facing sickness or loneliness, who may just be in need of a kind word, or who may wonder where the next meal is coming from. I know we all lead busy lives but we have to make some time for others. I recall an old aphorism: ‘it’s nice to be important but it’s more important to be nice.’

With good wishes for 2016.