00:02Well, I was very fortunate to have a long call with Abdullah yesterday and to really
00:06talk about his experiences and by the end of it, we were both in tears.
00:11It was an incredibly emotional conversation.
00:14Abdullah is really the best of humanity, you know.
00:17He leapt into a very, very frightening and life-threatening situation and we talked about
00:23survivor guilt, which he's experiencing a lot of.
00:27You know, people in his situation had to make really hard decisions about who they helped
00:33and when he arrived there, he saw two people face down, one of whom had kids and he had
00:40to make an assessment about who he thought he could offer the most help to and that's
00:45something he's really struggling with.
00:48But he spoke to me with compassion and love for the victims and survivors and we talked
00:53at length.
00:54I obviously had to verify his story and check that he was in fact there and that was a difficult
01:00thing to go through as well because, you know, he's got such painful memories of that day.
01:07But we had a very warm and compassionate discussion.
01:11And how much do his actions mean to the Jewish community?
01:16I mean, it's hard for me not to get emotional talking about this, but speaking to Abdullah
01:21and learning about his life and his family and the risk he took that day, I can't really
01:27put into words how much it means to know that there are people in our general community who
01:32would do something like that.
01:34And, you know, he's a great person, he embodies Australian values, he comes from a close-knit
01:41family, he comes from a big city, he's studying the same degree I studied, he's at UNSW doing law
01:47and he just wants to make a difference.
01:50You know, his ambition is to work in legal work, human rights, international relations,
01:55and he was prepared to give all of that up that day.
01:59You know, he went there and he was prepared to take a bullet.
02:02And so you're a lawyer yourself and so you have offered to work with him on this?
02:09I've offered any support that I can give, you know, I think it's really important that
02:15we as a community wrap our arms around those sorts of people who have shown that they genuinely
02:22care about their fellow humans and will do anything to help them.
02:26So, yes, I've got experience working with refugees and I'm happy to help him and I know that
02:32the ECHA also, you know, is very supportive of Abdullah and all the people that came to the aid of
02:39the victims and survivors that day.
02:42Yeah, so he's been here on a student visa, but that visa laxed while he was dealing with
02:47the trauma from what he went through on the night of the attack.
02:52And now there's a bit of uncertainty is there for him and what can you do for him?
02:56I think there is real uncertainty.
02:58I mean, it's always a precarious situation being on a student visa in Australia and particularly
03:03with what he's gone through and he's so evidently traumatised.
03:07I mean, he's really struggling and, you know, it's a very intense degree and he's quite near
03:12the end of it as well.
03:13So for him to have this uncertainty now about whether he can remain and finish it, he's devoted
03:19eight years of his life to his studies and he just really needs to complete those
03:24and, you know, go on to have a successful career and continue to make a difference.
03:30And so what are you doing on his behalf then?
03:33You're calling on the government to grant him a permanent visa.
03:36Are you making contact with the minister?
03:39Well, absolutely.
03:40We will be making contact with the minister.
03:42We'll be writing a letter to support that.
03:44And obviously we're doing some outreach as well to different sections of the community.
03:50And Abdullah has asked if his message of love for the people that he interacted with that night
03:56can be passed on as well.
03:57So we've been working with trusted, trauma-informed people to try and get that message across to
04:03the people whom he helped or came across that night.
04:06And what does this highlight about the ongoing trauma from what happened that night, but also
04:13the connections being made with people and the healing process that is taking place?
04:21I mean, I think we saw the very worst of humanity that night, but we also saw the very best.
04:28And I think that the connections that were formed will last a lifetime.
04:33And unfortunately, the painful memories as well, and the loss and the suffering.
04:39But, you know, meeting someone like Abdullah, I think for people like me and for our community,
04:43really gives us a sense of solidarity and helps us know that we're not alone.
04:48And that lots of Australians and lots of people from overseas as well,
04:51support us and are doing everything they can to help.
04:54And we're so grateful for that.
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