Shock and grief gripped Australia's Jewish community after at least ten people were murdered by terrorists at a Chabad Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach in Sydney, the country's largest city and a major Jewish center.
Dr. Danny Lam, president of the Mizrachi movement in Australia, told Israel Hayom, "The community here is in complete shock. This is not something we thought could happen. Things like this have never happened in Australia. My children were at the event and left half an hour before the shooting started. People here are in terrible fear. They're hiding in their homes because no one knows if there are more accomplices to the terrorists."
Lam addressed the political situation in Australia, saying, "Prime Minister Albanese did nothing to prevent such an event. We saw the incidents surrounding the synagogue arson, but they learned nothing from it. The courts are not using existing law to prevent cases of antisemitism and terror, and the police are not taking the threat seriously enough. Right now, there's no understanding of the severity of the event, but I'm sure now something will change, hopefully sufficiently."
Chaim Levy, a Sydney resident, was present at the scene and survived the massacre. He told Israel Hayom, "We were there in complete shock. I was with my wife and two children, and we fled for our lives. I saw the bullets flying in every direction. I sat behind a car for 20 minutes with my child, waiting for the shooting to stop. It was non-stop shooting, and many casualties. According to testimonies, there were only about four police officers there."
Levy knew the murdered Chabad emissary, Rabbi Eli Shlanger, and eulogized him: "We knew Rabbi Eli well, son-in-law of Rabbi Ullman. A brilliant and amazing young man, all light and giving. I saw him 30 seconds before the incident. He was the driving force behind the Chabad house, ran the events, and brought tremendous energy with him. Just a year or two ago, they opened a new Chabad house, and he was an integral part of the Sydney community. We are stunned and broken; he has a baby only three weeks old."
Levy blamed the Australian government for the massacre's occurrence: "It's hard to believe we're in this situation, and why did it happen? We're pointing an accusing finger at the Australian government, at the prime minister and the foreign minister. They're inflaming the rhetoric and the mood on the street. We've never seen things like this here – antisemitic demonstrations and abandoning Jews. The situation has set us back years. The prime minister doesn't address Jews and doesn't take responsibility. This is an event whose writing was on the wall. We spoke to everyone, but for two years now, no one cares. This event could have been prevented if the government had intervened. We demand to live in security, and someone will have to be held accountable and do soul-searching," Levy said.
"Our blood has been declared fair game"
M, a Jewish resident of Sydney, told Israel Hayom: "This is an area where all the wealthy Jews in the city live. I myself planned to go with a friend to the party, but in the end we gave up. The reports from there are about a terrible event. I'm not surprised by what's happening. Since Anthony Albanese came to power, there has been a dramatic change not only in the attitude toward Israel but also in the attitude toward Jews here. Today, there is an atmosphere of antisemitism at a level I don't remember. The feeling is that our blood has been declared fair game. I feel very bad here, and that there is no future for the Jewish community here. The prime minister simply promotes such anti-Israel and anti-Jewish policy that antisemitism is rampant here and Islamic terror forces feel it's easy to murder Jews here," M' said.
Chaya Shir, who lives in Australia, told Galei Tzahal that "I live 5 minutes from Bondi Beach. Right now, no one is going out. Lockdown in the restaurant and entertainment area. I'm glued to the television. I considered going to the event, and I'm happy I'm not there. Sorry for all the young families, children who experienced trauma. The whole community is very shaken. My heart is with all the families. This is very unusual; they always ask if there's antisemitism here, and I always answer that it's less terrible than in Europe. But the escalation is very high. Waiting for the authorities' responses, every such event is a stain on the leadership. Know they have a supportive agenda of the other side, but don't think they're against Israel until today, I felt comfortable going to community events too early to speak about the future."
The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) issued a statement linking the attack to unchecked incitement.
"Unfortunately, the writing was on the wall. Over the last few years, Australia has turned from a paradise to a nightmare for parts of the Jewish community. Synagogues were burned, Jews were attacked and harassed on the streets, and now they have been targeted for murder at a public religious event," CEO Roytman Dratwa said, according to CAM. The CEO further remarked, "The Australian government has allowed far too much Antisemitism to pass in the public sphere, including incendiary expressions of anti-Israel rhetoric, and this has made the situation extremely volatile. Some might have read this as permission to hunt Jews openly in broad daylight as we see today."
The organization's press release noted, "We call on the Australian authorities to not just hunt down all those involved but take a far stronger stance against incitement against Jews in all of its forms, from the far-Left, the far-Right and Islamist preachers. The moment for action has long passed." CAM also requested that global figures not misinterpret the implications of the tragedy.
"We also know that there will be a reflex to cancel Chanukah lighting events around the world. This is wrong and sends a message to the Jewish community that you can not be protected and must hide," Roytman Dratwa said, per the statement. He added, "We call on leaders around the world, along with law enforcement agencies, to ensure that the annual celebratory Chanukah lighting events continue with adequate protection and the support and attendance for all, Jews and non-Jews alike"
Yaakov Hershkovitz contributed to the preparation of this report.
