On Sunday, an attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, resulted in 16 fatalities, including a 10-year-old girl and a Holocaust survivor. Forty individuals, including two police officers, sustained injuries. This event occurred during the period of Hanukkah celebrations globally and has influenced observances in Israel.
Hanukkah Celebrations in Tel Aviv
In Tel Aviv, Israel, Rabbi Shaul Reizes of the Orthodox Jewish Chabad movement conducted a public menorah lighting ceremony at Habima Square. Reizes stated that the actions of the assailants at Bondi Beach would not deter their mission to 'bring more lights to the world.'
Public Hanukkah activities in Tel Aviv have resumed this year after a period of cancellations, which included disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and events following October 7, 2023. Residents like Alice Eldar expressed appreciation for the return of public ceremonies and the availability of traditional holiday items.
Perceptions of Safety and Antisemitism
Eldar, who resides in Israel and is raising her children in the Jewish tradition, noted an increase in what she described as 'antisemitic attacks and this sentiment of intense hatred of Jewish people again.'
While some Jewish individuals globally, including in Australia and the United States, report feeling increasingly vulnerable despite enhanced security measures at institutions, many Jews in Israel express a greater sense of security within a country where Judaism is the majority faith. This perspective sometimes contrasts with the absence of armed security at certain Israeli religious sites.
The Bondi Beach attack has also impacted international travel perceptions. Raz Kahlon, 28, stated that the incident altered his previous aspiration to visit Sydney for its beach culture.
Vigil and Australian Perspectives in Israel
A vigil was conducted at Frishman Beach in Tel Aviv to commemorate the victims of the Sydney attack. Attendees lit memorial candles and performed a prayer.
Ben Freeman, an Australian who relocated to Israel, stated he experienced antisemitism in Australia and that a rise in threats and violence against Jewish individuals and institutions contributed to his decision to move. Freeman attributed responsibility for the rise in antisemitism to the Australian government's response to the October 7, 2023, events. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also stated that Australia's government 'did nothing to stop the spread of antisemitism' and that its decision to recognize a Palestinian state 'pours fuel on the antisemitic fire.'
Eli Parkes, who moved to Israel a decade ago, stated that many Australian Jews are descendants of Holocaust survivors who sought refuge from antisemitism. Parkes noted that recent years have demonstrated that this perception of complete escape from antisemitism 'isn't quite true.'