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A Festival of Light, a Moment of Darkness: Australia’s Bondi Tragedy

Mourners pay a floral tribute to Bondi Beach shooting victims at the Bondi Pavilion in Sydney on Monday (Dec 15). PHOTO: AFP

What should have been a joyful celebration of Hanukkah in Sydney—the Festival of Lights, a time to honor religious freedom and the victory of hope over oppression—turned into a horrific scene of violence that has reverberated not just through Australia, but across Jewish communities around the globe.

Fifteen lives have been lost. A 10-year-old girl named Matilda, who came to the beach with her family to celebrate. Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who just two months ago welcomed his fifth child into the world and dedicated 18 years to serving Bondi’s Jewish community. Alex Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor who had endured the horrors of the camps only to fall victim to hatred’s bullet decades later on an Australian beach. Dozens more are injured. Hundreds are left traumatized. A community forever altered.

The details are still unfolding, but some truths are already crystal clear. This was a calculated, deliberate terrorist attack on Jewish Australians gathered for a religious celebration. The attackers—a father and son—positioned themselves on a bridge overlooking Archer Park, where over a thousand people had gathered for “Chanukah by the Sea.” They fired indiscriminately into crowds of families with long guns. They brought makeshift explosive devices. They chose the first night of Hanukkah, they chose a public Jewish gathering, and they chose violence.

The Writing Was on the Wall

What makes this attack particularly haunting is that it was something we could see coming. It wasn’t a matter of fate, but rather a predictable outcome.

Australia has been grappling with a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents. In 2024 alone, the nation reported 1,713 antisemitic acts—the highest per-capita increase in the world, right alongside Italy. We’ve seen synagogues firebombed and Jewish businesses targeted with arson. Just imagine, Melbourne’s Adass Israel Synagogue was set on fire during Shabbat services.

The Jewish community has been sounding the alarm, urgently calling for stronger measures. They’ve expressed their fears, warning that the dangerous rhetoric is escalating, with antisemitism shifting from protests to outright violence. Despite the Australian government appointing special envoys to tackle the rising tide of hate, forming committees, and making statements, the attacks have persisted.

The haunting question isn’t whether this could have been completely prevented—no society can eliminate all risks—but rather if enough was done. When a community voices their fears, when synagogues are under attack, and hate crimes are on the rise, can we truly say the response is sufficient if another attack occurs? The grieving families of Bondi Beach deserve a straightforward answer.

How Vague Condemnations Fail the Victims

In the wake of recent events, we’ve witnessed the expected wave of international reactions. Some leaders were refreshingly straightforward—like France’s Emmanuel Macron, who called it “an antisemitic terrorist attack” without hesitation. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also stepped up, condemning antisemitism in no uncertain terms.

However, others took a more frustratingly vague approach, with initial comments from some leaders referring to “distressing scenes” without specifying who was affected or the reasons behind it. This is significant. When political figures shy away from explicitly naming antisemitism, offering only generic condolences about “violence” without acknowledging that Jews were the targets, they contribute to the erasure of Jewish suffering.

It’s not enough to express being “shocked” or “saddened.” Terrorism is calculated, and hate is specific. Our responses need to reflect that clarity. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has faced particularly harsh criticism. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar pointed out the years of “antisemitic rampage in the streets of Australia,” highlighting chants like “Globalize the Intifada” that, in his opinion, fostered an environment where such an attack could occur.

Local Jewish leaders share this frustration, noting that despite warnings after previous incidents, the situation has only escalated.

A Story Terror Could Not Silence

In the midst of all the horror, one story truly stands out. Ahmed al-Ahmed, who runs a fruit stand, heard the gunfire and made a split-second choice. Instead of running away, he charged at one of the gunmen, tackled him, and managed to wrestle the weapon away. He was shot twice—once in the hand and once in the head—but he survived. His brave actions likely saved lives.

There’s a powerful message here. A Muslim man putting everything on the line to protect Jewish families. In a moment meant to tear communities apart and spread fear and hatred, al-Ahmed represented something far more important: our shared humanity. His bravery challenges the terrorists’ ideology and serves as a reminder that most people, when faced with evil, choose to act with decency. We need more of this kind of courage. Not just the dramatic heroism—though we should definitely honor that—but also the everyday decisions to stand by our vulnerable neighbors, to reject the toxic notion that some lives are worth less than others, and to turn away from the idea of collective blame.

Pakistan Expresses Solidarity

Pakistan’s leadership responded, showing their support for the victims and firmly condemning the attack on the Jewish community. President Asif Ali Zardari expressed his deep sorrow for the lives lost, extended heartfelt condolences to the families affected, and wished a swift recovery for those injured.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed these sentiments, affirming that Pakistan denounces terrorism in all its forms, no matter where it happens or who it impacts.

These statements hold significant weight, especially considering Pakistan’s own painful history with extremist violence. By openly expressing solidarity and unequivocally denouncing the attack, Islamabad emphasized a crucial principle: that terrorism directed at religious communities is an attack on our shared human values, not just a localized issue.

What Hanukkah Teaches About This Moment

The timing of this attack is steeped in bitter irony. Hanukkah is a time when the Jewish community reflects on their resilience against those who tried to erase their faith and identity. It marks the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after it was desecrated, celebrating the miracle of light that endured when it seemed impossible.

At its core, this holiday embodies the spirit of standing strong against oppression. Rabbi Schlanger recognized this truth. Last year, as antisemitism surged in Australia, he shared a video of himself joyfully dancing and celebrating Hanukkah, proclaiming that lighting menorahs was “the best response to antisemitism.” Just two months before his tragic death, he penned an open letter urging the prime minister to take more decisive action.

He continued to serve his community, organized public celebrations, and lit candles with unwavering dedication. Now, he is no longer with us, but the menorahs continue to shine. Across Australia and around the globe, Jewish communities lit their Hanukkah candles.

Some may argue that public celebrations should be toned down for safety reasons. That fear is understandable. But if Jews are forced to conceal their identity to feel safe, if they cannot gather to celebrate their faith without the looming threat of violence, then the terrorists have already won without firing a single shot.

Lighting Candles in the Darkness

There’s a lot of wisdom to be found in this moment. We can’t change what happened at Bondi Beach. We can’t bring back those who were murdered or restore the innocence of those who were traumatized. But we do have a choice in how we respond to the darkness.

We can choose to bring in the light. This means holding perpetrators accountable, protecting our communities, and confronting hate in all its forms. It means standing by our vulnerable neighbors and refusing to let fear dictate whether people can celebrate their identities openly.

In the end, this is a wake-up call that Australia simply can’t ignore. For the Jewish community around the world, it’s yet another painful chapter in a long story of resilience—Boulder, Manchester, Washington, and now Sydney. As Ted Deutch from the AJC said, we’ll mourn tonight as we light the first candle, but we’ll also celebrate the miracle of the Jewish people. CAM is urging everyone not to cancel Hanukkah events; if we hide, the terrorists win.

Governments around the world need to tackle antisemitism at its roots—through education, strict enforcement, and a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech disguised as politics. For the families who are grieving today, and for kids like Matilda who will never light another candle, we owe them action. Light over darkness? It’s time to turn that into more than just a slogan.

About the Author
Junaid Qaiser is a writer and peace activist, renowned for his advocacy of the Abraham Accords. He is the author of "Trump’s Historic Peace Deal: Abraham Accords and the Road to Nobel Recognition". As a proponent of Middle Eastern peace, Qaiser explores diplomatic breakthroughs and their global implications.
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