The Sydney Terror Attack: Ten Urgent Reflections
Evil has, once again, reared its ugly head.
Just hours ago, at a Chanukah celebration in Sydney, Australia, Jews were attacked simply for being Jews. A holiday that celebrates spiritual victory over darkness was desecrated by terror.
How does a free world respond when Jews are targeted for lighting a menorah? How do parents explain to their children that celebrating Judaism now requires courage? And how can we ensure that this darkness does not continue to spread?
I do not claim to have all the answers. But here are ten humble yet urgent lessons:
- Evil Thrives When Good People Stay Silent
History has taught us this lesson repeatedly: when good people remain silent, evil advances. In the words of Albert Einstein: “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.”
Where are the protests when Jews are attacked? Where are the marches when Jewish students are chased off campuses? Where were the voices of outrage on October 7th? And where are they now?
Silence is not neutral; it is a side. Chanukah teaches that darkness can only be fought with the courage to kindle the flames of truth. This moment demands that moral people, Jews and non-Jews alike, become Chanukah candles and speak up clearly, publicly, and unapologetically.
- Verbal Violence Fuels Physical Terror
This attack did not begin last night. It was preceded by years of antisemitic and poisonous rhetoric on news programs, podcasts, and social media outlets, in Australia and across the world. Just here in the United States, antisemites on both the radical left and the radical right also spread their venom daily, and demonize Jews, justify hatred, and normalize the unthinkable.
Words create climates. Climates produce actions. And when the climate is one of hatred, violence and terror eventually follow. In the words of a wise man: ““Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
3. Anti-Zionism Is Antisemitism. Period.
We see it clearly in the streets of Sydney, Australia, and even here, in Scottsdale, Arizona, where I live. Protests cloaked as “political activism” in which people chant slogans calling for the destruction of the Jewish state must be eradicated. “From the river to the sea” or “Free, Free Palestine” are not pleas for coexistence. They are a genocidal call for the extermination of Jews.
Don’t get me wrong: criticizing Israeli policy is legitimate. But denying Israel’s right to exist is nothing but the lowest form of disgusting antisemitism. And it must be confronted legally and honestly, with all our might and courage.
4. Jewish Blood Is Not Cheap
We witnessed this with horrifying clarity on October 7th.
When international bodies, such as the United Nations, contextualized the slaughter of innocent Jews or refused to recognize the mass rape of Jews, they sent a devastating message: Jewish suffering is negotiable.
But no: Jewish blood is no less sacred than any other. Every attempt to explain away Jewish murder desecrates humanity itself and our Creator.
5. This Fight Is Everyone’s Fight
Martin Niemöller said it best: “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me…”
Indeed, hatred that begins with Jews never ends with Jews. Thus, this is not only a Jewish fight. It is everybody’s fight, for truth, for freedom, and for civilization itself.
6. Security Is a Moral Obligation… and It Must Be Funded
Unfortunately, in our day and age, protecting Jewish life is not optional. Every synagogue, school, community center, and Jewish institution must immediately strengthen security. And all branches of government, local, state, and federal, along with federations and philanthropic institutions, must fully fund it.
This is not fear. It is vigilance and responsibility. The Maccabees prayed, but they also prepared. And so must we.
7. This Is Not Just a Physical War.
This war of terror that is thrust upon us cannot be fought with weapons alone. Terror seeks not only to murder the Jew, but it also wishes to extinguish his spirit, his pride, and his purpose.
Our response must therefore also be spiritual and decisive. Let us take upon ourselves more Mitzvahs, more Torah study, more prayer, more acts of goodness and kindness, and more visible deeds of Jewish pride.
The light of every mitzvah pushes back darkness. As the Alter Rebbe teaches: “A little bit of light expels a lot of darkness…”
8. This Chanukah, Be More Joyful Than Ever
Terror seeks to crush joy. And so, on this Chanukah, let us do the opposite and rejoice more than ever before.
Light your Menorahs and sing the Chanukah songs louder. Play dreidel with your children. Share your sufganiyot donuts with your loved ones and neighbors.
For Jewish joy has never been escapism. Rather, it is always our most significant act of defiance.
9. Teach Our Children That Being Jewish Is a Privilege
Once, Jews would say: “Shver tzu zayn a Yid – it’s hard to be a Jew”. But that is the wrong message. Yes, it may be hard to be a Jew. But it is also a great privilege, as Judaism infuses our lives with meaning, responsibility, and divine purpose.
That is what we must teach our children. Judaism is not a burden. It is the greatest blessing.
10. If Jews Lit Candles in Utter Darkness, We Must Light Them Everywhere
As I watched the recently released footage of “The Beautiful Six” hostages lighting Chanukah candles in a Hamas tunnel in Gaza, I could not help but think: If six holy captives, trapped underground, starved, wounded, and facing imminent death, could still kindle the Chanukah lights, then every Jew living free today must light Chanukah candles this year.
Indeed, when Jews are attacked in Australia or in Israel, the most powerful answer is not retreat. It is light. More light. Louder light. Brighter light.
There is no more Jewish response to terror than that. And thus, please join me with the following actions of light:
- Invite others to your Chanukah lightings, especially Jews who may feel hesitant or alone.
- If you have extra menorahs, give them away.
- Take upon yourself a new mitzvah to increase holiness and banish this darkness. You can choose your mitzvah here: onemitzvah.org
- Join your community’s Chanukah lightings. If you’re in Scottsdale, please join us tonight at 4pm for our Chanukah celebration at Congregation Beth Tefillah.
- Pray for those injured in the Sydney terror attack and for peace in our world. (Suggested Psalms are 13, 20, 23, 121, 142)
May our words and actions of light join the lights of our Chanukah candle, expel the darkness of our world, and usher in an era of lasting peace and redemption, speedily. Amen.
