Seeing people fleeing in fear from a shooting at an Australian beach is something we never imagined we'd ever witness.
At least 16 people have been killed and 29 injured at Sydney’s Bondi Beach in what authorities have declared a terrorist incident. At the time, the public lighting of the first candle for the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah was taking place nearby. The Sydney suburb of Bondi is home to one of Australia’s longest-established Jewish communities.
Mass shootings are extremely rare in Australia. Strong gun ownership and purchasing laws have long protected us from the kinds of violence we often associate with "elsewhere". Many Australians instinctively think that mass shootings could never happen here...
until it did.
What makes this tragedy hit even harder is the location. The Australian identity is built around being "laid-back" and "easy-going", and nowhere embodies that more than our beaches. They’re free, accessible and a place where Aussies of every background, culture and walk of life can and do hang out. And the most iconic beach in Australia is Bondi, so that hurts even more.
Lighting the Hanukkah candles is a cherished tradition in my household. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival deeply connected to peace, symbolising resilience, a hope for harmony and triumph over oppression. In light of what's happened in Bondi, those meanings are greater than ever.
My deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of the victims of this senseless tragedy. May their memories be a blessing.
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