An Australia We Do Not Recognise.
This week, Australia witnessed a terror attack targeting the Jewish community.
As confirmed by the Australian Federal Police Commissioner, the Bondi Massacre was a “barbaric attack against Jewish Australians.” It happened at a peaceful, family Chanukah event. Jews were targeted because they were Jewish.
This was not random violence. This was targeted terror.
For our community, the horror was compounded by a painful truth. This did not come out of nowhere. And whilst completely devastating, it was not surprising. For too long, extremism has been minimised. Antisemitism has been normalised. Hate has been excused, rationalised, or waved away as rhetoric rather than recognised as a warning sign. Words that once shocked are now tolerated. Threats that once triggered alarm are dismissed. This was never a question of if something like this would happen. It was a question of when.
This is not just a Jewish moment. It is an Australian one.
An attack driven by extremist ideology is an attack on our shared values of dignity, freedom, decency and respect for life. When Jews are targeted, the consequences do not stop with Jews. Terror directed at one community tears the fabric of the entire society.
At moments like this, clarity matters. Truth matters. Naming what happened matters. Silence and ambiguity only serve those who thrive on fear and confusion. That we are in the days of Chanukah gives this moment even deeper resonance.
Chanukah does not deny darkness. It was born in it. The story of Chanukah is not about comfort or ease. It is about courage, clarity and the refusal to disappear. It teaches us that light is not passive. It must be actively kindled, protected and made visible. Even a small flame, lit with purpose, can push back against overwhelming darkness.
As we light our candles this week, we do so in memory of those who were murdered. We do so holding the injured, the traumatised and the grieving close. And we do so with resolve that terror will not define us, that antisemitism will not be excused and that Jewish life in Australia will not be diminished.
We are deeply grateful to the many community leaders, volunteers and partners who worked with urgency, care and professionalism in the days following the attack. We acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of CSG volunteers who continue to stand on the front line to protect our community, and we thank Victoria Police for their increased presence, while recognising clearly that no community should have to live this way.
This moment demands more than words. It demands action, leadership and moral clarity. It demands that extremism be confronted early, not explained away after lives are lost.
Chanukah reminds us that light grows when it is shared and when it is defended.
We will stand together. We will keep the light burning for those we lost, for our community and for the Australia we believe in.
Chag Chanukah Sameach,
Elyse Schachna, President
Ilan Rimer, CEO