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.

I am devastated to learn that a 10 year old girl was murdered by antisemitic terrorists at the Bondi Beach Chanukah celebration.

As a Jewish mom, my heart is filled with grief.

— Carly Pildis (@CarlyPildis) December 15, 2025

I am devastated to learn that a 10 year old girl was murdered by antisemitic terrorists at the Bondi Beach Chanukah celebration.

As a Jewish mom, my heart is filled with grief.

— Carly Pildis (@CarlyPildis) December 15, 2025

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.

I am horrified by the brutal antisemitic attack on Bondi Beach in Australia. This violence cannot be excused and must be condemned.........

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