In a solemn act of remembrance, Rabbi Levi Wolff lit a menorah at Bondi Beach, honouring the victims of Sunday's devastating terror attack. The ceremony came as Australia united in grief and defiance, with candles burning in windows across the nation to symbolise light overcoming darkness.
A Night of Celebration Turned to Tragedy
The attack unfolded shortly after 6:40pm on Sunday evening at a "Chanukah by the Sea" event in Bondi. What was promoted as a joyful community gathering to celebrate the festival of lights was shattered when two gunmen allegedly opened fire on the crowd. Fifteen people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl, a London-born rabbi who was a father of five, and an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the nation, urging Australians to light candles. "We are stronger than the cowards who did this," he declared, framing the national response within the Hanukah message that light defeats darkness. In a powerful symbol of solidarity, the Sydney Opera House sails were illuminated with a projection of a Hanukah menorah on Monday night.
The Attackers and a Brave Intervention
The alleged attackers have been identified as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son, Naveed, from Bonnyrigg in Sydney's west. Sajid Akram was licensed to own six firearms, which police believe were used in the assault. He was shot and killed by police, while his son was critically injured and remains under guard in hospital.
Disturbing phone footage circulating on social media captured the attack's horrifying seven-minute duration. The gunmen took an elevated position on a stone footbridge, firing into the park below. In an extraordinary act of bravery, Sydney fruit-store owner Ahmad al Ahmad confronted Sajid Akram, wrenching a firearm from him and helping to end the immediate threat before police neutralised both attackers.
National Reckoning on Gun Laws and Social Harmony
In response to the worst mass shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, Prime Minister Albanese secured an agreement with state leaders to introduce tougher gun control laws. Proposed reforms include limiting the number of firearms one person can own and implementing regular licence audits. "People's circumstances can change. People can be radicalised over a period of time. Licences should not be in perpetuity," Albanese stated.
The attack has forced Australia to confront rising antisemitism. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation has noted an increase in attacks targeting Jewish communities since October 2023, with some linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. Rabbi Eli Schlanger, one of the victims killed on Sunday, had previously said the response to antisemitism was to "be more Jewish, act more Jewish, and appear more Jewish."
As mourners returned to Bondi to lay flowers and reclaim their beach, the quiet aftermath revealed the stark traces of panic: shoes, hats, and belongings left behind in the frantic flight. The nation now wrestles with profound questions about security, social cohesion, and how to prevent such darkness from visiting its shores again.
