A public celebration of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on Sydney's Bondi Beach was violently interrupted on Sunday when a terror attack killed at least 15 people. The event was one of an estimated 15,000 public menorah lightings organised globally by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement to mark the start of the eight-day festival.
What is the Chabad-Lubavitch Movement?
The Chabad-Lubavitch is a branch of Orthodox Hassidic Judaism with origins in 18th-century Russia. The name 'Chabad' is a Hebrew acronym for wisdom, comprehension, and knowledge. The movement, which was nearly destroyed during the Holocaust and persecuted under Soviet rule, rebuilt from New York and now boasts a global network.
Today, it is represented by roughly 6,000 emissaries worldwide and operates about 3,500 'Chabad houses', which serve as synagogues and community centres. While deeply traditional in practice, with distinctive black-and-white attire for men and head coverings for women, the movement is known for its open, non-judgmental approach, focusing on an individual's inherent goodness rather than strict observance.
The Bondi Beach Celebration and a History of Targeting
The Bondi event, organised by 'Chabad of Bondi', typically attracts large crowds with family-friendly activities like petting zoos and free jelly doughnuts—2,500 of which were distributed last year. Approximately 1,000 people had gathered for this year's ceremony when the attack occurred.
Tragically, this is not the first time the Chabad-Lubavitch community has been targeted. Notable past attacks include:
- The 1994 Brooklyn Bridge shooting, where a gunman attacked a van of students, killing one.
- The 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, where a Chabad house was besieged, resulting in the deaths of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, his wife Rivka, and four others.
- The 2023 abduction and murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, an emissary in Abu Dhabi.
Global Resilience in the Face of Darkness
In the immediate aftermath of the Sydney attack, a similar event in Melbourne was cancelled as a precaution. However, Chabad leaders confirmed that thousands of other public lightings proceeded across the world, with some gatherings reportedly 'doubling in size' in a show of solidarity and defiance.
In a powerful statement, Rabbi Mendel Silberstein of Chabad Lubavitch of Larchmont and Mamaroneck in New York City encapsulated the response: "Chanukah teaches that we do not respond to darkness by retreating." The movement's global network, from Rome's Piazza Barberini to 25 public celebrations in Manhattan alone, continued to share the festival's message of light and hope.
