12/14/2025
We all awoke this morning to the devastating news of a violent attack at a Chanukah celebration in Bondi Beach. Our hearts ache for the victims and for the Jewish community there, and we mourn the loss of innocent life.
Chanukah teaches that the Jewish response to darkness is not retreat, but resolve - standing taller, prouder, and brighter in the face of hate. The true triumph over terror is not fear or silence, but showing up to more Chanukah events, adding more Jewish light, and living our Judaism more openly and confidently. We answer hatred with holiness, violence with values, and darkness with light, affirming that goodness endures and that light, ultimately, always prevails.
The Chanukah celebrations is more than an event - it is a statement. By coming together, lighting the menorah, and celebrating publicly, we declare that fear will not define us and hate will not drive us away. Every person who shows up adds another flame, another voice, another victory of light over darkness. We hope you’ll join us tonight as we stand united, proud, and unafraid.
