On this National Day of Mourning, the Zionist Federation of Australia joins the nation in remembering the 15 innocent lives taken in the horrific, antisemitic act of terror at Bondi on 14 December, during Chanukah celebrations.
The Bondi attack was the most devastating act of terror committed on Australian soil. It was not only an attack on the Jewish community, but an attack on Australian values and our way of life. It struck at the freedom to live openly, visibly and without fear, a freedom Australians value deeply and which defines our society. That freedom must be protected.
The impact of this act of terror has been profound, for the Australian Jewish community and for the nation as a whole. Today, we honour those who were murdered, mourn with their families and loved ones, and acknowledge the deep and lasting trauma caused by this attack.
In the midst of the worst of humanity, we have also seen the best. We saw people run towards danger. We saw strangers protect strangers at great personal risk. We saw first responders and ordinary Australians act with extraordinary courage, compassion and selflessness.
We have deeply appreciated the support shown by Australians across the country, who have stood with the Jewish community in grief and in resolve. That solidarity has mattered profoundly. It affirms that antisemitism and hatred are rejected by the vast majority of Australians, and that the Jewish community is not alone.
The theme of this National Day of Mourning, “Light will win, a gathering of unity and remembrance”, developed by the Chabad community in Bondi, speaks to both remembrance and responsibility. It reminds us that honouring those we lost requires more than reflection. It requires action.
The Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion now carries a significant responsibility. It must examine the causes of this act of terror, including how antisemitism was allowed to normalise and metastasise. It must identify failures and recommend meaningful changes to ensure such an atrocity can never happen again. This process must be thorough, courageous and uncompromising.
But responsibility does not rest with institutions alone. Each of us has a role to play. We all carry a responsibility to call out hatred, intimidation and exclusion wherever we see it, and to speak up for the values we hold dear as Australians. Protecting social cohesion and defending the right of every person to live openly and safely is a shared obligation.
Today is not an end point. It is the beginning of a sustained commitment. We honour those who were murdered by committing to do something about it. By standing against antisemitism and hatred. By refusing to be silent in the face of intimidation. And by choosing, individually and collectively, to strengthen our society rather than allow it to fracture.
That is how we ensure that light does indeed win.