Dayenu confirms return to Mardi Gras parade – ‘delighted to be marching’

Sydney’s Jewish LGBTQIA+ organisation Dayenu will march in the 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday 28 February, reversing its earlier decision to withdraw after securing additional safety assurances.

In an announcement today, the Dayenu committee said the decision followed strong community support and negotiations with Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras organisers and New South Wales Police.

The committee announcement stated, “Dayenu would like to thank New South Wales Police and Mardi Gras for working with us to accommodate our safety concerns leading to our participation in this year’s Parade. We are delighted to be continuing our participation. We look forward to seeing you in the parade.”

The renewed commitment comes weeks after Dayenu announced it would withdraw from the 2026 parade, citing fears for the safety of members, spectators, volunteers, police and the broader community amid rising antisemitism and recent violent incidents.

That decision followed the December 14, 2025, Bondi Beach terrorist attack in which 15 people were killed and more than 40 injured, as well as unrest during protests in Sydney’s CBD.

Asked by JWire how he felt now that the group would be marching, David, a representative of Dayenu, said he was “delighted. Absolutely delighted. It shows the strength that we are proud and we are Jewish.”

“We’re proud to represent our wider Jewish community,” he added.

David said there had been “a lot of contact and feedback and offers of support from the wider Jewish community, which has really been quite lovely”, adding that Dayenu had “received a really strong message from the wider Jewish community that they were willing to march with us and to show that we had their support”. He said that backing “helped us to keep fighting and finally come to an arrangement where we can participate”.

Founded in the late 1990s, Dayenu has represented Jewish LGBTQ+ Australians in the parade for 25 years and has consistently described its relationship with Mardi Gras organisers as strong and supportive.

David said Dayenu would again open participation beyond its own membership. “We always have community members participate, not just Dayenu members,” he said, confirming there would be “a second release of tickets through wider community channels.” JWire will publish details on how members of the community can obtain tickets once they become available.