Faith leaders unite in shared grief after Bondi attack
Religious leaders have gathered to deliver a message of hope as they mourned those killed in the Bondi massacre.
Two gunmen killed 15 people, including 10-year-old Matilda, when they opened fire on a Jewish festival near Australia’s most famous beach on December 14.
Thursday marks a national day of mourning for those killed in the attack.
Flags are being flown at half-mast throughout the country and major institutions will be illuminated when the sun sets.
Dignitaries, including the Victorian governor, attended a multi-faith vigil at St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne, her immediate predecessor and four past and present premiers.
They lit candles and paid tribute to the Bondi victims alongside Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Sikh leaders.
“By our coming together in unity to remember the fallen, by our prayers and our lighting of candles, we come to remind ourselves of this truth: that light will win,” Anglican Dean of Melbourne Andreas Loewe told the assembled crowd.
The faith leaders share common values and are united in their determination to overcome anti-Semitism, hate speech, and terror, Rabbi Ralph Genende said.
“We belong to different faith traditions and share a common grief,” he said.
“Together we seek to build a society where all people can work together in cherishing, not disfiguring, our common humanity.”
The significance of Oseh Shalom, a short Hebrew prayer for peace, being sung in an Anglican cathedral was not lost on attendees.
“I find that just an extraordinarily moving thing,” Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion told reporters outside.
“It shows what this country can be – and indeed is.”
Jewish state MP David Southwick, meanwhile, warned the inter-faith gathering could not be seen as “we’ve done our job” and the hard work must continue.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other national leaders will attend a national memorial service at the Sydney Opera House on Thursday evening.
A commemorative installation, 15 Pillars of Light, will also be erected throughout Australian cities.
Mr Albanese encouraged all Australians to participate in their own way by leaving a candle on their window ledge or doorstep, with a minute’s silence scheduled for 7.01pm Sydney time.
“This is a place where nothing should break except for the waves. But a lot broke that night,” Mr Albanese said of Bondi.
“For darkness to descend on that (Hanukkah celebration) is something that is a stain on our nation.”
Led by the Bondi Chabad, the theme for the sombre day of national mourning is Light Will Win: A Gathering of Unity and Remembrance.
Australians are being asked to come together through a mitzvah, an act of kindness or compassion.
This can include giving to others, helping the sick, offering hospitality or providing kindness to animals.
NSW Premier Chris Minns conceded on Nine’s Today Show his government had made a “major mistake” and there were lessons to be learned after the Bondi massacre.
But the resilience of the Jewish community in the face of such adversity has been an inspiration to the rest of the country, he said.
“You could have shattered into a million pieces. Instead, your strength has helped unite the nation,” he said in a statement.
Thursday’s national day of mourning marks the first such occasion since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
It comes as the community is still grappling with the aftermath of the terror attack.
“It’s not individuals who have lost members of their families,” NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive Michelle Goldman told ABC News.
“All Australians have lost something – something has been shattered. And innocence has been taken away from Australia.”
Wentworth MP Allegra Spender, whose electorate includes the Bondi area, criticised discussions over law reform in federal parliament this week.
“I’ve heard this time and time again from people in my community that they don’t want this to be political,” she told ABC Radio.
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