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CAM Calls Sydney Chanukah Lighting Shootings a Result of Unchecked Incitement
A tallis (Jewish prayer shawl) covered in blood
The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) has reacted to the reports of a mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, at a Chanukah lighting ceremony.
“Unfortunately, the writing was on the wall. Over the last few years, Australia has turned from a paradise to a nightmare for parts of the Jewish community. Synagogues were burned, Jews were attacked and harassed on the streets, and now they have been targeted for murder at a public religious event,” said CEO of CAM Sacha Roytman Dratwa. “The Australian government has allowed far too much Antisemitism to pass in the public sphere, including incendiary expressions of anti-Israel rhetoric, and this has made the situation extremely volatile. Some might have read this as permission to hunt Jews openly in broad daylight as we see today.”
“We call on the Australian authorities to not just hunt down all those involved but take a far stronger stance against incitement against Jews in all of its forms, from the far-Left, the far-Right and Islamist preachers. The moment for action has long passed.”
Roytman Dratwa also called on leaders around the world not to draw the wrong lessons from this event.
“We also know that there will be a reflex to cancel Chanukah lighting events around the world. This is wrong and sends a message to the Jewish community that you can not be protected and must hide,” continued Roytman Dratwa. “We call on leaders around the world, along with law enforcement agencies, to ensure that the annual celebratory Chanukah lighting events continue with adequate protection and the support and attendance for all, Jews and non-Jews alike.”
The New Zealand Jewish Council is utterly sickened and horrified by the mass shooting as families gathered for the first night of the Jewish festival of Chanukah at Bondi Beach in Sydney. We do not know all the details but we are haunted by the scenes we have seen, in a place familiar to and loved by so many of us. We are in shock and we pray for the innocent victims of this atrocity. We offer our full support to the Jewish community in Sydney and Australia.
Sussan Ley – Leader of the Opposition
Australians are in deep mourning tonight, with hateful violence striking at the heart of an iconic Australian community, a place we all know so well and love, Bondi.
The loss of life from this attack is significant and I join with the Prime Minister in urging all Australians to follow official advice from police and relevant authorities.
This attack occurred as our Jewish community came together at the Chanukah by the Sea celebration. This was a celebration of peace and hope for the future, severed by hate.
My heart is with Australia’s Jewish community tonight, particularly those in the eastern suburbs of Sydney — people I know well.
Today we stand together as Australians against hate in this moment of profound tragedy and shock.
I want to acknowledge the swift and courageous response of New South Wales Police and paramedics, whose immediate action helped secure the scene, protect lives and support those caught up in this horrific attack.
Those who ran towards the danger, everyday Australians, our police and paramedics are heroes.
I offer the Prime Minister and all Commonwealth and State agencies the Coalition’s full and unconditional support as both governments respond to this situation.
Yad Vashem
“Yad Vashem is horrified by today’s deadly attack in Sydney against Jews gathered to celebrate Hanukkah, a holiday of light, faith, and resilience. That such a monstrous act could be aimed at a joyful celebration is both heartbreaking and alarming. We stand together with the victims and their families, and we reaffirm our unwavering support for Australia’s Jewish community in the face of such hatred.
Make no mistake: This attack was not an isolated incident – in fact the writing was on the wall. It reflects the growing and very real threat facing Jewish communities not only in Australia, but around the world. A threat that must be condemned and confronted both unequivocally and unapologetically.
Yad Vashem has repeatedly warned of the dangerous rise of antisemitism in Australia and has urged the country’s leadership to take decisive action. These concerns have been raised directly in personal meetings between Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan and the premiers of Victoria and New South Wales. Today’s tragic event makes it painfully clear that these warnings have not been sufficiently heeded and that far more must be done.”
March of the Living Responds to Bondi Beach Shooting: ‘Australia has looked away as hatred of Jews intensified. That silence led to today’s attack.’
International March of the Living issues the following statement regarding the terrorist shooting at a Chanukah event in Bondi Beach, Australia, in which dozens have been reported killed or seriously injured:
“This was not an isolated act of violence. The hate marches on Australian streets, the relentless antisemitic attacks, the normalization of antisemitic discourse, and the baseless accusations of genocide against Israel have all created the conditions that enabled this antisemitic act of terror. For too long, Australia has looked away as hatred of Jews intensified. Today, that silence has led to an atrocity whose full scope is still emerging.
We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in March of the Living Australia and with the entire Australian Jewish community. March of the Living’s mission is rooted in ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust are neither forgotten nor ignored. We therefore call on the Australian government and all responsible leaders to confront this rising tide of antisemitism with urgency, clarity, and decisive action.”
Kellie Sloane – Leader of the NSW State Opposition
Sylvan Adams, President World Jewish Congress Israel
“We are witnessing a global war against the Jews, and today it reached the heart of Australia. I am heartbroken and outraged by the horrific attack on the Jewish community in Bondi Beach during a Chanukah celebration. Our Australian Jewish brothers and sisters have endured months of escalating hostility and intimidation. This violent assault is the tragic result of an environment in which antisemitism has been allowed to grow unchecked.
The Australian Jewish community is one of the most vibrant and deeply rooted in the world. They deserve safety, dignity, and the unwavering protection of their government. As President of the World Jewish Congress Israel, I stand with them today in solidarity and sorrow, and I call on Australian leaders to confront this climate of hate with urgency and absolute moral clarity.
In this global war against the Jews, the Jewish people stand united. We send strength, love, and resolute support to our community in Australia. The light of Chanukah will continue to shine, even in the face of terror.”
Maccabi World Union and the global Maccabi family
We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt solidarity to you following the tragic and painful event that has shaken your community.
We are deeply saddened that this tragedy occurred on the first night of Hanukkah, a time that is usually marked by togetherness and the lighting of candles in Jewish homes and communities. This makes the loss felt even more profoundly.
Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all those affected during this heartbreaking time. No words can truly ease the grief, but please know that you are not alone.
The Maccabi movement is built on the values of unity, mutual responsibility, and the unbreakable bond between Jewish communities worldwide. In moments of sorrow and crisis, these values stand stronger than ever. We stand with you in grief, in support, and in shared determination to uphold life, dignity, and resilience.
May the support of family, friends, and the wider Jewish world bring comfort and strength in the days ahead.
NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon
* “The scenes from one of Australia’s most famous communities will ripple far and wide and are difficult to comprehend. The thoughts and prayers of Queenslanders are with the people of Bondi tonight and the emergency services responding to this horrific incident.”
Liberal MP Julian Lesser
* “My heart goes out to the victims of this senseless act and their families. Sydney’s Jewish community gathered to celebrate the first night of Chanukah, in peace, with loved ones by their side. They were met with bullets. My thanks go to our police and paramedics and those Australians that rushed to the danger to save those in need.”
Governor General Sam Mostyn
* “Ukraine stands in solidarity with Australia in the face of the brutal terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Sydney, which targeted the Jewish community at the start of Hanukkah. We express condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and wish a swift and full recovery to all those who were wounded. Terror and hatred must never prevail – they must be defeated everywhere and every time.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
*The heart of the entire nation of Israel misses a beat at this very moment, as we pray for the recovery of the wounded, we pray for them and we pray for those who lost their lives.”
