The Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants

Dr George Foster, President, Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants:

Like so many in the Jewish community, I am shocked, devastated, and deeply distressed by the terror attack on the Jewish community in Sydney. This is not an abstract event for us. No doubt many of us will know some of those who have been affected, and our hearts ache for them.

I speak not only as a communal leader, but as the son of Holocaust survivors. My parents came to Australia to escape the devastation of Europe and the unspeakable horrors of the Holocaust, believing they had found a place of lasting safety. It is unbearable to think that such violence against Jews could occur here. While I would never wish that my parents were not alive, I confess that I feel a grim sense of relief that they are not here to witness this atrocity and to relive the terror they thought they had left behind.

The survivor and descendant community is grieving, angry, and shaken. Some of us feared that, given the sharp rise in antisemitism in Australia and similar attacks overseas, such an event might eventually occur. Even so, the reality of it is devastating beyond words.

Earlier this year, the synagogue I also lead, Southern Sydney Synagogue, was severely graffitied in an antisemitic attack. The distress was profound, yet our community stood together and continued without interruption. We were deeply heartened by the overwhelming support from the wider Australian public and by practical assistance from government, including the construction of new security fencing supported by the Premier of New South Wales. It is sobering that Jewish institutions must now take such measures simply to feel safe.

Our deepest condolences go to the families of those who were murdered. We pray for the full and speedy recovery of those who were injured, and we hold all those affected by this horror in our thoughts and prayers.

Chanukah is meant to be a time of joy and light. This year, it will be marked by sadness unlike anything the Australian Jewish community has previously experienced. Yet Chanukah also reminds us that even a small light can endure against great darkness.

We are deeply grateful for the overwhelming support and solidarity shown by the broader Australian community. It reassures us that the vast majority of Australians are as appalled and distressed by this attack as we are.

The Jewish people have faced hatred, violence, and persecution for centuries. We will not be intimidated. We will continue to live openly, practise our faith, contribute to Australian society, and stand firmly against antisemitism and all forms of hatred.

On this very dark day, I send my thoughts and strength to all members of the Jewish community, and my hope that light, humanity, and decency will ultimately prevail.