There was an outpouring of grief and support from Canadians for the Jewish community in Australia, as well as reports that 16 people were injured and 16 others injured at Sydney’s World World beach.
“It really scared me,” said Bobbi Zahra, a Jewish woman living in Halifax who said she knew members of the Sydney community. “I thought, ‘It’s Hanukkah. Can’t we celebrate Hanukkah?’ I mean, Hanukkah itself in the political day, it was still about keeping looters, but Hanukkah today is a celebration of light, it’s a celebration of hope. “
Prime Minister Prime Minister Can Carney pointed out Zahra’s comments about the horror of this incident, and said to X that Canadians stand with Jewish people “everywhere.”
“Canada stands with the Australian people and Jewish people everywhere in grief, and in the determination that they will never bow to terrorism, violence, hatred and intimidation,” Carney wrote.
The violence erupted at the end of a hot summer day when thousands took to the beach, including hundreds gathered for the Tanukah, a beach event celebrating the start of the eight-day Hanuukkah Festival.
Police said emergency services were called to Bongi at around 6:45 p.m. local time, responding to reports of gunshots. Video filtered by bystanders shows people in bathing suits running into the water as shots rang out. A variation of the footage showed two men in black shirts with guns firing from a leather barge leading to the beach as the lawyer rotted and people cried in the background.
One of the shocking clips aired on Australian television showed a man who appeared to confront and dismember one of the bodies, before pointing the man’s weapon at him, and placing the gun on the ground.
The Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns called the unknown man “a real hero.”
Police said 14 people died at the scene and 42 people, including four children, were taken to Sydney-area hospitals. Police said two of the people in hospital, a 10-year-old girl and a 40-year-old man, have since died in hospital.
One Gunman, 50 years old, was shot dead by police and the second, a 24-year-old man, was arrested and taken into custody, authorities said. Police added that one of the shooters was known to the security services, but there was no specific threat.
At least 40 people were confirmed injured, including two police officers.
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Authorities have declared this incident a terrorist attack.
‘We do not give intimidation,’ said Rabbi
Despite the attack, others are speaking out against the law, and some rabbis in Prother Toronto say they plan to continue their Hanukkah celebrations.
“It is fascinating to see that this is intended to be the first public merorah that lights up around the world “And that is precisely why the evening smells of menora memoras and the garden of the LAINGS program and the concert are more important than ever. Today, we don’t give in to fear.”
Levi Gansburg, Rabbi at Chabad in Bayview, said his synagogue will continue to spread light and vision through its celebrations this week.
“We are here to stay, we are here to give, and a little light to show the great darkness, and we will continue to be that light that will remove evil and the whole world,” said Gansburg on Wednesday.
Chabad, an Orthodox Jewish organization that runs outreach centers around the world and sponsors public events on major Jewish holidays, identified one of the dead as an assistant at Chabad of Boni and the Event’s Main Organizer.
Gansburg confirmed to international news that Rabbi had seen it in Toronto.
Canadian police agencies said Sunday they are providing more resources to ensure safety.
In a statement sent to X, Toronto police said they are closely monitoring events in Australia and “any activity that may target Jewish people,” and will continue to protect their communities.
Police Chief Myron Denkiw said that in response to world events, the service will increase its presence in public places, places of worship and schools and that during the holiday season, citizens saw more officers present.
Vancouver police said they are taking “proactive measures” to ensure public safety during Hanukkah, including increased patrols and presence in “key” areas for the Jewish community. In the Jewish community.
Antisemitic attacks have risen sharply in Australia, home to 117,000 Jews, according to official figures.
Incidents involving attacks, vandalism, threats and intimidation, were combined for more than three in the country during the year after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7, 2023, with the subsequent conflict that followed the fight against antisemitism Jillian Segal.
Last year, synagogues and cars and businesses and homes were burned and Muslims attacked in the cities of Sydney and Melbourne.
Canada is no stranger to such attacks, with antisemitic incidents ringing across the country after Oct. 7 Attack.
According to Statistics Canada, incidents of hate crimes against the Jewish community jumped to 900 in 2023 from 527 the previous year. In 2024, the number remained high at 816.
That’s why after the bondi beach incident, Jewish organizations in Canada again demanded more action from the government.
“I think the condolences to Australia and the sympathy of those who survived are very welcome and meaningful, but it does nothing to prevent the next attack,” said Noah Shack, CEO of the Israel and Jewish Affairs Center.
“What we need now is for Canadians to wake up and realize that the same thing can happen here, for society to face the threat and at the same time we are facing extreme violence in the western world.”
–With files from World News’ Heidi Petracek, Lexy Benedict, Jeff Seple and Stewart Bell, and The Associated Press
