More than 300 people gathered for a Chanukah vigil called by the Jewish Council of Australia (JCA) in Naarm/Melbourne on December 21 to commemorate the lives lost in the Bondi massacre.
Originally planned to be a Chanukah celebration celebrating the final days of the festival. It was changed to a vigil responding to the tragic events at Bondi.
JCA described the event as an opportunity to “come together and show that we stand united, not divided” with an open invitation to the Palestinian, Muslim and First Nations communities.
The event included prayers and musical performances with Faith and Community leaders from the Jewish, Islamic, Christian, Palestinian and First Nations communities on the speaking platform who paid tribute to the people whose lives were lost.
Sarah Schwartz, JCA executive officer, spoke about the connections between oppressed groups resisting oppression, stating that it is an act of humanity “to stand with Jewish people against this act of racist violence” while also “standing with Palestinians killed by racist violence”.
First Nation’s community organiser Tarneen Onus Browne condemned politicians instrumentalising the tragic events to stoke division and racism and take away democratic rights.
Noura Mansour, Palestinian and National Director at Democracy in Color, gave her condolences to the victims. She said the “safety of everyone is intertwined” and that we have to reject all forms of racism, including antisemitism, Islamaphobia, anti-Palestinian and anti-black racism.
Additionally the vigil also heard from religious leaders including Mohamed Mohideen, president of the Islamic Council of Victoria and Rev. Sandy Boyce from the Victorian Council of Churches.
The vigil ended with candle lighting and a series of Chanukah prayers.