A week after a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah gathering, thousands gathered at Bondi Beach to mourn the 15 victims. The commemoration mixed grief with defiance, as Jewish leaders renewed demands for a federal royal commission and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was booed on arrival.
Calls for a federal royal commission intensify
Jewish leaders used the vigil to press for a national inquiry into the Bondi attack. NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip told the crowd a federal royal commission was necessary.
He said the scale and nature of the attack required national scrutiny. His remarks were met with loud applause from the crowd, estimated at up to 15,000 people.
The call was echoed by Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion. He publicly backed Ossip’s stance, saying the issue demanded courage and clear leadership.
To date, Albanese has supported a NSW royal commission proposed by Premier Chris Minns. He has resisted calls for a broader federal inquiry.
Prime minister booed as crowd shows anger
Tensions surfaced when Albanese arrived at the vigil. Some attendees booed and shouted remarks as his name was announced and again as he took his seat.
The prime minister did not address the gathering. He was joined by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.
By contrast, former prime minister John Howard was greeted with cheers when he arrived shortly after. Minns also received a standing ovation.
Reaction to Albanese’s reception spread quickly online. Several social media posts criticised the boos, while others defended them as an expression of frustration.
Remembering victims and acts of bravery
Speakers repeatedly returned focus to the victims of the attack. A minute’s silence was held at 6.47 pm, marking the moment the shooting began.
Ossip praised Ahmed Al-Ahmed, who was wounded while disarming one of the alleged gunmen. His actions were credited with preventing further loss of life.
Children held symbolic items during the vigil, including a bee balloon representing 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest victim. Many in the crowd wept openly.
Names of those killed included rabbis, elderly Holocaust survivors, and families attending the festival of lights.
Voices of resilience from community leaders
Ossip told the crowd the Jewish community had entered “a dark place” but refused to be broken. He said resilience had carried Jews through centuries of persecution.
He ended his address with a defiant message. He said the attackers had chosen the wrong community, declaring Australian Jews unbreakable.
Aghion reinforced that message, saying terrorists would not decide Australia’s future. He said Jewish Australians would not hide or live in fear.
Online, messages shared widely echoed similar themes of solidarity and refusal to be intimidated.
Personal loss and resolve at Bondi Beach
Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, spoke about attending the Bondi Hanukkah event for a decade.
Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry
He said Rabbi Eli Schlanger, killed in the attack, had invited him there each year. Ryvchin said he never imagined such violence could occur.
Despite fear and loss, he vowed to return next year with his daughters. He said he would stand proudly as an Australian Jew.
His speech was met with sustained applause from the silent crowd.
Minns acknowledges failure and anti-Semitic hate
Premier Chris Minns told the vigil that the Jewish community had reclaimed Bondi Beach. He said the attack aimed to intimidate and divide.
Minns apologised for his government’s failure to protect citizens. He said that responsibility weighed heavily and demanded action.
He warned against treating the attack as an isolated event. Minns said it exposed a deep vein of anti-Semitic hatred within the community.
He stressed that confronting that hatred was necessary to honour the dead and protect the future.
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Heavy security and a call to action
The vigil unfolded under intense security. Police snipers were positioned on rooftops, with officers carrying rifles throughout the area.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the presence was about reassurance, not increased threat levels. Police aimed to help people feel safe.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn and teenage survivor Chaya Dadon also addressed the crowd. Albanese had earlier urged Australians to light candles nationwide.
Rabbi Yehoram Ulman closed by urging action beyond mourning. He said Sydney must become a city where kindness outweighs hate, through continued effort.
