Deadly Attack on Hanukkah Event at Bondi Beach Highlights Rising Antisemitism
A Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach was attacked by two gunmen, resulting in the deaths of 15 people, including a 10-year-old child. Approximately 1,000 attendees were present during the shooting, and victims ranged in age from 10 to 87. Among those killed were two rabbis and a Holocaust survivor.
The gunmen have been identified as Sajid Akram, aged 50, who died at the scene, and his son Naveed Akram, aged 24, who remains in critical condition in hospital. UK Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis revealed that his cousin and cousin's wife survived by hiding for 15 minutes under a doughnut stand during the incident. Rabbi Mirvis linked Hanukkah to themes of belonging and resilience and called for urgent action to tackle toxic antisemitism and impose stricter limits on incitement that can lead to violence.
In the wake of the attack, Rabbi Mirvis will travel to Sydney to support the local community. Meanwhile, UK Justice Minister Alex Davies-Jones is set to visit Manchester to meet survivors of a September attack on the Heaton Park synagogue during Yom Kippur, which resulted in two Jewish deaths. She plans to celebrate Hanukkah with the community and express solidarity.
The Community Security Trust (CST) reported that antisemitic hate crimes in the UK have reached record levels since the Hamas attack on October 7. Protests linked to the conflict have included calls for an intifada. CST emphasizes the direct connection between hate speech and acts of violence and views the Bondi Beach attack as an extreme outcome of current political rhetoric. The organization highlights the critical importance of protecting Jewish public gatherings and ensuring community safety during Hanukkah.
