Australians across the nation paused in collective mourning on Sunday, December 21, 2025, as the country marked a solemn Day of Reflection to honor the 15 victims of the Bondi Beach shooting—a tragedy that has shaken the country’s sense of security and unity. The attack, which occurred one week earlier during a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, stands as the deadliest mass shooting in Australia since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
At exactly 6:47 p.m., the moment when the first shots rang out on December 14, people from all walks of life lit candles and observed a minute’s silence. According to the BBC, the time was chosen to mark the precise instant the festival, filled with joy and hope, was shattered by violence. The minute of silence was observed not only at the waterfront memorial but also in homes across Australia, where windowsills glowed with the light of countless candles—a gesture of “light over darkness.”
The federal and New South Wales state governments jointly declared the date a national Day of Reflection. The Bondi Pavilion, which had become an impromptu memorial site over the past week, saw Indigenous leaders begin the commemorations with a traditional smoking ceremony in the morning. As reported by the Associated Press, this act was both a tribute to the victims and a call for healing—a reminder that the entire community was wounded by the attack.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn, representing King Charles III, joined hundreds of women and girls dressed in white to lay flowers at the memorial. Mostyn described the shooting as “unspeakably, ghastly acts of terror” and endorsed a call from rabbis for “millions of mitzvahs”—acts of kindness and compassion—as a national response. “This is now a national project: mitzvahs, good deeds, care, kindness, compassion to each other, Jewish or otherwise. Everyone in this country belongs,” she told the gathering, as cited by the AP.
Flags were flown at half-staff on the Sydney Harbor Bridge and government buildings, which were lit in yellow that night in a show of solidarity with the Jewish community. Television and radio networks across the nation paused for a minute’s silence, amplifying the sense of shared grief and resolve.
The evening memorial at Bondi Beach unfolded under heavy police presence, including officers carrying long-arm firearms and riot squad members with covered faces. As Al Jazeera noted, such security was a jarring sight for many Australians, underscoring the gravity of the moment. Police also deployed a patrol boat offshore, and cordoned-off areas emphasized the seriousness with which authorities approached the event.
Among the crowd were people wearing kippas and draped in Australian flags. They gathered to listen to speeches and to honor the memory of those lost—among them a 10-year-old girl nicknamed "Matilda Bee," a British-born rabbi, and a Holocaust survivor. Bee-shaped balloons floated in the wind, and the crowd sang "Waltzing Matilda" in tribute to the young victim. Chaya, a 14-year-old who was shot in the leg while protecting other children, took to the stage on crutches, telling the crowd, “If you guys get inspired by one thing, one thing on all this, be the light in that field of darkness.”
Rabbi Levi Wolff, speaking to the assembled mourners, emphasized that the attack was not just against the Jewish community but “an attack on the Australian values.” He added, “Violence has no place in our beautiful country.” Rabbi Eli Feldman invited the wider community to join in lighting the eighth candle of Hanukkah, declaring, “The Jewish community, together with all of our Australian friends, are all invited to come and light the eighth candle here and show that light will always overcome darkness.”
As the memorial unfolded, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived and was met with boos and heckling—a reflection of the anger and pain felt by many in the Jewish community. Some accused his government of failing to address rising antisemitism in Australia, particularly since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023. The BBC reported that Albanese was visibly startled by the reception, with one person shouting, "Blood on your hands." At least one individual was tackled by police after moving toward the prime minister.
Albanese, acknowledging the criticism, stated, “I accept my responsibility for the part in that as prime minister of Australia.” He also announced a comprehensive review of the country’s federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies, to be led by a former chief of Australia’s spy agency, with a report due by the end of April 2026. “We need to examine exactly the way that systems work. We need to look back at what happened in 2019 when this person was looked at, the assessment that was made,” he told ABC news. The review will consider whether agencies have the “right powers, structures, processes and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe.”
The alleged gunman, Naveed Akram, 24, was charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and terrorism. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was shot dead by police at the scene. Authorities believe the attack was inspired by the Islamic State group, with ISIL (ISIS) flags found in the attackers’ car, and are investigating the shooting as a terrorist act targeting Jews. Thirteen wounded victims remained hospitalized in Sydney as of Sunday.
Australia’s main domestic spy agency had previously investigated associates of Naveed Akram in 2016 but had not concluded he posed a threat. The attack has reignited debate about the effectiveness of Australia’s intelligence and gun laws. Albanese has announced a nationwide gun buyback plan, the largest since the Port Arthur massacre, and gun safety advocates have pointed to loopholes in what are otherwise considered some of the world’s strictest gun regulations.
The Jewish community’s frustration was echoed by Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, who said, “I’ve spent time with the families of the victims. They’re just in a bewildered state. They’re still in shock. They don’t know what to do with themselves, let alone contemplate moving forward and healing. There’s a lot of anger in the community now as well. I think we’re cycling through the various emotions, the various stages, and there’s a real feeling of having been let down and betrayed. And the community wants answers and we want change.”
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, in contrast to Albanese, was praised for his forthright admission of government errors and for attending victims’ funerals. “We are deeply sorry,” Minns said at the event. “We grieve with you, and with humility, I acknowledge that the government's highest duty is to protect its citizens. And we did not do that one week ago.” He acknowledged the attack had “highlighted a deep vein of antisemitic hate in our community,” adding, “This must be confronted.”
Calls for a national Royal Commission into the tragedy have grown louder, with David Ossip, president of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, leading the charge to ensure a thorough investigation that extends beyond state borders.
As Australia faces the aftermath of this horrific attack, the Day of Reflection was more than a memorial—it was a call for unity, vigilance, and action. The candles flickering in windows and at Bondi Beach were symbols of hope, resilience, and a nation’s determination to confront hate with compassion and resolve.
