On Sunday evening, December 14, 2025, a tranquil celebration of Hanukkah on Sydney’s Bondi Beach was shattered by a deadly act of terror. Families—children, parents, grandparents—had gathered to light the first candle of the Jewish festival, a moment meant to symbolize hope and resilience. Instead, the event became the target of a brutal attack that has sent shockwaves through Australia’s Jewish community and the world at large.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the assault claimed the lives of at least 15 people, ranging in age from just 10 to 87 years old. Dozens more were wounded, their joyous evening transformed into a scene of chaos and heartbreak. Chris Minns, premier of New South Wales, confirmed these grim statistics as the country struggled to come to terms with the scale of the violence.
The attackers, identified by ABC as a father and son—Naveed Akram, 24, and Sajid Akram, 50—struck with chilling intent. Naveed Akram is currently under police guard in the hospital, while his father was shot and killed by police at the scene. Authorities say the pair harbored radical Islamist views, their actions motivated by seething hatred.
The massacre has cast a long shadow over a community already deeply aware of the threats it faces. The gathering at Bondi Beach was, as described by community leaders, “a picturesque scene of life, love, and light”—one that was “so brutally targeted by two radical Islamist terrorists seething with hatred.” The attack, they say, is not just a local tragedy but part of a wider pattern of rising antisemitism and violence targeting Jews worldwide.
In the aftermath, the Hanukkah story itself has taken on renewed significance for many. The ancient tale recounts how a small Jewish minority stood up against a mighty empire, fighting for their freedom and the right to practice their faith. It is, at its heart, a celebration of the triumph of light over darkness—a message that resonates powerfully in the wake of the Bondi Beach attack. “The Hanukkah story teaches us that even in the darkest of times and in the darkest of places, our light never goes out. We are an eternal people – strong, resilient, and united,” one community member said, echoing the determination to persevere.
This resilience is not new. The Jewish community has faced—and survived—countless threats throughout history. Just two years ago, on October 7, 2023, over 250 children, women, and men were taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza, subjected to starvation, torture, and abuse. The ordeal was a moment of “overwhelming darkness,” as described in community reflections, but also one that galvanized unity and action. Families of the hostages, supporters around the world, and the Israel Defense Forces all fought—some literally, others through advocacy and prayer—for the return of their loved ones.
Miraculously, all but one of those hostages have now come home, their reunions with family and friends lighting up hearts and offering a rare glimmer of hope amid ongoing conflict. Yet, not all stories have found closure. Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, a heroic Israeli police officer who fell in battle during the October 7 attacks, remains in Hamas captivity. “We must all renew our call for Ran to be returned home for dignified burial immediately,” advocates insist, underscoring that the pain of loss and the struggle for justice are far from over.
The Sydney attack, however, is a stark reminder that threats to Jewish safety are not confined to the Middle East. As the October 7 massacre unfolded, Jewish communities worldwide reported a surge in hatred: institutional antisemitism, Holocaust inversion, conspiracy theories, and open Jew-hatred on social media platforms. “Institutional antisemitism, Holocaust inversion, conspiracies left and right, Jew-hatred platformed on social media, and moral bankruptcy masquerading as social justice have all disturbingly increased across the Western world,” a community statement observed. The violence in Sydney, they argue, demonstrates the lethal consequences of these trends when left unchecked.
In response, support and condemnation have poured in from across the globe. On Monday, December 15, 2025, Pope Leo XIV issued a call for prayers for the victims, urging his followers to “entrust to the Lord” those killed and wounded in the attack. “Enough with this antisemitic violence! Let us eliminate hatred from our hearts,” the pontiff declared in a post on X, formerly Twitter. He called on people everywhere to pray “for all those who suffer due to war and violence,” singling out the victims of the Bondi Beach massacre for particular remembrance.
Pope Leo’s words carry added weight given his recent comments on the broader conflict in the region. In an October interview, he voiced “grave concern” over the humanitarian situation in Gaza but stopped short of labeling Israel’s actions as genocide. “There’s a very technical definition about what genocide might be, but more and more people are raising the issue,” he noted, emphasizing solidarity with Gaza’s civilian population—many of whom have once again been displaced by fighting initiated by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
This nuanced position reflects the complexity of the situation: while condemning violence against Jews in Sydney, the Pope also acknowledges the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. It’s a reminder that in times of conflict, empathy and moral clarity are often in short supply—and desperately needed.
As investigators continue to piece together the details of the Bondi Beach attack, the Jewish community in Australia and worldwide is grappling with grief, anger, and determination. Messages of solidarity have come from Israel, where leaders have assured Australian Jews that “we feel and share your pain. Just as you have stood with us, fought for our hostages, and supported our soldiers, we stand together with you, shoulder-to-shoulder, in the fight against this violent hatred.”
The resolve to persevere is palpable. “Just like all those before them who rose up against the Jewish people, the terrorists who tried to extinguish our light in Sydney will also fail,” one statement declared. The lighting of Hanukkah candles, in Australia, Israel, and around the world, has become a symbol of that defiance—a way to “bring light into the world and overcome this terrible darkness.”
For now, as families mourn their loved ones and survivors begin the long road to recovery, the story of Hanukkah offers comfort and inspiration. It is, after all, a story of survival for the ages—a testament to the strength, unity, and enduring spirit of a people determined never to let their light be extinguished.
