In a world where division often seems to dominate headlines, recent events have spotlighted both the fractures and the remarkable resilience within and between communities facing adversity. From the aftermath of a deadly terror attack in Sydney to renewed efforts to rebuild historic alliances between Black and Jewish leaders in America, the past week has brought both heartbreak and hope to the forefront of public consciousness.
On Sunday, December 14, 2025, tragedy struck Australia’s Bondi Beach when a terror attack targeted the Jewish community, marking the deadliest assault in the country’s history and the most lethal attack on a Diaspora Jewish community in over three decades, according to eJewishPhilanthropy. The shockwaves of this event reverberated not only through the Jewish population in Sydney but across the globe, as communities and leaders scrambled to respond to the immediate and long-term needs of those affected.
Alain Hasson, CEO of the Jewish Communal Appeal of Sydney, and Tracie Olcha, CEO of Australian Jewish Funders, have been at the forefront of coordinating relief efforts, as reported by eJewishPhilanthropy. The challenges they face are numerous and complex. For example, many attendees at the Chabad candlelighting event, which was targeted in the attack, are from the Russian-speaking community and may have limited English proficiency. This language barrier complicates the delivery of essential support and information. Additionally, the attack coincided with the start of Australia’s summer holidays, meaning local Jewish children are not in school settings where they could more easily access psychological help. Many staff members of Jewish organizations, whose services are now needed more than ever, had also planned vacations, further straining resources.
Hasson described the evolving nature of the community’s needs: “The needs of the community are unfolding, is the short answer. We know the immediate priorities are supporting the families. But trying to figure out what that means is a broader question.” He outlined plans to establish a victim of terrorist fund as part of the international Bondi Relief Fund, aiming to provide at least AUS 1 million (about $665,000) for each victim’s family. Yet, as he noted, “No one’s quantified what every family’s needs look like because they’re all going to be different.” The relief efforts range from the basic—such as arranging for cleaners to help families cope with day-to-day life—to the urgent, like ensuring financial and psychological support for those wounded or bereaved.
Complicating matters further, some families have expressed concerns that large-scale communal fundraising might overlap or interfere with their own efforts to raise support. This underscores the delicate balance between collective action and respecting individual family needs in times of crisis.
While the Jewish community in Sydney grapples with these immediate challenges, another story of resilience and bridge-building is unfolding thousands of miles away. In the United States, Darius Jones, founder and CEO of the National Black Empowerment Council (NBEC), is leading an ambitious effort to rejuvenate Black-Jewish relations and foster international partnerships. As detailed in an interview with the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), Jones’s work is grounded in firsthand experience and a moral framework shaped by the Civil Rights Movement.
The NBEC, a coalition of Black American leaders from fields including business, politics, academia, technology, faith, philanthropy, and law enforcement, has made it a requirement that all members travel to Israel. “What makes our organization so unique is that every single one of our members has traveled to Israel,” Jones explained. This approach is rooted in his decade-long tenure at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, during which he led hundreds of Black leaders on visits to Israel. “We found Israel to be a phenomenal example of collective self-determination, peoplehood, innovation, and resilience,” he said. These experiences, Jones believes, inspire leaders to bring new perspectives and strategies back to their own communities.
This year, NBEC’s international reach was on full display with a delegation to Israel that included Nelson Mandela’s granddaughters, Swati and Zaziwe. Their journey was particularly significant given recent controversies involving another family member’s participation in anti-Israel flotillas. According to Jones, Swati and Zaziwe wanted to see Israel for themselves and take a pro-Israel approach, culminating their visit by delivering aid to Palestinian women and children in Gaza. The sisters met with Israeli leaders, including President Isaac Herzog, as well as Israeli Arabs and Palestinians. Their firsthand observations led them to publicly reject comparisons between Israel and Apartheid South Africa—a powerful statement given their family legacy. “They were looking at it and saying, ‘This looks nothing like what we experienced as children in South Africa,’” Jones recounted.
The delegation also met with survivors of the October 7th Hamas attack and families of hostages, including Rachel Goldberg-Polin, whose son Hersh was taken hostage and later murdered. “There is nothing like sitting across from a mother who has been shattered by that kind of loss,” Jones said, highlighting the emotional impact of these encounters.
NBEC’s efforts go beyond symbolism. The organization has signed memoranda of understanding with Ben-Gurion University and Hebrew University in Israel to facilitate partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States, including Texas Southern University in Houston. This opens doors for African American students to study at Israel’s top universities, while Ethiopian Israeli students can study at HBCUs in the U.S. “This work isn’t symbolic,” Jones emphasized. “It’s tangible. When you think creatively and actually execute, the mutual benefit becomes obvious.”
Reflecting on the historical erosion of Black-Jewish alliances after the Civil Rights Era, Jones pointed to a lack of leadership and intentional efforts to restore the relationship. “When Blacks and Jews stand together, we are a powerful force for good,” he said. “When we don’t stand together, we abdicate a responsibility and we lose that power.”
As both antisemitism and racial extremism intensify globally, Jones called for courageous leadership: “It’s going to be incumbent upon leaders from both of our communities to be the adults in the room. All this chaos, all this division, all this antisemitism, all this racism is putting us on the precipice of disaster.” He’s clear that action cannot wait: “No one is going to invite us to the table. We’re not waiting for permission. We’re stepping up and doing the work.”
These two stories—one of a community in mourning and mobilization, the other of bridge-building and renewed alliances—underscore the complexities and possibilities of our time. In the face of tragedy and division, leaders and communities are finding ways to support one another, challenge old assumptions, and build a future rooted in mutual respect and shared purpose.
