Hatred finds Jews on an Australian beach

Light eradicates darkness
London, ON
December 2023
This photo originally shared on Instagram

A bunch of Jews gather on Sydney’s Bondi Beach to welcome in Chanukah. And because they’re Jews, they’re mowed down by two gunmen carrying automatic weapons.

Not the first time Jews have been killed because they’re Jews. And it won’t be the last.

Not that it changes anything, but to Australia’s credit, the PM immediately called it a terrorist act. Doesn’t bring the victims, among them a 10-year-old girl, back. Doesn’t ease the fast-rising global wave of antisemitism masquerading as political “protest”. Doesn’t change the fact that thousands of years on, Jews still make convenient targets.

I’m shamed to admit I often hesitate to post anything in the wake of attacks like this. I am Jewish, after all, and it terrifies me that I might be inviting more hatred on myself - or worse, on my family - if I do.

But our history is filled with stories of Jews who chose silence over raised voices. Who said nothing in the futile hope it would somehow appease our oppressors. Make them go away and find someone else to bully.

Didn’t work then and won’t work now.

So I’ll use my voice.

In the meantime, the irony of the timing of this attack isn’t lost on me. The first night of Chanukah. The very festival of light. So we light the light. And with each successive night, we’ll add still more light. We’ll banish the darkness.

Might take thousands of years to get there. But we’ve been at it for just as long. We know the drill.

#enough