16/12/2025
My heart is heavy as I send ♥️ to my Jewish friends in Sydney,
My heart is broken for you.
What happened at Bondi during what should have been a sacred and joyful time of Hanukkah is beyond words. Innocent lives were taken, many more were injured, and a deep wound has been inflicted on a community that has already carried too much across history.
I stand with you — in grief, in outrage, and in sorrow. Am Yisrael Chai.
No one should ever have to fear gathering to celebrate their faith, their traditions, or their identity.
This violence was an act of hatred. There is no justification for it.
And yet, in the midst of unimaginable darkness, there was also a moment of extraordinary moral courage: a Muslim man who put his own life at risk to stop the gunman and save Jews. That act matters. It does not erase the evil — but it reminds us that hatred is a choice, and so is humanity. It reminds us that even in the worst moments, there can still be tzelem Elokim — the divine spark — expressed through courage and self-sacrifice.
The Jewish people have endured persecution for centuries, and still you gather, still you light candles, still you choose light over darkness. That strength humbles me.
May the memories of those who were taken be זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (zichronam livracha).
May there be healing for the injured, comfort for the mourners, and protection for your community.
I stand with you.
Just in case if you didn’t know, in Animal Farm, Pig 1 was called Anthony, Pig 2 - Penny, and Pig 3 - Tony. Author of revised Animal Farm is called George Orwellian.
