At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured when gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration organized by Chabad at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday. The attack, which targeted the Jewish community, has raised serious concerns about rising antisemitism in Australia. The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism placed the responsibility for the massacre in Sydney on the Australian government, saying in a statement that "the blood of the victims is on" their hands.
Jewish leaders have warned for years about the increasing number of antisemitic incidents in the country, with organizations condemning the government’s failure to address the issue. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the number of antisemitic events in Australia has surged by nearly five times compared to before October 7.
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry reported 1,654 antisemitic incidents between October 2024 and September 2025, in addition to 2,062 incidents in the previous year. In recent days, leaders of the J7, representing the seven largest Jewish communities worldwide, met in Australia and warned that the rise in antisemitism poses a global threat to democratic societies.
The most severe incidents, including synagogue arson attacks and violence against Jewish schools and institutions, have reached record levels.
In response to the attack, the President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, halted a ceremony and addressed the audience, saying, “At this very moment, our brothers and sisters in Sydney, Australia, are under terrorist attack during the lighting of the Hanukkah menorah at a Chabad event. Many Jews who came to light the first candle of Hanukkah have been attacked by evil terrorists."
Herzog added, “We send our strength to our brothers and sisters in the Jewish community in Australia. Our hearts break for them. We have repeatedly warned the Australian government about the need to uproot the spreading criminal antisemitism in Australia. We pray for the healing of the wounded and send our deepest condolences to the families of the victims.”
Rabbi David Yosef, the Chief Rabbi of Israel, also addressed the tragedy, saying, "During these days of light and joy, when the Jewish people gather in synagogues and homes to illuminate the world with holiness and faith, evil men arose to extinguish that light and sow destruction, grief, and death. We are deeply shocked and heartbroken by this horrific tragedy in Sydney, where the lives of innocent Jews were taken, whose only sin was wanting to celebrate the holiday and keep the Jewish tradition passed down through the generations."
Rabbi Yosef called on the Australian authorities to take strong action: “I urge the Australian government and law enforcement: Do not ignore this. Jewish blood is not cheap. Act with determination against all manifestations of antisemitism and bring those responsible to justice. Our response to the darkness is to add more light.”
World Zionist Organization President Yaakov Hagoel also commented on the attack: “The series of antisemitic attacks around the world is shocking and reminds us of dark times. Since October 7, there has been a war not just against the State of Israel, but against Jews worldwide, who have become the eighth front in this war. The World Zionist Organization will continue to stand by the Jewish community in Sydney and other Jewish communities around the world, supporting them in every way. We call on the Australian government to take a firm stand against any manifestation of antisemitism, and we are confident that they will.”