Jewish-Australians are mourning the worst terror attack Israel has faced while carrying their own scars from the Bondi massacre.
On October 7, 2023 about 1200 Israelis were killed and 251 taken hostage by the Gaza-based militant group Hamas.
The attack has since taken on a more visceral and immediate fear after the carnage on Bondi beach.
In December, 15 people were gunned down, including a 10-year-old girl and an elderly Holocaust survivor, at a Hannukah celebration at Bondi beach.
Zionist Federation of Australia President Jeremy Leibler said the brutal violence in Israel had an immense impact on Australian Jews that was solidified after the Bondi massacre.
"October 7 is a day of mourning for the more than 1200 innocent people murdered when Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel, massacring families in their homes, hunting down young people at a music festival...and dragging men, women, children and the elderly into Gaza as hostages."
"Terror and antisemitism will not define Jewish life in Australia. We will continue to live proudly and openly as Jews, and nothing these groups do will weaken the bond between Australian Jewry, Australia and Israel."
The third anniversary of the October 7 attacks will see events planned nationwide by pro-Israel groups, with a vigil taking place at 6.29am at the Bondi Pavilion to mark the exact time when the attack took place in Israel.
For pro-Palestine supporters, it's a time to draw attention to the ensuing escalation of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed more than 74,000 people and wounded 175,000, according to Gaza's health ministry.
One of the groups organising a vigil at Sydney's Town Hall is Jews against Occupation representing dissident Jewish voices, with the event entitled "Don't let Israel steal the date."
It has been widely condemned as highly inflammatory and insensitive by political leaders including NSW Premier Chris Minns, who has been a steadfast supporter of pro-Israel groups.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry Alex Ryvchin also lambasted attempts to hijack the date and pointed to how both tragedies were linked.
"Because of October 7 ...we now live in another era of terrorism where the unimaginable horror of Bondi can occur and troubled, uncertain times lie ahead for us all," he said.
