Australia’s Jewish community gather for vigil following Hamas attacks

More than 9,000 Australians have thrown their support around the Jewish community at a vigil in the state of New South Wales (NSW) following the weekend’s shock attack on Israel by Palestinian terrorist group Hamas.

Local Dover Heights woman Cindy S, who attended the event with her daughter and cousin Danny S, said she wanted her daughter to know her local community supported her family and the Jewish community at large.

“We stand by Israel. We cannot stand by and have our people murdered and treated this way. It’s barbaric,” Cindy said.

“We are here in solidarity as the whole world should be doing.”

Danny said the vigil was a “place of love and it makes me proud to be a Jew”.

“There will be tears but there will be tears not only for sorrow, but for our proudness of who we are.”

Bondi woman Galit Gershowitz, whose 20-year-old son was currently serving as a sniper in the elite combat unit within the Israeli army, said she felt a sense of community attending the vigil.

“It’s showing us as a family that we’re not alone,” she said.

“My son didn’t go to fight, he went to protect our country. We just want peace.

She said she felt “scared and anxious” for her son’s welfare but was proud of this contribution.

Couple Danielle Chaanger and Gioel Gottlieb, both of whom are Jewish, said they had been “devastate and crushed” at the Hamas attack.

“This morning I went to my doctor and my doctor’s wife sister had been shot. She barricaded herself in the house, but they kidnapped her neighbours and killed her baby,” he said.

He said he was at the vigil in a show of support for Israel.

“We are not here to protest. We’re here to show that we are very different. We’re here to unite ourselves because we love each other,” he said.

Jewish leaders say community is shattered

Speaking to the crowd, Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s president Jillian Segal also spoke about the barbarism of the attack.

“Not since the Holocaust have so many Jewish lives been taken in a single day,” she said.

“We are totally shattered as we stand together this evening, mourning for the hundreds of lives lost and praying for the safe release of the hostages.”

She also thanked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and local federal MP Allegra Spender for their support.

“We call all fair-minded people and our political representatives in demanding the safe return of the hostages,” she said.

“We also demand those who burnt the Israeli flags at the Opera House… to be identified and prosecuted.

“And we call for determined leadership on anti-Semitism and race hatred from all our governments.”

Politicians condemn Hamas attack

NSW Premier Chris Minns, federal Health Minister Mark Butler, federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman spoke at the vigil.

Representing the Prime Minister, Health and Aged Minister Mark Butler said the government condemned the actions of Hamas “unequivocally”.

“More Jews were killed on Saturday than any day of the Holocaust,” he said.

“I express my sympathies to those who were affected by the deep acts of terror.

“Anti-Semitism has no place in this country … just as we stand with the state is Israel, we stand with the Jewish community.”

Mr. Minns affirmed apologized for recent anti-Semitic incidents since the weekend.

“It is with a lot of sorrow that I acknowledge some of the hatred that was seen in your own city and I am deeply sorry,” he said.

“I don’t want to live in a world where that happens and I won’t live in a state where that is allowed to happen.

Mr. Dutton thanked the Jewish community for their “resolute behavior,” and likened the attacks by Hamas to the 9/11 attacks and ISIS.

He said Australia would join the rest of the world in sending a message to Hamas that their acts “would never be tolerated.

“As Australians we value many attributes and when we look at the story of Israel, it’s a story of many trials and tribulations,” the Liberal leader said.

“The terrorism we’ve seen in recent days cannot be given moral equvalience of any behaviours other than terrorist events that have taken in recent history.”

Prime Minister in Melbourne vows support

Mr. Albanese is in Melbourne, where he has visited a synagogue.

He told the Jewish community in St Kilda it was a “time of profound sorrow” and vowed his government “will stand with Israel. We always will.”

“We meet today at a time of profound sorrow, in the shadow of terrorist acts that are truly abhorrent,” he said.

“We have seen unimaginable atrocities, targeting children.

“The government and the people of Australia condemn this attack by Hamas.

“The targeting of civilians and taking of hostages is an affront to all Australians and we condemn these horrific acts.”

He also promised the government would act on anti-Semitism sentiment and actions.

“I want to assure you, that kind of hateful prejudice has no place in Australia,” the Prime Minister said.

“Our country is better than that – and our country is a better place because of you and your community.

“My government is committed to keeping the community safe.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Acting NSW Police Commissioner Dave Hudson said there would be a “heavy police presence” at the vigil to ensure the safety of participants.

“I think that one could expect that the Jewish community would hold such a vigil and our sympathies go that group.”

Commissioner Hudson added that extra security and police presence had been deployed to Jewish schools and synagogues, plus Jewish retirement homes and hospitals at the request of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies.

NSW Premier’s apology to Jewish community

The commemoration comes after protesters shouted anti-Semitic slurs and burnt the Israeli flag at the Sydney Opera House on Monday night.

At the time the landmark was illuminated in the blue and white colours of Israel as a show of solidarity, however the city’s Jewish community were advised to stay away from the Opera House due to safety concerns.

On Wednesday, the Premier apologised to the Jewish community for not giving them a space to grieve.

“I really want to make it clear to the Jewish community that I want to apologize to them, specifically, on behalf of the government and myself as the Premier of NSW,” he said.

“The intentions were to light up the Opera House as a space for the Jewish community to commemorate what happened in Israel, the number of family and friends caught up in the conflict.

“We didn’t do it. I take responsibility for that. I want to ensure it won’t happen again.”