Sydney Jewish Community stands with Israel on October 7 anniversary

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More than 12,000 members of the Jewish community and friends gathered in Sydney for a solemn vigil commemorating the first anniversary of the October 7, 2023, massacre.

Held in Dover Heights, the event drew prominent Australian political figures, including Mark Butler, a senior Labor minister, and Leader of the Opposition, Peter Dutton. Butler made a strong case for Israel’s right to defend itself, condemning the surge of antisemitism facing Australian Jews. “No self-respecting nation would fail to defend itself if attacked the way Israel has been,” Butler declared, emphasizing the government’s support amid recent anti-Israel demonstrations.

The evening began with a powerful ‘Acknowledgement of Country’ by Nova Peris who likened Kakadu to the indigenous Australian’s Masada — a place where resilience is not only remembered but lived. “Though our struggles are distinct, the Jewish and Aboriginal peoples share a common thread of resistance against erasure and an unwavering bond to the land as the foundation of our identity.”

SZCNSW’s Yossi Eshed gave Peter Dutton an October 7 dogtag

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who arrived to a spontaneous standing ovation from the crowd, characterized the conflict as one between “civilization and barbarism” and condemning the “moral fog” surrounding responses in Australia to the attacks. He pledged to launch a judicial inquiry into rising antisemitism on university campuses, if elected. He made a commitment to ensure that young Australians are equipped with a shield of knowledge to deflect Jewish hatred. In support of this he pledged that a coalition government would commit $8.5 million to support the expansion of the Sydney Jewish Museum.

The vigil, organized by the State Zionist Council and the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, also featured strong remarks from NSW Premier Chris Minns as well as State Opposition Leader, Mark Speakman who noted that October 7 is now a “notorious addition adjacent to another day in infamy, the 50th anniversary of the sixth of October, which saw the unprovoked attack that started the Yom Kippur War”.

Minns quoted David Ben Gurion who said, “in Israel, anyone who doesn’t believe in miracles is not a realist” and continued “so while grief is understandable and healing will take time, we can’t lose hope.”

Minns recounted the massacre’s brutality, stressing that “we need to make it clear that the killing of innocent people on October the seventh by Hamas is a great crime. There is no context, no history, no perspective that can ever justify the murder of an infant in her cot in front of her mother, the killing of an unarmed Holocaust survivor or the massacre of children dancing in the desert.” He described a disturbing rise in antisemitic incidents across the state, labelling it a “poison” that must be eradicated. “We need to acknowledge shamefully that it’s here in Australia today and tonight, it’s also an important opportunity to stand against antisemitism.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other government ministers attended a parallel vigil in Melbourne, carrying lanterns in solidarity.

Throughout the evening, the crowd heard powerful presentations from young Israelis and their experiences of October 7. This included Michal Ohana, who survived the Nova Music Festival massacre by hiding under an empty IDF tank for seven hours and getting shot in the leg and stomach. Ten of her friends were murdered and two taken hostage to Gaza, where they remain in Hamas captivity.

David Ossip, President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, praised leaders like Minns (calling him “a real mensch”) and Dutton for their steadfast support of the Jewish community. Ossip described Dutton as “our voice and our champion over the past year” and thanked him for his “unwavering solidarity and courageous leadership” Ossip underscored the community’s resilience, calling them “unbreakable” in the face of adversity. He emphasized, “This is a war Israel never asked for but will fight to win.”

Earlier in the day, ss the sun rose over Bondi Beach at precisely 6:29 am—the exact time the Hamas massacre began—another powerful commemoration took place. Organized by StandWithUs Australia, this marked the first global remembrance of the October 7 attack and began with a resonant blast of the shofar. Michael Gencher, Executive Director of StandWithUs introduced the event, stating, “We gather here today to remember the innocent lives lost, to honour the victims, and to stand in solidarity with the hostages, survivors, and their families.”

Senator Dave Sharma described the horrors of the Gaza massacre on October 7 and the challenges that Israel still faced from its enemies.

At Bondi Beach

October 7 survivor Shani Teshuva, from Kibbutz Zikim near the border with Gaza, described the miraculous events that helped her survive the brutal massacre of October 7 that took the lives of so many of her friends. She shared the strength that the survivors had drawn strength from the support of people from around Israel and the world.

In an inspiring speech, Kellie Sloane, Member for Vaucluse, expressed strong support for the local Jewish community. “This community has endured so many emotions—horror, grief, numbness, anger. You’ve been scared, even here, and felt betrayed in a state and country that you have contributed to over so many years,” she stated.

She condemned the “disgraceful behaviour of those who don’t share our values, who fuel hatred and spite” and reassured attendees that “those loud voices… don’t represent quiet Australians. Quiet Australians don’t like this; they see you; they see themselves. They see any attack on Jewish Australians as an attack on all Australians.”

Rabbi Shua Solomon, Head of the NSW Rabbinical Council, reflected on the emotional connection to Israel, referencing Rabbi Yehuda Halevi’s poem that expresses a longing for the Holy Land despite geographical distance; “my heart is in the East and the rest of me at the edge of the west.” Since October 7, “our hearts have been with our brothers and sisters in Israel, our hearts have been broken many times over by the pictures we saw” and continue to see. Rabbi Solomon also spoke of the inspiration from the bravery and selflessness of those risking their lives to protect Israel.

The morning ceremony ended with a heart-rending recitation of the names of the hostages who remain captive in the terror tunnels of Gaza.

Both commemorations served as a powerful show of solidarity with Israel, a tribute to those lost, and a reminder of the ongoing challenges facing the Jewish community in Australia and worldwide.

Photos: Nadin Saacks, Rob Klein