Chanukah After Bondi Beach

At a time when we are still stunned by the terrible events at Bondi Beach, we need to remind ourselves, more than ever, of the core message of Chanukah.

Chanukah is not simply a time for parties, gifting presents, or eating doughnuts. It is not a Jewish substitute for the immeasurably more visible Christmas. Chanukah expresses something far more challenging. It commemorates a victory in war, but equally, a victory over assimilation.

Chanukah faces outward, against the Syrian Greeks who sought to eradicate Judaism itself. But Chanukah also faces inward, against those Jews of the time who were so drawn into the surrounding pagan civilisation that they were prepared to abandon Jewish identity in order to belong. The struggle of Chanukah was not simply about physical survival; it was about whether authentic Judaism would continue to exist.

That is why Chanukah is marked by the lighting of candles in each home, ideally in a place where they are visible to passers-by. The core requirement in Halacha is pirsumei nisa — “publicising the miracle.” Jewish light is meant to be seen.

This year, in response to the renewed force of antisemitism in places as different as Manchester and Sydney, we must say something simple and unapologetic:

I am a Jew, just as Judah the Maccabee and his followers were Jews. What happened in Sydney will not break me. We will not be intimidated into hiding our Judaism, nor into diluting it so that it becomes unrecognisable.

Parashat Miketz, read during Chanukah, offers a parallel moment of Jewish courage. When Joseph is taken from the dungeon to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams, he stands at the pinnacle of power in the ancient world. Yet he does not disguise his identity or attribute his success to political skill or personal brilliance. He speaks openly of G-d as the source of his wisdom. His integrity and consistency are so evident that Pharaoh himself declares: “Can we find anyone like this, a man in whom there is the spirit of G-d?”

Joseph teaches that Jewish survival is not achieved by concealment, but by confidence and faithfulness, even in hostile or indifferent environments.

Now is the time, more than ever, to stand up for our values. To be proud Jews. To live, speak, and light up our Judaism for all to see.

Shabbat Shalom and Chanukah Sameach!