NSW faith leaders unite in condemnation of Bondi terror attack

On Monday, NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper convened an emergency meeting of the Faith Affairs Council, and religious leaders from some of the state’s largest denominations, after Sunday’s terrorist attack in Bondi targeting a Chanukah event.

Council members and faith leaders expressed their deepest sympathies for the people killed in the horrific attack, re-iterated their solidarity with the Jewish community, and unanimously re-affirmed the joint Faith Affairs Council and Multicultural Advisory Board communique made on Sunday night.

That statement can be found here, and a full list of the attending 25 leaders are listed below.

Minister Kamper, addressing the meeting, conveyed the government’s heartbreak, encouraged leaders and their communities to reach out to their Jewish counterparts, and affirmed that Australians of all faiths must work together, unambiguously, to restore faith in NSW’s multiculturalism.

Senior Jewish clergy leaders addressed the meeting, including Rabbi Benjamin Elton – of Sydney’s The Great Synagogue – and Rabbi Nochum Shapiro, of Chabad House of the North Shore and President of the Rabbinical Association of Australasia.

Rabbi Shapiro conveyed to fellow faith leaders that tangible ways for their communities to show support for Jewish Australians was to light a Chanukah candle or engage in tangible acts of charity, to fight the darkness with light.

Right Rev Dr Michael Stead, the Faith Affair’s Council chair, said that faith leaders had stood together with one voice to condemn Sunday’s horrific attack and voice support for Jewish Australians.

Dr Stead, who chaired Monday’s meeting, also applauded the strong statements of support for the Jewish community that many individual faith organisations had proactively issued.

Sheikh Shadi Alsuleiman, president of the Australian National Imams Council, said the Muslim community’s heart went out to Jewish Australians, calling it a targeted attack on their community but one that also cut to the heart of every Australian.

Archbishop Kanishka Raffel of the Anglican Church of Australia conveyed that Jewish leaders had recounted how their community had felt increasingly alone and urged attendees to collectively embrace the grieving community.

Andrew Harper of the Australian Christian Churches relayed how his young daughter on Sunday night asked if she was safe, and reflected how that emotion was something, tragically, felt across the Jewish community.  

Faith leaders affirmed that their communities would stand firmly in solidarity with Jewish Australians, and would work collaboratively on action to address antisemitism and hatred.

Right Rev Dr Michael Stead, of the Anglican Church of Australia, said: “The meeting was a demonstration of our faith communities at their best – coming together in our shared grief to express our compassion and support for Jewish brothers and sisters, and to state unequivocally with one voice our utter condemnation of this evil terrorist attack. By continuing to work together in love and respect, we will build peace and harmony in our nation.”

Leaders in attendance: