MELBOURNE, Australia — The nation of Australia will observe a poignant moment of unity on Sunday evening as citizens light candles at precisely 6:47 p.m. local time (7:47 GMT) to memorialize the victims of last week’s devastating attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a Jewish festival. The coordinated tribute comes exactly one week after the horrific shooting that claimed 15 lives and represents Australia’s deadliest mass shooting incident since the 1996 Tasmania tragedy that left 35 dead.
The federal government alongside New South Wales state authorities has officially designated Sunday as a national Day of Reflection. Commemorative activities began Sunday morning with Indigenous leaders conducting a traditional smoking ceremony at the Bondi Pavilion waterfront, where an organic memorial of flowers and heartfelt messages has accumulated throughout the week. This temporary memorial is scheduled to be cleared on Monday.
Rabbi Levi Wolff anticipates thousands will gather at Bondi to honor the victims and demonstrate solidarity with the Jewish community. “Australians recognize this wasn’t merely an attack against Jewish people—we’re an accessible target—but rather an assault on Australian values,” Wolff told Nine Network television. “The community will stand shoulder-to-shoulder to declare that hatred and violence have no place in our nation.”
The tragedy unfolded last Sunday when two gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration marking the beginning of the eight-day Jewish holiday. According to health department authorities, 13 wounded individuals remain hospitalized in Sydney facilities, including the alleged primary gunman, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, who was shot by police and now faces 15 murder charges plus 40 counts of attempted murder. His father, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was fatally shot by police at the scene.
National symbols of mourning include flags flying at half-staff on government buildings, with structures illuminated in yellow Sunday evening as a visual demonstration of solidarity. Television and radio networks have been requested to observe a minute’s silence at the commemorative hour.
Rabbi Eli Feldman extended an invitation for the broader Australian community to join Jewish observers at Bondi for the final day of Hanukkah, which concludes at sundown Monday. “We invite everyone to light the eighth candle together, demonstrating that light will always overcome darkness,” Feldman told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
However, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry expressed profound concerns regarding government responses to rising antisemitism. Co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin reported that victims’ families feel “tragically, unforgivably let down” by perceived governmental failures to address growing antisemitism since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in 2023. “The community cycles through various emotions—there’s shock, bewilderment, and considerable anger. We demand answers and substantive change,” Ryvchin stated.