Student Reflection on Terror Attack in Australia

by Ilan Honig, SSLI '29

Editor's Note: For today’s article, freshman and PPN writer Ilan Honig shared his personal reflection in response to the antisemitic terror attack this past Sunday in Australia.

On Sunday, December 14 at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, a horrific terrorist attack occurred. Hundreds of people gathered for a Hanukkah event where two men opened fire on the crowd. A total of 16 people were killed, including one of the gunmen, and 26 people were hospitalized. The youngest victim was 10, and the oldest was 87.

When I first saw the news, it felt almost fake that, on a Jewish holiday, someone would, yet again, target Jews. I did not know how to respond, and I couldn’t believe it was true. However, as social media became flooded with pictures, videos, and audio recordings of the attack, it felt all too familiar. The videos of parents running to find their children and the sounds of gunshots reminded me of the footage of the attacks at the Nova Festival on October 7, 2023.

As antisemitism has globally skyrocketed, I know that a lot of people try to hide their Jewish identity. They worry about what will happen if they wear a kippah on the street or are spotted with a Jewish star necklace on the train. Even when I see news of attacks against those on the other side of the world, I feel close to the pain of those harmed. I feel connected to their communities and ache as I see my people suffering. I also watch the videos and scroll through the endless pictures, noticing that whether it’s in Amsterdam, London, the United States, or Australia, the attacks can happen anywhere, and we need to be prepared.

Despite this, I think it’s more of a reason to be proud of our Judaism, and that we must embrace our shared identity. I feel that, with all this happening in the world right now, we should celebrate Hanukkah no matter where we are. As a holiday, we are honoring the Jews who fought bravely for our people thousands of years ago--those who risked their lives to protect their Jewish brothers and sisters. If we allow these attacks to take us down, the people who hate us are winning. We need to show them that our love is stronger than their hate.

Schechter students light Hanukkah candles in honor of those killed and injured in Australia. (S. Levenson)

I believe that we need to show everyone that we are proud to be Jewish. Even as antisemitism rises, our strength comes from community, and the bonds we have with one another can never be broken. I hope that this Hanukkah brings comfort and healing to those affected by the attacks in Australia and peace to all of the Jewish people.

Ilan Honig is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since November 2025. Ilan is currently a freshman at Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: ihonig29@schechterli.org.