To Jews around the world, all too many place names have become shorthand for the terrible things that befell our people there: Kishinev, Munich, Toulouse, Pittsburgh, Manchester — and now Bondi Beach.
Sunday’s horrific attack targeting a community Hanukkah celebration at the iconic Sydney landmark was shocking — in its brutality, in the innocence of its setting, and in its ghastly death toll, which currently stands at 15. But to many in the Australian Jewish community, it was hardly surprising.
One such individual is Joel Burnie.
Joel is a longtime advocate and leader in the Australian Jewish community. He served as President of the Australasian Union of Jewish Students during his university years, went on hold a succession of senior communal roles, and today serves as Executive Manager of the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC), the leading public affairs organization of Australian Jewry.
For years, Joel has been sounding the alarm about rising antisemitism to Australian government officials, media figures, and civil society leaders, warning that ever-escalating attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions would inevitably lead to bloodshed — as they did so dreadfully on Sunday.
In this timely conversation, which took place just 24 hours after the Bondi Beach massacre, we discuss the mood within the Australian Jewish community, the government’s response to the surge in antisemitism, and what Israel and Jews around the world can do to help fight back.
Due to the urgent nature of this conversation, this episode is being made available to all Jerusalem Journal subscribers upon release. You can listen to previous episodes here.
