Australia begins events to mark October 7
A number of sombre commemorative events are taking place around Australia to mark the one year anniversary of the October 7 massacre.
The Australian Jewish community has began to mark the anniversary of the October 7 massacre, with commemorative events taking part across the country.
During an intimate ceremony on Sunday evening in Sydney, Nova festival survivor Michal Ohana lit a Yahrzeit candle in honour of the 1200 people who were murdered in southern Israel a year ago, and for the over 100 hostages who remain captive in Gaza.
“A long and painful year has passed since the enemies of Israel launched their brutal attack on our beloved country,” Israel’s Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon told the crowd, which included Nova Peris and a number of local politicians.
“What happened that day is forever sealed in our souls; the horror, the anguish, the terror. These are not just memories, they are wounds we carry with us and today we must confront those memories, no matter how painful.”
Hundreds also attended a sombre Bondi Beach vigil at 6:29am on Monday morning.
“The pain of that day reverberates not just through Israel, but through Jewish communities and all communities across the globe,” said StandWithUs Australia’s executive director Michael Gencher.
“It is a pain that has been compounded by the alarming rise in antisemitism, which we have witnessed over the past year.”
October 7 survivor Shani Teshuva from Kibbutz Zikim spoke, along with Dave Sharma, Rabbi Shua Solomon and MP Kellie Sloane.
“Know this – you are not alone,” Sloane said in a powerful address.
“You are not alone in your grief, you are not alone in being scared about this change in our beautiful country, you are not alone in your anger about these protests that are promoting terrorism.Those loud voices, those angry voices, they don’t represent quiet Australians.Quiet Australians don’t like this, the majority don’t like this.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is expected to attend Monday night’s commemorative event in Sydney, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will make an appearance at Melbourne’s Illuminate October event.
“This is our community’s opportunity to come together in memoriam for the victims of the tragic day, while communicating to the general community the unambiguous and supreme importance we place on our connection with Israel,” said Zionism Victoria President Yossi Goldfarb.
“I am confident that the community gathered tonight will act with the decorum and respect that befits the occasion. This is also an opportunity to demonstrate to the broader Australian community that local events marking 7th October can be delivered respectfully and in a dignified manner – without breaking the law or attracting the opprobrium of the general community.”
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