Freedom secured through sacrifice

Each year, two days of remembrance fall within close proximity to one another: Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s Memorial Day, and Anzac Day, Australia’s national day of commemoration.

They emerge from mostly different histories and battlefields, yet the spirit that binds them is unmistakably similar. Both are days when the two nations pause to honour those who paid the ultimate price for freedom, reminding us that independence and security are never guaranteed; they are secured through hard-fought sacrifice.

For me, these two days resonate in an intimately personal way. As someone who is both proudly Australian and Israeli, I carry the histories and identities of both nations deeply within me. This year, I also write with another layer of perspective, as a survivor of the terror attack in Bondi.

In Israel, Yom Hazikaron commemorates soldiers who fell defending the Jewish state and civilians murdered in acts of terror. The day is marked by a haunting siren that brings the entire country to a standstill. Highways freeze, conversations stop, and people stand silently in remembrance and reflection.

Immediately after the conclusion of Yom Hazikaron, Israelis – and indeed Jews in Australia and the Diaspora – celebrate the State of Israel’s independence, a jarring yet profound reminder that before we can rejoice in the miracle of Jewish sovereignty and revival in our ancestral homeland, we must first honour those who fell defending it.

For Australians, Anzac Day on April 25 carries a similarly powerful meaning, commemorating the soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who landed at Gallipoli in 1915, while also honouring all Australians who served and died in war.

For Jews in Australia, the closeness of these two days creates a searing moment of reflection.

It reminds us that the story of Jewish survival and the story of Australian sacrifice intersect more than many realise, and not merely because of the Battle of Beersheba and the crucial role of the Anzacs in liberating Jerusalem from Ottoman rule.

Israel today finds itself once again confronting existential threats, including the ongoing confrontation with Iran, and its network of proxies across the region, including Hezbollah and Hamas. Israelis understand perhaps more acutely than most, the fragile cost of sovereignty and maintaining freedom. The names read aloud each year are not only from wars and acts of terror in the decades past, but from the ongoing struggle to defend the Jewish state from those who seek its destruction.

Australians, too, understand something about the price of freedom. From Gallipoli to the Western Front, from Tobruk to Afghanistan, generations of Australians have served with courage, sacrifice and distinction. The Anzac spirit of resilience, mateship and duty is etched into Australia’s national identity and ethos.

Yet remembrance is not confined only to battlefields.

On December 14, the Australian Jewish community was shaken to its core, after the horrific terror attack in Bondi, which claimed the lives of 15 people, including 10-year-old Matilda and 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Alexander Kleytman. As someone who narrowly survived that attack myself, I know how quickly normal life can be instantly shattered by hatred and evil.

This hatred and bloodlust of the terrorists who murdered 15 innocent souls at Bondi is no different to that which has driven countless Palestinian and Iranian-sponsored terror attacks against Israelis.

And so, as we reflect on Yom Hazikaron and Anzac Day, this memory becomes part of that broader tapestry of remembrance.

But remembrance is not simply about honouring the past. It is also about confronting the realities of the present, and asking what kind of future we want to fight for and build for our children and our communities.

For Israelis, Yom Hazikaron underscores a simple but sobering truth: the existence of the Jewish state has always depended on the courage of those willing to defend it. It is why the day immediately precedes Independence Day, in a powerful reminder that freedom was secured through sacrifice.

For Australians, Anzac Day similarly reminds us that the freedom and liberty we cherish, were only made possible by those who came before us, and those brave men and women of the Australian armed forces today.

The bond between Australia and Israel is not merely diplomatic or strategic. It is rooted in shared values: democracy, resilience and the belief that freedom must be fought for at all costs.

When Australians gather at dawn services across the country, they honour courage and sacrifice. Likewise, when Israelis stand still during the piercing siren of Yom Hazikaron, they do the same.

The settings may differ, but the sentiment is identical: our freedom endures only because of the courage and bravery of those willing to stand, fight and defend it.

Arsen Ostrovsky is head of the Sydney office of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC).