Leaders call for remembrance to become action

Central Synagogue in Sydney was filled-to-capacity last night, yet at times you could hear a pin drop, as Jewish Australians, political leaders, and survivors of December’s Bondi Chanukah terror attack gathered for the third annual official October 7 Commemoration.

Hosted by the Zionist Council of NSW (ZCNSW), the service opened with NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Michele Goldman lighting a memorial candle.

Among the many hundreds in attendance were federal Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and Indigenous leader Warren Mundine.

ZCNSW president Orna Triguboff said “We carry the memory of October 7 within us, always, but today we allow ourselves to feel that pain…and cry.”

“We mourn the loss of those we loved, even if we did not know them personally… and we mourn the loss of innocence and the sense of safety we once took for granted.