“Put away your passport” says Melbourne Lord Mayor
Victorian Premier joins a thousand at Federation Square for final night of Chanukah
Lord Mayor of Melbourne Nicholas Reece has urged Jewish Melburnians to reject any thought of leaving Australia,.
He told a crowd of around a thousand at Federation Square on Sunday night to “put away your passport”.
Reece was joined by Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, who helped light the menorah on the eighth and final night of Chanukah, as the Pillars of Light multicultural festival drew to a close one week after the deadly antisemitic massacre at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
Speaking at the celebration, Reece said he had heard from Jewish friends who were considering emigration in the wake of rising antisemitism.
“It is unthinkable, unimaginable, that the good Jews of Melbourne would ever leave our city,” he said.
“You have been here from our earliest days. You are part of the DNA of Melbourne. We love you, and you must stay.”
Reece told the AJN that Sir John Monash would be turning in his grave if he heard those conversations.
“I know there are challenges. We will get through this together. You are part of who we are. You are us”, he said.
The eight-day festival was organised by Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann of the Ark Centre in Hawthorn.
He said it brought together the community to “dance away the darkness” while keeping those affected by the Bondi attack in their thoughts.
“Our hearts are broken and our thoughts, our spirit, our prayers are with all those that need a speedy recovery in Sydney and those that lost loved ones, together with the entire Sydney Jewish community,” Rabbi Kaltmann said.
“It’s the eighth night of Chanukah. It’s the culmination, the completion, when we light the menorah in its entirety. That’s how we dispel and push away that darkness.”
Rabbi Kaltmann said he believed public sentiment had shifted following the attack.
“I know that the tide has changed, that finally we have the ear of all levels of society and of government, and we are demanding, together with everyday, decent Australians, that we must act to stop this surge of antisemitism.”
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner Ro Allen also attended the celebration.
“Seven days on from the antisemitic attack on Jewish people in Bondi, I just want to say my heart is with you,” Allen said.
“We are lucky that we can celebrate tonight, and I stand with all of you.”
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