Yom Kippur and the unbreakable Jewish spirit

This Yom Kippur arrives after painful years for the Jewish people.

The Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023 changed Jewish life worldwide. The murder, kidnapping and brutalisation of Israelis were followed swiftly by an alarming rise in antisemitism. Jewish Australians encountered hostility at work, universities, schools and in public. Many felt that Israel had been placed on trial before the dead were buried and while hostages remained captive.

Then came the Bondi Beach terrorist attack against the Jewish community on December 14, 2025. A celebration of Chanukah, the festival of Jewish light and religious freedom, became the scene of mass murder. Jews gathered openly to celebrate their faith and were targeted because they were Jewish.

The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion was established in January 2026 after that attack. It is examining the circumstances surrounding Bondi, the drivers of Australian antisemitism and the impact of hatred on Jewish Australians. More than 20,000 submissions were received, showing the problem’s scale.

Yet Yom Kippur reminds us that human commissions represent only one level of justice.