Bondi massacre: Irish chief rabbi says 'corrosive Jew hatred' is spreading across West - including in Ireland
A “corrosive hatred" of Jews is taking hold of parts of western society, including in Ireland, the country’s chief rabbi has said.
Yoni Wieder, of the Dublin Hebrew Congregation, made the comments in reaction to the bloodbath on Bondi Beach in eastern Sydney, where two gunmen killed 15 people at a gathering to celebrate the Jewish festival of Hanukkah (also known as Chanukah).
His statement said: “This was a sickening and brutal act of terror that has shaken us deeply – Jewish people slaughtered in cold blood for the simple act of celebrating Chanukah.
“Our thoughts are with those who were murdered, with their grieving families, and with those who were injured and remain in critical condition.
“This was not just an attack against Jewish people, this was an assault on the shared values that underpin any civilised and moral society.
“When a community cannot gather peacefully to celebrate its faith without fearing for its lives, the world becomes a darker and more dangerous place for everyone.”
Mr Weider’s remit does not extend to Northern Ireland, which instead falls under the remit of the UK’s chief rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (though his office added “that said, we are very close to our Belfast cousins and look to support them wherever possible”).
He went on: “Australian Jews have said they felt this outcome was tragically foreseeable. The writing was on the wall long before this attack.
“There has been a steady and well-documented rise in antisemitic incidents targeting Australian Jews.
“In Sydney itself, following October 7th, demonstrators took to the streets chanting ‘gas the Jews’.
“According to reports at the time, those incidents were met with official apologies, but little in the way of arrests, prosecutions, or meaningful deterrence.
“When explicit calls for the murder of Jewish people are brushed aside, when they are not met with decisive action, it sends a dangerous message.
“And now we’ve seen on Bondi Beach a mass slaughter that should have been unthinkable.
“There is a corrosive hatred of Jewish people taking hold in some of the Western world, and regrettably within parts of Irish society as well.
“This hatred must be acknowledged for what it is, confronted, and eradicated at its roots.
“At the moment our grief is very raw and deep. But the Jewish people have been through a lot worse before and we will get through this as well.
“I have called on our community not to retreat in fear after this attack, but to continue coming together openly and proudly as we mark Chanukah, a festival that speaks of bringing light into times of darkness.
“The terrorists who carried out the shooting and their supporters want Jewish people across the world to live in fear.
“Our answer is simple: we are strong and resilient, and we will continue to stand proud and thrive.”