Tragic Shooting During Hanukkah Event in Sydney
Friends of Rabbi Eli Schlanger have expressed concerns that warnings about increasing anti-Semitism in Australia were ignored until his tragic death in a terrorist attack during Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi Beach.
“You could see the signs everywhere. Graffiti was evident at my nephew’s school, in Bondi Junction, and on various synagogues, yet no one took it seriously,” noted Jewish Israel advocate Mol Greenberg during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.”
Authorities reported that a father and son were responsible for a mass shooting at Sydney’s annual Hanukkah by the Sea event, resulting in at least 16 fatalities—one of whom was one of the assailants—and 40 people injured.
Following the event, attention turned to Schlanger’s letter addressed to the Australian Prime Minister, urging him to support the Jewish community. Co-host Brian Kilmeade read excerpts from the rabbi’s September letter, where he emphasized the Prime Minister’s chance to align with truth and justice.
Greenberg shared that Schlanger’s frustrations were common among community members. “There comes a point when you just wonder, ‘How many more times do we need to address this?’ When I learned of Rabbi Schlanger’s death, it hit especially close to home since I knew him personally,” she remarked.
“The actions of the Australian government have essentially rewarded terrorism. They’ve given Hamas a state. What do they expect? It just leads to more terror.”
In a related segment, Kilmeade displayed a video of an Albanian asserting that the government takes anti-Semitism seriously, to which Greenberg responded emphatically.
“That’s simply not true. My family and friends there are terrified. They feel compelled to hide their Jewish identity. This is supposed to be a Western nation; it’s shocking,” she stated. “They really can’t comprehend the dire circumstances they find themselves in or the lack of decisive action.”
Greenberg emphasized that many in the community feel abandoned by the government. “This was a pivotal moment for them—a chance to show solidarity with the Jewish community—but it feels like they didn’t take it far enough.”
