Kids Combat Radical Ideology at Bondi Beach Event

Violet Rose 3, painted a stone for the memorial for another little girl Matilda 10, who had been murdered in the Bondi Beach Massacre. Matilda loved bees and they were intertwined in the memorial for the 15 murdered innocents and more than 40 seriously injured.

Since Biblical times, Jewish people place stones on graves as a symbol of remembrance, permanence and respect for the deceased, linking life and death.

Chaya, a fourteen year girl, ran through the line of fire to save two small children at Bondi Beach. She lay on the little children to protect them and then helped them pray. She felt close to God then. She was shot and later hospitalised.

Flowers, stones, bees, toys came from all so many communities, from all over Australia and the world, sending support to the Jewish community at Bondi Beach.

6.47 p.m marked the moment the first sounds of gunfire rang out on the first day of Hannakh, light in darkness. A week later for the end of Hanukkah, a memorial was held at Bondi Beach marked by a minute's silence 6.47 p.m. on Sunday 21^st. Flags flew at half-mast, and people lit a candle in their windows to honour the victims and show their support for the Jewish and Australian community.

There were many speakers at the commemoration, but Rabbi Eli Feldman's words captured the spirit. "We must fight dark with light. No matter the colour of your skin or what you believe, we are all created in God's image, every single human being is created in God's image. Let us love each other. Let us care about each other."

NSW Premier Chris Mimms spoke powerfully. "The thousands who jumped on a surfboard last Friday and paddled past the breakers to show solidarity to this community. The hundreds of first responders, including the police, the paramedics, Surf Life Savers who ran straight into danger to protect our community. The 40,000 people who've given blood as an act of public service, the flowers at the Pavilion, the red and yellow Surf Life Saving army. The candles, the tears – all acts large and small, but they show Australia stands with our Jewish brothers and sisters at this time. And I say our, because while the attack was undoubtedly targeted at Jewish people peacefully celebrating a religious festival, for every other Australian, the shock and the pain we feel is as if a member of our own family has been taken. The sad truth is that this crime has tragically highlighted a deep vein of antisemitic hate in our community. To excuse it as an aberration or a tragic single event is wrong. It will not do justice to the killed and wounded and will not allow us to take steps to stop it from happening again.

History shows us that antisemitism builds, starting with a phrase or a chant, then migrating to the air waves, or in modern times, onto the internet. Then graffiti on Jewish buildings, then damage to property, then arson and then murder."

Lightning the menorah was the final act of the evening on Sunday 21^st December. The loved Australian Olympian, multiple gold winner slalom canoeist Jessica Fox and our Bondi Rescue Lifeguard and hero Harries (Anthony Harries Carroll) who saved 6000 swimmers, recognised Australians who put their lives at risk for Australia. As the CEO Steven Peace of Surf Life Saving NSW lit a candle on the menorah. Harries could barely control his emotions. It is his community and he thanked them for their courage. He was proud to be part of them.

Premier Chris Minns announced the NSW State Government was planning to draft news laws on hate speech after the Bondi attack. He called back parliament because of the urgency for action.

The proposed laws would ban the chant "globalise the intifada" as well as give police greater powers to demand protesters remove face coverings.

Anyone who publicly displays the ISIS flag or symbols from other terrorist groups will also face up to two years in prison, and steep fines.

In July this year, the ISIS Centre, Al Madina Dawah Centre Bankstown in Sydney was ordered by the Federal Court to remove a series of controversial lectures given by Sydney preacher Wissam Haddad, also known as Abu Ousayd and William Haddad. "The imputations include age-old tropes against Jewish people that are fundamentally racist and anti-Semitic,' Judge Stewart said. Wissam Haddad has no interest in the Palestinian State. An ABC investigation revealed how he is working with convicted terrorists to exploit and fracture the pro-Palestinian movement, radicalise young Australians horrified by the war, and feed the global revival of ISIS. This tiny minority is dedicated to the end of our way of life.

However Australians have courage and are committed to our way of life in a multi-cultural democracy. They all came - police, lifesavers, paramedics, ambulances, Hatzolah Jewish ambulance services, the hero of the massacres the Syrian Muslim father, Ahmed al-Ahmed who disarmed a terrorist while still under fire. So many helped others such as churches opening their doors for sanctuary, the Sikh communities Turbans 4 Australia providing food, bystanders who did not stand by as they tore up shirts for bandages, plugging wounds, so they could give care to the wounded. There were not enough bandages. Parents comforting children. A husband who was killed, when he shielded his wife so she could live. Politicians from every level stood up for unity to protect this Australian democracy. The many thousands who came for the vigil and put lights in their windows. So many stories.

Inspired by the murdered Rabbi Eli Schlange, NSW Premier Chris Minns declared an initiative called One Mitzvah for Bondi. In Jewish tradition, a Mitzvah is a simple, concrete act of goodness to make the world more just, more compassionate, more humane. What will you do?