Heavy hearts in the Jewish community | Letters to the editor

Published 2:00 pm Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Heavy heart

My heart is heavy as I write this. The attack on the Jewish community in Bondi Beach, Australia, during a Chabad outdoor menorah lighting was a painful violation of a moment meant for joy, warmth, and Jewish pride. Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and everyone shaken by this hatred.

And it’s not only “over there.” When a Jew is harmed anywhere, all of us feel it.

We know, from every era of Jewish history, that our people have faced darkness again and again. We remember Egypt and slavery, Greece and persecution of our faith, and the destruction of the First and Second Temples. We remember long centuries of exile, expulsions, inquisitions, and pogroms. We remember the Holocaust, when six million holy souls were murdered, and we remember the trauma of our own generation, including Oct. 7. And through it all, the Jewish people chose light over despair, faith over fear, and life over hatred, continuing to rebuild and to shine.

Chanukah reminds us that a little bit of light can push away so much darkness. One flame changes a room. One mitzvah changes a soul. And together, we shine.

As we light the first candle, let’s hold in our hearts the holy souls who perished in Bondi Beach, and send prayers for healing and a speedy recovery to all who are injured and hurting.

Please join one of the many community menorah lightings and Chanukah celebrations around our area.

We will continue to light. We will continue to gather. We will continue to shine.

Happy Chanukah!

Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky, The Friendship Circle of Washington, based on Mercer Island