We have the conviction and the tools – let’s take action Hanukkah celebrates light, resilience, and the triumph of faith and identity as we are confronted with adversity. It reminds us that courage, hope, and moral conviction can illuminate even the darkest times. It encourages reflection on the enduring power of light over darkness.

Since 2019 the Jewish community in Sydney, Australia has celebrated “Chanukah by the Sea” with hundreds of community members and families gathering for a giant public menorah lighting, Kosher food and donuts, crafts, dreidels, face paintings and other activities for children. This is all to celebrate Jewish life and share the Holiday’s light, publicly.

Up to 2000 were celebrating “Chanukah by the Sea” at Bondi recently when a father and son started to shoot them indiscriminately. In the end 15 were killed an over 40 were injured. We have viewed scenes of this horrific shooting. We also saw a man carefully moving towards one of the shooters, jumping him from behind then struggling and taking away his rifle. Clearly this man saw others being attacked, identified the attacker, made the decision to confront the attacker and disarmed him. He risked his own life in doing this.

We have since learnt that this man is Ahmed al Ahmed. He is 43 years old, Syrian born, Bondi Australian, the father of two, a fruit shop owner, a Muslim, and he was shot twice during the incident. Ahmed al Ahmed, because of his moral conviction, observed others being attacked, identified the attacker, decided to confront the attacker, acted on that conviction, succeeded in neutralizing him and after doing so, put the rifle down.

One thing for sure is that soon I will again witness others being attacked and I will be in the same position as Ahmed al Ahmed. It is highly unlikely that it will be Jewish families celebrating the festival of light on a beach. It is highly likely that it will be family, friends or colleagues attacking the homeless, Jews, Muslims, LGBTQ+, disabled, black, brown, yellow, immigrants, poor, women or other individuals or groups.

If the weapon is words, there are some very effective tools I can use to disarm the attacker. They include statements such as: “Can you explain what you mean? That is not accurate. That statement is offensive to some. That makes me uncomfortable. What’s your source for that? Can we keep this respectful? Don’t speak to me that way. That is not acceptable. I’m not ok with comments like that. I hear you but I don’t see it that way.”

When in 2026 we experience a Bondi incident, we will not have to risk our life. We have the conviction and we have the tools. Let Ahmed al Ahmed deter us from doing nothing or being silent. Let him inspire us to neutralize the attacker.

-Markly Wilson