Tragedy and Resilience Repeating | CAEF Special Bulletin, Dec 15, 2025
- CAEF
- 32 minutes ago
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Chanukah 2025-Moving Through Darkness to Light
CAEF joins with the mourners of Zion, all global Jewry, as we face yet another massacre of innocent people, men, women, children, celebrating a Jewish festival. Where there should be only light, there are shadows, darkness, evil incarnate.
The scene at Bondi Beach, Australia on December 14th, the first day of Chanukah, was beyond shocking. That a family friendly setting could disrupt into bloody chaos is beyond comprehension. Except it isn’t. Not anymore. Never again is again and again! Reports vary but say as many as 17 people were killed and over 25 injured.
The government of Australia has declared this a terrorist attack and named the two shooters; the elder, and father of the second shooter, was killed by police and the son was injured. Both had been training at a government shooting range. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese now speaks about introducing tighter gun controls. Islamic state flags were found in the gunmen’s car so maybe the government should think about immigration, education, deradicalization, taking preventive measures, as well as providing adequate security for the Jewish community.
Reported from many sources is that among the dead are two Chabad rabbis who had organized the festivities, a Holocaust survivor, a 10-year-old girl, an Israeli citizen, and a French citizen. Two policemen were also injured. The most positive story to emerge from this crisis is that one of the gunmen was disarmed by a civilian who risked his own life.
Recently arrived from Syria, Ahmed al-Ahmed, a fruit vendor, was enjoying a coffee when he heard and saw the shooting. He managed to disarm the younger shooter but took a few bullets in the process. Today he is celebrated as a hero. It is very noteworthy that he jumped into action, notwithstanding the attack was against Jews. Read the Daily Star, UK story.
Who is to Blame? Read article by Dr. Rafael Madoff in Israel365News, December 15, 2025, noting the change in government in Australia with increased anti-Israel policies, sentiments and votes at the UN. Canadians must pay attention as the Liberal government moves in the same direction.
Demonstrating Resilience and Community Spirit
In Toronto, over a hundred people gathered for a menorah lighting at the now familiar corner of Bathurst Street and Sheppard Ave, where for over 107 weeks the community stood together to call for the release of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas terrorists. Chabad annually creates this happening with prayers and songs, but this year, the day was also filled with sorrow. Words are not enough to explain and comfort on a day of such tragic proportion.
But the Chanukah spirit was in the air, the crowd was large, the latkes and sufganiyot in abundance.
Each week, the community has been met with hostile, antisemitic protesters screaming epithets of disgust while waving Palestinian flags. Sunday was no different. Even amidst the mourning for those murdered and the celebration of an historic event that showed the amazing strength and resilience of the Jewish people, the haters once again screamed their lies and hatred. One wonders what it will take to finally exclude them from the public street in a Jewish neighborhood. One wonders what the limits of tolerance are for the intolerable? One wonders what powers the police need to remove hate from our streets?
Lessons for Today from the Torah
CAEF is very non-denominational with board members who are Jewish, non Jewish, Orthodox, Conservative and Reform. But all have respect for ancient wisdom that comes from the Torah, so with editor’s privilege, I share the D’var Torah presented by Judy Hazan at the Lodzer Centre Congregation, December 13, on Vayishev.
Read the excerpt:
“The Torah is teaching us something profound: Jewish history rarely moves in straight lines. Just when we settle, unsettling forces rise. Just when we hope for normalcy, we learn again that the Jewish story is anything but normal.
We often focus on Joseph’s coat of many colors, the ketonet passim, as a symbol of favouritism. But many commentators—from the Midrash to Rabbi Sacks—note that this coat represents difference. Joseph stands out. He looks different. He dreams differently. He speaks differently. He cannot blend in if he tries.
In his essay “The Dignity of Difference,” Rabbi Jonathan Sacks argues that societies often fear those who stand out—those who challenge uniformity simply by being who they are. He writes that hatred of difference is one of the oldest social reflexes in humanity, and the Jewish people, “history’s icon of the Other,” have borne its weight for millennia.”