It becomes even harder to laugh once we start thinking about the routine harassment and assaults that Jews are now facing in New York City, home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel. Jewish friends are more and more frequently sharing stories of being verbally abused on the streets or in the subways, simply for wearing visible symbols of our faith. In a group chat that I’m in, one of my friends texted us: “Guys, I’ve never been more afraid for American Jews. God help us.”

After watching the sketch, which, after the Otisville misfire, was actually quite funny, I texted my friend back that “‘Jews in Jeopardy’ could be the title of what’s been going on in the world lately…oye.” My friend replied, “Funny but not funny.” He was right. In moments of real danger, dark humor can provide fleeting relief, but it quickly fades when confronted with the stark reality facing Jewish communities today.

Yet there is some reassurance in our current leadership. Donald Trump is often described by supporters as one of the most supportive presidents toward Jewish communities and Israel in history. He’s been forceful in vigorously condemning antisemitism and robustly supporting Jewish security, particularly in his second term. His administration has taken concrete steps to address hate. Still, I shudder when I realize that it would be Pollyannaish to expect any one single leader, even the president of the United States, to be able to reverse a worldwide tide of resentment and violence. 

From celebration to tragedy

More than two years ago, on Oct. 7, 2023, the sacred Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, traditionally filled with joyous dancing around Torah scrolls and communal festivity, was irrevocably transformed into a day of collective trauma. Hamas terrorists stormed southern Israel, murdering over 1,200 people, taking hundreds hostage, and perpetrating acts of unspeakable brutality. For Jews across the diaspora, a time of rejoicing became one of profound mourning, igniting an ongoing war and unleashing a global wave of antisemitic expressions and actions that shows little sign of abating.

Now, in a chilling parallel, another holiday dedicated to light, miracles, and defiance against oppression has been violently interrupted. On Dec. 14, the first night of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights commemorating the ancient rededication of the Temple and the enduring flame of Jewish resilience, a terrorist attack targeted “Chanukah by the Sea,” a beloved annual event hosted by Chabad of Bondi in Archer Park, just steps from Sydney’s famous beachfront.

Nearly 1,000 people, many of them families with young children, had gathered for an evening of barbecues, music, children’s activities, and the ceremonial lighting of a large menorah. The atmosphere was one of warmth and celebration until, around 6:45 p.m., two gunmen, identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son, Naveed Akram, 24, began firing rifles and shotguns from an elevated footbridge overlooking the park. Authorities swiftly declared the incident a terrorist attack linked to Islamic State ideology, recovering the group’s flags and improvised explosives from the suspects’ vehicle. Sajid Akram was fatally shot by police, and his son survived with critical injuries and faces terrorism charges.

The attack claimed at least 16 lives and wounded dozens more, including police officers responding to the scene. The victims spanned generations, from a 10-year-old girl to people in their 80s, and included Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a 41-year-old British-born father of five who had been a pillar of the Bondi Chabad community for 18 years; Holocaust survivor Alexander Kleytman, 87; French national Dan Elkayam; Slovak volunteer Marika Pogany, 82; and Boris and Sofia Gurman, a couple who courageously attempted to disarm one of the shooters before being killed. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the assault as “an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism and terrorism” deliberately aimed at shattering a moment of Jewish joy.

Without the extraordinary intervention of bystander Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old local shopkeeper, the casualties would undoubtedly have been higher. Despite being shot himself, Ahmed rushed one gunman, disarming him and preventing further bloodshed. His bravery has been hailed internationally as a profound act of humanity, with fundraisers in his honor raising substantial sums and leaders across the spectrum praising him as a hero.

The perils of inflammatory rhetoric

In the immediate aftermath, New York Times columnist Bret Stephens published a column titled “Bondi Beach Is What ‘Globalize the Intifada’ Looks Like,” arguing that the massacre represented the tangible, deadly outcome of unchecked extremist rhetoric. Stephens posited that slogans frequently heard in pro-Palestinian protests, such as “globalize the intifada,” “resistance is justified,” and “by any means necessary,” could be interpreted literally by radicals as calls for worldwide violence against Jews.

He contended that when political figures and activists fail to denounce such language unequivocally, opting instead for mild discouragement, they contribute to an environment where the boundary between anti-Israel criticism and antisemitic action blurs dangerously. Stephens highlighted Australia’s recent history of escalating threats: arson attacks on a kosher restaurant and a synagogue in late 2024, vandalism targeting Jewish homes and businesses, and inflammatory statements from some politicians invoking tropes about Jewish influence.

While acknowledging that the full motives of the attackers would emerge in time, Stephens suggested that it was reasonable to infer connections to broader ideological currents. He rightfully praised Ahmed’s heroism as a counterpoint of light amid darkness but warned that governments, including Australia’s, had been slow to confront both imported extremism and domestic tolerance for hateful discourse. Failure to draw clear moral lines, he argued, risks further tragedies.

Escalating threats worldwide

The Bondi Beach attack has profoundly amplified Jewish anxiety at a time when antisemitic incidents have already reached historic highs. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry documented over 1,600 incidents in the year ending in September, more than three times the pre-October 2023 average, ranging from vandalism to physical assaults.

This pattern extends globally, with Jewish communities in Europe and North America reporting similar surges in harassment, property damage, and violence. Major cities responded to Bondi Beach by bolstering security for remaining Hanukkah events, yet the underlying fear persists. Surveys indicate that American Jews, in particular, are grappling with unprecedented levels of concern.

In Europe, antisemitic incidents have remained alarmingly elevated since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, with countries such as France and Germany experiencing dramatic increases in reported acts of vandalism, assaults, and hate speech. France recorded nearly 1,600 antisemitic incidents in 2024 alone, a slight dip from 2023 but still at historic highs, while Germany reported its highest levels in nearly a decade in certain regions, including widespread swastika graffiti and threats targeting Jewish institutions. The United Kingdom tracked over 3,500 incidents in 2024, reflecting a sustained wave that has forced many communities to enhance security measures at synagogues and schools.

In the U.S., the Anti-Defamation League documented record highs, with thousands of incidents annually since 2023 and a record 9,354 incidents in 2024, including harassment, vandalism, and assaults, contributing to a broader environment where over half of American Jews report direct experiences of antisemitism. Globally, organizations tracking these trends note that while some peaks occurred immediately after Oct. 7, levels have not returned to pre-2023 baselines, underscoring a persistent and transnational resurgence that heightens vigilance across the diaspora.

Resilience tempered by caution

American Jews are navigating this era with a complex mix of caution, adaptation, and renewed commitment to identity. Recent studies, including a comprehensive report from the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Federations of North America released in October, reveal that 55% of Jewish Americans experienced at least one form of antisemitism in the past year, with 57% now viewing such hostility as a “normal” part of Jewish life. Nearly 1 in 5 reported physical threats or assaults, while over one-third witnessed threatened or actual violence.

Many have altered daily behaviors: removing visible Jewish symbols such as Stars of David or kippahs in public, avoiding certain neighborhoods, or hesitating to display menorahs in windows despite Hanukkah’s emphasis on pirsumei nisa — “publicizing the miracle.” Synagogues have become fortified spaces, with armed guards, metal detectors, and restricted entry becoming commonplace — features once associated primarily with European Jewish institutions.

In their poignant essay “Jews Are Being Sent Back Into Hiding,” published in The Free Press, Rabbi David Wolpe and Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt characterized all this as a deliberate campaign to intimidate Jews into concealing their faith. Drawing on personal anecdotes and broader trends, they describe parents instructing children to pocket kippahs before entering stores, families debating the safety of gifting Jewish stars to youngsters, and communities relying on police escorts for holiday gatherings. They invoke historical parallels to medieval pogroms and expulsions, cautioning that influxes of populations carrying antisemitic views, combined with indifference from leaders, exacerbate the crisis. Their core warning: Without robust societal condemnation, the erosion affects not just Jews but the fabric of democratic pluralism.

Amid these challenges, there are signs of resilience here and there — what the Jewish Federations of North America term the “Surge.” Despite trauma, approximately 31% of Jewish Americans report increased engagement with community life, from synagogue attendance to educational programs and advocacy. Over 60% of those directly harmed sought deeper Jewish connections as a form of positive response.

Political responses to Bondi Beach were swift and multifaceted. President Donald Trump labeled it a “purely antisemitic” and “horrific” attack during White House remarks, expressing “great respect” for Ahmed’s courage and urging American Jews to “celebrate proudly” without fear. He emphasized solidarity with victims and a firm stance against radical extremism.

Vice President JD Vance offered prayers for the victims and, in related statements, advocated stricter immigration controls and assimilation policies as key tools to reduce antisemitism, citing data on elevated antisemitic attitudes among certain immigrant groups.

In a noteworthy development, possibly offering optimism, New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, who previously was hesitant to fully condemn phrases like “globalize the intifada,” wasted no time in condemning the Bondi Beach attack as a “vile act of antisemitic terror.” He took the additional step of visiting the Ohel in Queens, the gravesite of the Chabad-Lubavitch leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, shortly after the attack, paying his respects to the Chabad community. Wearing a black coat, black pants, a black beard, and a black kippah, Mamdani actually looked quite frum — if you’d never seen him before and had no idea of who this person was, you might’ve thought he was a kollel fellow, or a Sephardic rabbi. Mamdani’s gracious gesture provides grounds for cautious hope that he may actually become part of the solution, rather than part of the problem, in the fight to clamp down on antisemitism in America.

TRUMP GRAPPLES WITH IMMIGRATION CRISIS FAR BEYOND THE BORDER

The Bondi Beach massacre stands as a heartbreaking milestone in the resurgence of antisemitism. It has transformed a holiday of illumination into one marked by loss. Yet Hanukkah’s ancient narrative, of a small flame persisting against overwhelming odds, continues to resonate.

Jewish communities that have been celebrating Hanukkah worldwide have been demonstrating extraordinary fortitude, balancing vigilance with vibrant observance and advocacy. But we shouldn’t have to observe our holidays while always keeping an eye out for potential threats. Nor should anyone practicing any faith have to live like this. Ultimate progress will require the unwavering commitment from the societies in which we live. Can we unequivocally reject hate, bolster protections for those who need it, and foster genuine understanding? If we can, we’ll have learned one of the true lessons of Hanukkah, which is that tolerance and religious freedom aren’t just for Jews — they’re for everyone.

Daniel Ross Goodman is a Washington Examiner contributing writer and the Allen and Joan Bildner Visiting Scholar at Rutgers University. Find him on X @DanRossGoodman.