Melbourne's Jewish Community Marks Three Years Since Devastating Israel Attacks

Melbourne's Jewish community gathered at the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre in Caulfield to commemorate the three-year anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 civilians and the taking of more than 250 hostages.

At the service, attendee Atida Lipshatz spoke about the profound impact of the events on her community, saying, "It's so hard to describe that pain. There's the before and there's the after."

Lipshatz also noted that the experience has changed her life and those of others in the community, adding, "Our lives all changed to know how much hatred there is against us."

Gideon Klein, President of the Jewish Museum of Australia, reflected on the global implications of the attacks, stating, "The world changed on October 7, 2023, in a very profound way for lots of people. There's been a lot of casualties, not only for Israelis but also on the Palestinian side, and a lot of trauma."

Klein also highlighted the strain on social cohesion in Victoria and across the country, saying, "We've certainly seen an incredible amount of fraying of social cohesion here in Victoria, as well as around the country." He further noted that the terrorist attack in December last year at Bondi Beach was impossible to separate from what happened in Israel.

Ilan Rimer, organiser of the Caulfield event and chief executive of Zionism Victoria, expressed mixed emotions about the current state of affairs, saying, "There is some hope still that things can be turned around in Australia after we've seen an explosion of antisemitism and anti-Zionism, but it's a real mixture of all those feelings put together."

Rimer also suggested that October 7 should be a date focused on the atrocities against Israel, stating, "For those wishing to memorialise others, there are hundreds of other days to pick from."

In a separate demonstration, a small number of protesters gathered in support of Palestinians in Gaza, calling for a ceasefire and highlighting the ongoing conflict. Tasnim Sammak from Free Palestine Coalition Naarm spoke about her personal losses, saying she had lost more than a dozen family members in Gaza.

Sammak also noted the dire situation in Gaza, stating, "The survivors [in Gaza] are living in tents, trapped and without access to basic aid for their basic needs." She added that many Jewish people were sympathetic to the Palestinian perspective.

Sammak said, "We're continuing to see the mass murder and destruction of Palestinian life in Gaza."