The horrific events of Bondi Beach a week ago bring with them a look into Jewish reaction to tragedy, as well as to that of some Palestinians. Following the awful events of that Sunday, Jews came out the next day to celebrate the Chanukah holiday. We fight evil with good.
A young girl named Chaya was interviewed by Erin Molan, the well-known non-Jewish podcaster who is extremely supportive of Jews and Israel. Chaya, a young teenager, heroically saved a small child from her dying mother as shots were still being fired. Erin asked her what gave her the inspiration to act so heroically. At first, she was stunned into silence, not knowing what to say. But then she recovered and said that when she saw that child there, she became hers, and she knew she had to care for her as one of her own. That’s the way Jews are. What an incredible insight.
Then there was the heroic Muslim named Ahmed, who risked his own life by wrestling the gun away from one of the two shooters. Hospitalized with a bullet-riddled body, he said he would do it all over again. The reaction from online Palestinians? “You should have died!” or “I hope you die from your wounds.” Many similar comments were made. It shows how deep-set the hatred of Jews by Palestinians is – not of Zionists, but of Jews like those killed at Bondi Beach.
And these are the people we are supposed to be sharing a state with. The world is enamored by Mahmoud Abbas. He has them all hoodwinked. Meanwhile, he is quoted as saying in Arabic that October 7 was the most glorious day in Palestinian history.
Bondi Beach showed a lot about Jews and a lot about radical Muslim hatred of Jews. The Jews rise to the occasion, while our enemy exults in Jewish death.
Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills, President of the Coalition for Jewish Values, former President of the Vaad Harabonim of Queens, and the Rabbinic Consultant for the Queens Jewish Link.
