Communities pay tribute to Bondi shooting victims in Sydney and Melbourne vigils

Photo: AFP / Saeed Khan Twenty-four hours removed from a terror attack at Bondi that killed 15 people, community members returned to the beach to pay tribute to the victims of Australia's deadliest mass shooting in decades. Fifteen people were killed - including a 10-year-old girl - when a father and son opened fire on members of Australia's Jewish community who had gathered at the beach to mark the first day of Hanukkah. On Monday, more than 1000 people gathered outside Bondi Pavilion to pay their respects, with many Sydneysiders in the crowd visibly grieving the terror attack. NSW Premier Chris Minns and Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane both attended the vigil, each placing flowers at the memorial site. A Menorah was brought down to the Bondi Pavilion by members of the local Jewish community, who gathered around the site to see it lit. Photo: ABC News / Jack Fisher Rabbi Yossi Shuchat addressed the crowd, telling the story of Hanukkah and lighting candles to mark the second night of the Jewish holiday. "Yesterday was a tragic event, which words cannot explain," he told those gathered. "Lightness will always persevere; darkness cannot continue where there is light." The lighting of the candles coincided with 24 hours passing since the terror attack began at Bondi Beach, with hundreds of Jewish community members united in singing traditional songs in Hebrew and English, before the Australian national anthem was also sung. Photo: ABC / Jack Fisher NSW Christian Alliance Council chaplain Michael Smith addressed the crowd with what he called a message of love, unity and hope in a time of darkness. Smith said many people present for the shooting had returned to the site of the attack to show their support. "I have spoken to dozens and dozens of people today, and many of them were actually here at the time of the incident, reliving their stories," he said. "The amazing thing is that they were here today, still showing support, standing together. And that is powerful." Photo: ABC News/ Jack Fisher Interstate events go ahead in show of solidarity Vigils were also held in Melbourne, with thousands gathered at a synagogue in Caulfield, a suburb that serves as a traditional heart of the city's Jewish community. More than 2000 people packed Caulfield Shule to capacity, with members from both the Labor and Liberal parties in attendance, including Premier Jacinta Allan and Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, the federal member for Corio. Acknowledgement of Allan's attendance at the event was met with a chorus of boos, with some in the congregation shouting "shame" at the premier. Conversely, Wilson's presence was met with cheers. Photo: ABC News / Mikaela Ortolan Speakers wept as they read the names of shooting victims out to the gathered congregation, which later rose to its feet to sing songs during the lighting of the Menorah. Across town at Fed Square, community members gathered as planned for a multicultural Hanukkah event. Fed Square was lit in white in commemoration of the attack, along with other major Melbourne landmarks including the MCG, Flinders Street Station and the Bolte Bridge. Event organiser Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann said Monday's gathering at Fed Square was especially important in the wake of the attacks, and urged the Jewish community to stay strong. "I have been telling my community that we must be vigilant, of course, but we cannot kowtow, we cannot back down," he said. "We must continue to be proud of our heritage, our tradition, and that we're Jews. We can't hide that." Rabbi Kaltmann personally knew victims of Sunday's mass shooting and described being unable to sleep overnight due to the shock. "I've known Rabbi Eli Schlanger for 20 years. Rueven Morrison is my best mate's father-in-law," he said. "These are community members, colleagues, friends, good people." Photo: SAEED KHAN / AFP Smoking ceremony held in Hyde Park A large crowd also gathered in Sydney's Hyde Park for a vigil to commemorate the lives lost, injured and traumatised in Bondi's attack on Sunday. The event was organised and led by the ACT Children's Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Young People, Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts, a proud Bundjalung Widubul-Wiabul woman. The gathering opened with a traditional smoking ceremony to offer an opportunity for healing. "I hold my hand on my heart because it's beating, but there are over 10 lives where they don't get to do that. There are over 10 lives that were taken by the harm of extremism," Turnbull-Roberts said. Photo: ABC News / Kris Flanders The vigil also included speeches from First Nation community members as well as spokespeople from the Jewish Council of Australia and the Australian Imams Council. Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins from the Emmanuel Synagogue in Woollahra said while the perpetrators' "intent was to murder Jews", Australians had stood together united. "So many in our Jewish community...

Communities pay tribute to Bondi shooting victims in Sydney and Melbourne vigils

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