Australia marks Day of Reflection after Bondi Beach shooting

Australia marked a national Day of Reflection on Sunday as candles were lit at 6:47 p.m. local time to honor the victims of last week’s shooting at Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration. Fifteen people were killed and many others wounded in what authorities have described as Australia’s worst mass shooting since the 1996 Tasmania killings. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a review of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies to ensure the nation has the right powers, structures, and information-sharing in place to prevent such attacks.

Indigenous leaders held a traditional smoking ceremony on Sunday morning at the Bondi Pavilion, where an impromptu memorial has grown with flowers and messages. The memorial is to be cleared on Monday. Rabbis and community leaders said thousands were expected to gather at Bondi later Sunday to honor the victims and show solidarity with the Jewish community.

Governor-General Sam Mostyn joined families and community members at the memorial, and a wide cross-section of the public, including many women and girls dressed in white, laid flowers. Mostyn described the shootings as ghastly acts of terror and urged a broader national response grounded in kindness and inclusion. She endorsed a call from rabbis for millions of mitzvahs — acts of kindness — as a way for Australians to demonstrate that everyone belongs, regardless of faith.

Health authorities reported that 13 of the wounded remained in hospitals on Sunday, including the alleged gunman, Naveed Akram, 24, who was shot by police. He has been charged with 15 counts of murder and 40 counts of causing harm with intent to murder in relation to those wounded. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was killed by police at the scene. Flags were flown at half-mast on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and on government buildings, which would be lit in yellow on Sunday night in a show of solidarity with the Jewish community. Television and radio networks were asked to pause for a one-minute silence at 6:47 p.m.

Rabbi Eli Feldman said the wider Australian community was invited to join Jews at Bondi to observe the last full day of Hanukkah and to participate in the lighting of the eighth candle as a sign that light will overcome darkness. Albanese’s department will examine whether federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies had the correct powers, structures, processes, and sharing arrangements in place to keep Australians safe. The review is expected to report by the end of April 2026. Officials noted that Australia’s main domestic spy agency had investigated the younger Akram’s associates in 2016 but had not concluded he posed a threat.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin said victims’ families felt betrayed by government failures to combat a rising antisemitism trend since the Israel-Hamas war began in 2023. He described families as being in shock and seeking answers and meaningful changes, underscoring a broad sense of anger and the desire for sustainable reforms. The events at Bondi, he said, have become a national moment for reflection, mutual support, and a determination to safeguard Australian values, including tolerance and inclusion.