Mamdani condemns Bondi Beach attack as ‘vile act of antisemitic terror,’ makes pledge to Jewish New Yorkers
Mayor‑elect Zohran Mam Mamdani condemned the “vile act of antisemitic terror” that took place on Sunday at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney. He pledged to keep Jewish New Yorkers safe and joined in the outpouring of grief over the tragedy.
During the Chanukah by the Sea event, a pair of gunmen opened fire, claiming 11 lives—including children—and leaving at least 29 people wounded. The shooting was described by Mam Mamdani as “a vile act of antisemitic terror.” In his X post, he expressed mourning for the victims and assured that he would keep the families, the wider Jewish community, and the Chabad movement in his prayers. He said, “May the memories of all those killed be a blessing. While we are still waiting for all the facts to emerge, what we already know is devastating.”
One of those killed was Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a man closely connected with Crown Heights. Schlanger’s wife had just had a newborn when the attack occurred. A few weeks prior, Schlanger had written a letter to Australia’s Prime Minister urging greater support for Israel. Mam Mamdani added that “another Jewish community plunged into mourning and loss, a holiday of light so painfully reduced to a day of darkness.” He called the Sydney shooting “the latest, most horrifying iteration in a growing pattern of violence against Jews worldwide.”
Mamdani warned that “too many no longer feel safe to be themselves, to express their faith publicly, to worship in their synagogues without armed security stationed outside.” He noted that what happened at Bondi is the fear many Jews have about what might occur in their own communities. As the first Muslim elected mayor of New York City, Mam Mamdani’s past comments—criticism of Israel, support for the BDS movement, and hesitation to condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada”—had rattled Jewish leaders in the city. Still, he reiterated that, when in office, he would work “every day to keep Jewish New Yorkers safe—on our streets, our subways, at shul, in every moment of every day.” He urged all New Yorkers to “banish this horrific violence to the past.”
The Bondi event drew hundreds of attendees. A viral clip showed a man in a white shirt, later identified as 43‑year‑old Ahmed al‑Ahmed, a fruit‑shop owner, stealthily approaching a shooter and wresting a shotgun away from him, thereby saving lives. Police confirmed that one suspect was killed and another wounded, with investigations ongoing into a possible third gunman.
Sunday marked the first night of Hanukkah. Mam Mamdani concluded his remarks by asking that the light of the menorah “confront hatred with the urgency and action it demands” as Jewish New Yorkers lit candles amidst the grief of that night.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
