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Following a mass shooting last weekend during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Australia, Rabbis within Tri-Valley’s Jewish community remain undaunted through their mourning as local organizations are scheduled to host events this week in observance of the holiday.
The tragedy in Sydney took place Sunday (Dec. 14), resulting in 15 deaths so far and injuries to dozens of individuals, according to a report published Wednesday by The New York Times.
“We are deeply pained by the horrible attack on the Jewish community in Sydney, Australia and we feel that an attack on Jews anywhere is an attack on Jews everywhere,” Rabbi Dr. Laurence Elis Milder of Congregation Beth Emek in Pleasanton told the Weekly.
“We know that people who do these things are trying to make us afraid and if there’s one message that Hanukkah teaches us, it is to be proud of being Jewish, to celebrate being Jewish and no one is going to make us afraid of observing our faith,” Milder added.
In response to the attack on Sydney’s Jewish community, Rabbi Raleigh Resnick of Chabad of The Tri-Valley in Pleasanton took to social media to express his grief and reassure the community of their safety at the organization’s events this week with additional security measures.
“Lighting a menorah is not a provocation or a political statement. It is a declaration and symbol of holiness, goodness and kindness,” Resnick wrote Dec. 15.
“Celebrating Chanukah safely and securely is something we take very seriously. Not out of fear, but out of care and responsibility,” Resnick said.
Previously, Resnick served as a rabbinical intern for the Jewish community in Bondi and held relationships with victims Rabbi Eli Schlanger and Reuven Morrison, he wrote on social media Dec. 14.
“This is not a moment to lower our voices or soften our presence. It is a moment to stand firm and be unmistakable and proud about our identity as Jews and our commitment to our traditions”, Resnick said.
“Even if you’re shaken up or anxious about attending the communal celebrations with the family, please know you can show up and celebrate safely”, Resnick wrote online. “Terrorism is intended to do just that — terrorize and instill fear. By not showing up, they win.”
Increased security could be seen Dec. 16 for Chabad of The Tri-Valley’s Chanukah Wonderland celebration at the Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton. In addition to the organization’s in-house security team, Pleasanton Police Department officers were also stationed outside and inside of the mall.
The organization’s next event, the Sunol Menorah Lighting, will also include security measures and is set to run from 5-6 p.m. on Thursday (Dec. 18) at the Sunol Community Park.
“The Sunol lighting is a warm and cozy small community gathering and we will share reflections and thoughts plus Chanukah treats,” Resnick told Pleasanton Weekly.
Following the event in Sunol, Chabad of the Tri-Valley is set to host Chanukah Under the Stars outside of the Bankhead Theater from 7:30-8:30 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 20).
The event is set to include live music, Chanukah food and the distribution of chocolate Chanukah coins from a fire department ladder, according to Resnick.
As part of the event, Resnick said he also plans to address the attack on the Jewish community in Sydney along with Livermore Mayor John Marchand and Alameda County District 1 Supervisor David Haubert.
Resnick expects Livermore Police Department officers on Saturday night to provide protection for Chanukah Under the Stars.
“Please continue to pray and light the menorahs in your homes each night of Chanukah in memory of those who can no longer do so and for the merit of those injured and fighting for their survival”, Resnick wrote.
Also on social media, Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) condemned the killings at Bondi Beach and called for direct action.
“Please heed this call to stand with us against antisemitism,” Bauer-Kahan wrote Dec. 14. “May the memories of those whose lives were lost in Bondi Beach be for a blessing and a clear call to everyone to see what is happening right now and fight alongside their Jewish community for (a) world filled with more acceptance and love.”
In addition to upcoming events hosted by Chabad of The Tri-Valley, Congregation Beth Emek is scheduled to host its annual Shabbat Hanukkah service on Friday (Dec. 19).
Scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. at Congregation Beth Emek, Milder invites attendees to bring their own menorah for an evening of song, poetry and storytelling.
Milder assured attendees of their safety, but declined to discuss specific protocol due to the potential of it being counterproductive.
“Our congregation is a safe place to attend worship and we always take security very seriously,” Milder explained.
Prior to the shooting at Bondi Beach, Tri-Valley Cultural Jews held a Secular, Humanist Hanukkah celebration on Saturday (Dec. 13) in Castro Valley.
“Our intention was to create a space where people could feel that being Jewish is joyful, inclusive and rooted in belonging and that there is a place for each person in our community,” organization coordinator Jazz Salwen-Grabowski told the Pleasanton Weekly. ”In light of the massacre on Dec. 14, that gathering has taken on a deeper and more sobering resonance.”
Recounting the message Tri-Valley Cultural Jews shared with its members after the tragedy, Salwen-Grabowski said that there is not a singular, correct response when Jews are targeted.
“Some people need to keep a low profile to feel safe; others feel the need to be visible and to celebrate openly; still others feel called to confront hatred directly,” Salwen-Grabowski explained.
“Our Hanukkah celebration — though it occurred before the attack — reflects a longstanding Jewish tradition of sustaining one another through shared rituals, values, and connection”, Salwen-Grabowski added. “In moments of fear and grief, intentionally cultivating community and joy is not denial; it is one way we affirm Jewish life and resilience.”
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