MELBOURNE, December 21, 2025: The National Day of Reflection marking one week from the Bondi tragedy, the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC),organised a Community Vigil.
Minister Ingrid Stitt said,“Our hearts go out to the victims, their families and our Australian Jewish community – today we stand united in our grief, but also against hate, division and all acts of terror and antisemitism.”
Victorian Multicultural Commission Chairperson, Vivienne Nguyen, ” The Victorian Multicultural Commission stands shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community in grief and solidarity. Our strength lies in unity. Violence and hatred tear at the fabric of our multicultural nation. We will not allow fear to divide us.”
Naomi Levin, CEO of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, delivered a heartfelt address acknowledging the deep pain and suffering felt within the Jewish community.
Faith and community leaders, including Archbishop Ric Thorpe and Batul Gulani, offered their condolences and emphasised the importance of harmony among Victoria’s diverse communities.
The reflections shared by the Vietnamese Refugee Council leader resonated strongly, reminding how lived experiences of fear and displacement can also shape deep empathy and an unwavering commitment to stand with others.
The Jewish Museum of Victoria provided fifteen candles, lit by multicultural community leaders in commemoration of the fifteen innocent people who lost their lives in the terror attack.
At the conclusion of the vigil, flowers were laid during the ceremony were respectfully carried to a nearby Jewish synagogue in East Melbourne, located within walking distance of St Peter’s Eastern Hill Hall. This final gesture extended the spirit of remembrance beyond the venue and symbolised an ongoing commitment to stand with the Jewish community.
-Inputs from Ruchi Sharma, Radio Zindagi, Melbourne.
