The greatest Christmas gift of all.

[El Presidente]

I love this time of the year 

It's Christmas season and for this part of the world that means it is hot and humid and thoughts turn to the beach, BBQs, Christmas catchups, long lunches, family reunions. Most of Oz will shut down this Friday and some will turn up again the week of the 5th of Jan with many more stringing it out until Australia Day on the 26th. It is our holiday period, our "special time". Aussies feel lucky. We know we are privileged to live in this great brown land surrounded by beautiful beaches/sea. 

It is why Sundays news of the Bondi beach massacre has shocked this nation to its core. 

We are a country of immigrants. No one ever came to this country because they had a lot of mates. We have taken immense pride to be a land of opportunity and largely peaceful co-existence. It's not perfect but in the main, you honour your past traditions, you park your issues at the door and you adopt the Australian ethos of tolerance. You "dig in" to make your mark to the best of your ability. 

What a difference 48 hours makes. Today in Oz, there appears to be one demographic, the Jewish community, who can no longer feel safe in enjoying what the rest of us take for granted. A day at the beach, a celebration, a BBQ, a laugh with friends and family, all held in an environment of safety. 

What occured Sunday was terrorism on our sacred sands. 16 dead, 40 injured. 

My heart goes out to all impacted by this tragedy. It has stunned the entire country and should cause all Aussies to contemplate what it means to be an Aussie. I hope that on the other side of that contemplation we all decide to be  Ahmed al-Ahmed, that Aussie of Syrian descent who said "no, F*ck that",  ran toward the firing terrorist, tackled him, disarmed him and saved countless innocents in the process. Ahmed al-Ahmed took a few bullets and recovers in hospital. 

Through his actions, Ahmed al-Ahmed has given Australia the greatest Christmas gift of all. He has defined courage, he has defined what being an Aussie should be. Without concern for personal safety, he protected the innocent, the vulnerable. 

Thank you Ahmed al-Ahmed for the reminder. Thank you for the greatest Christmas gift of all. Merry Christmas mate and a quick recovery. 

 

[barrygoodvibes]

Well said. As a scared but very proud Jew, it gives me hope that there are men and women out there like this. True selfless heroes. 

[WarriorPrincess]

Well said 💔

[Chibearsv]

Terrible day but a great story of courage and sacrifice. We certainly could use a lot more of that. I’d like to think I’d be as brave in a similar moment, but he proved it. Bravo!  

[riderpride]

It's hard to process the tragedy that unfolded - hard to believe someone or some group could be targeted in this manner. 

Most people live their lives recording and showing people what they saw. This man DID something and can hopefully be an example to many. Ahmed showed true humanity and then some. Full on Denzel 'Man On Fire'.

Change starts with one person. Let's make sure the momentum keeps us moving forward. 

Cheers!

[JohnS]

This hit home a bit hard this week. Eighteen months ago, a mentally ill man entered Westfield Shopping Centre in nearby Bondi Junction, killing 6 people and injuring 12 in a stabbing attack. Two days ago, this senseless attack on Bondi Beach targetting innocent people celebrating the Hanukkah festival. On Sunday nght, my wife and I were on the phone for a long time consoling our 25 year-old daughter who lives, studies and works part-time around that area of Sydney. 

(It's all) Just really upsetting. Firstly, for the innocent people killed and injured who were going about their daily lives, and then for my daughter who has had her confidence justifiably shaken due to these events. Just got to be strong and not give into this fear that these terrorists aim to incite.

[Ken Gargett]

john, absolutely. 

that stabbing 18 months ago. a good friend's daughter was one of those stabbed. just out with friends having fun. some loathsome piece of filth does that. they caught him and she survived, but it has caused her massive trauma, as you'd expect, and for the family. 

hard to convince me that the death penalty is not appropriate in many cases. 

[Li Bai]

46 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

hard to convince me that the death penalty is not appropriate in many cases.

Agreed. A friend of mine was at the Bataclan with his pregnant wife, both got shot and luckily survived but one of their friends didn't, like so many people that night.

One of my patients was at the Promenade des Anglais in Nice too...It is so hard to keep going after witnessing and suffering in one's own flesh from such random hatred and violence. One of the Bataclan terrorists is still alive in jail and he's still a menace to this day, I don't see the point keeping him alive in this case.

[JohnS]

1 hour ago, Ken Gargett said:

hard to convince me that the death penalty is not appropriate in many cases. 

Yeah I know, sometimes it is hard.

33 minutes ago, Li Bai said:

Agreed. A friend of mine was at the Bataclan with his pregnant wife, both got shot and luckily survived but one of their friends didn't, like so many people that night.

One of my patients was at the Promenade des Anglais in Nice too...It is so hard to keep going after witnessing and suffering in one's own flesh from such random hatred and violence. One of the Bataclan terrorists is still alive in jail and he's still a menace to this day, I don't see the point keeping him alive in this case.

Well said.

[madandana]

A true hero!

[99call]

Just wanted to express my deepest sympathy and solidarity with with all Jewish communities around the world, during what should be a time of celebration, family and peace. We have one of the largest Jewish communities in Europe here in Manchester, and to see need for things like security on school yard gates of Prestwich is horrific. 

Also to Aussies and those on the forum based in Sydney. You never imagine atrocities like this can happen in you home town, and feels like a puncturing of all the things you felt were certain and untouchable about your community. As a Mancunian, we've had more than our fair share of these atrocities whether is be the IRA or ISIS, but you will come out the other end stronger, more bonded and committed to the continued inclusion and celebration of all the varied cultures and traditions that make up the proud people of Sydney. 

There were many heroes that day, and we now learn in the days following. and sadly many of them that lots their lives in their attempt to fight back. Heroism is obviously to be celebrated, and we all hope that it's within all of us, if there worst should ever happen. But I just wanted to add this, we should not accept the need for heroism, it's not acceptable that a family man have to take bullets desperately trying to defend others. There is a huge amount wrong in our society, and we need to find the root of the problem, the gutless who seek to radicalise others into committing these horrific acts, because they're are to cowardly to act on their own evil sociopathy. 

We should be eternally grateful for hero's like Ahmed al-Ahmed and he should be rightly celebrated, but let's not accept tragedies like this, like its a part of the new normal. Let's address that there's a root and branch problem with the spreading and monetising hate and division.

[MrBirdman]

The last two years have been the toughest for Jews across the world in many decades. As a child we never needed police armed with assault rifles around the Temple, even on high holidays. Now it’s ubiquitous, and still we are mentally figuring out escape routes as soon as we sit down. 

Rob, your sentiments and what others have shared mean a lot to me. I’ve shared them with some family to remind them that antisemitism is still anathema to decent people.

Mr. Ahmed’s heroism provided a glimmer of hope in the darkness cast that day. It was a reminder that the love of liberty and fundamental equality of all mankind will always outshine hatred of the other - so long as we are willing to preserve our commitment to these ideals, even when uncertainty clouds their light, rather than giving in to fear.

[BrightonCorgi]

44 minutes ago, MrBirdman said:

The last two years have been the toughest for Jews across the world in many decades.

It's only just begun.  Expect a lot more of this in '26 unfortunately.  It looks like it's working in Australia.  I saw this post about a local diner near the beach

 

[MrBirdman]

57 minutes ago, BrightonCorgi said:

It looks like it's working in Australia. 

Radical antisemites don’t care about national policy let alone a bakery closing - they just want to annihilate all Jews, period, to live in a Jew-free world (or at least get rid of Jews in their own country). 

That’s why this isn’t “terrorism” in the traditional sense - as Avner’s post says, this was a pogrom.