‘Light Will Win’: Australia to Hold National Day of Mourning for Bondi Beach Terror Victims on January 22

Australia will observe a national day of mourning on January 22 for the victims of the Bondi Beach Hanukkah massacre, it was announced on Tuesday. 

Australia will hold a National Day of Mourning on Thursday 22 January 2026 to honour the victims of the antisemitic Bondi terrorist attack. pic.twitter.com/eiVappGoJi

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 12, 2026

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he set the date after consulting Rabbi Yehoram Ulman of Sydney, who lost family members in the attack. The day will carry the theme “light will win.” Commonwealth buildings across Australia will fly flags at half-mast.

Government Steps Taken Post-Attack

The Bondi Beach attack took place on December 14, the first night of Hanukkah. It occurred during a “Hanukkah by the Sea” gathering organized by Chabad. The attack killed 15 people and devastated Australia’s Jewish population.

Jewish leaders say the violence followed months of escalating antisemitism. They point to incitement at protests and the growing normalization of anti-Jewish rhetoric after Hamas’s October 7 massacre in Israel. Community representatives have said federal authorities did not treat their warnings with urgency. Many therefore view the national day of mourning as a reaction to tragedy, not an act of prevention.

Last week, Albanese announced the establishment of a Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. Former High Court justice Virginia Bell will lead the inquiry. The commission is expected to report in December 2026.

The government also recalled Parliament for a special two-day sitting. Lawmakers will debate proposed hate speech and firearms legislation. The draft bill would expand federal background checks for gun license applicants.

New South Wales Police have charged Naveed Akram with 59 offenses related to the mass shooting. Court proceedings remain ongoing.

Jewish leaders have stressed that these steps came too late. They note that the government acted only after the deadliest antisemitic attack Australia has seen in decades.

For a firsthand account of how the Bondi attack shattered everyday Jewish life, read CAM’s exclusive interview with Bondi resident Dionne Taylor.