|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Nearly 600 national and local leaders from more than 40 countries signed a letter of solidarity addressed to Waverly Council Mayor Will Nemesh following last Sunday’s massacre at a Hanukkah menorah-lighting ceremony in Bondi Beach, Australia — one of the council’s 12 localities.
The letter — available in full HERE — was organized by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM).
Its text reads:
Dear Mayor Nemesh,
On behalf of the legislators, mayors, councilmembers, councillors, and elected officials of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) coalition, we write to express our deepest solidarity with you and the Waverly Council community following the antisemitic terror attack on December 14, 2025, at Bondi Beach in Sydney.
In this horrific attack, gunmen opened fire on members of the Jewish community who had gathered to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, killing 15 people, injuring dozens of others, and sending shockwaves around the world. The deliberate targeting of Jews during a moment of prayer, celebration, and spiritual meaning was not random. It was an attack on Jewish identity, on memory, and on the values that bind our democratic societies together. Such violence must be named for what it is: pure and simple antisemitism.
As elected leaders from around the world, we see firsthand that antisemitism is not an abstract threat. We see how it manifests in our streets, our schools, our communities, and online, and how quickly intimidation can escalate into violence when it is tolerated, minimized, or excused. Cities are on the front lines of this fight, but governments at every level must fully assume their responsibility to protect Jewish communities, confront antisemitism decisively, and ensure that those who incite or commit hatred face real consequences.
Mayor Nemesh, we stand firmly with you as you lead your community through this moment of tragedy and horror, and we stand with the Jewish community of Sydney and across Australia. You are not alone. Our coalition remains united in our commitment to keep our cities safe for all residents and to confront hatred and violence without hesitation or ambiguity.
Please convey our condolences to the victims and their families, and our sincere wishes for strength, healing, and resilience in the days ahead. We also want to recognize your commitment to confronting antisemitism and strengthening community cohesion, including your leadership and your participation in two Mayors Summits Against Antisemitism. We commend the steady moral clarity you have shown over time, and we reaffirm our collective determination to confront antisemitism wherever and whenever it appears.
With solidarity and respect,
Elected Officials from Around the World
