The horrific terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, which targeted Jewish people celebrating a festival, has sent shockwaves across Australia. For Jewish Australians like writer and former political adviser Dean Sherr, the atrocity represents the realisation of a deep-seated fear. In a powerful reflection, Sherr articulates a collective trauma and issues a urgent call: condemnation is not enough; the nation must now channel its horror into tangible unity and action to safeguard its multicultural fabric.
A Lost Sense of Safety
Sherr contrasts his childhood experience of Jewish life in Australia with the alarming present. Growing up, he felt embedded in a safe, diverse, and tolerant nation, where antisemitism was largely a historical lesson rather than an immediate threat. While security measures existed at synagogues and schools, there was a prevailing sense of being in the lucky country—one of the safest places in history to be Jewish.
That feeling has fundamentally shifted. Over the past 26 months, Sherr describes a soul-crushing increase in antisemitic incidents, including firebombings, vandalism of Jewish properties, and the doxing and ostracism of individuals. This rising tide has cast a long shadow, making the political debate around hatred personally challenging for someone with a background advising Labor figures like Anthony Albanese.
The Bondi Nightmare and a National Reckoning
The attack at Bondi, however, marks a devastating new chapter. Every Jewish person’s worst nightmare came true on Australian soil. Sherr notes that while similar deadly attacks have occurred in cities like Manchester, Washington, and Berlin, the fact it happened in Australia makes it Australia's responsibility to ensure it is never repeated.
In the aftermath, Sherr has been moved by an outpouring of support from non-Jewish friends and colleagues. Yet he stresses a critical point: condemning terrorism is easy. What is needed now, beyond solidarity, is decisive and practical action from all levels of society.
The Path Forward: Leadership and Collective Responsibility
The solution, Sherr argues, requires a dual approach. Governments and security agencies must provide practical leadership. Equally, every citizen has a role to play in calling out antisemitism, refusing to diminish it, and acknowledging it as a persistent threat.
This fight is about more than just the Jewish community. Sherr, whose own family found refuge in Australia from European antisemitism, warns that if Jewish people aren’t safe, none of us are. The fraying of social cohesion and declining public support for multiculturalism threatens every community. He views the struggle against right-wing populism, seen advancing in Europe and the US, as a battle for Australia's inclusive soul, with Jewish Australians on the frontline.
The attack has led many Jewish people to question their future in Australia, with some considering leaving. Sherr is resolved to stay but is devastated by this sentiment. He believes most Australians are not antisemitic and are horrified by the Bondi attack. If that horror can be transformed into unity and action, he holds onto the hope that the safe, welcoming Australia he grew up in can be restored.
