US Jewish groups urge heightened security at public events after Hanukkah attack in Australia

Major Jewish Organizations Urge Enhanced Security Measures Following Sydney Shooting

Leading Jewish organizations across the United States are calling for heightened security protocols at all Jewish community events in the wake of the deadly mass shooting that targeted a Hanukkah celebration on Australia’s Bondi Beach.

The directive, issued by several security-focused Jewish groups, recommends that public events should only be open to pre-registered individuals who have undergone screening. “Provide details of location, time, and other information only upon confirmed registration,” the advisory stated. “Have access control to only allow known, confirmed registrants/attendees into the facility/event.”

Sunday’s attack in Sydney claimed at least 15 lives, including that of Eli Schlanger, assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and an organizer of the Hanukkah event. The tragedy has intensified criticism that Australian authorities haven’t done enough to address the recent surge in antisemitic crimes, prompting Australia’s leadership to pledge an overhaul of the country’s already stringent gun control laws.

Despite the urgent call for increased vigilance, many rabbis and Jewish community leaders are proceeding with large-scale Hanukkah celebrations as planned, viewing these gatherings as acts of resilience and defiance against intimidation.

“This week, let us choose Jewish joy, communal strength, and courageous hope,” stated Temple Beth Sholom, one of Miami’s largest synagogues, in a community message. “We invite every member of our family to join us this week as we celebrate Chanukah. Let us gather to share the warmth of the candles and reaffirm our unbreakable connection.”

Rabbi Jeffrey Myers of Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Congregation, who survived the 2018 attack that killed 11 worshippers at his synagogue, echoed this sentiment: “In the face of antisemitism and violence, my prayer is that we don’t let the fear win but instead lean into our Jewishness and practice our tradition proudly.”

Chabad, the Orthodox Jewish movement known for its public menorah lightings worldwide, confirmed that its centers are proceeding with thousands of planned Hanukkah celebrations while implementing enhanced security measures. According to Chabad.org, the organization is “calling on the Jewish community to drown out hate with greater light and goodness while mourning those lost and wounded in Sydney.”

Rabbi Chaim Landa of Chabad of Greater St. Louis, which held its planned menorah lighting near the Gateway Arch with increased police presence, reflected on the dual challenge: “There’s making sure that it’s safe, and there’s also making sure that people feel safe. And we want both. People wanted to come out, and they wanted to be together.”

In Boulder, Colorado, where a man attacked people demonstrating in support of Israeli hostages earlier this year, the Jewish community gathered Monday night for a “flames of love” ceremony featuring a dramatic new 7-foot stainless steel menorah. Rabbi Yitzchok Moully, who designed the menorah, explained: “We are here and we’re standing strong and we’re not cowering in the darkness.”

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, addressed the complex balance between security concerns and maintaining Jewish identity in public spaces. “We need to be smart about security and protecting ourselves and our fellow Jews—whether within the synagogue walls, or when we walk down the street wearing a kippah,” he said. “But the spirit of the defiant Maccabees is also part of the Hanukkah story. Our Jewish community will not go into hiding.”

Jacobs referenced the Jewish tradition of placing menorahs in windows for public viewing, noting that the Babylonian Talmud teaches this practice may be modified in times of danger. “We have been living in a time of growing danger for several years now. And for too many Jews, putting a menorah in the window is too dangerous,” he acknowledged.

However, Alon Shalev, a research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem, argued against retreat from public visibility. “When Jews are attacked for being visibly Jewish, the instinct to retreat is understandable—but it is precisely the wrong response,” Shalev said. “Jewish safety in democratic societies depends on open, shared civic affirmation, supported by political and community leaders and by fellow citizens, not on retreat behind closed doors.”

As Hanukkah continues, Jewish communities across the world face the painful reality of balancing celebration with security—a challenge that has increasingly become part of contemporary Jewish experience.