Thousands of Australians are expected to perform acts of kindness on Thursday to commemorate the victims of last month’s Bondi terror attack, as the Jewish tradition of mitzvah spreads across faiths and backgrounds.
A mitzvah, which is a core value in Judaism, has come to mean any charitable act and is being requested of Australians to mark the national day of mourning.
CEO and co-founder of charity Kids Giving Back, Carole Schlessinger, will be among them. She has been running a One Mitzvah for Bondi program every week since the terror attack, opening the charity’s doors to hundreds of families to prepare meals for vulnerable communities, and will run two events on Thursday.
“We truly believe that enabling kids and families to do these mitzvahs, these acts of kindness, is deeply empowering, giving young people a sense of agency, purpose and hope, especially at times like these,” she said.
The president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Daniel Aghion, said he would be spending the day at a synagogue while also practising a mitzvah, which he described as a “beautiful Jewish tradition”.
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Aghion said the overwhelming support for mitzvahs after the Bondi attack had made him “proud of my Jewish faith and proud of Australians”.
“The antidote to exclusion is inclusion,” he said. “One of the beautiful things that can come out of such a terrible event is a way to bring Australians together.
“We as a nation want Australia to be a better place, and with very simple steps and acts of kindness, we can go towards making it one.”
Mourners will also gather inside the Sydney Opera House on Thursday evening for the official national memorial service, organised by the Chabad of Bondi, with support from the federal government, community partners and faith leaders under the theme: “Light Will Win, a Gathering of Unity and Remembrance.”
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, the opposition leader, Sussan Ley and the premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, will be among those to speak at the invitation-only event.
Among those on the guest list are survivors of the terror attack, families, first responders, community leaders, and other government representatives.
The Opera House will be bathed in light alongside other significant national buildings in alignment with the day’s theme. Guests will arrive from 5.30pm, with official proceedings to run from 7pm AEDT until approximately 9pm.
Those hoping to watch from home can livestream the proceedings on the Chabad of Bondi’s YouTube channel.
The event will begin with a national minute of silence, followed by prayers from Rabbi Pinchus Feldman.
The national anthem will be sung by the Choir of The Great Synagogue and 15 candles will be lit by families and representatives of the deceased.
There will also be a number of tribute videos, as well as a musical performance alongside the official addresses and memorial readings.
Rabbi Yossi Friedman of the Chabad of Bondi said with the memorial event now at capacity, a short name reading and candle lighting service would also take place at Bondi Pavilion from 5.30pm until 6pm.
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO, Michele Goldman, welcomed the day of mourning as a “moment for Australians to pause and reflect on the 15 lives lost in the terror attack on the first night of Hanukah”.
“We encourage every Australian to undertake a mitzvah, whether it’s checking on a neighbour, volunteering, or supporting a local business, as a way to honour the victims through acts of kindness,” they said.
In Victoria, multifaith leaders will gather for a vigil at St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Melbourne at 11.15am on Thursday to mark the day. It will be open to the public and livestreamed online.
Victoria’s premier, Jacinta Allan, said the vigil was “a moment to stand with the Jewish community and reaffirm who we are”.
It will be the first time Australia has observed a national day of mourning since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
