Jewish Board CEO Says Two Years of Warnings Went Unheeded Before Bondi Attack
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The Jewish community issued repeated warnings about escalating anti-Semitism for two years before Sunday’s Bondi Beach terror attack, the CEO of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies said Wednesday, calling for public figures to move beyond private expressions of support and demand concrete government action.
Michelle Goldman, speaking at the Bondi memorial site in a Sky News interview, described a steady progression from street protests to vandalism to firebombings that culminated in the mass shooting that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration.
“The temperature has been rising and we have been calling out these warnings to see action,” Goldman said. “It was our deepest fear that it would eventually land in an event that would cause injury or worse, fatality. Never did we think we would see something as unimaginable and horrific as the events that unfolded on Sunday here.”
The attack, which authorities have linked to ISIS-inspired ideology, has sparked debate about whether government officials adequately responded to mounting concerns from the Jewish community following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
A Timeline of Escalation
Goldman outlined what she described as a clear pattern of increasing violence that began with demonstrations outside the Sydney Opera House hours after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
“We started off seeing protests on the streets which were allowed to get increasingly violent and hateful,” Goldman said. “Then we saw graffiti and then we saw increasing levels of vandalism and doxing of individuals to more violent fire bombings of cars and synagogues.”
The escalation also included boycotts of Jewish-owned businesses and Jewish Australians feeling pushed out of workplaces and public spaces, she said.
“We’ve seen boycotts of businesses and the Jewish community are being pushed out of spaces that they belong,” Goldman said. “People have resigned from workplaces that they don’t feel safe anymore.”
Rejection of Security Failure Narrative
When asked whether security measures had been insufficient, Goldman firmly rejected the suggestion that the Jewish community had missed warning signs or grown complacent.
“I don’t think our community missed it at all,” she said. “Anti-Semitism is the oldest form of hatred and there are events through the ages where Jews have been persecuted in the most horrific of ways.”
Goldman cited pogroms, expulsions, the Holocaust, the October 7 attack in Israel, and recent attacks on Jewish communities in Washington and Manchester as historical and contemporary examples.
“The Jewish community did not miss anything,” she said. “The Jewish community were calling out.”
She questioned whether government officials and police understood “the magnitude of the rising temperature, the permissive culture that’s been facilitated through protests.”
While acknowledging that protests are “an important part of a democratic country,” Goldman said demonstrations had “provided a platform for people who have been radicalized, for extremists to use it as a platform for hate.”
“This is where it goes — it starts on school playgrounds and university encampments and on the streets in protests and sadly now we’ve seen where it can end,” she said.
Call for Public Action Beyond Private Support
Goldman said the Jewish community has been “overwhelmed with messages of support and solidarity from the Australian community” but emphasized that expressions of sympathy must translate into sustained pressure for change.
“Keep it coming because it means so much to our community at this point in time,” she said. “But the kind words are not enough. We need to see action and the Jewish community can’t do this alone.”
She specifically called on influencers, celebrities and public figures with large networks to speak out publicly rather than offering only private support.
“So many people we know have stood in support with us over the last two years, but it’s been a silent show of support,” Goldman said. “It’s been a support that’s been hidden through emails and phone calls and hugs.”
“We need to now publicise it so our government and anyone who has hate and has ulterior motives here understands they are not going to be able to infiltrate our society and change it away from a democracy and a country that cares about each other,” she said.
Goldman highlighted the Sydney Roosters rugby league team’s visit to the memorial as an example of the kind of visible solidarity needed.
“We need to see people who have influence, who have networks, who have standing, stand up, speak out, show your values,” she said. “Please stand up, speak out and demand back the country that you want to live in.”
Legislative Action Necessary but Insufficient
Goldman welcomed proposed gun control measures and potential restrictions on protests but warned against viewing legislative changes as a complete solution.
“We appreciate measures that might be taken to introduce new protest laws, to introduce gun laws — those things will always help to take away the tools from bad actors and to take away the platforms where they can spew their hate,” she said.
“But it’s not going to tackle the scourge of anti-Semitism and we need to address this problem at the source.”
When the interviewer raised concerns that hate speech restrictions might drive extremism underground rather than eliminate it, Goldman acknowledged the complexity.
“I 100% agree that we can’t just tackle the edges and we can’t just tackle this through legislative reform,” she said. “This is an evil, sinister ideology.”
Goldman described anti-Semitism as “something that has been around for a very long time and it is perpetrated by extremists that have a lot of resources, that are backed by countries across the world.”
Cultural Transformation Required
The Jewish Board CEO called for a fundamental shift in Australian culture to combat what she described as toxic elements that have been allowed to take hold over the past two years.
“We need to change the culture that’s been allowed to seep in and make toxic the Australian culture, which is a fair go for everyone, caring for each other, embracing diversity, putting our arms around each other and caring for one another as citizens of this great country,” Goldman said.
“We’ve allowed that great culture that we’ve all been proud of to be infiltrated over the last two years and we need to all be really strong.”
She emphasized that all Australians must participate in demanding change.
“So we need all Australians to stand up, to stand with us, to speak to government, to keep the pressure on, to demand the changes that are needed, to turn things back so we can have and live in the country that we know, cherish and love,” Goldman said.
Muslim Leaders Call for Unity Sermons
The Australian National Imams Council urged all imams, speakers and community leaders Wednesday to dedicate their Friday sermons this week to addressing “unity, harmony and standing together as one nation.”
In a statement, the council said the grief, distress and deep sense of insecurity felt by the Jewish community are “fully acknowledged.”
“Our solidarity and compassion are unequivocally affirmed,” the statement said. “We empathise deeply, as Muslims understand the trauma of having a sacred space and time violated, as tragically experienced during the Christchurch massacre.”
The reference invoked the March 2019 attack in which a white supremacist killed 51 Muslim worshippers at two New Zealand mosques during Friday prayers — creating a parallel between communities that have experienced mass casualty attacks during religious observances.
The council said Islam is a religion founded on “mercy, justice, peace and responsibility toward all people and humanity.”
“The recent acts of terror and violence in Bondi are unequivocally condemned,” the statement said. “These criminal and evil acts have no place in our society and world, and we must stand united in rejecting and condemning them and supporting all the victims and those affected.”
The council added that “the pain, fear, and shock felt across Australian society and the world highlight how moments of crisis test character, faith, and moral responsibility.”
Community Response
Goldman’s interview came as diverse groups continued gathering at the Bondi Beach memorial throughout Wednesday. Approximately 100 New South Wales Ambulance Service officers marched together to lay flowers and pay respects, many returning to the site for the first time since responding to Sunday’s attack.
The NSW government has recalled Parliament for an emergency session December 22-23 to consider gun control reforms and legislation empowering police to reject protest applications during terrorism designations.
Two police officers remain hospitalized from injuries sustained confronting the attackers. Probationary Constable Jack Hibbert, 22, will permanently lose sight in one eye. Constable Scott Dyson underwent additional surgery Wednesday and remains in critical but stable condition.
Funerals for victims began this week, with significant police presence at services. The crime scene at Bondi Beach pavilion remains closed as authorities complete forensic work.
Bias Explanation: TThis piece leans Centrist/Progressive because it centers institutional voices (government, police, community organizations) while framing the issue through justice and minority safety. The Jewish Board and National Imams Council — both moderate community organizations — dominate sourcing.
Policy prescriptions span the spectrum: gun control (typically progressive) alongside protest restrictions (typically conservative). The emphasis on cultural transformation and systemic change pulls it toward Progressive, while the institutional trust and democratic process framing keeps it Centrist. Right-Wing elements appear only in anti-terrorism and security frames. The story avoids partisan political actors, which keeps extremes at zero.
Bias comparisons derive from an AI-assisted evaluation of content sources and are protected by copyright held by Mencari News. Please share any feedback to newsdesk@readmencari.com
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