(MENAFN) Vigils across the UK have remembered the 15 people killed in the Bondi Beach Hanukkah shooting in Sydney, Australia, including a child. The attack specifically targeted the Jewish community.
In London, around 100 people gathered outside the Australian High Commission, waving British and Israeli flags and holding signs reading “Stop the Hate.” Rabbi Yisroel Lew lit a menorah, urging people to “bring more light” and continue celebrating Hanukkah despite the tragedy.
Trafalgar Square also hosted a menorah lighting on the first day of Hanukkah, while north-west London held music and dance events with increased police presence.
Attendees included Chanie Simon, who went to school with Rabbi Eli Schlanger, one of the victims. She described him as “a father in the prime of his life” and stressed the importance of continuing acts of goodness despite terror. Joseph Sassoon expressed sadness that Jewish people still face fear and violence.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a London-born father of five, was remembered as “caring, vivacious, and outgoing.” His cousin, Rabbi Zalman Lewis, encouraged people to honor his memory through charitable acts and spreading light, echoing Schlanger’s belief that everyone can positively contribute to the world.
Police forces in England and Scotland have increased security for Jewish communities during Hanukkah events in response to the attack.
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