JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Multiple Jewish organizations in Jacksonville staffed their Hanukkah celebrations with more security, which they said was in response to the deadly mass shooting at a Hanukkah event on Sunday in Sydney, Australia.
Rabbi Nochum Kurinsky works with the Chabad at the Beaches, which held its yearly lighting of the menorah on Monday night, with multiple officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office present.
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Kurinsky told Action News Jax he knew one of the 15 people killed in the shooting on Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
“It’s really sad and tragic. He was a local Chabad rabbi, you know, just a few years younger than me,” Kurinsky said.
Both Kurinsky and Jacksonville Jewish Community Alliance CEO Adam Shaskin addressed their respective crowds on Monday with a solemn reminder of what has been called a targeted, deadly mass shooting against Australia’s Jewish community.
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“We all need to shine a light on the darkness, we all need to bring joy and happiness into the world,” Shaskin said to the crowd gathered for the JCA’s own menorah lighting.
Shaskin told Action News Jax it had also worked with JSO to have extra security at its Chanukkah event, but he said he doesn’t want the 8-day-long holiday celebration to be shadowed by one tragic day.
“You need to bring light onto the world. And so there really is no better time than right now,” Shaskin said.
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The Anti-Defamation League tracks attacks against Jewish communities across the world. Since 2021, the ADL has reported an 11% increase of attacks against the Jewish community in Australia. In the same time, the ADL has reported a 227% increase of antisemitic attacks in the United States.
Australian leaders have already promised to tighten the country’s already strict gun control laws, as a means of preventing future violent attacks. Rabbi Kurinsky told us he believes Jacksonville’s Jewish community is strong and resilient, and he hopes lights of the menorah burn brighter this year in light of the deadly shooting.
“Jewish people have always responded to darkness with light. Because ultimately, light will prevail. Goodness always prevails,” Kurinsky said.
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