Key Takeaways:
- The Jewish community in Sydney is on the path to healing after the atrocities at Bondi Beach last month
- Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio and fellow leaders have been providing care and support to congregants affected by the attack
- The community is finding comfort in traditions and rituals, such as the Mourner’s Kaddish and the placement of stones at gravesites
- The National Day of Mourning will be held to promote unity and remembrance, with a theme of "Light will win"
- The community is encouraged to observe a minute of silence, light a candle, and perform an act of kindness (mitzvah) to promote healing and solidarity
Introduction to the Healing Process
As the sun streams through the stained glass windows of Emanuel Synagogue in Sydney’s east, Rabbi Jacqueline Ninio says she feels hope that her community is now on the path to healing following the atrocities at Bondi Beach last month. Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists launched a series of deadly attacks on Israel, Rabbi Ninio has had many congregants reach out for support. The synagogue has become a sacred space for the community to come together and find comfort in their traditions and rituals.
The Importance of Community Support
In these sacred spaces like the synagogue at Woollahra, Rabbi Ninio and fellow leaders in the Jewish community have felt privileged to provide care in any way they can. At a recent memorial, one of Emanuel Synagogue’s congregants, a survivor of the attack, spoke about the horrors she endured that day and the miraculous survival of her and her daughter. The survivor called on the community to choose compassion and to focus on finding their "golden heart", a message that has resonated deeply with the community. Rabbi Ninio says that this message is one that she shares with her congregants, to go out and bring goodness into this world, even in the face of sorrow.
Jewish Mourning Traditions
For many people of the Jewish faith, they find wisdom in the traditions and rituals and clarity in the prayers and psalms — things that were written so many thousands of years ago resonating deeply with the community today. At the end of a funeral service, Rabbi Ninio says to mourners: "Now go forth to life." This phrase is a reminder that life is not going to be the same, but that the community cannot stay at the grave. Instead, they must walk back into the world and find a way to heal and move forward. The Jewish community also places stones at gravesites instead of flowers, as stones are a sign of enduring remembrance.
The Mourner’s Kaddish and Shiva
As per Jewish custom, the funerals for those killed in the attack occurred as soon as possible. Following a burial, an intense seven-day period of grieving takes place, known as Shiva. During this time, the community comes together to support the mourners and to recite the Mourner’s Kaddish, a prayer that is traditionally said in the presence of a minyan — a quorum of other Jewish people. The Mourner’s Kaddish is recited in honour and memory of the deceased person’s life, and is a way for the community to give thanks for the gift of that person’s life.
Shloshim and the Power of Mitzvah
After Shiva, a new stage of grief is entered, Shloshim, a 30-day period of mourning following the burial. During this time, the community returns back to the world but in a very gentle and muted way. There is a recognition that the community needs to return to life, but they are not yet in a place where they can pretend nothing has happened. As the victims’ families mark the end of Shloshim, the National Day of Mourning will be taking place, with a theme of "Light will win, a gathering of unity and remembrance". The community is encouraged to observe one minute of silence, light a candle, and perform an act of kindness (mitzvah) to promote healing and solidarity.
Moving Forward with Light and Goodness
For Rabbi Ninio, the message she shares with her congregants is one of hope and unity. She encourages them to go out and bring goodness into this world, even in the face of sorrow. The community will move forward in this world with light and goodness, and will continue to take tragedy and darkness and try to heal and repair. The power of one small mitzvah, or act of kindness, can have a profound impact on the community and can help to bring about healing and solidarity. As the community continues on the path to healing, they will do so with the support of their traditions and rituals, and with the knowledge that they are not alone in their grief.
