Western civilisation was built on the Judeo-Christian tradition. Most of us are probably more familiar with Christianity than we are with Judaism. But Judaism has a long (predating Christianity), colourful history. It is the oldest of the religions of “The Book” and the antecedent of Christianity and Islam.

According to Jewish folklore, the Maccabees were a Jewish priestly family who led a successful revolt against the Seleucid Greek Empire in the 2nd century BCE, reclaiming Jewish independence and rededicating the Temple in Jerusalem, an event celebrated by the ceremony of Hanukkah. Led by Judah Maccabee, the Hasmonean Dynasty ruled Judea as an independent kingdom for decades.

But according to the Talmud, this victory required that the Temple at Jerusalem had to be reconsecrated. This necessitated the lighting of oil lamps to relight the temple to reassume its holy nature. Accordingly the oil lamps were lit but the sacred oil that fuelled them was in short supply. As a result the priests believed that the lamps would only burn for one night.

Instead the lamps burnt for eight days and nights and unsurprisingly the devout thought this was a miracle! Hanukkah is a ritual metaphor of the holy light overcoming darkness.

To commemorate this event the Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days towards the end of the year in the Jewish calendar. It was this very festival that was being celebrated by the Jews and their friends and relatives on Bondi Beach on Sunday 14 December that was subject to an unprovoked terrorist attack resulting in 16 deaths and scores of people being injured.

This was a despicable act of hatred carried out against the Jews. But whilst it was an unspeakable attack on the Australian Jewish community, it was not entirely unexpected. The Albanese Government had done little to ensure the safety of our Jewish community and has turned a blind eye to a rise in anti-Semitism over recent years. And only a few weeks prior to the attack Australia’s security chiefs warned that a “lone wolf” style terrorist attack on the Jews was probable.

But Albanese protests that his government has been diligent in fighting anti-Semitism and instances the passing of laws designed to curtail “hate speech”. But no one has ever been prosecuted under these laws! And the Albanese government has sat by passively while pro-Palestinian activists have swarmed the Sydney Opera House and commandeered the Sydney Harbour Bridge chanting “from the river” to the sea ”and“ death to the IDF” and promoting the internationalising of Intifada.

The Federal Government has stood by while synagogues have been torched Jewish childcare centres vandalised and Jewish businesses and even homes violated.

As journalist Henry Ergas recently wrote:

Under the guise of multiculturalism, fundamentalist Islam –armed with a hatred of the Jews and the West as virulent as it is vicious – has been allowed to plant ever deeper roots in our capital cities. Its venom spilled on to our streets immediately after October 7 2023, and emboldened by the left has only spread since then. So too, not coincidentally, the attacks on Jewish shops, homes and synagogues.

For over two years pro-Palestinian protestors have every weekend taken over the streets of our capital cities chanting their vile hatred of Jews whilst our government has turned a blind eye.

Even worse, the Albanese government has railed against Israel’s attempt to defeat the Hamas terrorists that invaded Israel and slaughtered over 1200 innocent men, women and children and took 245 hostages. Then, to rub salt into the wounds, Anthony Albanese, urged on by Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, opted to recognise the State of Palestine at the United Nations at a time when Palestine has no recognised government nor even agreed borders. In doing so they provided encouragement to the terrorists and delayed the peace process.

In all of this, in order to preserve a parochial political advantage with Australia’s Muslim population the government has shied away from placing any responsibility for this growing hatred of Jews (and increasing societal dysfunction more generally) onto radical Islam!

Accordingly, immediately after the tragedy, Anthony Albanese sought to divert the debate from the evil influence of the Islamic fundamentalists to the more politically benign issue (for the Labor Party) of gun control. But we have seen around the world firearms aren’t necessary for the Islamic terrorist atrocities –knives, explosives and increasingly, motor vehicles, have been used to murder the innocents. This loathsome movement is highlighted not by the weapons they choose but the evil intent that they harbour and that is what must be countered.

This point was made forcefully, passionately and with the strongest of conviction by Josh Frydenberg speaking at the makeshift memorial at Bondi. What a contrast he made with the mealy-mouthed words of convenience of the Prime Minister!

We need to understand that whilst the most obvious target of the radical Islamists is the Jewish population, their ultimate goal is an international caliphate governed under Sharia Law. They are, in this regard, antithetical to Western civilisation and to all infidels whether they be Jewish or Christian and indeed anyone who does not believe in their hateful, fundamentalist version of Islam! And as I have previously written the paradox that the appeasers are reluctant to see is that they actually use the liberal tenets of our democracy to try to destroy our democracy.

Now in the wake of this atrocity stories of heroism and courage are emerging. Many of those at Bondi on that fateful evening weren’t going to allow the appalling ISIS related terrorists to subjugate them. They took what ever opportunities that presented themselves to fight back. Others courageously risked their own lives to try to protect the victims of the atrocity.

Now I can’t say this with any certainty, but I surly believe that if Anthony Albanese and members of his government had shown similar courage in confronting this scourge over the last couple of years. ordinary Australians would most likely not have had to put themselves at such risk.

Hanukkah, as I have explained above, is a festival of Light. Radical Islam is a travesty of hatred and mindless Darkness. If we are to overcome this existential threat to our democracy, our freedom and religious tolerance, we must be forever vigilant.

With this sombre background I wish my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year in the fervent hope that Light will prevail over Darkness!