A prominent Jewish leader has described the deadly Bondi Junction attack as an "act of war" and the worst anti-Semitic massacre in Australian history, while delivering a scathing critique of government inaction.
Community leader declares 'we're at war now'
Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, made the powerful statements during an interview on Sunrise on Monday. He framed Sunday's horrific events not merely as a crime, but as an "invasion" and an act of war perpetrated against civilians.
"We're at war now," Ryvchin stated unequivocally. "We have to meet that challenge." His comments came as he spoke about the personal loss of his close friend, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was among the victims.
Two years of warnings ignored
Ryvchin expressed deep frustration, revealing that the Jewish community had been sounding the alarm for two years about rising anti-Semitism, to little avail.
"For two years, we were presenting action plans and calling for reforms and calling for meaningful initiatives to actually deal with anti-Semitism, to deal with the ideology which led to the slaughter of our people here," he said. "And very little was done."
He argued that government responses had been grossly insufficient, dismissing condemnations issued after attacks as an easy path for leaders. "It's all good and well to condemn and to utter words of support and solidarity after people have been massacred. That's not a difficult thing for leaders to do," Ryvchin said.
He stressed that action was "necessary before our people were just slaughtered like animals at this place."
From policy to physical security
While Ryvchin had previously advocated for comprehensive action across cultural institutions, migration laws, and the education system, he believes the situation has now escalated beyond policy solutions.
"It's now crossed beyond something that can be dealt with at that policy level," he warned. "Immediately, we're dealing with physical security. We're dealing with national security. We're dealing with terrorism."
The attack has shattered the sense of safety for the local Jewish community. Ryvchin revealed that community members are now questioning whether they will ever feel secure enough to return to the Bondi site to celebrate Hanukkah, a tradition upheld for 30 years prior to Sunday's massacre.
The human toll of the attack continues to mount, with fifteen innocent people confirmed dead and a number of others remaining in hospital in a critical condition.
