Alex Ryvchin, co-Chief Executive Officer of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, attends the first hearing block of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion in Sydney, Australia on May 4, 2026. George Chan/ AFP via Getty Images
“What do you think they’re going to do when they find us?” a witness, known only as Dina, said to her husband as they drove past protesters chanting, “Where are the Jews?” during a pro-Palestinian march in Sydney on Oct. 9, 2025.
Just over two months later, on Dec. 14, two gunmen—a father and son—shot and killed 15 people attending a Hanukkah celebration at the iconic Bondi Beach.
Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.