COVID-19 News & Updates

Today, our nation is confronting a moment of profound grief and reflection.

Over the past 24 hours, acts of extreme antisemitic violence have occurred at Bondi Beach, a place recognised around the world as a symbol of openness, diversity and shared community. On the first day of Chanukah, lives have been lost across generations, many more have been seriously injured, and families, communities and first responders are carrying an unimaginable burden.

We acknowledge, with deep respect and gratitude, the extraordinary efforts of emergency services, first responders and hospital teams across Sydney who continue to work tirelessly to preserve life and care for those affected. Their courage, skill and compassion reflect the very best of public service and healthcare.

In the face of such brutality, it is natural to feel disbelief and sorrow. But history reminds us that violence of this kind does not emerge in isolation. It is often preceded by words; words that divide, diminish and dehumanise. Language that begins as intolerance can, if left unchallenged, harden into hatred and ultimately give permission to acts of profound inhumanity.

As Elie Wiesel so powerfully observed, what hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander. Silence, indifference or careless language can allow darkness to take hold. Words matter; they shape our thinking, influence our actions, and signal what we are prepared to tolerate. Each of us has a responsibility, in our workplaces, our communities and our conversations, to choose words that uphold dignity, and actions that reject hatred in all its forms.

Though, in moments such as this, we are also reminded that while acts of hate can shock a nation, they do not define who we are.  It’s how we respond as a Nation that defines who we are, and who we wish to become.

Even in a time of deep national pain, we have also witnessed extraordinary examples of humanity - people running toward danger to protect strangers; lifesavers, emergency responders, police officers, clinicians and civilians acting instinctively with courage and care. One such example, a local fruit vendor, Ahmed al Ahmed, who intervened to disarm the attacker at great personal cost, stands as a powerful reminder that our strength as a society is found in our shared humanity, not our differences.

As yesterday and history has repeatedly taught all of us, hate can manifest in violence in the least expected of places and times, which is why we all - including us all at AWH - must remain unapologetically firm on our commitment to inclusion, respect, kindness and compassion. These are not abstract aspirational statements. They are our shared responsibility. They guide how we treat one another, our patients, their families, and our communities.

Chanukah is a festival of light, a reminder to people of all faiths and cultures, that hope endures even in the most confronting moments. As Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks reflected, it is about the freedom to live true to our beliefs while honouring the freedom of others to live true to theirs – a principle at the heart of peaceful coexistence.

In moments such as this, leadership is not found in volume or rhetoric, but in calm resolve, compassion and unity. As Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us, darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. At AWH, we choose to be part of that light.

We stand in solidarity with the Australian Jewish Community who have suffered this unimaginable tragic and senseless loss of innocent lives. We must work together with urgency and purpose, to eradicate hate and terrorism in Australia. 

We reaffirm our commitment to creating a workplace, and contributing to a society, where difference is not feared, but respected; where compassion is active; and where togetherness is strengthened, not diminished, by our diversity.

Our strength is, and always will be, in our togetherness.

Jonanthan Green
Board Chair

Bill Appleby
Chief Executive Officer