Hours after what’s been labelled as an act of antisemitic terrorism unfolded in Sydney, Australia, members of Windsor’s Jewish community gathered in an act of solidarity to mark the start of Hanukkah. Led by Rabbi Sholom Galperin, about 100 people gathered along the riverfront Sunday night at Dieppe Gardens to light the menorah. “It’s now an opportunity, especially with the holiday of Hanukkah, to get rid of the darkness and to bring light,” Galperin said in an interview after the ceremony. “Each candle, each person is able to light someone else’s life up.” More than a dozen people were killed in a mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during a celebration of the start of the eight-day Hanukkah festival. Spending years in Australia, Galperin said he knew the Rabbi who helped put on the menorah lighting and was killed in the shooting. In light of the “senseless hate,” he added there’s a need for the Jewish community to show “pride” for their roots. “No matter if it’s cold outside, no matter what, it is not going to stop pride, Jewish pride, and it’s not going to stop us from bringing light to humanity,” Galperin noted. Dignitaries from all three levels of government condemned Sunday’s massacre, including Drew Dilkens, the Mayor of Windsor, who lit the menorah. Ahead of the event, Windsor police confirmed to AM800 News that there would be an increased police presence at the lighting. Galperin credited WPS for helping make people feel safe; while noting it’s human nature to experience the “fear factor” after a tragic targeted event. According to B’nai Brith Canada, a Jewish advocacy organization, 6,219 reported cases of hatred targeting Jewish people were recorded across the country in 2024 – a record high since it began audits in 1982. When asked about a reported rise in antisemitism, Galperin said there’s a need for greater education on tolerance. “I can have a difference of an opinion of you. I can believe in a different entity or whatever you want to say in religion,” he said. “At the end of the day is we’ve got the same blood, we’re human and we should be able to respect one another and to be able to live together in peace and harmony.” In the days and weeks to come, Galperin urged members of the Jewish community to show their pride and bring light to the world.
