In December last year, what should have been a joyful Chanukah celebration on Bondi Beach became something else entirely: the site of a devastating terrorist attack in which Jewish families were targeted simply for being Jewish.
In a response to pressure, Australia established a Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion – the highest form of public inquiry available to it.
A window into a shift
The early testimony emerging from the Commission is, in many ways, the most instructive part of this process. Witnesses have described not only the horror of the Bondi attack, but the period leading up to it – one marked by a steady uptick in antisemitic incidents, hostility in public spaces, and a growing sense of vulnerability in everyday life.
In the months preceding the attack, there had been a series of increasingly concerning incidents: antisemitic graffiti and vandalism in Jewish neighborhoods; attacks on homes and vehicles, including cars being set alight outside Jewish residences; and protests in highly visible public spaces, including outside the Sydney Opera House, where rhetoric moved beyond political expression into language that was clearly hostile to Jewish people.
Other testimony has been quieter, but no less telling. A Jewish university student described feeling so unwelcome that she ultimately left her student accommodation after being told she did not belong there. One of the more striking themes has been the way antisemitism was experienced not only in isolated acts of violence, but in the cumulative effect of rhetoric, behaviour and social pressure. A Holocaust survivor testified that, for the first time since fleeing Europe, he now feels unsafe being visibly Jewish.
It is this progression – from words to atmosphere, and from atmosphere to action – that the Commission is seeking to understand.
Our Western Cape Context
Jewish life in the Western Cape remains strong, visible and deeply connected to the broader society of which we are part. We live openly, contribute meaningfully, and participate across civic, economic and cultural life.
But we must also be honest about what we are seeing here.
Over the past two years, there has been:
- Targeted boycotts of Jewish-owned businesses in the Western Cape
- Hostility towards Jewish students and staff on UCT campus
- Online harassment, including instances of doxxing directed at members of our community
- A serious security incident involving an IED device in a Jewish communal space
- Anti-Israel protests at which we have seen extremist symbolism, including ISIS and Hamas flags, alongside rhetoric that crosses the line into antisemitism.
These are serious developments. They do not define our community – but they cannot be dismissed either.
When rhetoric travels
One of the more challenging features of the current environment is how easily rhetoric moves across borders. Language that originates in one context is repeated in another, often without nuance and without consideration of its local impact. We are seeing how narratives tied to conflict elsewhere can find their way into campus spaces, protests and online discourse here in the Western Cape – sometimes blurring the line between political expression and hostility towards Jews as Jews. It is not the same as violence. But it would be unrealistic to view it as entirely separate from it. The evidence before the Australian Commission points to this dynamic: that sustained hostility, even when expressed primarily in language, shapes behaviour and can gradually shift what is considered acceptable.
That is a caution.
What the Royal Commission represents
What is notable about the Australian response is not only the scale of the tragedy, but the seriousness with which it is being examined. A Royal Commission does not simply catalogue incidents. It looks at the broader environment – legal, social and institutional – in which they occur. It gives weight to lived experience that might otherwise be minimised or dismissed. And it seeks to strengthen the systems that underpin both security and social cohesion. That approach has relevance beyond Australia.
Holding the balance
For us in the Western Cape, the task is to hold a careful balance. We should not minimise the incidents we are seeing. They affect real people and require a measured, consistent response. But nor should we overstate our position or create a sense of fear that does not reflect the broader reality of Jewish life here. The truth is more grounded: We are a community that is secure, engaged and resilient – while also navigating pressures that require serious attention.
Looking forward
The story of Bondi is not ours, despite the closeness and similarities between the South African and Australian Jewish communities. However, the questions Bondi raises must be deeply considered by our community and its leadership. They ask how societies respond to antisemitism before it escalates. How communities are protected – not only physically, but socially. And how leadership balances vigilance with perspective.
At the Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies, these questions are asked and responded to, and this happens every day – often quietly, sometimes loudly, but always consistently. It includes ongoing engagement with government and law enforcement, advocacy on campuses and in the public sphere, and working closely with partners to ensure the safety and dignity of our community. It also means addressing antisemitism where it arises – whether in public discourse, in commercial settings, or online – while continuing to invest in the openness and resilience that define Jewish life here.
Not out of fear. But out of a clear understanding that responsibility lies not only in how we respond to events – but in how we anticipate them. And in doing so, we help ensure that Jewish life in the Western Cape continues to be what it has long been: proud, confident, and deeply rooted in South Africa.
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