Members of the Abraham Conference together with family and friends paid a visit to the Bondi Beach Pavilion on a cold, windy and wet morning on Thursday 1 January 2026 in order to share their thoughts and prayers for the victims of the terrorist attack.

This was a first hand moving experience to sympathise with the Jewish community in person whose brothers, sisters, cousins, sons, daughters, family and friends were killed, injured and traumatised by this unprecedented atrocity.

I was asked to read my emotional message to the community offering my sympathies and prayers for the victims and their loved ones:

On behalf of myself and members of the Muslim community, I extend our deepest and most sincere condolences to the Jewish community during this time of profound grief.

We are heartbroken by the loss of innocent lives during a sacred time of worship and celebration. No family or community should ever have to endure such pain, especially during a moment meant to honour faith, light, and hope.

As followers of the Abrahamic tradition, Jews and Muslims share a common spiritual lineage through Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him). We are united by core values: the sanctity of human life, justice, compassion, and the belief that every human being is created with inherent dignity.

In the Qur’an, Allah teaches that whoever kills an innocent soul, it is as though they have killed all of humanity. This powerful teaching reminds us that the loss of even one life is a loss to all people and a wound to our shared humanity.

We stand together in rejecting hatred, violence, and anti-Semitism in all its forms. Violence against innocent people violates the teachings of faith and undermines the moral foundations of our societies.

During Hanukkah—a festival that symbolises light overcoming darkness—we pray that light, mercy, and human solidarity prevail over hatred and fear. May the memories of those who were lost be a blessing, and may their families and loved ones be granted strength, comfort, and peace during this painful time.

We reaffirm our commitment, as people of faith, to stand side by side in compassion, mutual respect, and the pursuit of peace.

Later the delegation sat down with some members of the community for a great conversation pledging together to work more towards community harmony and understanding between our multifaith and multicultural communities and keeping Australia safe for all.