What was supposed to be the beginning of a week of religious festivities turned to a day of tragedy after at least 15 people were killed during a Hanukkah celebration in Australia, leaving Tulsa’s Jewish community in a state of mourning.
“There are no words that are big enough, but we can say what we always say in moments like this, ” Joe Roberts, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa said Sunday in an open letter. “We grieve with our people, we pray for the wounded, and we hold the mourners close.”
Sunday’s tragedy, in which more than two dozen people were injured, took place at Bondi Beach, a known place of celebration for Jewish Australians during Hanukkah. It was Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in over 30 years.
The U.S. has its own history with mass shootings targeting the Jewish community. In 2018, 11 people were killed at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Tulsa is home to three synagogues: The Synagogue | Congregation B’nai Emunah, Temple Israel and Chabad House Lubavitch. All are currently celebrating Hannukah, an eight-day Jewish festival.
Ahead of The Synagogue | Congregation B’nai Emunah Hanukkah celebration, Rabbi Dan Kaiman wrote on Facebook that this moment is a reminder that “light matters” and it “makes the world brighter, warmer, and more welcoming for everyone.”
“Showing up matters. We do not let those who wish to do harm to that idea decide how visible we are or how we live our lives,” Kaiman wrote.
Now, Roberts said, security is the Jewish Federation’s primary concern. He said all three congregations took additional precautions for Sunday night menorah lightings, though there are no credible threats to Tulsa’s Jewish community at this time.
In his statement, Roberts emphasized the Jewish people’s long history of perseverance amid hatred and persecution. Acknowledging reasonable fears of being visibly Jewish in a time where antisemitism is on the rise, he encouraged people to stand proud in their beliefs and identity.
He said Sunday’s menorah lighting was in “defiant memory of those we lost today and with a quiet promise to each other.”
“They can threaten us, but they will not define us,” he said. “They can try to frighten us, but they will not drive us out of public life. They can try to bring darkness, but they will not take our light.”
Ismael Lele is a Report for America corps member and writes about business in Tulsa for The Oklahoma Eagle. Your donation to match our Report for America grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting this link.
