Calgary gathered in candlelight on Monday with the world still in shock.Less than 24 hours after a deadly terrorist attack tore through a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Australia, killing and wounding dozens, members of Calgary’s Jewish community assembled at city hall for the city’s annual hanukkiah lighting. The timing was impossible to ignore. What is usually a joyful public celebration unfolded instead under the weight of fresh grief, fear, and global anxiety..And still, the community came together.That choice is what defined the night.There was heightened security, quiet conversations, and a shared understanding of why everyone felt on edge.Bondi Beach was not spoken about constantly, but it seemingly weighed heavy on the hearts of many attendees..The attack was a reminder that Jewish gatherings, even thousands of kilometres away, can be targets simply for existing. It was also a reminder that Jewish communities do not face those moments alone.What stood out in Calgary was not defiance or political messaging, but solidarity.People arrived with family members, friends, neighbours. Some came because this year felt different, because staying home felt like surrender.Around the hanukkiah, there was comfort in numbers and reassurance in familiarity. Strangers exchanged quiet words. Children clustered near parents. Songs were sung with a steadiness that felt deliberate..The hanukkiah itself became more than a symbol. In the shadow of Bondi Beach, it represented continuity. Hanukkah commemorates survival against persecution, and this year that story did not feel distant or historical. It felt immediate.Outside, a small and subdued protest passed without incident. Inside the gathering, something far more powerful was happening. A community was reminding itself, and the city around it, that Jewish life does not pause in the face of terror. It gathers closer.Political leaders attended, speeches were delivered, and applause followed, but the heart of the evening was not at the podium. It was in the crowd. It was in the decision to show up despite fear. It was in the shared recognition that safety is strengthened when people stand together rather than retreat..The Bondi Beach attack underscored a reality Jewish communities have long understood: antisemitism is global, and its consequences are real. Calgary’s response was not loud or dramatic. It was human.The candles burned against the cold, one by one, steady and visible. They did not undo what happened in Australia. But they answered it in a way that felt deeply Jewish and quietly powerful.In a moment shaped by tragedy, Calgary’s Jewish community chose togetherness. And in doing so, it sent a clear message that light, even when fragile, is stronger when it is shared.
