WCC news: WCC denounces terrorist attack in Sydney, Australia

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay denounced a terrorist attack that took place in Sydney, Australia, during the ceremony for lighting the first candle of Hanukkah at Bondi Beach – an iconic location for families and community gatherings. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 14 December 2025 “It is particularly distressing and unacceptable that this incident occurred at the very beginning of Hanukkah, a festival that symbolizes light, faith, and the resilience of a community in the face of adversity,” said Pillay. “The fact that the attack took place at a moment when people had gathered to honour a tradition deeply rooted in hope and spiritual endurance renders this act even more egregious.” Pillay noted that the attack forms part of a disturbing global rise in antisemitic acts that represent an emboldened violent hatred, and endanger the security of communities that have lived peacefully for decades within multicultural societies. "Such violent antisemitism constitutes a gross violation of basic human rights and cannot be tolerated in any democratic society,” he said. “We extend our solidarity to the affected members of the Jewish community in Australia, as well as to all our Jewish sisters and brothers threatened by antisemitic hatred and violence.” Read the full statement See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland