‘A long road ahead’: The forces mobilising to support Bondi victims

After the Port Arthur massacre, studies showed that first responders who processed their thoughts and feelings at the time had far less long-term psychological distress than those who did not.

Over the intervening 30 years, much more has been learnt about trauma. That knowledge has been put into action after the Bondi shooting, with a sweeping psychological response to support both the Jewish and wider community.

Sunday’s vigil “showed the true strength of our community”, NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Michele Goldman said. Credit: Getty

NSW Health had already thought about how it would need to respond to a mass casualty event, and those plans were rolled out quickly, said NSW’s chief psychiatrist, Murray Wright. Over the first week, clinicians were seeing about 200 people a day.

“A number of those were directly impacted by the events of Sunday night and were very seriously traumatised,” he said. “When you are talking about a community that’s been subject to persecution and trauma for millennia, then something like this has a very significant additional impact.”

It’s not just those directly affected who need psychological support, such as those who lost loved ones or jumped under cars to escape the gunmen; even people who watched the tragedy on television can be affected.

“None of us has been through anything like this before,” said Wright. “We don’t know whether how we’re reacting to this is going to be helpful to us in the long run. If you’re in that situation, we strongly advise people to get advice.”

The Jewish community’s own resources also sprung into action. United Hatzalah, an Israeli organisation, sent a team with experience in responding to terror attacks, led by its Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit.

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The first 72 hours are critical for long-term mental health after a traumatic experience, and, like NSW Health, its services hit the ground quickly. Over the next week, it delivered what it described as 650 interventions.

Under the co-ordination of the Jewish Board of Deputies, Jewish House – a crisis support service – and JewishCare set up an operational room to deliver support. “Some of these people have a very long road ahead of them,” said Board of Deputies CEO Michele Goldman.

Significant support has been offered to Kesser Torah College, where many of the children who were attending the Hanukkah festival went to school. Several lost fathers or relatives.

After Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, members of the Australian Jewish Community set up a volunteer WhatsApp group, Operation Golda, to source and send supplies to those who needed them in Israel.

Golda has also mobilised in the wake of the Bondi attacks, and its 2000-odd volunteers are working with Jewish Care to provide support. “Everything from delivering food, to doing laundry, offering courier services to move around,” said Goldman.

On the first Monday, Jewish support services received 60 calls. A third just wanted to talk, a third needed their immediate needs met, and a third wanted longer-term support.

“I’ve spoken to families today who don’t feel safe in their homes,” said Goldman. “One of their first requests is to have a locksmith change the locks, or can we put cameras in the building.”

The Herald and The Age on Tuesday retracted an opinion piece, ‘I went to Bondi and hugged people who’d never spoken to a Muslim before’, out of respect for the Jewish community. This masthead apologises for any distress its publication caused.

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