Chabad at Riverwalk event pays homage to Sydney tragedy

By ALAN SMASON, Special to the CCJN

New Orleans may be 8800 miles away from Sydney, Australia, but for several members of the New Orleans City Council and other city and local Jewish community leaders, the bullets that flew and indiscriminately killed at least 15 and injured scores of others on Bondi Beach, made it seem like the tragedy was right next door.

The Chabad at Riverwalk Chanukiah is lit with Congregation Beth Israel’s Rabbi Shlomo Stauber singing the holiday hymn “Maoz Tzur” on Sun., Dec. 14. (Photo by Alan Smason)

“There is a chilling effect for terrorist acts and the goal of a terrorist act is to inspire terror and to make us change who we are. Your being here tonight shows that terrorism has failed,” New Orleans City Council president J. P. Morrell said to the crowd of 400 that braved the bitter chill of the Spanish Plaza at the New Orleans Riverwalk Outlets on Sunday evening, Dec. 14, at the 36th annual Chabad at the Riverwalk event, a mainstay of the New Orleans Jewish community.

The councilman acknowleged the bravery of Ahmed al-Ahmed, who charged one of the Australian gunmen and stripped him of his weapon, while suffering multiple gunshots to his torso. “I think we all have to work together to end the normalization of antisemitism across this world and we have to put that to work because no one deserves to live in fear. You being here tonight to celebrate this lighting shows we will not live in fear,” Morrell concluded. 

Presented by Chabad-Lubavitch of Louisiana, the event was very similar to the “‘Chanukah by the Sea” event in Sydney, Australia, where the shooting occured on Sunday night. District A Councilman Joe Giarusso alluded to the security required for the event. In addition, District D Councilman Eugene Green was in attendance on the dais in solidarity with his fellow city leaders, but did not speak.

Chabad Lubavitch of Louisiana rabbis, city councilmen and leaders of the Jewish community at the 2025 “Chanukah at the Riverwalk” event. (Photo by Alan Smason)

Two of the event sponsors – Morris Bart and former City Councilman and Jewish Federation CEO Arnie Fielkow also spoke prior to the lighting of the largest Chanukiah in Louisiana.

“Chanukah is the Festival of Lights and boy do we need lights right now all over the world – whether it be in the Middle East; whether it be in Sydney, Australia; whether it be in literally every city in the country of Ukraine, whcih does not have lights or electricity right now; and within New Orleans with our immigrant community, who are facing a lot of bigotry and discrimination in our own community, we need this holiday to uplift people, to make them realize we’re stronger when we’re together,” Fielkow addressed the crowd.

Fielkow also read a statement from U.S. Representative Troy Carter regarding the shooting in Australia. “Let me be clear: antisemitism has no place in Louisiana, no place in America and no place in the world,” the statement read. “Tonight we light this menorah as a rejection of hate and as a commitment to one another. May its light remind us to choose unity over division, compassion over cruelty and love over fear.”

While Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans CEO Sherri Tarr was present on the dais, it was board president Melinda Mintz who spoke on behalf of the Federation. “As we kindle this first light, let it remind us darkness never wins when we choose to shine,” Mintz stated. “In this season of miracles, let us commit to that calling because when we flame our life together we do more than illuminate; we transform the world around us.”

Rabbi Mendel Rivkin of the Uptown Chabad Center read passages related to eight hostages who were eventually freed from Hamas following the October 7, 2023 attacks. A “living menorah” was adorned with lights by community volunteers just prior to the lighting of the largest Chanukiah in Louisiana. The 11-foot tall wooden structure was constructed by Holocaust survivor Isak Borenstein, z’l, as a living memorial to victims of the Shoah.

The light signifying the shamash and the first night light were lit by community philanthropist Jeff Goldring. Congregation Beth Israel Rabbi Shlomo Staumer gave the blessings and sang the hymn “Maoz Tzur” as the event ended.