Nearly 18,000 Gather at Barclays Center for Menorah Lighting in Tribute to Sydney Hanukkah Attack Victims
Share
Category: PERSECUTION OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Summary:
Nearly 18,000 people attended a menorah lighting ceremony at Barclays Center in New York City on December 18, 2025, honoring the 15 victims of a terrorist attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, Sydney. The event took place during an NBA game between the Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat, with 14-year-old Eli Drizin, nephew of one of the rabbis killed in the attack, lighting a giant menorah decorated with basketballs. The ceremony was organized by CTeen International and the Nets, and featured participation from Jewish teens in the New York tri-state area. Attendees observed a moment of solidarity and unity, with the candle lighting also broadcast on television.
Mysterion Insights
Scripture: Romans 12:15-16
"Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation."
Commentary:
When tragedy strikes, moments of collective mourning and solidarity can bring comfort to those whose lives were shattered. Nearly everyone in that arena could feel the pain and hope mingling in the air. Responding together in grief, especially for victims far away, is a deeply human act. Public displays of unity like this echo a prophetic pattern where societies recognize rising hostility toward God’s people and seek to stand with them, reflecting a core biblical call toward shared compassion amid persecution.
Prophetic Trend:
Public acts of solidarity are intensifying globally in response to rising violence against Jewish communities.
Mysterion Prophetic Impact Rating: C - Measured What does this mean?
Source Excerpt:
Eli Drizin reciting the blessing for lighting the menorah at Barclays Center on Dec. 18, 2025. Photo: Provided Nearly 18,000 people gathered at Barclays Center in New York City on Thursday night for a menorah lighting that honored the 15 people murdered in Sunday’s terrorist attack at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. “Nets fans, tonight as we celebrate the Jewish festival of light, we ask you to help us mourn the lives of those lost in the senseless attack that took place at the Bondi Beach Hanukkah festival in Sydney, Australia on Sunday,” the Barclays announcer told the crowd. “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the victims, their families and friends, and the worldwide community.” The NBA’s Brooklyn Nets took on the Miami Heat on Thursday night at Barclays Center. Between the first and second quarters of the game, a giant menorah decorated with basketballs was lit by 14-year-old Brooklyn resident Eli Drizin, who is the nephew of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, one of two Chabad rabbis killed in Sunday’s attack in Sydney. Fans in the arena stood in solidarity with Sydney’s Jewish community as the teen lit the menorah on the fifth night of Hanukkah. The c...
Original Article: Read the full story →
Source: Algemeiner
Posted on 12-19-2025 11:35