Each and every Holocaust survivor alive today is a miracle of our time. And since Hanukkah is a time for celebration and remembering the miracles of the past, organizations throughout South Florida honored these survivors during the holiday season - hosting events for them to gather, enjoy and revel in community support. Child Survivors/Hidden Children of the Holocaust, a Palm Beach County-based nonprofit group, hosted a luncheon for survivors on Dec. 7.
On Sunday, two gunmen killed at least fifteen people at Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, in an attack that targeted the country's Jewish community as it began its celebration of Hanukkah. At least forty more were wounded. The gunmen were father and son; the younger man is in custody and in critical condition, and the older man was killed. The gathering at Bondi Beach had been organized by Chabad, a branch of Orthodox Judaism that holds cultural and religious events around the world.