“I wasn’t feeling well, and later, my younger sister called to wake me up. She asked where I was and informed me there had been a shooting. In a panic, I started calling my children, but neither Valya nor my son Misha, also known as Michael, answered. Eventually, Valya picked up and told me that Matilda had been injured,” a distressed parent recounted.

“We are incredibly thankful to the person who saved our child. She might not have known it was our daughter, but she shielded her and took her to safety behind a car. We owe her a debt of gratitude for her brave actions,” the family member expressed with emotion.

The sentiments of gratitude have resonated with many others who share in the relief and appreciation.

Meanwhile, Lia was present at the Hanukkah by the Sea event in Bondi on December 14, where a tragic incident claimed the lives of 15 people. The community remains in mourning.

Daniel Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, stated that the Jewish community feels acknowledged after persistent calls for a royal commission. He encouraged everyone to rally behind the Prime Minister’s decision, emphasizing the importance of moving forward together.

National Council of Jewish Women of Australia’s Lynda Ben-Menashe said, “It is disappointing that it has taken so long to get to this point.”

Former Virgin Australia executive David Baxby petitioned for the government to hold a royal commission, and expressed his frustration to the ABC at having to lobby for it.

Secretary of the Lebanese Muslim Association Ghamal Keir told SBS News he thinks Australians were hoping a wider net would have been cast for a royal commission.

“I think a lot of the royal commission pressure has been pressured by certain communities to look into just one form of racism. And I think it’s a very dangerous precedent and it doesn’t really resolve what it hopes to achieve,” he said.

He said by having a focus on antisemitism and social cohesion, the royal commission “may not resolve what it sets out to achieve”.

“I think that there needs to be a look into what has caused the rise of extremism and the far right …. what has created this sort of popular ground where we’re moving from the centre right way into the far right and the intolerance of the other that doesn’t assimilate.”

This story was produced in collaboration with SBS Russian.

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