One of the most iconic parts of New Year's Eve every year is the spectacular sights and sounds of the colorful fireworks display in Sydney, with the beautiful backdrop of the Australian city's Harbor Bridge and ultra-modern Opera House.
It's one of the first places to ring in the new year, of course, so it only makes sense to expect a big bang (literally) to usher in 2026.
But as readers know, in recent weeks, Australia suffered a mass shooting at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14 (the first night of Hanukkah, a terrorist attack that killed 17 and wounded others, who were celebrating the Jewish festival of lights.
It was quickly evident that this attack was inspired by hate and antisemitism.
That's something Australia's own prime minister, Anthony Albanese, a far leftist, has refused to acknowledge, saying in recent days, despite the wishes of victims' families, that any more than a cursory investigation would not serve the "national interest," as my colleague Becky Noble wrote.
Goodness and signs of light were visible even in the early hours and days after the Bondi Beach attack, though, as stories filtered out on the unlikely everyday heroes who kept the heinous attack from being any worse. Another way the healing began for the loved ones of those lost, and survivors, was the world's reaction—starting with a solemn, prayerful moin D.C. that same night.
READ MORE: DC Cuts Through the Darkness, Lighting the Menorah on the First Night of Hanukkah
‘I Couldn't Handle the Screaming’: Bondi Beach Hero Gives First Interview, Reveals His One Regret
A few personal notes float up in my mind as I write on this:
When I was but a teenager, during a school-sponsored Easter-time trip to Europe, I had the opportunity to visit the museum on the outskirts of Munich, Germany, where the Dachau concentration camp was. The photos and remnants showing the evils of men just like you and me still haunt me, as do the etched words placed there for every future human being to read and understand: Never Again. Some of those photos are in the clip below. This U.S. Army hero was there too:
Just weeks before he died at age 99, World War II veteran Darrell Bush recalled the horrors he witnessed at the Dachau concentration camp soon after liberation in 1945. #VeteransDay pic.twitter.com/zMXLSFQMyY
— US Holocaust Museum (@HolocaustMuseum) November 11, 2024
On a lighter note, here's a film connecting the past and the future, with a heap full of light. Once again, I urge you to take in David, an engaging and fun story from the Old Testament (and as Christians, our Jewish cousins), in living color on the silver screen, as I wrote in a VIP column:
Fast-forward to tonight in Sydney. Ahead of the countdown to 2026, and cacophony of explosions and kaleidoscopic celestial glitter, there was first a moment of silence. The participants did not just stare into the darkness, though.
Bringing to mind a menorah, it began with a display of white lights, starting with the Harbor Bridge showing the symbolic dove, and the words "unity" and "peace," then at 11 PM, onlookers for the fireworks got into the act:
Before Australia entered 2026, the Sydney Harbour Bridge was lit up in white as a symbol of peace and unity, and people turned their phone torches on to shine a light across the harbour in commemoration of the Bondi shootings.
Watch:
On NYE, Sydney pauses iconic fireworks, as city stands in solidarity with the Jewish community and victims of the Bondi massacre. 🕊️ ✡️ pic.twitter.com/HeAQ0qefED
— Arsen Ostrovsky 🎗️ (@Ostrov_A) December 31, 2025
Then the party got back on track, as the Australians always seem to know how to do, with the usual countdown and stunning fireworks (which lasted about 15 minutes).
Thousands of revellers gathered at Sydney's popular spots to bid farewell to 2025 and watch the display of fireworks even, as Australians were urged to "show defiance" after the Bondi terror attack. pic.twitter.com/eknvaAXr24
— The Independent (@Independent) December 31, 2025
2026 fireworks from Sydney, various different angles.
— Frankie™️🦅 (@B7frankH) December 31, 2025
With the Sydney Harbour Bridge illuminated white, and the lights of thousands of torches glowing, the New Year's Eve crowds stopped to remember and honour the 15 people killed in the Bondi terror attack earlier this month. pic.twitter.com/xXLUP7T0am
My guess is that the people who witnressed the solemn moment will remember it for many more years than the blasts of radiant color that followed, seconds later, in Sydney's skies.
Happy New Year 2026, readers! May the turning of the page bring you and yours prosperity, peace, and love.
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