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About 24 hours after terror was unleashed on Sydney\u2019s Bondi beach<\/a>, Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins stood in the city\u2019s Hyde Park and delivered a message of unity.<\/p>\n \u201cSo many in our Jewish community have received messages of love from leaders in different faith communities, from Palestinian friends and friends around this country, and in so doing, we are now learning we are all just flesh and blood, and we are all also the light,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The vigil, on Monday evening, was to commemorate the 15 killed and dozens injured and traumatised in Sunday\u2019s antisemitic terror attack on Bondi beach.<\/p>\n After Kamins\u2019s speech, Bilal Rauf, special adviser at the Australian National Imams Council, offered \u201cdeep heartbreak and condolences\u201d, noting the pain reminded him of his own community after the 2019 Christchurch massacre.<\/p>\n Afterwards, the pair embraced in a hug as the crowd broke into applause.<\/p>\n Kamins, from the Emmanuel Synagogue in Woollahra, said the essence of the vigil was recognising \u201cwe are all human beings first\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter he spoke about understanding the pain in the Jewish community and universality at the same time of experience, it was just spontaneous,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cHugs say a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n Kamins said since Sunday there had been an outpouring of spontaneous acts of kindness \u2013 flowers being placed in front of his synagogue and letters from faith leaders and neighbours.<\/p>\n \u201cThe message is, you are not alone,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m hoping that over the weeks and months ahead, as there is, you know, the ability to heal or process the trauma and then heal from it, that we will be able to respond to those open hands and open hearts and know that we can create a better Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n Vigils have been held across Sydney<\/a> and Melbourne, with some bringing together people of different faiths and secular backgrounds.<\/p>\n Sydney Friends of Standing Together hosted a memorial event on Monday evening. The group supports the grassroots movement Standing Together<\/a>, which unites Palestinian and Jewish people in Israel in their push for peace, equality and justice.<\/p>\n Originally planned as a Hanukah and Christmas celebration, the organisers hosted a memorial to pay tribute to the victims of the Bondi massacre. About 50 people gathered to hear the Kaddish \u2013 a Jewish prayer recited for the dead \u2013 alongside Muslim and Christian prayers and secular messages.<\/p>\n