On the first night of Hanukkah, a group of Levites gathered on the Temple Mount, lifting their voices in song in solidarity with the Jewish community of Australia following the recent terror attack in Sydney. Singing the final verse of Maoz Tzur, the ancient Hanukkah hymn, the Levites dedicated their prayer to the victims and their families—one of the singers having come from Bondi itself, the neighborhood where the attack occurred. The ascent was facilitated by the Beyadenu movement, which seeks to reinforce Israel’s living, national connection to Judaism’s holiest site.

Maoz Tzur—“Rock of My Salvation”—is more than a seasonal song. Written in the 13th century, it recounts Israel’s survival against empires that sought its destruction, from Pharaoh to Antiochus. Its final verse looks ahead, pleading for divine intervention against Edom, a symbol for all forces hostile to Israel. In the shadow of October 7 and rising global antisemitism, the prayer echoed across the Temple Mount as both lament and declaration—linking Jerusalem to the diaspora in a moment of shared grief, resilience, and hope.

SOURCE: Israel 365 News