After October 7 and Bondi massacre, seven Australian friends answered Israel's call to serve

Seven friends from Sydney, Australia, recently completed their combat training and received their berets in the IDF's Nahal Brigade, enlisting as lone soldiers after spending a year in Israel. Their decision was significantly influenced by the October 7 attacks in Israel and the December 2025 Hanukkah celebration attack at Bondi Beach, which killed 15 people and wounded 40. One soldier recalled, "I could protect Jews in Israel but not my own family in Sydney." The Bondi attack, amidst a surge in antisemitic incidents in Australia, led to increased concern for their families back home. Many of these soldiers now feel there is little point in returning to Australia due to rising antisemitism, with one stating, "Here we are not at the whim of a government; we can protect ourselves." Despite the challenges of being lone soldiers, their parents expressed a deeper connection to the Jewish people by sharing the burden of military service.