In a powerful and emotional ceremony in New York, Syrian refugee and Bondi Junction hero Ahmed Al-Ahmed was presented with a substantial gold menorah by billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman. The presentation took place at the opulent Colel Chabad Gala on Wednesday night, an event where tickets cost $1,000 per head.
A Night of Honour and Emotion
The gala dinner witnessed a deeply moving moment as Al-Ahmed, his arm still in a sling from the injuries sustained during the Bondi attack, took to the stage. The guest of honour received a three-minute standing ovation from the assembled crowd before Ackman addressed them. The billionaire, who had previously donated $99,999 to Al-Ahmed's GoFundMe campaign following the December 14 attack, was visibly overcome with emotion as he spoke.
Ackman explained the profound symbolism behind the extravagant gift of the golden menorah, which was inscribed with the words 'Light Will Win'. "The menorah represented endurance, represented courage, represented persistence and, most of all, represented life and light in the darkness," Ackman told the audience. "And this man deserved this."
An Act of Unparalleled Courage
The hedge fund manager recounted first seeing social media videos of the rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction, footage that "just seemed to go on and on." His perspective changed when he saw a clip showing a lone man stepping forward as others fled. Ackman emphasised the extraordinary nature of Al-Ahmed's actions, stating he could have simply minded his own business with no one ever knowing.
"So I think that in the hierarchy of heroes, a person that was willing to risk his own life for the benefit of people that he did not know, where he took on someone who was armed with a weapon and he had none, was an amazing thing," Ackman said, his voice choking with emotion. He highlighted that Jews constitute just 0.2 per cent of the world's population, making Al-Ahmed's intervention for strangers within that community even more significant.
A Hero's Humility and a Community Reaffirmed
For his part, Ahmed Al-Ahmed, who was shot five times during the confrontation, described his decision to intervene as something beyond simple explanation. "I think it was holy, and the miracle that's from God," the humble hero stated.
Ackman concluded that the Syrian refugee's bravery provided immense reassurance to the Jewish community. "It's really one of the great acts of heroism, and I think it was very reaffirming to the Jewish community to have someone stand up on behalf of our community in the most profound, life-affirming way," he affirmed. "That's why we were here." The golden menorah now stands as a permanent symbol of that courage, a beacon of light presented in recognition of one man's choice to face darkness head-on.
