A moving video highlighting interfaith compassion has gone viral, featuring a warm and respectful exchange between a rabbi and a Muslim man in response to the tragic terrorist attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.
The encounter, which took place in Atlanta, USA—thousands of kilometres away—has resonated globally, racking up over 14 million views in a single day and more than 700,000 likes on Instagram.
Rabbi Leivy, often known as the “Beltline Rabbi,” regularly sets up on Atlanta’s 35-kilometre Beltline trail to engage passersby about Judaism.
On Monday, a Muslim man named Farooq (or Farook) approached him and sincerely said, “Sorry for everything that happened over in Sydney.”
After shaking hands, Rabbi Leivy asked if Farooq celebrated Hanukkah.
“I’m Muslim,” Farooq replied.
“Brother, we’re all in this together,” the rabbi responded.
The two shared a heartfelt embrace, with Rabbi Leivy adding, “In the same world, we are, so let’s add in lights.”
“Peace and love, that’s all we got,” Farooq said.
Commenters have praised the pair’s compassion amid the heartbreak.
“I’m so proud of these two tender hearts,” one person wrote.
“This is beautiful to see, please let’s have more of this instead of hate,” another added.
The attack on December 14 targeted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring dozens, with many victims still hospitalised, some in critical condition.
