A horrific terror attack targeting a Jewish Hanukkah celebration on Sydney's Bondi Beach has left at least 16 people dead and 40 injured, with victims including an elderly Holocaust survivor who died protecting his wife.
A Night of Celebration Turned to Tragedy
The attack occurred on Sunday, December 15, 2025, around 5 p.m. local time during a community event marking the first night of Hanukkah. The gathering, organized by Chabad of Bondi, featured a candle-lighting ceremony, food, and children's entertainment. The festivities were brutally cut short when two terrorists opened fire on the crowd. Authorities in Sydney have confirmed the casualty figures and reported that two individuals are now in custody.
Victims of the Bondi Beach Massacre
Among those murdered was Alex Kleytman, 87, a Holocaust survivor who had moved to Australia from Ukraine. According to his wife, Larisa Kleytman, he was shot while raising himself up to shield her from the gunfire. The couple, married for nearly 60 years, were both survivors of the Holocaust and were at the event with their children and 11 grandchildren. Larisa described hearing "boom boom" before everyone fell to the ground.
Other victims identified by the Jewish organization Chabad include:
- A 10-year-old girl.
- A local businessman.
- An Israeli grandfather.
- A 27-year-old French national.
- A volunteer who delivered kosher meals to the community.
- Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, a key organizer of the event.
Rabbi's Plea for Protection Ignored
Rabbi Eli Schlanger, the assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, was reportedly talking with community members when the attack began. Described by a fellow rabbi as "passionate, energetic, and a happy personality," Schlanger had written a letter to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese several weeks before the attack. In it, he expressed profound concern for the safety of Australia's Jewish community, pleading, "As a rabbi in Sydney, I beg you not to betray the Jewish people and not God Himself." His words now stand as a tragic foreshadowing of the violence that ensued.
Community Mourns and Seeks Answers
In the wake of the massacre, a memorial of flowers has grown at Bondi Pavilion as the local and international community grapples with the loss. The attack has sent shockwaves through Australia and highlighted urgent questions about security and rising tensions. The victims, from a young child to a man who had survived one of history's worst genocides only to be killed decades later, represent a profound blow to the Jewish community in Sydney and beyond.
