A Holocaust survivor, a 10-year-old and a Chabad rabbi have been among the many 15 individuals killed when two gunmen opened fireplace on a Hanukkah occasion at Australia’s Bondi Seashore on Sunday.
Tons of of individuals had gathered to mark the primary day of the Jewish pageant, earlier than the attackers struck on the occasion in Sydney.
The lifeless vary in age from 10 to 87, and embody French, Slovak and Israeli residents, officers have mentioned. At the very least 40 individuals have been additionally wounded.
Police haven’t publicly recognized any of the victims, however the names of some have been shared by household and associates.
Listed below are a few of the victims recognized to this point:
Matilda Britvan
Ten-year-old Matilda Britvan was recognized as a type of killed within the assault by her aunt, Lina Chernykh.
Chernykh advised Australia’s Channel 9 that her niece was “a cheerful child,” and that their heartbroken household would by no means get better from their loss.
“In every single place she goes, she was like a solar,” Chernykh mentioned.
Channel 9 reported that Matilda and her six-year-old sister Summer season have been having fun with the celebrations on the seashore Sunday when gunshots rang out. Matilda was fatally shot in entrance of her sister, in response to the outlet.
Alex Kleytman
Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, 87, was recognized as one of many victims of Sunday’s assault.
His spouse, Larisa Kleytman, additionally a Holocaust survivor, confirmed his demise to The Australian newspaper, saying she heard loud “increase” sounds earlier than seeing him fall to the bottom.
“He got here on Bondi Seashore to have a good time Hanukkah, for us it was at all times a really, superb celebration, for a lot of, a few years,” Larisa Kleytman advised the outlet.
The couple emigrated from Ukraine and had been married for 57 years, residing in Matraville in Sydney’s southeast, The Australian reported.
They recounted their experiences to charity JewishCare in 2023, with Alex describing “dreadful situations in Siberia the place he, alongside along with his mom and youthful brother, struggled for survival,” the group’s annual report acknowledged, in response to The Australian.
Kleytman was a retired civil engineer, it mentioned.
Dan Elkayam
French citizen Dan Elkayam was recognized as one of many victims by Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s minister for Europe and overseas affairs.
“We mourn along with his household and family members, with the grieving Jewish neighborhood and the Australian individuals,” Barrot mentioned in an announcement on X.
French President Emmanuel Macron additionally shared an announcement about Elkayam’s demise on X: “I’m considering of his household and family members and categorical to them the complete solidarity of the nation,” Macron wrote.
A Sydney-based soccer membership, Rockdale Ilinden FC, mentioned in an announcement on Fb that Elkayam, 27, was a “Frenchman of Jewish religion” and “an especially gifted midfield participant” with a ardour for soccer. The membership mentioned he lived in japanese Sydney along with his girlfriend and “beloved the Australian lifestyle.”
In keeping with a LinkedIn web page that NBC Information has verified as belonging to Elkayam, he was an IT methods administrator who just lately moved from France to Australia “to discover new alternatives.”
Eli Schlanger
A cousin of a Eli Schlanger, a Chabad rabbi who helped manage the Hanukkah occasion at Bondi Seashore, confirmed his demise within the assault.
“He was really an unbelievable man,” his cousin, Zalman Lewis, mentioned in a publish on Instagram that he shared with an image of Schlanger.
Regardless of the tragedy, Lewis wrote that the optimistic gentle of Hanukkah will triumph in opposition to the darkness. “I knew Eli effectively sufficient to know he’d concur,” he mentioned, encouraging the Jewish neighborhood to hope and light-weight Hanukkah candles.
On a Fb web page that NBC Information has linked to Schlanger, he promoted the “Chanukah by the Sea at Bondi Seashore” occasion final week. The web page additionally says that Schlanger hails from London, England.
Chabad of Rural and Regional Australia, a non-profit that helps individuals residing in areas which have little Jewish presence, additionally recognized Schlanger among the many deceased on Sunday, saying: “Our hearts are shattered.”
Motti Seligson, a fellow rabbi and good friend of Schlanger, advised NBC Information that Schlanger is survived by his spouse and 5 kids — all of whom have been on the Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Seashore when the taking pictures occurred.
One in all his kids is barely two months previous, Seligson mentioned.
Schlanger additionally has a number of siblings in Australia, in response to Seligson, who mentioned he has spoken to a few of them for the reason that taking pictures.
“They’re all clearly numb and in shock,” he mentioned.
“Schlanger served his neighborhood and actually personified righteousness and repair and dedication,” in response to Seligson.
Peter Meagher
Peter “Marzo” Meagher was recognized as killed within the assault by his Sydney-based rugby membership, Randwick Rugby.
In an announcement shared on its web site, the membership’s common supervisor, Mark Harrison, mentioned Meagher was an “absolute legend” within the membership, and served as a supervisor, referee and volunteer.
Harrison mentioned Meagher, a former police officer, was working as a contract photographer on the Hanukkah occasion at Bondi and “for him it was merely a catastrophic case of being within the incorrect place and on the incorrect time.”
Tibor Weitzen
The granddaughter of Tibor Weitzen, 78, recognized him as killed within the assault.
Leor Amzalak advised Australia’s ABC Information that Weitzen was “really the most effective you might ask for.”
“He was so pleased with us … and beloved us greater than life itself,” Amzalak advised the outlet, which reported that Weitzen immigrated to Australia from Israel in 1988. “He solely noticed the most effective in individuals and will likely be dearly missed,” Amzalak mentioned.
Marika Pogany
Slovak citizen Marika Pogany has been recognized amongst these killed by a number of of her associates quoted by Australia’s Channel 7.
Slovakia’s former president, Zuzana Čaputová, mentioned in an announcement on Fb that Marika was a detailed good friend, figuring out her by her first title solely.
The nation’s present chief, Peter Pellegrini, additionally mentioned on X Monday {that a} Slovak girl named Marika was killed within the assault, extending his “heartfelt and honest condolences” to her household.
Pellegrini condemned the “brutal, lethal assault on harmless individuals” as he expressed solidarity with Australia, which he mentioned was “plunged into grief and shock.”
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