A 10-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor, and a young French national were among the victims in the Bondi Beach attack. At least 15 people died when two gunmen opened fire on families celebrating the first night of Hanukkah along Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Police have labeled the incident a terrorist attack.
The victims, in Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades, have not yet been formally identified, but relatives and friends are publicly remembering those lost.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns noted that the deceased ranged in age from 10 to 87 years old.
Here is what is publicly known about some of the victims.
Matilda, aged 10, was described by her aunt as a “very sweet, happy child with a beautiful smile.” She was enjoying Bondi Beach festivities with her parents, her younger sister, and friends when the gunmen opened fire. Matilda sustained injuries and was transported to hospital, where doctors were unable to save her. Her aunt, Lina, who requested not to share the family surname, lamented that children should be able to play on the beach rather than fear bullets.
A language teacher who knew Matilda called her a bright, joyful, and spirited girl who brought light to those around her. In support of the family, Matilda’s teacher started a GoFundMe campaign to provide assistance.
The family had immigrated from Ukraine to Australia in the 1990s and enjoyed simple seaside pleasures such as beach walks, park picnics, and trips to the zoo.
The Harmony Russian School of Sydney noted on Facebook that Matilda was a former student, expressing condolences and affirming her place in their school community.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, organized the Hanukkah‑by‑the‑Sea event at Bondi Beach and served as an assistant rabbi at the Chabad of Bondi. The Chabad organization described him as a devoted rabbi and chaplain who worked to support Jewish life in Bondi for 18 years since his marriage.
Rabbi Schlanger’s cousin spoke warmly of him in a public post, noting he left behind his wife, young children, and extended family.
Alex Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor, died while shielding his wife from gunfire, according to Chabad. A Ukraine native, he left behind his wife, two children, and 11 grandchildren.
Dan Elkayam, a French national who had recently relocated to Australia, was also killed. He had joined fellow community members at Bondi Beach to observe Hanukkah. France’s Foreign Minister pledged to tirelessly pursue antisemitism and terrorism in all forms. Elkayam had recently begun working in Sydney, providing technical support to NBC Universal, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was a football enthusiast who played for Rockdale Ilinden FC’s Premier League 1 side.
Elkayam’s girlfriend survived him, with the club offering support.
Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, secretary of the Sydney Beth Din, and Reuven Morrison, a Melbourne-based businessman with roots in the former Soviet Union, were also identified as participants connected to the event. Morrison was described as someone who discovered his Jewish identity in Sydney and who aimed to donate much of his earnings to charitable causes.
Peter Meagher, a former New South Wales detective and Randwick Rugby Club member, was killed while working as a freelance photographer at the Hanukkah event. He had a long policing career, retiring as a Detective Sergeant, and the club mourned him as a beloved, legendary figure who contributed for decades through voluntary service.
Tibor Weitzen, aged 78, is being remembered as a gentle, life-loving “sweet grandpa.” His granddaughter shared that the family is devastated by his death. He belonged to Bondi’s Chabad Synagogue and was attending the Hanukkah event with his wife and grandchildren when the shooting occurred.
CNN’s Hilary Whiteman contributed to the reporting.
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