Fifteen people were murdered, and dozens were wounded when two terrorists opened fire Sunday evening at Bondi Beach in Sydney during a Hanukkah gathering attended by members of the Jewish community. The victims ranged in age from a young child to elderly attendees.
So far, the names of 12 victims have been publicized:
Boris, 69, and Sofia, 69, a Russian-Jewish couple living in Bondi, were the first two victims of the attack. Boris and Sofia noticed the terrorist, Sajid Akram, emerging with a rifle from a car with an Islamic State flag draped across the windshield. Boris initially managed to push the terrorist to the ground and take his rifle. However, Akram then shot the two at close range before proceeding to murder 13 others.
Edith Brutman
Edith Brutman was among those murdered in the attack. According to 7NEWS, she attended the Chanukah by the Sea event together with Tibor Weitzen and his wife, and was seated next to Weitzen when the shooting began. Both Brutman and Weitzen were killed during the assault.
Matilda
Matilda, aged 10, was the youngest victim identified. She was a former student at Sydney’s Harmony Russian School. Teachers and family members described her as a bright and joyful child whose life was cut short while she was celebrating Hanukkah at the event.
Marika Pogany
Marika Pogany, 82, was identified as one of the victims on Monday night. Friends expressed shock and grief on social media, sharing photos of her from the Bondi Beach gathering and mourning the loss of a close friend.
Tibor Weitzen
Tibor Weitzen, 78, was a member of Bondi’s Chabad Synagogue. He attended the event with his wife and grandchildren and was reportedly killed while attempting to shield his wife from gunfire.
Peter Meagher
Peter Meagher, a retired NSW Police detective sergeant, was killed while working as a photographer at the event. After more than three decades in the police force, he had pursued photography following his retirement. His family described him as a devoted husband, brother, and uncle.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, a British-born Chabad rabbi known as the “Bondi Rabbi,” was killed in the attack. A father of five, he was a prominent and widely loved community figure who regularly organized and promoted Jewish events in Sydney.
Dan Elkayam
Dan Elkayam, a 27-year-old French national, was also among the dead. He had been living in Australia for two years and was described by friends as a warm and positive presence. His death was confirmed by French officials following the attack.
Alex Kleytman
Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman was shot and killed during the shooting. According to his wife, he was struck in the back as chaos erupted and people attempted to flee or take cover.
Rabbi Yaakov Levitan
Rabbi Yaakov Levitan served as secretary of the Sydney Beth Din. Friends remembered him as a kind and peaceful individual, noting that his final message to one friend ended with the words, “peace and love.”
Reuven Morrison
Reuven Morrison, a member of the Chabad community who divided his time between Melbourne and Sydney, was killed after attempting to confront one of the gunmen. According to his family, he tried to stop the attacker before being fatally shot by a second assailant.