At least sixteen people were killed in an antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney during a Hanukkah celebration organized by the local Jewish community. Among the victims was Alexander Kleytman, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor who died while trying to shield his wife from the gunfire. Kleytman, originally from Ukraine, had emigrated to Australia after surviving the Holocaust as a child and attended the event with his wife Larisa, as many Jewish families did to mark the Festival of Lights. Witnesses said that when the shooting began, he positioned himself in front of her in an attempt to protect her, an act that ultimately cost him his life.
The couple had been married for 57 years and leave behind two children and eleven grandchildren. The youngest victim of the attack was ten-year-old Matilda Bee Britvan, who had celebrated her birthday just last month. Her school in Sydney confirmed that she died from her gunshot wounds after being hospitalized in critical condition. Family members said her sister was standing beside her when she was shot and described the two girls as inseparable. Matilda’s death has deeply shaken Australia and the international Jewish community, prompting widespread expressions of grief and solidarity with the victims’ families.
Also among the dead was Hasidic Rabbi Eli Schlanger, one of the main organizers of the Hanukkah event and a well-known spiritual leader in the Bondi area. He leaves behind his wife and children, including an infant just two months old. Former police officer and amateur photographer Peter Meagher was also killed in the attack, a loss described by his former rugby club as a tragic irony, noting that he had spent years serving in dangerous conditions only to lose his life in retirement while pursuing his passion for photography.
Authorities reported that at least 27 people were injured in the attack, six of them in critical condition, as investigations continue to determine the full circumstances and motivations behind the assault. The tragedy has renewed debate in Australia over antisemitism, extremist violence, and the security of public and community events.
