Among the 15 victims of a mass shooting on Australia’s Bondi Beach during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah on Sunday was a father of five, a ten-year-old boy, according to media reports, according to local media reports.
Another 40 people were taken to hospital, including two police officers and four children.
Police said the attack was carried out by a father and son, and the ages of the victims ranged from 10 to 87. The one who says he is 50 years old was killed by the police.
The identities of the victims have not yet been officially released by authorities but some details have begun to emerge.
Here’s what we know so far.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger
Eli Schlanger, 41, was assisting the Rabbi at Chabad Bondi, putting on the ceremony.
Chabad is a global Jewish organization whose mission is to promote Jewish identity and communication. Skkange was born British but had lived in Sydney for the past 18 years, and had recently become a fifth Father.
“Nothing is too big for him,” said Friend Alex Ryvchin, who is also C CUO of the Jewish Executive Council of Australia.
“He would go into the regional parts of the state and sit with the prisoners in our prisons and listen to their stories. He would listen to their stories and make our meals and stay with their houses and stay with our lives and his kindness,” Ryvchin said.
Rabbi Mendel’s brother Rabbi KaStel said the family was “broken.”
“They stopped,” Katel told Reuters. He explained that the husband of Sclanger’s best friend was also killed in the shooting.
“They were best friends at school and they both lost their husbands here. The rabbi has a child only a few months old. It’s too early to know how you will feel, how it will happen.”
Rabbi Chaim Hilmedsaim of Chabad of The Thornill says his community is still in shock and pain after the shooting on a beach in Australia, which targeted Jews he personally perpetrated. ‘The only answer to pain is to add more light,’ he said.
Peter Meagher
A retired police officer and rugby union volunteer, Megner was knocked down while working as a freelance photographer at the event, Randwick Rugby Club said in a statement.
“‘Marzo’ as he was widely known, was a much-loved figure at our club, with decades of volunteer involvement, he was one of the heart and soul figures of Randwick Rugby,” the club said.
“It’s a sad coincidence that he spent so much time on the dangerous front line as a police officer and was knocked down when he retired while taking his pictures,” it said.
“For him it was just a tragic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Dan Elkayam
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that Frenchman Dan Elkayam was shot dead.
Elkayam, who was reported in the local media to be in his late 20s and had planned to celebrate at the festival, has been providing technical support to the company’s NBC Universal technology company in Sydney since last December.
He played football for Rockdale Ilinden Football Club, where he was “talented and very popular,” the club said on social media.
The builder
A primary school student, 10-year-old Matilda died on Sunday night, her aunt confirmed on social media, according to local media.
Matilda’s family gave the Australian Pink Association (ABC) permission to use her first name but asked that their last name be withheld.
He was a former student at the Russian Academy of Russian Studies in Sydney. She has been described as a “bright and happy child with a spirit who brings light to those around her,” local sources reported.
“Matilda was very kind, she loves school, and she has a lot of friends,” Matilda told ABC.
A gofundme set up by Matilda’s language teacher described her as “A bright and loving soul who taught us that true beauty lies in the love and compassion we share. “
Reuven Morrison
According to a Chabad statement, another victim has been identified as Rorrivey Morrison, described as “a member of the Chabad community who splits his time between Melbourne and Sydney.”
In x, Chabad wrote that Morrison was OFirmly in the USSR, he also found his Jewish identity in Sydney.
“The successful businessman had his main goal was to give the money he earns to a list of hearts dear to his heart, especially Chabad of Bongi, which organized this event,” Chabad wrote.
Used real judge: Reuven Morrison
A victim of Sydney Hanuukkah massacre
Originally from the USSR, Reuven found his Jewish identity in Sydney. He was a long-time resident of Melbourne, where he and his wife moved to pursue higher education with … pic.twitter.com/usr2q8zpnf
Alex Kleytman
Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, 87, attended the event with his wife, Larisa, his children and grandchildren, Chabad and local media said.
The couple had survived the Holocaust and recounted their experiences to Agel-cartiver Jewishcare, which referred to Alex’s associations of ‘horrific conditions in Siberia, there, and survival.’
“Scars of the past” did not prevent them from future search in Australia, after migration from Ukraine, the provider wrote in the annual report for 2022/2013.
According to the Daily Mail, Kleytman died while trying to protect his wife.
“I think he was shot because he stood up to protect me,” Larisa told the publication.
Rabbi Yaakov Levitan
Rabbi Yaakov Yaakov Levitan served as secretary of the Jewish religious organization Sydney Din, Chabad.
Levitan’s cover page describes him as “an endearing public figure.”
“His senseless killing left nothing to be done. Jacob was the foundation of his family: a devoted husband and father.
Tibor weitzen
Father and husband Tibor Weitzen has been identified as one of the victims after the men were injured while protecting his wife from gunfire, who survived the attack, the Daily Mail reported.
His grandson confirmed Weitzen’s death to ABC, and described the 78-year-old as “full of life, joy and laughter.” Weitzen immigrated to Australia from Israel in 1988, according to his grandson.
“He saw the best in people and will be greatly missed,” she said.
Marika pogany
A Slovak woman was also killed, Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said on Monday.
“Yesterday yesterday, I can criticize you unsympathetically for the brutal, deadly attack … today, that the tragedy has reached Slovakia and among the victims of this senseless woman, Marika,” Pellegrihini wrote in X.
Many media reports identified Marika Pogany, 82, as one of the victims. The Sydney Morning Herald described him as “a dedicated volunteer and beloved member of the Sydney Jewish community.”
He was previously credited with delivering more than 12,000 kosher meals on wheels since the late 1990s, according to the letter.
Abdullah Ashraf, who was on the scene after observing the shootings aimed at a Jewish event in Australia on a beach in Austria, described on Monday what he saw and how he responded. ‘If I have the power to help someone, how can I not help them?’ he said.
