On December 14, 2025 it was the first night of Hanukah as the jewish community of Sydney gathered together at the Bondi Pavilion as they celebrated the moment and prayed for the holiday. It was supposed to be a night of celebration as it turned into tragedy, which it was one of the most Iconic beaches in Australia. It was sad as it shook Sydney, Australia, Israel, and the rest of the world.
The moment of the shooting The Tragedy of the 2025 Bondi Beach Shooting Attack happened on December 14, 2025, Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach in Sydney—known for its vibrant surf culture and scenic beauty—became the site of a devastating terrorist attack. What should have been a joyful community gathering turned into one of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings in decades. The iconic views of Bondi Beach, a symbol of Australian coastal life, now forever linked to this tragedy. Around 6:47 PM local time, during the first night of Hanukkah, hundreds gathered at Archer Park near the Bondi Pavilion for a “Chanukah by the Sea” celebration organized by the local Chabad Jewish community. Two gunmen, identified as father Sajid Akram (50) and son Naveed Akram (24), opened fire on the crowd from a nearby footbridge overlooking the park and beach. Armed with a straight-pull bolt-action rifle and a shotgun, they fired dozens of rounds. Their vehicle displayed Islamic State flags and contained improvised explosive devices.
The Bondi Pavilion and surrounding Archer Park area, where the Hanukkah event took place. Scenes from typical Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi, contrasting sharply with the horror of the attack. The attack killed 15 people, including a 10-year-old girl named Matilda, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, two Chabad rabbis (Eli Schlanger and Yaakov Levitan), and others from diverse backgrounds. Dozens more were injured, some critically, with acts of bravery emerging amid the chaos—including bystander Ahmed al-Ahmed wrestling a gun from one attacker, and lifeguards using surfboards as stretchers. Police engaged the gunmen; Sajid Akram was killed at the scene, while Naveed was critically injured and later charged with 59 offenses, including 15 counts of murder and committing a terrorist act. Authorities classified the incident as an antisemitic terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State ideology, marking it as Australia’s deadliest terror incident and second-deadliest mass shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
In the days following, memorials sprang up with flowers, candles, and tributes at the beachfront. Tributes and memorials at Bondi Beach in the wake of the shooting, reflecting community grief and solidarity. Funerals began soon after, with global condemnation and calls for stronger measures against antisemitism and gun law reforms. The tragedy has deepened discussions on hate, extremism, and community safety in Australia. This event shattered the sense of security at one of the world’s most beloved beaches, leaving a lasting scar on the nation.
The tragic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on December 14, 2025, during a Hanukkah celebration claimed the lives of 15 innocent people from diverse backgrounds, ranging in age from 10 to 87. These victims included young children, elderly Holocaust survivors, dedicated religious leaders, community volunteers, retirees, and individuals from various nationalities such as French, Israeli, and others who had come together to celebrate the holiday. Among them were 10-year-old Matilda, a joyful girl from a Ukrainian immigrant family who was the youngest victim and whose favorite book was Roald Dahl’s Matilda; 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman (also known as Alexander Kleytman), who died alongside his wife Larisa in a moment of unimaginable horror; Rabbi Eli Schlanger, the 41-year-old London-born assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi who had recently welcomed a newborn son and left behind a wife and five children; Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, another Chabad rabbi and secretary of the Sydney Beth Din; 27-year-old Dan Elkayam, a French Jewish immigrant who had moved to Sydney a year earlier, worked in IT for NBCUniversal, and was a passionate amateur soccer player; Boris Gurman, 69, and Sofia Gurman, 61, an elderly Russian-Jewish couple who heroically confronted one of the shooters in an attempt to disarm him and protect others before being fatally shot; Reuven Morrison, a 62-year-old businessman and Chabad community member who bravely threw bricks at an attacker; retired police officer and freelance photographer Peter Meagher (also known as Peter “Marzo” Meagher); Tibor Weitzen, a 78-year-old Soviet-born grandfather and automotive engineer who reportedly died shielding his wife; Marika Pogany, an 82-year-old dedicated and much-loved community volunteer who died on her favorite Bondi beach; and others including Adam Smyth (50, a local walking with his wife), Boris Tetleroyd (68, killed while his son was wounded), Tania Tretiak (68, a non-Jewish Randwick resident attending with her family and the last to be publicly named), and Edith Brutman (a woman remembered for her integrity and humanity). While not all details of every victim have been fully released out of respect for grieving families, and some additional unnamed individuals included citizens from Israel, France, and other backgrounds, global tributes, memorials, and funerals—including Matilda’s in Sydney—continue to honor their memories amid widespread mourning for this senseless loss of life.
Notable acts included lifeguard Jackson Doolan (“Jacko”) sprinting barefoot from neighboring Tamarama Beach (about 1.5 km away) with a defibrillator and medical supplies to reinforce the team—a moment captured in viral photos and widely praised as emblematic of their bravery. Other lifeguards like Rory Davey and Anthony “Harries” Carroll were highlighted for running directly into the line of fire. No lifeguards or lifesavers were injured in the incident, despite the extreme risk. Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steven Pearce described it as proof that “lifesaving is an emergency service,” while club presidents and members called it instinctive—”helping the community is in our DNA.” In the days after, lifeguards held moving tributes: On December 20, hundreds lined the shore in their red-and-yellow uniforms for a silent two-minute observance, followed by a rescue helicopter flyover, to honor the 15 victims. Similar paddles and human chains occurred earlier as the community showed solidarity. Their actions—running toward danger to save strangers—have been hailed as “unsung heroes” across Australian and international media, symbolizing the selfless spirit of Bondi’s beach culture amid unimaginable tragedy. Lifeguards in tribute formations on the beach, memorials near towers, and the community reflecting in the days following the attack.
In interviews aired around December 16–18 (including segments on Channel 9’s A Current Affair and ABC News), Hoppo spoke as the rescue operations supervisor for the Bondi Surf Life Saving Club. He described the chaos when gunfire erupted just meters from the club’s headquarters at the Bondi Pavilion—lifeguards and volunteers were wrapping up patrols or at nearby events when shots rang out. He praised his team’s instinctive response: “We heard the pops, thought it might be fireworks at first, but then the screams… Our guys didn’t hesitate—they ran toward the danger with boards, kits, and bare feet. They turned rescue boards into stretchers, bandaged wounds, did CPR, and pulled people from the water who panicked and swam out. We sheltered hundreds inside the club, including a pregnant woman who went into labor right there. It was the worst thing we’ve ever seen, but it’s what we train for—saving lives, no matter what.” Hoppo highlighted the heroism of his colleagues, like those who sprinted from adjacent beaches with defibrillators, and noted the club’s supplies were completely exhausted in the first frantic minutes. He expressed deep sorrow for the 15 victims and the trauma to the community, saying the beach “felt stained” but that the lifesavers’ actions helped prevent an even higher toll. He also touched on the ongoing emotional impact on his team, many of whom knew some victims personally from the local scene.
Harries, who had been among the first responders rushing toward gunfire on the night of the attack to provide aid with his colleagues, attended the funeral of 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest victim, on December 18, 2025. In interviews following the service (including with the BBC), he spoke emotionally about the experience, having just come from paying his respects. He described the raw grief of seeing a child’s coffin and the community’s profound loss, while reflecting on how the lifesavers’ instinctive actions that night—using boards as stretchers and depleting medical supplies in minutes—were driven by the same protective instinct they bring to every patrol. Harries emphasized that “helping the community is in our DNA,” and attending the funeral was part of honoring not just Matilda’s bright spirit but all those lost, as well as supporting the families amid overwhelming sorrow.
It has profoundly shaken Australia, marking its deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades and exposing deep vulnerabilities in community safety and rising antisemitism. Nationally, it triggered immediate calls for tougher gun laws—despite Australia’s already strict regulations—prompting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to announce reviews of intelligence and security agencies, while sparking political division over blame, migration policies, and hate speech measures. The Jewish community feels fundamentally changed, with heightened fear and demands for stronger protections against extremism, though acts of heroism and massive blood donations reflected national unity and resilience. Globally, the ISIS-inspired assault amplified concerns about persistent jihadist threats, inspiring increased enforcement against antisemitic rhetoric in places like the UK, drawing swift condemnations from world leaders, and fueling international discussions on countering radicalization and safeguarding Jewish communities during holidays.
On December 16, 2025, two days after the deadly antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach — the beach reopened to the public for the first time since the tragedy. That evening at sunset, hundreds of people gathered quietly on the sand for a spontaneous moment of silence and reflection. Many stood or sat near the water’s edge, some holding candles or flowers, others simply watching the waves as the sun dipped below the horizon. The gathering was not formally organized but grew organically as word spread through the community. People of all backgrounds — locals, surfers, Jewish community members, and visitors — came together in a shared sense of grief, solidarity, and determination to reclaim the beach as a place of peace. A small group entered the water for an informal paddle-out or swim, while others remained on shore. The atmosphere was somber yet peaceful, with no speeches — just the sound of the ocean and quiet embraces. This low-key sunset vigil marked an early step in the healing process, coming before the larger sunrise paddle-out on December 19 and the surf lifesavers’ tribute on December 20. It reflected Bondi’s instinct to turn toward the sea for comfort and unity in times of sorrow. The vigil drew people of all backgrounds, with NSW Premier Chris Minns and Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane attending to lay flowers. It provided a space for communal grief, comfort, and solidarity, while the Sydney Opera House projected a menorah on its sails in tribute.
Individual services began as early as December 17, including emotional farewells for Rabbi Eli Schlanger at Chabad of Bondi, 10-year-old Matilda (where mourners received purple bee stickers in her memory), Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, and others like the Gurman couple, Dan Elkayam, and Rabbi Yaakov Levitan through December 19–20. These ceremonies featured heartfelt tributes emphasizing resilience, faith, and community unity, often urging attendees to respond to hate with “more light, more love, and more Judaism.”
A powerful national moment of silence occurred on December 21—the final night of Hanukkah and a designated Day of Reflection—when thousands gathered at Bondi Beach for the “Light Over Darkness” vigil. At exactly 6:47 PM (the precise time the shooting began one week earlier), a minute of silence fell over the crowd in Archer Park and across Australia, with television and radio networks pausing broadcasts nationwide. Attendees, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, while it lit candles, sang, and observed the silence near the growing floral memorial outside the Bondi Pavilion—now filled with flowers, candles, notes, and symbolic bees for Matilda. Indigenous smoking ceremonies, women’s flower-laying in white, and a menorah projection on the Sydney Opera House added layers of communal solidarity. Scenes from the memorials and vigil at Archer Park and Bondi Pavilion: crowds gathered amid flowers and candles, paying respects to the victims. Additional tributes: floral displays, candlelight vigils, and symbolic gestures honoring the lives lost during the Hanukkah tragedy. The events transformed Archer Park from a site of horror into one of healing and defiance, with the community reclaiming the space through light and remembrance as Hanukkah concluded.
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