Two gunmen opened fire on families celebrating the first night of Hanukkah on Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing at least 15 people, including a 10-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor and a young Frenchman, in an attack police have labeled a terrorist attack.
Those killed in Australia’s worst mass shooting in nearly 30 years have yet to be formally identified, but their families and friends have paid tribute to those killed.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the victims ranged in age from 10 to 87.
Here’s what we know about them.
Matilda, 10, was described by her aunt as a “happy child with a wonderful smile”.
She was enjoying a festival at Bondi Beach with her parents, sister and friends when two gunmen opened fire. Matilda suffered gunshot wounds and was taken to hospital, where doctors unsuccessfully tried to save her.
“The children should be happy. They should be playing on the beach and not thinking about bullets flying,” said their aunt Lina, who did not want to share her family’s last name.
Matilda’s language teacher described her as a “bright, fun, energetic child who brought light to everyone around her”. Teacher Irina Goodhue has set up a GoFund Me page on behalf of Matilda’s family.
Lina said her family moved to Australia from Ukraine in the 1990s and enjoyed walks on the beach, picnics in the park and trips to the zoo.
Harmony Russian School in Sydney said in a statement posted on Facebook that Matilda was a former student. “We honor her life and the time she spent as part of our school family,” the post said.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, organized the “Hanukkah by the Sea” event on Bondi Beach and served as assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, the Jewish organization said in a statement.
“Mr. Schlanger was a dedicated rabbi and pastor,” Chabad said, adding that he worked tirelessly “to support Jewish life in the Bondi community.”
“For 18 years, the Schlangers served the Jewish community, but the rabbi’s influence extended far beyond the walls of a single synagogue. He served as chaplain to the NSW Department of Corrections and the NSW Prisoners of War. He also served as chaplain at St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst, where he ministered to patients and families,” Chabad said.
Rabbi Zalman Lewis, Schlanger’s cousin, described Schlanger as “a truly wonderful person” in a Facebook post. “He left behind a wife and young children, and my uncle and aunt and brothers.”
Chabad confirmed that the British-born rabbi is the father of five children, his youngest son being born in October.
It added: “Mr. Schlanger will be buried in Jerusalem.”
Alex Kleitman, 87, was a Holocaust survivor who died protecting his wife Larissa from gunfire, according to the Jewish organization Chabad.
Kreitman, a native of Ukraine, leaves behind a wife, two children and 11 grandchildren, Chabad added.
CNN affiliate 9 News reported that Kreitman survived the Holocaust with his mother and younger brother in Siberia before emigrating from Ukraine to Australia with his wife. They were married for nearly 60 years.
Frenchman Dan Elkayam was among those killed.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrault said Mr El-Kayam had gathered at Bondi Beach with other members of the Jewish community to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. “France will spare no effort to eradicate anti-Semitism wherever it appears and to combat terrorism in all its forms,” he said in X.
El-Kayam is a football fan and played for the Premier League 1 team Rockdale Illinden FC. His club described him as “a very talented and popular person” and said he would be missed.
Juniors president Peter Donczewski told CNN that the club is supporting El-Kayam’s girlfriend and that El-Kayam is surviving.
Mr El-Kayam recently moved to Australia from France and had been providing technical support to global media company NBCUniversal in Sydney since December, according to his LinkedIn page.
The organization said Rabbi Yaakov Levitan was secretary of Sidney Beth Din and was “deeply involved in Chabad activities in Sidney.”
Reuben Morrison is a businessman who has lived in Melbourne for many years, Chabad newspaper told X.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is from the former Soviet Union and “discovered his Jewish identity in Sydney”.
He was a “successful businessman whose main goal was to donate his income to charities dear to his heart,” Chabad said.
The group said Prime Minister Scott Morrison leaves behind a wife and daughter.
Former NSW detective and rugby club member Peter Meagher was also killed in the shooting, Randwick DRUFC confirmed.
“‘Marzo’, as he was widely known, was a much-loved figure at our club and an absolute legend, with whom he was voluntarily involved for decades and was one of the heart and soul figures of Randwick Rugby,” the club said.
Meagher was working as a freelance photographer for Hanukkah events at the time of the attack.
He served in the police force for about 40 years, retiring as a sergeant.
“The tragic irony is that he spent so much time on the dangerous front lines as a police officer and can’t really fathom being photographed in such a passionate role, yet he succumbed after retirement,” Randwick DRUFC said.
Tibor Weizen, 78, is remembered as a “kind grandfather” who “loved life.”
Weitzen’s granddaughter told CNN affiliate 9 News that the family is “devastated” by Weitzen’s death. “I’m really shocked. Honestly, I’m speechless,” she was quoted as saying.
Weitzen, a member of Chabad Synagogue in Bondi, was attending a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach with his wife and grandchildren when the gunman started shooting, 9News reported.
Marika Pogany, 82, was shot and killed while attending a Hanukkah event on Sunday, 9News reports.
Pogany is a dedicated volunteer and has received several awards for his years of service to the Jewish community. In 2022, she received an award for serving 12,000 kosher meals in her car over 20 years.
Her friends described Pogany as a “wonderful person,” according to 9News.
