‘Bright, joyful’ 10-year-old Matilda among victims of Bondi Beach shooting named
British-born rabbi, a retired police officer and a Holocaust survivor are also among the victims named so far
A “bright, joyful and spirited” 10-year-old girl, a British-born father of five and a Holocaust survivor from Ukraine are among the 15 victims killed in the terror attack on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday.
A total of 14 people were shot dead at the scene and a 40-year-old man died later in hospital after two gunmen opened fire on hundreds of people celebrating a Jewish festival at the seaside.
More than 1,000 people had gathered for the “Chanukah by the Sea” event at Archer Park, Bondi Beach, when two men opened fire with long arms. The authorities have said the two were father and son, with the younger suspected shooter in hospital. The older attacker was killed by police.
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as “an act of evil antisemitism, terrorism, that has struck the heart of this nation”.
At least 27 people are still receiving treatment in hospital, six of whom remain in critical condition.
Two police officers – a constable and a probationary constable – suffered gunshot wounds and remain in serious but stable condition.
These are the victims whose identities have been confirmed so far:
Matilda
The youngest victim was a 10-year-old girl named Matilda, whose full name has not been released at her family’s request. Harmony Russian School in Sydney, where she studied, said it was “deeply saddened” to confirm that a former pupil had died in hospital from gunshot injuries.
“Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to her family, friends and everyone affected by this tragic event. During this difficult time, our school community stands together in mourning and remembrance,” the school said.
Irina Goodhew, her English language teacher who organised a fundraiser for Matilda, remembered her as a “bright, joyful and spirited child who brought light to everyone around her”.
“Yesterday, while celebrating Hanukkah, her young life was tragically taken. Her memory will live on in our hearts,” she said, adding that the family was going through an “incredibly difficult time”.
Matilda’s aunt told ABC News that her sister was with her when she was shot and is struggling to come to terms with the loss.
“They were like twins – they’ve never been separated,” she said.
Eli Schlanger
Eli Schlanger, a 41-year-old British rabbi who helped organise the event, was among those killed. He served as an assistant rabbi at Chabad, the Jewish cultural centre that hosted the gathering.
A father of five, Schlanger grew up in Temple Fortune in north London, according to Jewish News. His cousin, Brighton-based Rabbi Zalman Lewis, described him as “vivacious, energetic, full of life and a very warm, outgoing person who loved to help people”.
“How can a joyful rabbi who went to a beach to spread happiness and light, to make the world a better place, have his life ended in this way?” he asked.
“We can only respond by doing what Eli would have wanted – doing more mitzvot [good deeds] and continuing to spread positive energy.”
Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said Schlanger was someone who lived “for no reason other than to do good deeds”.
“I was praying, please don’t let it be him. I don’t know what we’ll do as a community without him,” Ryvchin said.
Dan Elkayam
Dan Elkayam, a French national and keen footballer, was also killed, French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed.
“It is with immense sadness that we have learned that our compatriot Dan Elkayam was among the victims of the terrorist attack that struck Jewish families gathered on the beach at Bondi in Sydney,” Barrot wrote on social media.
Elkayam worked as an IT analyst at NBC Universal and had immigrated to Australia last year. He played for Rockdale Ilinden Football Club in west Sydney.
The club described him as an “integral member” and “an extremely talented and popular figure among teammates”.
“Dan was a valued and deeply respected member of our football community. Our hearts are with his family, friends, teammates and all those who loved him during this unimaginably difficult time,” the club said.
Peter Meagher
Peter Meagher, who served with the New South Wales Police Force for four decades, was working as a freelance photographer at the Chanukah by the Sea event when he was killed.
His death was confirmed by Randwick Rugby Club, where Meagher was a long-time member and had served as first-grade manager for much of the past decade.
“For him, it was simply a catastrophic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” said Mark Harrison, the club’s general manager.
“‘Marzo’, as he was universally known, was a much-loved figure and an absolute legend at our club.”
The club said the tragic irony was that Meagher had spent so long on the dangerous frontline as a police officer, only to be killed in retirement while taking photographs in a role he loved.
Alex Kleytman
Alexander Kleytman, who was with his wife at the event, was a holocaust survivor. He had come to Australia from Ukraine.
"I have no husband. I don't know where is his body. Nobody can give me any answer," his wife, Larisa Kleytman, told the Australian.
“We were standing and suddenly came the ‘boom boom’, and everybody fell down. At this moment, he was behind me and at one moment he decided to go close to me. He pushed his body up because he wanted to stay near me.”
Chabad said he leaves behind two children and 11 grandchildren, adding that he "died shielding her from the gunman's bullets”.
The couple had recounted their experiences to JewishCare in 2023.
“As children, both Larisa and Alexander faced the unspeakable terror of the Holocaust. Alex’s memories are particularly harrowing; the dreadful conditions in Siberia where he, along with his mother and younger brother, struggled for survival,” the Australian Jewish health provider wrote in its annual report.
“The scars of the past, however, did not deter them from seeking a brighter future. They later made the move to Australia, immigrating from Ukraine.”
Reuven Morrison
Reuven Morrison, a resident of Melbourne, arrived from the former Soviet Union in Australia as a young boy in the 1970s.
In an interview with ABC news a year ago, he spoke about how he felt safe in Australia amid rising antisemitism across the world.
"We came here with the view that Australia is the safest country in the world and the Jews would not be faced with such antisemitism in the future, where we can bring up our kids in a safe environment," he had said.
Chabad confirmed his death, saying he was a “successful businessman whose main goal was to give away his earnings to charities dear to his heart, notably Chabad of Bondi”.
It said that while he lived in Melbourne for a long time, he "discovered his Jewish identity in Sydney".
Rabbi Yaakov Levitan
Yaakov Levitan, secretary of the Sydney Beth Din, a rabbinical court, was killed in the attack. He worked at the BINA Centre, a centre of Jewish learning.
His death was confirmed by Chabad, which described him as a "popular coordinator" of its activities in Sydney.
Another victim was a man named Tibor Weitzen and a woman named Marika Pogany, ABC reported.
This article will be updated as more victims are named