Rabbi Eli Schlanger Identified as First Victim in Deadly Terrorist Attack at Sydney's Bondi Beach Hanukkah Celebration

Rabbi Eli Schlanger has been identified as the first victim of today's tragic shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Schlanger served as an assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and worked as a chaplain for the local community. His LinkedIn profile indicates he had dedicated over 18 years of service in his assistant rabbi position.

Friend Eliezer Tewel paid tribute to Schlanger on Facebook, writing: "He wasn't some distant figure. He was the guy staying up late planning the logistics for a Menorah lighting that most people will take for granted. The one stressing about the weather. The one making sure there were enough latkes and the kids weren't bored."

Tewel continued, "He was just doing his job. Showing up. Being the constant, reliable presence for his community. And that's where the gut punch lands: He was killed while doing the most basic, kindest, most normal part of our lives. It wasn't a battlefield. It was a Chanukah party."

The deadly attack claimed eleven lives when two gunmen opened fire during a Jewish religious event at Bondi Beach. Law enforcement officials confirmed that one gunman was killed by return fire, while several others, including police officers, sustained injuries. New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has officially classified the shooting as a "terrorist incident."

The violence erupted at approximately 6:30 pm local time, targeting people celebrating the first night of Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival. According to eyewitness accounts, approximately 50 shots were fired by the two assailants.

A senior law enforcement official has identified one of the shooters as 24-year-old Naveed Akram from Bonnyrigg, Sydney. Social media reports indicate Akram was originally from Lahore, Pakistan, and was studying at Sydney's Al-Murad Institute.