Sydney Shooting Tragedy: Holocaust Survivor, Rabbi, and 10-Year-Old Girl Among Victims at Bondi Beach Hanukkah Celebration

Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, Rabbi Eli Schlanger and young Matilda were among the victims claimed in the tragic Bondi Beach attack.

The mass shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach targeted a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday, resulting in 15 fatalities including a father of five who served as rabbi, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, and a 10-year-old girl, according to officials, interviews, and local media reports.

Approximately 40 individuals required hospitalization, including two police officers and four children, with one child later succumbing to her injuries. Police reports indicate the attack was perpetrated by a father-son pair, with victims ranging from 10 to 87 years of age. The alleged 50-year-old gunman was fatally shot by police.

Those who lost their lives in this tragedy include:

RABBI ELI SCHLANGER, 41, served as assistant rabbi at Chabad Bondi, the organization hosting the event. Chabad operates globally with a mission to strengthen Jewish identity and community connections. British-born Schlanger had made Sydney his home for 18 years and had recently welcomed his fifth child.

"No task was too great for him," remarked friend Alex Ryvchin, Co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry. "He would travel to remote areas of the state to sit with incarcerated individuals and listen to their stories. He visited public housing in Waterloo and Redfern to spend time with elderly residents, hearing their experiences, providing meals and ensuring they had kosher products. He was someone who brightened our lives with his kindness, grace, and generosity."

Schlanger's brother-in-law, Rabbi Mendel Kastel, described the family as "broken" and "fallen apart." Kastel informed Reuters that the rabbi's wife had also lost her best friend's husband in the same attack. "They were childhood best friends, and both lost their husbands here. The rabbi leaves behind an infant just months old. It's an extremely difficult situation—they're in shock and it's too early to gauge how they'll process this."

DAN ELKAYAM, a French national, was confirmed deceased by French President Emmanuel Macron. According to local reports, Elkayam, in his late twenties, had gone to participate in the festival celebration. His LinkedIn profile indicated he had been providing technical support to NBC Universal in Sydney since December, possessed a Bachelor's degree in computer systems and a Master's in engineering systems, and had previously been based in Paris.

MATILDA, a 10-year-old primary school student, passed away Sunday night as confirmed by her aunt on social media. A former pupil at Harmony Russian School of Sydney, local media described her as a "bright, joyful, and spirited child who brought light to those around her."

REUVEN MORRISON was identified by Chabad as "a member of the Chabad community who divided his time between Melbourne and Sydney."

ALEX KLEYTMAN, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, had attended the event accompanied by his children and grandchildren, according to Chabad.

RABBI YAAKOV LEVITAN served as secretary of the Sydney Jewish religious organization Beth Din, as reported by Chabad.

TIBOR WEITZEN, a father and husband, was fatally wounded while shielding his wife from gunfire, according to the Daily Mail. His wife survived the attack.