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A pair of armed terrorists attacked a public Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, near Sydney, Australia, on Sunday, murdering 15 people and wounding dozens more, in the worst act of violence targeting Jews since the October 7th massacre in Israel two years ago.
Police said the shootings took place an annual Jewish gathering marking the first night of Hanukkah. The event, known as “Hanukkah by the Sea,” is organized by Chabad of Bondi and typically draws large crowds from Sydney’s Jewish community.
The victims were identified as: Rabbi Eli Schlanger (41); Alex Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor (87); Dan Elkayam (27); Reuven Morrison (62); Tibor Weitzen (78); Rabbi Yaakov Levitan (39); Marika Pogany (82); Peter Meagher (61); Matilda Britvan (10); Edith Brutman (68); Boris Gutman (69); Sofia Gutman (61); Adam Smyth (50); Boris Tetleroyd (68); and Tania Tretiak (68).
Large Jewish Gathering Targeted
An estimated 2,000 people were present on the beachfront to light the first Hanukkah candle together when the shooting began.
Jeremy Leibler — President of the Zionist Federation of Australia — described the immediate impact on the Jewish community. “The Jewish community is in shock,” he told The Jerusalem Post.
“This is a day of profound grief,” Leibler said. Members of our community have been murdered. Others have been seriously injured. Families are shattered. A sacred moment of light has been turned into darkness.”
He added, “Let me be clear. An attack on Jews celebrating their faith is an attack on Australia itself. It is an assault on our values, our social cohesion, and the basic right of people to gather without fear.”
Australian Jewish Association CEO Robert Gregory said, “What happened tonight is a tragedy but entirely foreseeable. The Albanese government was warned so many times but failed to take adequate actions to protect the Jewish community. Tonight, many Jews are pondering whether they have a future in Australia.”
Terror Attack Confirmed as Explosives Discovered at Scene
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns and Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said during a press conference that, as of Sunday evening, there were 11 fatalities. One of the gunmen was also killed.
Authorities said the incident was being treated as a terrorist attack.
Police found improvised explosive devices inside a vehicle linked to one of the assailants.
The attackers were named as 50-year-old father and 24-year-old son Sajid and Naveed Akram.
Terrorist Disarmed by Heroic Passerby
Video footage shows one of the terrorists being disarmed by a Ahmed Al-Ahmed, a 43-year-old local fruit shop owner. Ahmed was shot twice during the confrontation, and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
HERO OF THE DAY.
A brave man risked his own life, disarmed the terrorist, and saved countless lives. pic.twitter.com/Bc1Bhr3u3I— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) December 14, 2025
‘Writing Was On the Wall’
Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) CEO Sacha Roytman stated, “Unfortunately, the writing was on the wall. Over the last few years, Australia has turned from a paradise to a nightmare for parts of the Jewish community. Synagogues were burned, Jews were attacked and harassed on the streets, and now they have been targeted for murder at a public religious event.”
“The Australian government has allowed far too much antisemitism to pass in the public sphere, including incendiary expressions of anti-Israel rhetoric, and this has made the situation extremely volatile,” he added. “Some might have read this as permission to hunt Jews openly in broad daylight as we see today.”
“We call on the Australian authorities to not just hunt down all those involved but take a far stronger stance against incitement against Jews in all of its forms, from the far-Left, the far-Right, and Islamist preachers,” Roytman said. “The moment for action has long passed.”
Read Roytman’s full statement HERE.
On the first candle of Hanukkah, 12 people were murdered at Bondi Beach in Sydney for one reason: they were Jewish. A holiday of light met with pure hatred. Silence is complicity. Stand up now. #StandWithBondi pic.twitter.com/1Dgo9kBTyg
— Sacha Roytman (@SachaRoytman) December 14, 2025
On the first candle of Hanukkah, 12 people were murdered at Bondi Beach in Sydney for one reason: they were Jewish. A holiday of light met with pure hatred. Silence is complicity. Stand up now. #StandWithBondi pic.twitter.com/1Dgo9kBTyg
— Sacha Roytman (@SachaRoytman) December 14, 2025
Police Response and Lockdown
Within minutes, Australian police launched a major security operation around the beachfront as the investigation expanded. Officers urged the public to stay away from the area and follow all police instructions.
“The police operation is ongoing, and we continue to urge people to avoid the area,” a police statement said. “Please obey all police directions. Do not cross police lines.”
Authorities also instructed residents and visitors nearby to remain sheltered while officers assessed potential threats. Australian media reported multiple casualties, while witnesses said some individuals hid in place as the situation unfolded.
International Response and Ongoing Investigation
In response to the attack, the Israeli emergency response organization ZAKA dispatched a delegation to Bondi, along with specialized equipment, to assist with victim identification and to ensure the deceased were handled in accordance with Jewish law.
Meanwhile, Israeli security officials were examining whether the attack may have had links to Iran-backed networks, though authorities have not released evidence of foreign involvement. Officials have not yet disclosed additional details about possible accomplices or any broader network connected to the attack.
Bondi Beach Hit by Antisemitic Vandals Just Two Weeks Ago
Only two weeks ago, vandals defaced buildings and bollards in Bondi Beach with antisemitic graffiti reading “Israel commits genocide,” “F*** the IDF,” “F*** Zionism and Israel,” “Free Palestine, F*** Israel,” and “Israel has blood on their hands.”
A survey commissioned by CAM ahead of the Australian Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, held in Gold Beach in September, found that less than a quarter of Australians (24%) described general public attitudes to Australia’s Jewish population as very positive (9%) or slightly positive (15%), while 28% of respondents felt attitudes toward Jews were very negative (8%) or slightly negative (20%).
This is a developing story. CAM will continue to provide updates as more verified information becomes available.
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Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
