Bondi Beach shooting: Remembering the 15 innocent lives that were mercilessly stolen by an act of terror

They had gathered to celebrate a powerful ritual; to shed light into the ever-expanding darkness.

However, what was supposed to be a time of hope, symbolized by the lighting of candles each night during the eight-day festival of Hanukkah, saw the Jewish community descend further into fear, deep grief and despair.

As the country reels from the horror of Sunday’s Bondi terror attack, heartbreaking details begin to emerge about the bright lives cruelly cut short.

Like 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest of 15 innocent victims, she is described as the sunshine in the lives of those who love her, especially her younger sister Summer, who adores her.

Just before the shots rang out, the sisters were photographed at a Chanukah by the Sea event they were attending with their parents, Michael and Valentyna. The couple was smiling, putting their arms around each other and petting the zoo animals.

Hours before the tragedy, their mother posted on social media: “Light always conquers darkness! Happy Hanukkah!”

Matilda’s heartbroken aunt Lina Chernykh said the siblings were “like twins and were never separated” and said six-year-old Summer was traumatized from witnessing the horrific events.

Matilda was “a sweet, innocent, beautiful, friendly, real girl,” he said.

“It’s a huge loss for our family. He was there with his sister who witnessed everything and now he’s devastated.”

Lina said that her “beloved nephew” was friendly, loved school and had many friends.

“A great tragedy happened to my family… I don’t know how we survived so much pain. They were the happiest children you could imagine. We will never be a happy family again.”

The Sydney schoolgirl was described by one of her teachers as a “bright, cheerful and energetic child who brought light to everyone around her”.

Teacher Irina Goodhew launched a fundraising campaign on behalf of Matilda’s family and was flooded with donations, reaching $167,000 as of 5pm AEDT.

Matilda was a former pupil of Sydney Harmony Russian School and said in a statement: “Her memory will remain in our hearts and we honor her life and the time she spent as part of our school family.”

The victims also included Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a father of five and president of the Chabad mission in Bondi, who was known and admired for his “warmth, generosity, enthusiasm and compassion.”

Exactly one year ago, to celebrate Hanukkah, Rabbi Schlanger joyfully danced through the streets of Sydney next to a glowing menorah (the Jewish candelabra synonymous with the festival) in a video he posted on social media with the caption: “The best response to anti-Semitism. Happy Hanukkah!”

Rabbi Schlanger helped organize Sunday’s event in Bondi, and he and his wife recently welcomed their fifth child, a son.

The Rabbi “lived to do good”, according to his close friend and president of the Jewish Council of Australia, Alex Ryvchin.

“He was actually driving around in a car, I think he was saying ‘just do good,’ and he was helping people light candles, helping the elderly and prisoners in remote parts of the state. That’s all he did,” he said.

“We can say we’ll go on and rebuild without him, but you don’t come across people like that very often, and we’ll be poorer for it. We’ll be weaker for it.”

NSW Senator Dave Sharma said Rabbi Schlanger touched the lives of many people he encountered with his tireless faith in humanity.

Rabbi Schlanger, 41, has reportedly nearly finished a book that aims to shed light on “the beautiful aspects of Judaism and also life.”

Co-author Nikki Goldstein told the Sydney Morning Herald that her family shared her with the world because of her mission to spread light, love and peace.

“There was no deception about the man. He was sincere, kind and funny, and extraordinary in his faith and mission,” she said.

Peter Meagher was a retired police officer and a popular, long-serving volunteer at Randwick Rugby Club, but it was his photography job that brought him to Bondi on Sunday.

Mr Meagher had been hired to photograph the tragic Chanukah festival by the Sea and Randwick Rugby Club chief executive Mark Harrison said it was “a disastrous case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

Mr Meagher regularly photographed events, corporate photography and wedding proposals in Sydney and at his business Marzo Photography; this was a reference to the nickname by which his wide circle of friends knew him.

“Universally known, Marzo was a much-loved figure and an absolute legend at our club, one of the heart and soul figures of Randwick Rugby through his decades of volunteer involvement,” Mr Harrison said.

“Marzo has been our trusted first-class manager for most of the last decade and this news has already hit our players, coaches, managers, volunteers and supporters very hard.”

Mr Harrison said it was a “tragic irony” that Mr Meagher served in the NSW Police Force for almost four decades, retired as a detective sergeant and was killed while pursuing a passion he discovered in retirement.

“It’s really hard to understand how he spent so much time on the dangerous front lines as a police officer and was shot while taking pictures in his passionate role in retirement,” he said.

The club was also affected by the Bondi Junction stabbing attack in April 2024, in which Dawn Singleton, sister of former first-year manager Jack Singleton, was killed.

Alexander Kleytman, 87, a Holocaust survivor, died on Sunday when he was shot while trying to protect his wife of 50 years, Larisa. The couple, who moved to Australia from Ukraine, have two children and 11 grandchildren.

Mr Ryvchin described his friend as an enthusiastic member of the community.

“Some of my closest friends are dead. Their families are gone, their world is gone,” he told the media at the scene.

“And some of the people who were killed were very kind, good-hearted, beautiful people.”

French Dan Elkayam, a promising football player in his 20s, was also involved in the clashes.

Rockdale Ilinden FC, where Mr. Elkayam played in the premier league, described him as an extremely talented and popular player who was an integral part of the team.

Mr Elkayam, who is Jewish, had lived in Australia for several years. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his sadness at the tragedy in his statement about X.

“It is with deep sadness that I learned that our citizen Dan Elkayam lost his life in the anti-Semitic terrorist attack in Sydney,” he said.

“My thoughts are with his family and loved ones, and I express to them my full solidarity as a nation.”

Marika Pogany, 81, was also named as another victim of the attack and reportedly sat in the front row of Sunday’s event.

Ms Pogany was a long-time volunteer at the Sydney Activity Centre, delivering more than 12,000 kosher meals on wheels.

Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, secretary of Sydney Beth Din and “deeply involved” in Chabad operations in Sydney, and grandfather Reuven Morrison, a member of the community who lived between Melbourne and Sydney, were also identified as victims.

“(Reuven) had lived in Melbourne for a long time and moved here with his wife to provide a better education for their daughter Shaina,” the Chabad organization wrote online.

“He remained deeply committed to Sydney, where he continues to do business. He is a successful businessman whose main goal is to donate his profits to his favorite charities, particularly Chabad of Bondi, which organizes the event.”

78-year-old Tibor Weitzen lost his life while trying to protect a friend who also lost his life. The 78-year-old man’s grandson said the family was torn apart and in disbelief.

Elsewhere in Australia, Hanukkah events have been given permission to go ahead in consultation with police and governments. These included the Pillars of Light in Melbourne’s Federation Square.

Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann, one of the event organizers, told Australian Jewish News it was important for the community to come together; to continue searching for the light.

“Hanukkah is all about increasing the light in our lives, dispelling the darkness, and that is exactly what the Jewish community, along with the broader community, needs,” he said.