On Sunday, a 15‑person massacre unfolded on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 Jewish residents celebrating Hanukkah and leaving more than 20 wounded still in hospital care.
Charges and Legal Actions
Police charged the 24‑year‑old Naveed Akram with 59 offences on Wednesday, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. He also faces 40 counts of causing harm with intent to murder for the wounded and a charge for placing an explosive near a building with intent to cause harm. The Akrams’ car, recovered at the scene, contained improvised explosive devices.
Victims and Their Stories
The victims ranged from a 10‑year‑old girl to an 87‑year‑old Holocaust survivor. Among them was Eli Schlanger, 41, the assistant rabbi of Chabad‑Lubavitch of Bondi, who organised the Chanukah by the Sea event. He also served as a chaplain in prisons across New South Wales and in a Sydney hospital.
Funerals and Community Response
Hundreds of mourners gathered to begin funerals, a process delayed by coronial investigations that push back the customary 24‑hour burial. The scene outside the funeral was hushed and grim, with a heavy police presence. Dmitry Chlafma, a mourner, noted that Schlanger had been a longtime rabbi and that the crowd reflected how much he meant to the community.
Personal Reflections
Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, Schlanger’s father‑in‑law, said, “After what happened, my biggest regret was — apart from, obviously, the obvious – I could have done more to tell Eli more often how much we love him, how much I love him, how much we appreciate everything that he does and how proud we are of him,” and added, “I hope he knew that. I’m sure he knew it.” He concluded, “But I think it should’ve been said more often.”
Other Victims
Boris and Sofia Gurman, a husband‑and‑wife pair in their 60s, were shot while attempting to disarm one of the gunmen as he stepped out of his car. Reuven Morrison, a Jewish man in his 60s, was gunned down by one shooter while he threw bricks at the other, his daughter recalled.
The Youngest
The youngest victim was Matilda, 10. Her mother, identified only as Valentyna, urged attendees at a vigil to remember her name. She said, “It stays here,” pressing her hand over her heart. “It just stays here and here.”
Dashcam Evidence
Dashcam footage captured a couple, who were killed, trying to stop one of the gunmen, adding a stark visual record to the tragedy.
Terrorist Inspiration
Federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett said the shooting was “a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State.” Authorities noted that Naveed Akram had drawn the attention of security services in 2019, though details of prior investigations remain sparse.
International Links
Investigators will examine a trip the suspects made to the Philippines in November. The Philippines Bureau of Immigration confirmed that the two men travelled from Nov. 1 to Nov. 28, ending in Davao. While groups of Muslim separatist militants, including Abu Sayyaf in the southern Philippines, have expressed support for IS and hosted foreign militants in the past, Philippine officials report no recent indication of foreign militants in the south.
Background of the Suspects
The younger suspect is Australian‑born. Indian police said the older suspect was originally from Hyderabad, migrated to Australia in 1998, and held an Indian passport.
Government Response
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed Wednesday to take whatever government action was needed to stamp out antisemitism. He and state leaders pledged to tighten Australia’s already strict gun laws in the most sweeping reforms since the 1996 Port Arthur tragedy. Albanese announced plans to restrict gun ownership to Australian citizens and limit the number of weapons a person can hold, citing that the older suspect had amassed six weapons legally.
Community Grief and Healing
Australians gathered in practical acts of solidarity: long lines formed at blood donation sites, and at dawn hundreds of swimmers circled the sand for a minute’s silence before running into the sea. A portion of the beach remained behind police tape, with shoes and towels abandoned as people fled.
The Future of Hanukkah at Bondi
The Hanukkah celebration that the gunmen targeted has run for 31 years. Ulman said it would return to Bondi in defiance of the attackers’ wish to make Jews feel unsafe. He added, “Eli lived and breathed this idea that we can never ever allow them not only to succeed, but anytime that they try something we become greater and stronger.” He concluded, “We’re going to show the world that the Jewish people are unbeatable.”
Conclusion
As investigations continue, Australia faces a social and political reckoning about antisemitism, gun control, and police protection for Jewish communities. The nation mourns its deadliest hate‑fueled massacre in modern times while seeking to understand how it could have occurred and how to prevent future tragedies.
Sources
Graham‑McLay reported from Wellington and McGuirk from Melbourne.
