Who are the Victims of Bondi Beach Shooting Attack? Local Rabbi, October 7 Survivor Among Dead

Details are emerging about the victims of the deadly shooting that struck a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday, leaving at least 11 people dead.

Among those killed was a local Jewish rabbi who helped organise the event, while one survivor revealed he had already lived through the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel before witnessing violence again in Australia.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger Identified Among the Dead

Chabad, the Orthodox Jewish movement known for organising large public events during major Jewish holidays, confirmed that Rabbi Eli Schlanger was among those killed in the attack. According to the Associated Press, Schlanger served as the assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and was a key organiser of the Hanukkah celebration where the shooting occurred.

Friends and community members took to social media to mourn his loss and highlight his dedication to communal life. Eliezer Tewel, a close friend, described Schlanger's behind-the-scenes role in making such events possible.

"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 wrote on Facebook.

"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," he added.

October 7 Survivor Relives Trauma in Australia

One of the survivors of the Bondi Beach attack, who has not been publicly identified, told 9News Australia that he had lived in Israel for the past 13 years and survived the October 7, 2023 attacks carried out by Hamas, which killed around 1,200 people.

He said he had arrived in Australia just two weeks earlier to work with the Jewish community and confront rising antisemitism.

"I arrived here to work with the Jewish community, to fight antisemitism, to fight this bloodthirsty, ravishing hatred," he said.

The man was seen with a bloodied face and a bandage wrapped around his head as he recounted the horror of the shooting.

'An Absolute Bloodbath,' Says Survivor

Describing the chaos at the event, the survivor said hundreds of people had gathered for what was meant to be a peaceful family celebration.

"I was here with my family, it was a Hanukkah celebration, there were hundreds of people, there were children, there were elderly, families enjoying themselves," he told 9News.

He said the violence reminded him of the attacks he witnessed in Israel and expressed disbelief that such a scene could unfold in Australia.

"I saw children fall to the floor, I saw elderly, I saw invalids, it was an absolute bloodbath.

"October 7, that's the last time I saw this. I never thought I'd see this in Australia, not in my lifetime, on Bondi Beach of all places, this iconic place."

Message of Defiance Amid Tragedy

Despite the trauma, the survivor shared a message of resilience and determination in the aftermath of the attack.

"We've lived through worse, we're gonna get through this, and we're going to get the bastards who did this," he said.

Authorities continue to investigate the shooting as the Jewish community in Sydney and beyond mourns the victims of what has become one of the deadliest attacks in the city's recent history.