Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a Chabad emissary in Bondi who had recently organised a commemoration for the victims of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, was among those killed in the Bondi Beach shooting during a Hanukkah gathering, drawing a stark and painful line between past and present acts of antisemitic violence.
Chabad of Bondi had announced a memorial service in mid-November honouring Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg, the Chabad emissaries murdered during the Mumbai terror attacks, alongside other victims. Social media posts indicate Rabbi Schlanger helped organise a commemoration event in November.
The shooting unfolded near Campbell Parade around 6:45 pm during the Hanukkah by the Sea celebration. New South Wales Police said two men opened fire, killing multiple people. One attacker was shot dead and the second remains in critical condition. Several others were injured, including police officers. An exclusion zone remains in place as specialist units continue to examine the scene, with authorities urging the public to avoid the area while investigations continue.
Late on Sunday evening, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese formally described the incident as a targeted terrorist attack against Jewish Australians, saying it struck at the heart of the nation’s values.
“This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy,” Albanese said. “An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian.”
He described the incident as “a devastating terrorist incident at Bondi at the Hanukkah by the Sea celebration” and told Jewish Australians that their fellow citizens stood with them “in condemning this act of terror, in condemning this outrage”. Albanese said a Jewish community leader had told him that “we know where antisemitism leads, that it leads to an attack on everyone, not just Jewish Australians”.
The Prime Minister said the location itself had compounded the shock, describing Bondi Beach as “a place of celebration, a place where people particularly in Sydney but from all over the world come to enjoy each other’s company”.
NSW Liberal Leader Kellie Sloane said the violence represented “a horrific attack on our community and on our way of life”. She said members of the Jewish community had gathered peacefully on the first night of Hanukkah “to mark the beginning of the Festival of Light”, before that celebration was “shattered by a violent and senseless attack”.
“This is not a time for speculation or blame beyond those responsible for this horrific act,” Sloane said, while highlighting what she described as extraordinary acts of courage. Members of the public, surf lifesavers, volunteers and emergency workers, she said, “ran toward danger, helping strangers, comforting children, and doing everything possible to save lives”.
“No community in this country should live in fear,” she said, describing the attack as one on “our shared sense of safety and belonging”, and adding that the community remained determined “that light will overcome darkness”.
Jewish community leaders voiced deep concern as the scale of the tragedy became clearer. Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory described the events as “a tragedy but entirely foreseeable”, saying warnings had gone unheeded. “Tonight, many Jews are pondering whether they have a future in Australia,” he said.
International condemnation followed swiftly. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he “strongly condemn[ed] the ghastly terrorist attack carried out today at Bondi Beach, Australia, targeting people celebrating the first day of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah”. He extended condolences to the families of those killed and said India stood “in solidarity with the people of Australia in this hour of grief”, reaffirming the country’s “zero tolerance towards terrorism”.
Community organisations beyond politics and faith lines also spoke out. The All Indians Association Australia President Devi Sharma said it was “deeply shocked and heartbroken” by the violence, condemning attacks on innocent people during religious gatherings and calling for accountability and unity across communities.
Muslim leaders echoed those sentiments. The Australian National Imams Council, alongside the Council of Imams NSW and the Australian Muslim community, said they “unequivocally condemn the horrific shootings in Bondi”, stating that such acts “have no place in our society” and that those responsible must face “the full force of the law”.
As night fell, emergency services remained at Bondi Beach and specialist officers continued their work, with police stressing that updates would be provided as information is confirmed and urging the public to remain vigilant while the full sequence and intent of the attack is established.
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