SYDNEY — A somber atmosphere enveloped Sydney on Wednesday as hundreds gathered to mourn victims of Australia’s deadliest antisemitic attack in modern history. The funerals commenced for those killed in Sunday’s targeted shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, where assailants slaughtered 15 Jewish attendees and left more than 20 others hospitalized.
The first service honored Eli Schlanger, 41, the assistant rabbi at Chabad-Lubavitch of Bondi who had organized the annual ‘Chanukah by the Sea’ event. A father of five and prison chaplain, Schlanger was remembered by his tearful father-in-law, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, who expressed profound regret for not more frequently voicing his love and appreciation.
Heavy police presence surrounded the funerals as Australia confronts difficult questions about security failures, rising antisemitism, and gun control. Among the victims were Boris and Sofia Gurman, a couple in their 60s who attempted to disarm one gunman, and Reuven Morrison, also in his 60s, who threw bricks at the attackers. The youngest victim, 10-year-old Matilda, was remembered at a vigil where her mother urged attendees to keep her memory alive.
Authorials identified the perpetrators as a father-son duo—50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son—who carried out what federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett described as ‘a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State.’ The elder Akram was killed during the attack, while his Australian-born son awoke from a coma and faces imminent charges.
The investigation has expanded to examine the suspects’ November trip to the Philippines, where they listed Davao City as their destination—a region historically associated with Muslim separatist groups that once expressed support for IS.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged decisive action to combat antisemitism and tighten Australia’s already strict gun laws, particularly after revelations that the older suspect had legally amassed six weapons. Proposed reforms include restricting gun ownership to citizens and limiting the number of firearms an individual can possess.
Amid the tragedy, Australians have responded with solidarity. Long queues formed at blood donation centers, floral tributes multiplied at the attack site, and hundreds of swimmers held a minute’s silence at dawn before entering the ocean near the still-cordoned crime scene.
Rabbi Ulman vowed that the Hanukkah celebration—a 31-year Bondi tradition that Schlanger had helped organize for 18 years—would continue despite the attack. ‘We’re going to show the world that the Jewish people are unbeatable,’ he declared, emphasizing resilience in the face of hatred.