The family of Matilda, the youngest victim of the Bondi Beach shooting, has made a heartfelt plea for compassion and unity during her emotional funeral service on Thursday. The 10-year-old was among 15 individuals fatally shot when two assailants opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney on Sunday.
Lina Chernykh, Matilda’s aunt, shared with the BBC that her niece embodied joy and consistently spread love wherever she went. While acknowledging the Jewish community’s legitimate demands for stronger action against antisemitism, Chernykh emphasized that the most appropriate tribute to Matilda would be to channel grief into positive energy rather than anger.
“Transform your anger into spreading happiness, love, and preserving the memory of my dear niece,” Chernykh urged mourners. “Perhaps she has become an angel who might transmit positive energy to our world.”
The tragedy has sparked intense scrutiny regarding Australia’s approach to addressing rising antisemitism, with community leaders suggesting the incident resulted from inadequate measures against hate crimes. This attack represents Australia’s deadliest mass shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that claimed 35 lives.
Chernykh described the profound devastation experienced by Matilda’s immediate family, noting that her parents’ faces show little hope of future happiness. The victim’s younger sister, who was inseparable from Matilda, remains shattered and confused by the loss, having “no more tears to cry.”
At a floral memorial service earlier this week, Matilda’s mother Valentyna revealed the family had immigrated from Ukraine over a decade ago seeking safety. “I never imagined I would lose my daughter here… This is truly a nightmare,” she told attendees.
Chernykh recounted receiving the tragic news while gardening at her Gold Coast home, initially assuming the call concerned her elderly father’s health. The concept of a child being shot in Australia seemed so incomprehensible that she questioned whether she had misheard due to poor reception.
Australian authorities have classified the incident as terrorism, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicating connections to Islamic State ideology. The alleged perpetrators—50-year-old Sajid Akram, who was killed at the scene, and his 24-year-old son Naveed—face 59 combined charges including 15 counts of murder and terrorist acts.
In response to the tragedy, the Australian government announced on Thursday enhanced legislative measures to combat hate crimes, including provisions to deny or revoke visas based on antisemitic behavior.