The first of the funerals for victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting was held in Sydney on Wednesday, as thousands gathered to mourn Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a beloved local leader among the 15 people killed.
Known as the “Bondi Rabbi,” Schlanger, 41, was helping organize the Hanukkah festival on Sunday when two gunmen, reportedly inspired by Islamic State (IS) ideology, opened fire. He leaves behind a wife and five children, the youngest born just two months ago.
Rabbi Levi Wolff, opening the service, described Schlanger’s death as an “unspeakable loss” for the community and “the entire Jewish nation.”
“Eli was ripped away from us, doing what he loved best: spreading love and joy and caring for his people with endless self-sacrifice,” Wolff said. “In his life and in his death, he towered above as one of the highest and holiest souls.”
His father-in-law, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, mourned him as “my son, my friend, my confidant,” expressing a profound regret: “I hope he knew… how much we love him, how proud we are of him. I think it should have been said more often.”
In a powerful call for resilience, Ulman urged the community not to hide. He announced that on Sunday, the final night of Hanukkah, rabbis would gather to light the ceremonial candle on Bondi Beach, continuing a 31-year tradition “to which Eli dedicated his life.”
The grief extended to other victims as services continued. The funeral for Rabbi Yaakov Levitan was also held Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, the community will bury 10-year-old Matilda, the youngest victim.
Her father, speaking to reporters, expressed gratitude to the lifesavers, bystanders, and police who tried to save his daughter, and to an unidentified woman who shielded his younger daughter, Summer, during the attack.
“I must say the biggest thank you to the lady that saved Summer,” he said. “I don’t know who she was, but she literally hugged her for the whole ten minutes of shooting.”
By James Kisoo
