SYDNEY—At least 15 people were killed, including one of the gunmen killed by police, and 40 others injured Sunday, December 14, when two possibly three gunmen opened fire on a crowded Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, in what authorities have declared a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community. Sunday is this first day of Hanukkah, an eight-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of a small quantity of oil lasting eight days in the temple’s menorah.
The terror attack started approximately 6:45 p.m. local time near Bondi Park, in Australia, where between 1,000 to 2,000 gathered for “Chanukah by the Sea,” an annual public menorah lighting organized by Chabad of Bondi. The decades-old event, in one of Australia’s largest Jewish-populated areas by Holocaust survivors and Jewish Russian immigrants, featured family activities, live music, food, and a grand menorah lighting to mark the first night of Hanukkah.
Gunfire erupted from a nearby footbridge near the beach. Video verified by Sky News showed two men in black clothing firing rifles toward the crowd. Panic ensued, with families fleeing the beach amid screams and sirens.
One gunman was fatally shot by police, a 50-year-old man, while the second was apprehended after a heroic intervention by an unarmed bystander, Ahmed El Ahmed, 43, who tackled and disarmed the gunman, potentially saving lives. Police later recovered improvised explosive devices from a vehicle linked to the attackers, which were safely removed by bomb squads.
The surviving suspect has been named in multiple reports as Naveed Akram, a 24-year-old from Sydney’s western suburbs (Bonnyrigg area). Police raided a related address and arrested two others—a man and a woman—in connection with the attack.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed the incident as terrorism, stating it was “designed to target” the Jewish community. Authorities are investigating a possible third suspect but said all injured have been accounted for and transported to local hospitals.
Chabad emissary Rabbi Eli Schlanger was murdered in the terror attack in Sydney, Australia.
May his memory be a blessing.. pic.twitter.com/s5nALHoF9w
Among the dead was Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a 40-year-old Chabad emissary and assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, who had served the community for 18 years. Schlanger, a husband and father, was a key organizer of the event and known for his outreach work.
Arsen Ostrovsky, head of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) office in Sydney, described the chaos when gunfire erupted, forcing everyone to duck and flee in panic.
“I was here with my family,” Ostrovsky told 9 News. “It was a Hanukkah celebration. There were hundreds of people. There were children, there were elderly. Families enjoying themselves. Children, kids, at a festival, playing. Then all of a sudden, it’s absolute chaos. There’s guns, fire everywhere, people ducking. It was absolute chaos. We didn’t know what was happening, where the gunfire was coming from.”
New video shows the terror at Bondi Beach
For 15 minutes, hundreds of families were taking cover on the ground, fearing for their lives.
You can hear just how many children were there. So many people will suffer from life-long mental trauma after this… pic.twitter.com/gZKADDsdue
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry reports that children and elders were among the victims and injured, with at least one child hospitalized and reports of a 10-year-old girl among the dead.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack stating: “This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy,” he said. “An act of evil antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation.”
Israeli leaders reacted with outrage. President Isaac Herzog described it as a “very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Chanukah on Bondi Beach,” urging Australia to combat “the enormous wave of antisemitism plaguing Australian society.”
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar linked the violence to years of incitement, citing chants of “Globalise the Intifada” in protests as a contributing factor.
Sunday’s Hanukkah shooting massacre comes amid a documented surge in antisemitism across Australia since the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas against Isreal. Reports from groups like the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) show incidents rising sharply, including arson attacks on synagogues, fire bombings of Jewish institutions, and increased graffiti explicitly calling for violence against Jews, with some cases linked to foreign influence such as Iranian proxies and rising neo-Nazi activity.
In the 12-month period from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024, the ECAJ recorded 2,062 incidents—a more than 300% increase from the 495 incidents in the prior year and roughly six times the decade’s pre-2023 annual average of about 342. These figures cover physical assaults, vandalism, threats, abuse, and property damage but excludes online statements. The following year, from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, saw 1,654 incidents, a decline from the peak but still nearly five times the pre-October 2023 average and the second-highest on record.
Australia formally recognized the State of Palestine in September 2025, a move criticized by Israel as potentially fueling tensions and seen as rewarding Hamas for its terror attack in October 2023.
Rabbi Schlanger, who was killed by one of the gunmen in Sunday’s terrorist attack, recently sent a letter to the Australian Prime Minister condemning the recognition of a Palestinian state, in which he urged Prime Minister Albanese not to betray the Jewish people and to reverse the decision.
Australia has strict gun laws, enacted after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which banned automatic and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, mandatory licensing with a “genuine reason” requirement (e.g., farming or sport shooting and not self-defense), and established a national registry.
The two shooters used long-arm firearms, including possible semi-automatic or pump-action types, and shotguns. Australian authorities have not yet disclosed how the weapons were obtained or whether they were legally held.
Local statements on the Hanukkah terror attack in Sydney, Australia
StandWithUs Northwest, stands with the Jewish Community and people of Sydney in wake of Hanukkah Massacre.
“For the last two years, the global spike in attacks – both physical and rhetorical – against the Jewish people has deeply affected our sense of safety and belonging in every country in which we live,” the organization fighting against antisemitism released in a statement to the Lynnwood Times. “Now is an excellent time for non-Jews to reach out to Jewish friends and community institutions with messages of support, and also to post messages of kindness and caring on social media.”
Rabbi Berel Paltiel of Snohaimish of Chabad Snohomish County released the following statement on the Hanukkah event terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia:
“We are devastated and absolutely heartbroken.
“Rabbi Eli Schlanger was my colleague, a fellow Chabad rabbi, and someone I remember from yeshiva. This loss is painfully personal. Eli was a light, as were the eleven precious, innocent people who were brutally murdered in an act of pure evil.
“Rabbi Eli represented life; the terrorists represented death. He represented love; they represented hate. He represented the spark of G-dliness within every human being; they represented the most vile and destructive evil that exists in our world. Rabbi Eli lived what he taught. He was a rabbi, a chaplain, a husband, a father, and a builder of community. He stood for dignity, warmth, and unwavering faith in the goodness of humanity.
“I know that many people are afraid, and that fear is both real and understandable. But even in moments of deep pain, perspective matters, and I want to explain why we are not canceling our planned public menorah lighting here in Lynnwood next week.
“Antisemitism is real and deeply troubling, but it does not define our society or our community. The overwhelming majority of people are good, kind, and compassionate, and we are blessed to live in a country, and in a county, where leadership, institutions, and neighbors stand firmly on the side of freedom, dignity, and light. That reality matters. It gives us both strength and responsibility.
“And it is precisely because of this that we are not cancelling our public menorah lighting.
“Next Sunday, December 21 at 4:00 PM, we will gather as planned at the Lynnwood Light Rail Station. We will do so openly, joyously, and with pride. Police have been an active presence at our menorah lightings every year, and this year we are in close contact with local and regional agencies regarding security and safety measures. We will continue collaborating and fine-tuning those measures in the days ahead, as the safety and security of all attendees is our absolute top priority.
“If we retreat, if we hide, we allow fear to define our reality. But fear is not the truth of our world, and it is not the truth of our community. The vast majority of people choose decency over hate and light over darkness.
“I walk openly and proudly as a Jew throughout Lynnwood and Snohomish County, and I have encountered not hatred, but warmth, solidarity, and genuine care.
“So today, I call on my Jewish brothers and sisters, and on the wider Snohomish County community, to join us. Come stand tall. Come spread light. Come show, together, that darkness never has the final word.
“Our hearts are with the good people of Sydney. We will stand tall to honor the memory and the legacy of the pure victims, to shine their light, and to pray for the recovery of the injured.
“May the memory of Rabbi Eli Schlanger and all the innocent victims be a blessing, and may their light continue to illuminate our world.”
Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement: “The world should condemn the senseless and horrific attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia. Our world should respect all religions. Jewish people should feel safe in their own communities every single day, but especially as they celebrate their holidays.”
Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement on the shooting in Bondi Beach, Australia targeting a Hanukkah celebration:
“I am devastated for the people killed and injured in Bondi Beach and their loved ones. I stand with the Jewish community in Australia, the U.S. and around the world. Anti-semitism is a scourge that must end.”
Snohomish County’s Giant Menorah Lighting celebration for December 21
Snohaimish Chabad of Snohomish County invites the public to celebrate the Festival of Lights with the 14th annual Giant Menorah Lighting & Celebration.
The Lynnwood Giant Menorah Lighting & Celebration will take place at 4:00 pm on Sunday, December 21, at the Lynnwood City Center Light Rail Station. The event will feature the kindling of the giant nine-foot Menorah, delicious Holiday treats, face painting, balloon twisting, personal Menorah kits, and a Hanukkah musical performance by the Seattle based Klez Katz Klezmer band.
Special this year: ladder truck from South County Fire will create an unforgettable experience for the kids with a thrilling “Gelt Drop,” showering chocolate coins from above!
Editor’s Note: Article updated 2:52 p.m., December 14, 2025, with statements from local leaders and organizations.
Author: Mario Lotmore
