People were celebrating a holiday, enjoying themselves, when they were ambushed and shot at, and forced to run for their lives.
“Some of them are injured, but even the people who are not injured on their bodies, their souls are injured forever,” said Hadas Rucham, clinical director of the United Hatzalah Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit. “We saw this many times on October 7, the people who escaped Nova, and now we see it here. It is very sad.”
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Hadas Rucham (L), clinical director of the United Hatzalah Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit, in the field
(Photo: Courtesy)
Rucham is part of a team of psychotrauma emergency responders deployed to Bondi Beach to help support the community in the aftermath of the attack. She said residents have responded with warmth and gratitude, expressing surprise that responders traveled from Israel to stand with them. “The community is very moved and embracing us,” she said.
Rucham said she observed widespread pain and anxiety as responders worked with people affected by the shooting. The team provides what it calls psychological first aid, aimed at helping people experiencing trauma symptoms following events that shatter a sense of security.
She added that trauma spreads in multiple circles after an attack, including those who were present, those who lost loved ones, those who were injured or know someone who was injured and members of the surrounding community who now feel unsafe. While Rucham did not detail specific techniques, she said responders use grounding methods to help people manage anxiety, panic attacks and flashbacks. Social workers and psychologists trained in trauma speak directly with victims.
She noted that such responses, while devastating, are not new for the organization. United Hatzalah psychotrauma teams have been deployed globally, including to Ukraine and to areas struck by hurricanes and other disasters. “We teach them that the trauma symptoms are normal immediately after the attack,” she said. “We teach them how to ground themselves and techniques to see the big picture. You grow from the pain. You become more resilient.”
She said scenes like the one in Bondi never completely disappear from memory but emphasized that people do not have to remain trapped in trauma. “This community is strong and will grow,” she said.
United Hatzalah’s efforts are being supported by an emotional support first-aid hotline opened by ERAN, an Israeli nongovernmental mental health organization. Volunteers from ERAN Australia staff the hotline, which operates in English and Hebrew and provides immediate, anonymous support for people experiencing distress, anxiety or emotional difficulty.
Earlier this week, ERAN also hosted an international webinar for parents in the Australian Jewish community, offering tools to help children of different ages cope with fear and anxiety.
Another Israeli-based organization, ZAKA, a nonprofit rescue and recovery group that operates worldwide, also deployed volunteers to Australia to assist with honoring the dead. The team arrived Monday evening after traveling from Israel, South Africa and the United States.
Yossi Landau, who heads the ZAKA mission, said the team visited the crime scene and introduced themselves to the police commissioner, who welcomed their assistance. Landau said the work included cleaning blood and locating body parts, tasks he said were similar to scenes he has encountered after terror attacks in Israel. All remains must be handled and buried according to Jewish law, he said.
ZAKA’s role also includes ensuring that every Jewish victim receives a proper burial. “It’s not easy,” Landau said. His team left their homes during Hanukkah, a family-centered Jewish holiday marked by light, games and shared meals, without time to prepare. The journey from Israel to Australia took about 20 hours, but Landau said the mission was essential. “This should bring peace,” he said. “That we are all unified together. We need to be united.”
The Bondi Beach shooting left 15 people dead. Funerals began Wednesday, and some of the victims have not yet been publicly identified.
First published: 11:14, 12.20.25