On the final day of the mourning period for those murdered in the antisemitic terror attack in Sydney, a new Chabad House was opened permanently at the exact site of the horrific massacre at Bondi Beach. The center was named ‘Ohel Eli and Yaakov’ in memory of Sydney Chabad emissaries Rabbi Eli Schlanger and Rabbi Yaakov Levitin, who were killed in the attack.
After tens of thousands of Jews from across Australia arrived at the attack site to pay their respects during the Hanukkah memorial gathering and donned tefillin at a temporary Chabad setup erected there, organizers moved to the next stage of strengthening Jewish life at the location. On Tuesday morning, two permanent portable structures were installed at the site to continue operating as a Chabad House. Organizers expect large numbers of Jews to continue visiting the site and laying tefillin in memory of the victims.
Installation of portable structures for the new Chabad House in Sydney
“The location will become a focal point for tens of thousands of visitors, exactly as Rabbis Eli and Yaakov would have wanted,” said Rabbi Noach, a Chabad emissary and the initiator of the project. A permanent Chabad building is planned for the future.
The Sydney shooting attack claimed the lives of 15 people and wounded more than 40 others. During a public lighting of the first Hanukkah candle at Bondi Beach, organized by the local Chabad House, two terrorists arrived at the scene and opened fire on participants.
The late Rabbi Eli SchlangerEarlier this week, the Hanukkah menorah was lit once again at the site, marking the eighth and final night of the holiday. The ceremony honored the victims and highlighted the bravery of those who assisted and acted against the terrorists. The event, held on the eighth night of Hanukkah, became a powerful display of unity. The candle lighting and recitation of the Shema prayer were led by Bondi Chabad emissary Rabbi Mendy Ullman, the brother-in-law of the late Rabbi Schlanger. Family members of the victims, along with emergency responders and ZAKA volunteers, participated in the ceremony.
The late Rabbi Yaakov Halevi LevitinAustralian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged Australians lighting candles in their homes to observe a minute of silence in memory of the 15 victims, “who were meant to be with us today,” as he put it. Albanese, who has faced sharp criticism over his government’s handling of rising antisemitism over the past two years, attended the ceremony with his wife and was met with boos. In contrast, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns received applause.
Flags on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and government buildings were lowered to half-staff and illuminated in yellow as a sign of solidarity with the Jewish community. Television channels and radio stations were asked to pause broadcasts for one minute at 6:47 p.m. Leaders from Indigenous communities also arrived at the Bondi Beach attack site and held a traditional smoking ceremony in memory of the victims.
Ahmed al-Ahmed, the Australian citizen who courageously subdued one of the terrorists, moved many with a message of hope to the Jewish community, quoting Psalms: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,” alongside the words, “Today I stand with my brothers and sisters.”
The moment of silence at the site was held under heavy security. One pro-Palestinian activist arrived wrapped in a keffiyeh and was instructed by police to leave the area.
Albanese, whose government has come under intense criticism from Australia’s opposition, the Jewish community and Israel since the terror attack, formally announced Monday the launch of a “thorough review” into the conduct of law enforcement and intelligence agencies following the attack, which was inspired by ISIS.