Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a London-born rabbi and father of five, has been identified as the first victim of the deadly terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney. The shooting took place on Saturday during a “Chanukkah by the Sea” event marking the first night of the Jewish festival.
The 41-year-old rabbi was killed when two men opened fire at the gathering held at one of Sydney’s most popular beaches.
Community Mourns Loss of Devoted Rabbi
Rabbi Schlanger is survived by his wife, Chayala, and their five children. The youngest child was born just two months ago.
Rabbi Mendy Korer, a London-based rabbi from the same Chabad movement — a Hasidic branch of Orthodox Judaism — said he knew Rabbi Schlanger personally and described him as a deeply compassionate figure.
“I knew the rabbi personally,” he said on Sunday afternoon. “There’s 6,000 of us [Chabad rabbis] and he’s one of the few that I know. He’s someone with a heart of gold.”
‘He Was on the Front Lines,’ Says Fellow Rabbi
Rabbi Korer said Rabbi Schlanger was passionate about community engagement and was always eager to connect with people at public events.
“Spend time reaching out to people attending and just going around to individuals and saying a prayer with them, giving them a hug, thanking them for coming,” he said.
“That really epitomised his personality and he was there on the front lines.”
Despite the attack, Rabbi Korer said a menorah lighting event he was scheduled to lead in Islington would go ahead, stressing that security would be a priority and that such gatherings mattered “more than ever.”
Who Was Rabbi Eli Schlanger?
Rabbi Schlanger grew up in Stamford Hill in north London before moving with his family to the city’s north-west. He later relocated to Australia, where he served at Chabad Bondi from 2007.
Last Chanukkah, he shared a video showing himself attaching a light-up menorah to the roof of his car. The clip was titled “Here’s the best response to combat antisemitism” and featured the lyrics: “Just a little bit of light takes away the dark.”
Family and Friends Remember His Legacy
Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was murdered today by terrorists while celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach in Sydney, leaves behind a wife and four children.
I’m heartbroken. pic.twitter.com/pr86xTPmQn
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) December 14, 2025
Rabbi Zalman Lewis, Rabbi Schlanger’s cousin based in Brighton, told Jewish News the family was struggling to process the loss.
“We are just beginning to process this. It makes no sense at all,” he said. “How can a joyful rabbi who went to a beach to spread happiness and light, to make the world a better place, have his life ended in this way?”
“We can only respond by doing what Eli would have wanted, what he dedicated his life to — doing more mitzvot [good deeds] and to keep spreading positive energy.”
A friend, who asked not to be named, told The Times that Rabbi Schlanger was “such a sweet, lovely, dedicated man.”
“He organised the menorah lighting [in Sydney] every year,” the friend said. “And just this year, he was saying how happy he was to have been able to delegate more of the organising, so he could spend more time mingling with people, bringing joy and light to people directly. This is very much the type of person he was.”
Calls to Stand Against Hate
Following the Manchester synagogue attack in the past, Rabbi Schlanger had called for an end to “fuelling hate.” Community leaders say his message and legacy will continue to resonate as Jewish communities worldwide mourn his loss.
