10-year-old girl, Holocaust survivor among victims of deadly Australia Hanukkah attack

The deadly terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, left at least 15 dead, including a 10-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor and an elderly couple.

Australian authorities identified the assailants as a father-son duo and said the attack was inspired by ISIS. The father was killed on the scene, while the son was shot by police and taken for medical care.

The youngest victim of the deadly rampage was 10-year-old Matilda Britvan.

Lina Chernykh, Britvan's aunt, told the gunmen opened fire, according to 9News. The 10-year-old was shot in front of her sister and was rushed to the hospital, but she could not be saved, 9News reported.

A Emmanuel Macron and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.

"It's with immense sadness that we have learned that our compatriot Dan Elkayam was among the victims of the terrorist attack that hit Jewish families gathered on the beach at Bondi in Sydney," Barrot wrote on X, according to a BBC translation. "We mourn with his family and loved ones, with the Jewish community and the Australian people."

Rockdale Ilinden Football Club released a statement mourning Elkayam, saying that he "loved the Australian way of life."

"Football was his passion — together with spending time on the beach and socializing with friends. His smiling face and respectful nature will be sorely missed by his teammates and everyone that knew him. We pray for him and for his family," the football club wrote.

Elkayam lived with his girlfriend, Krystal Troyano, according to a GoFundMe page set up in his honor.

"Dan was taken far too soon, and Krystal is now navigating profound grief while suddenly having to face life on her own," the page reads.

Peter Meagher was a retired detective sergeant with the NSW Police and a member of the Randwick Rugby Club.

"Peter was working as a freelance photographer at the ill-fated Hanukkah event, and, like all victims, it was simply a catastrophic case of being in the wrong place and at the wrong time," the club said in a statement. "’Marzo,’ as he was universally known, was a much loved figure and absolute legend in our club, with decades of voluntary involvement, he was one of the heart and soul figures of Randwick Rugby."

Randwick Rugby general manager Mark Harrison told ABC that Meagher was "one of the heart and soul figures" of the club.

Meagher's family also gave a statement to ABC, saying: "Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beloved Peter. He was a cherished brother, husband and uncle whose kindness, generosity and love touched everyone who knew him. Our lives have been changed forever."

Reuven Morrison, who migrated from the USSR to Australia, was attempting to protect his community from the gunmen, despite being unarmed and alone, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The outlet said that Morrison, 62, charged towards the gunmen and appeared to hurl an object towards them.

Though Morrison lived in Melbourne, he was "deeply connected to Sydney," according to Chabad, which described Morrison as a "beloved member" of the community.

"A successful businessman whose main goal was to give away his earnings to charities dear to his heart, notably Chabad of Bondi, which organized the event," Chabad wrote on X.

Tibor Weitzen, 78, was remembered in a Chabad post on X as "the congregation's beloved 'candyman,' who brought joy and smiles to everyone." The organization said that he was killed while trying to shield his loved ones.

"My grandfather was truly the best you could ask for… He was so proud of us… and loved us more than life itself. He only saw the best in people and will be dearly missed," Weitzen's granddaughter, Leor Amzalak, told ABC.

Chabad said that Weitzen was identified by his first responder grandson at the scene.

Marika Pogany, 82, was a member of COA Sydney, a volunteer service for Jewish seniors.

"She was not just a long-serving volunteer. She was part of the beating heart of COA and a source of warmth for thousands of people over nearly 3 decades," COA Sydney wrote on Facebook. "For 29 years she arrived at COA with her quiet smile and her steady kindness. She lifted the room simply by being in it. She asked for nothing and gave everything. She showed us what true service looks like and she did it without fanfare and without ever wanting attention."

Chabad noted that in 2022 Pogany was recognized for delivering 12,000 kosher Meals on Wheels over the course of more than two decades.