A Holocaust survivor used his body to shield his wife during a targeted terror attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, and his actions, plus the bravery of bystanders, have become central to the unfolding story after gunmen opened fire at families gathered on Bondi Beach.
A grandfather named Alex Kleytman and his wife Larissa were among the attendees on the first night of Hanukkah when shots rang out and chaos followed. Witnesses say the shooters attacked a peaceful gathering of Jewish families, and Alex was killed while protecting his spouse. Larisa, also a Holocaust survivor, survived but is grappling with the sudden loss and the traumatic memory of that night.
At the hospital Larisa described how the shooting started: “We were standing and suddenly came the ‘boom boom,’ and everybody fell down,” she said. She recalled Alex moving close to her and using his body to shield her from the gunfire. “His body is still there and I am sitting there and don’t know what I have to do. I have no husband. I don’t know… nobody can give me any answers.”
Those who knew the couple say they were children in Ukraine during World War II, survived the Holocaust, and later built a life together with children and grandchildren. They spent five decades as partners, attending community events and practicing their faith. For many, the fact that their faith celebration was transformed into a massacre feels especially cruel.
Investigators are still piecing together the timeline of the attack, and initial reports indicate a father and son were responsible for the shooting that left many dead and injured. In the immediate aftermath, footage emerged showing community members confronting the attackers. One of those bystanders has been widely praised for confronting a gunman directly during the attack.
A local shop owner identified as Ahmed al Ahmed ran toward one of the shooters and wrestled the rifle away, according to family members and eyewitness video. The footage shows a man approach a gunman who had taken cover and then grab him from behind, disarming him amid the chaos. Ahmed was reportedly shot multiple times during the encounter and later underwent surgery; he remains in critical but stable condition.
The video circulating online captures both the confusion and the courage of people who stepped in to stop further bloodshed. It shows one shooter moving to a different position while another man had already seized a rifle and taken cover behind a tree. Observers say the footage underlines how ordinary citizens risked their lives to protect others that night.
A longer clip shows the terrorist slinking back toward the pedestrian bridge where another gunman appears to be shooting either at the attendees of the Chanukah by the Sea 2025 event or at the hero who now had possession of the rifle and was taking refuge behind the tree (or both). Australian media have identified one of the terrorists as Naveed Akram.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns called the incident “cowardly” and emphasized that the attack targeted Sydney’s Jewish community during a religious observance. “This cowardly act of terrified violence is shocking and painful to see and represents some of our worst fears about terrorism in Sydney,” Minns said. He added, “This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah.”
The impact of the Bondi Beach shooting has reached beyond Sydney, as other incidents tied to antisemitic violence have been reported elsewhere, including a suspected drive-by attack on a Hanukkah display in Redlands, California. That incident is under investigation as a hate crime, and miraculously no one was injured there. The string of events has left communities on edge and local authorities coordinating responses and support.
For families and neighbors, grief and gratitude are tangled together: grief for the lives lost and injured, and gratitude for those who intervened despite the danger. Alex’s sacrifice, Larisa’s survival, and the actions of bystanders like Ahmed have become symbols of both tragedy and courage. The story continues to unfold as police and community leaders work to understand motives and to support victims and families.
Community services, emergency responders, and local officials are focusing on victim care, trauma counseling, and security reviews in the wake of the attack. Religious and civic groups are organizing memorials and support networks to help those affected process their losses. The scenes and statements from this event are a stark reminder of how quickly a night of celebration can be turned into a tragedy and how individuals sometimes rise in the worst moments to protect others.
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