Child killed in Bondi Beach terror assault is recognized – as aunt points heartbreaking tribute
The little girl killed in the Bondi Beach terror attack has been identified and remembered by loved ones as a ‘bright, joyful and spirted’ girl.
Matilda Poltavchenko, 10, was one of 15 innocent civillians shot while celebrating the start of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on Sunday evening.
Her aunt, known as Lina, confirmed the news in a post to social media.
‘Yesterday my beloved niece Matilda was killed during a terrorist attack in Bondi Beach,’ her aunt said.
‘I don’t know how we survive such grief.’
A GoFundMe set up to provide funds to the girl’s mother, Valentina Poltavchenko, has raised $30,000 by midday on Monday.
‘I was Matilda’s language teacher, and I knew her as a bright, joyful, and spirited child who brought light to everyone around her,’ fundraiser organiser Irina Goodhew said.
‘Yesterday, while celebrating Hanukkah, her young life was tragically taken. Her memory will live on in our hearts.
Matilda Poltavchenko, 10, was shot while taking part in the Hanukkah gathering
A GoFundMe set up to provide funds to the girl’s mother, Valentina Poltavchenko, had raised more than $10,000 on Monday morning
‘All donations will be transferred directly to her to support the family during this incredibly difficult time. Donations are made in loving memory of Matilda.’
The deadly attack at Australia’s most iconic tourist destination unfolded on Sunday afternoon as hundreds gathered to attend the Chanukah by the Sea event, marking the first day of Hanukkah.
Two heavily armed men, allegedly Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50, stood on a pedestrian footbridge and allegedly opened fire with military-grade weapons into the crowds of locals, holidaymakers and families.
So far 16 people have died, including one of the gunmen, while a further 42 were taken to hospital in various conditions.
VICTIMS IDENTIFIED SO FAR
Tibor Weitzen
Beloved father and husband Tibor Weitzen has been identified as one of the victims after he was fatally wounded while shielding his wife from the gunfire – who survived the attack.
Daily Mail understands Mr Weitzen, whose son works as an ABC sound engineer, died after he was shot and fell as he tried to protect his wife.
Beloved father Tibor Weitzen (left)has been identified as one of the 15 victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack. He was shielding his wife (right), who survived, when he was fatally wounded
Rabbi Eli Schlanger
Rabbi Eli Schlanger was confirmed as one of the victims in a heartbreaking post shared to social media by this first cousin Rabbi Zalman Lewis.
In a heartfelt post, Rabbi Lewis wrote: ‘My dear cousin, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was murdered in today’s terrorist attack in Sydney.
‘He leaves behind his wife, young children, as well as my uncle and aunt, and his siblings.
‘He was truly an incredible guy.’
Rabbi Schlanger was the head of the Chabad mission in Bondi where he had served the community for nearly two decades.
The British-born father-of-five was one of the organisers for the Chanukah by the Sea event allegedly targeted by the gunmen.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger (pictured) was one of the organisers for the Chanukah by the Sea event allegedly targeted by the gunmen at Bondi Beach on Sunday
Rabbi Yakkov Levitan (pictured) was also killed in the mass shooting
Rabbi Yakkov Levitan
Rabbi Yakkov Levitan has also been identified as another victim of the mass shooting.
Rabbi Levitan served as a secretary of the Sydney Beth Din and worked at the BINA Centre, according to Chabad – a global organisation based in Brooklyn dedicated to sharing the Jewish faith and traditions around the world.
While at the event, Rabbi Levitan was distributing tefillin – two small, black leather boxes containing Torah scrolls that are worn by male adult Jews committed to performing the Jewish rite.
Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman
Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman was also killed while protecting his wife of almost six decades from the gunfire.
His wife Larisa Kleytman told the Daily Mail her husband was shielding her from the bullets when he was fatally shot.
‘I think he was shot because he raised himself up to protect me, in the back of the head,’ she said.
Alex and Larisa Kleytman (pictured) had been married for almost six decades
Larisa Kleytman (pictured) said her husband was shot dead while protecting her
Married for 57 years, the pair, who are also beloved grandparents, travelled from Matraville, a suburb of Sydney, to celebrate Hanukkah with other Jewish people.
Reuven Morrison
Reuven Morrison, who served as an assistant at Bondi’s Wellington Street synagogue, put himself in harm’s way after meeting his friend Vladimir at the Chanukah event.
An emotional Vladimir said he would have been caught up in the gunfire if he hadn’t needed to find parking.
‘I saw everything and now my best friend is dead. He died in front of me,’ he told the Daily Mail.
Vladimir was returning from the Chanukah celebration to sort out his car when the shooting began.
‘I was leaving. I asked Reuven about what time to turn on the Chanukah lights and then I was walking away,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘I’d walked about 50 metres when I heard the shots and I turned around and there was a Chinese lady and her child and I said ‘get down!’ and maybe that’s what saved me too.
Pictured: Reuven Morrison, who died while trying to save people during the terror attack in Bondi on Sunday
‘People started running and I looked up and saw the guy shooting from the bridge above towards the Chanukah area.
‘Then there was one detective over the other side who started firing at the shooter on the ground.
‘There was more firing and then Reuven got hit. He was trying to get people to get down out of the way and then maybe disarm the shooter on the ground, he was walking towards him to fight him.
‘But then he was shot – hit in the kidneys, I think. I was there when he died.’
French Jewish man Dan Elkayam
French Jewish man Dan Elkayam was also among the 15 people killed during the mass shooting.
The French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed the young man’s death on X on Monday.
He wrote that Paris feels ‘immense sadness’ at the news, and is mourning ‘with his family and loved ones, with the Jewish community and the bereaved Australian people’.
French Jewish national Dan Elkayam, 27, (pictured) died in the terror attack
The 27-year-old had moved to Australia to work as an engineer about a year ago, the Le Parisien newspaper reported.
Israel citizen killed
An Israeli citizen was killed and a second injured in the attack, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said
‘The Israeli Embassy in Australia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department for Israelis in Distress are in contact with the family of the wounded individual, who is hospitalised at a local hospital,’ the ministry said.
‘The Israeli Consul in Australia is expected to arrive at the hospital to accompany the wounded Israeli and assist the family.’
Two police officers fighting for life
Two police officers are in critical condition following the terror attack.
One officer was shot in the shoulder and stomach.
Sixteen people have been confirmed dead following the shooting
‘His shoulder was literally blown away, and of course with that comes other complicating factors like arteries and blood loss and so forth,’ police told News.com.au.
A second police officer was shot in the face and he is being treated at an eye hospital and could well lose his eye.
Israeli man narrowly survives the attack
Arsen Ostrovsky, an international human rights lawyer, narrowly survived the attack after a bullet grazed his head.
‘A bullet grazed my head. Doctors said it was a miracle I survived, but I will make a recovery,’ he said.
Mr Ostrovsky spoke to Sky News with blood still visible on his face.
‘I’ve lived in Israel for the last 13 years. I came here just two weeks ago to work with the Jewish community,’ he told the broadcaster.
‘We’ve lived through worse. We are going to get through this, and we are going to get the b****ds who did this.
Arsen Ostrovsky was caught up in the horrific shooting
‘I saw children falling to the floor … there was blood gushing everywhere.’
Hero in hospital
Father-of-two and fruit shop owner Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, has been identified by relatives as the man seen fighting one of the terrorists in a video widely shared on social media.
Mr Ahmad’s family said he remains in hospital where he has undergone surgery for bullet wounds to his arm and hand.
He is seen in the footage, wearing a white T-shirt and crouching behind a car before pouncing on the back of the gunman then grappling with him and snatching the rifle away from him.
The terrorist backs away in a car park area as Mr Ahmed points the shotgun at him.
The hero is then seen raising his hand before resting the gun against a tree apparently to show police he was not one of the attackers.
His cousin Mustafa told 7News Australia: ‘Still he is in hospital and we don’t know exactly what is going on, the doctor says he is OK.
The hero who disarmed one of the Bondi Beach attackers by grabbing his gun is a father-of-two fruit shop owner, pictured in a white shirt
‘We hope he is okay, he is a hero, 100 per cent he is a hero.
‘He has two shots, one in his arm and one in his hand, he has had to have an operation.’
