Additional Coverage:
Holocaust Survivor Sacrifices Life Shielding Wife in Bondi Beach Attack
Sydney, Australia – The recent terror attack at Bondi Beach claimed the life of Alex Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor, who heroically shielded his wife, Larisa, from gunfire. The couple, married for 57 years, had gathered at the iconic beach to celebrate the start of Hanukkah on Sunday when the tragic events unfolded.
Larisa Kleytman recounted to The Australian how she and her husband were standing when they suddenly heard “boom boom.” As chaos erupted and everyone dropped to the ground, Alex moved quickly to position himself between his wife and the gunfire, sacrificing his own life to protect her.
“His body is still there, and I am sitting there and don’t know what I have to do,” a grief-stricken Larisa stated after being released from the hospital. “I have no husband.
I don’t know… nobody can give me any answers.”
The Kleytmans, originally from Ukraine, met in their homeland before immigrating to Australia, where they built a life together in Sydney’s southeastern suburbs. Alex worked as a civil engineer.
According to JewishCare, an Australian Jewish charity, both Alex and Larisa endured the horrors of the Holocaust as children. Alex’s early memories included the harrowing conditions he, his mother, and younger brother faced in Siberia during World War II.
Despite these profound scars, they sought a brighter future in Australia.
Deadliest Mass Shooting in Nearly Three Decades
The Sunday attack, which involved two individuals – a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son – resulted in at least 15 fatalities, including a child, and left 29 injured. The father was killed, while his son remains in critical condition after being shot by police. New South Wales police commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed that one of the shooters was known to security services, though there was no prior indication of an impending attack.
This incident marks the deadliest mass shooting in Australia in almost 30 years, a nation recognized for its stringent gun control laws. The attack occurred amidst a disturbing rise in antisemitic incidents across the country over the past year.
Victims of the shooting ranged in age from 10 to 87, as confirmed by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns. As of Monday morning, at least 42 individuals remained hospitalized, with several fighting for their lives.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack on Monday, stating, “What we saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores in an iconic Australian location, Bondi Beach, that is associated with joy, associated with families gathering, associated with celebrations. It is forever tarnished by what has occurred.” Over 2,000 people had gathered at the beach to commemorate the first day of Hanukkah.