Key points

• The 15 victims in the terror attack targeting a Jewish Hanukkah event have now all been named
• Most of the victims were Jewish and many emigrated to Australia for a better life
• They range in age from 10 to 87

The victims are listed in no particular order.

Boris and Sofia Gurman

Boris Gurman, a retired mechanic and his wife, Sofia, a postal employee, were shot dead after they confronted one of the attackers.

Dashcam footage from a passing car shows Boris Gurman grappling with the gunman and disarming him at the side of the road. Sofia Gurman stands nearby.

The footage was verified by Australia's national broadcaster ABC.

"In recent days, we have become aware of footage showing Boris, with Sofia by his side, courageously attempting to disarm an attacker in an effort to protect others," local media cited the family as saying in a statement.

"While nothing can lessen the pain of losing Boris and Sofia, we feel an overwhelming sense of pride in their bravery and selflessness. This encapsulates who Boris and Sofia were — people who instinctively and selflessly tried to help others."

The couple were Russian-Jewish, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger

Schlanger, 41, was assistant rabbi at Chabad Bondi, which put on the Chanukah by the Sea event targeted by the two gunmen. Chanukah is another transliteration of the Hebrew name of the holiday.

Schlanger was born in the United Kingdom but lived in Bondi near the scene of the shooting. He had recently become a father for the fifth time.

"Nothing was too big for him," said his friend Alex Ryvchin, the co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, addressing the media on Monday. "He was the sort of person who illuminated our lives with kindness, his grace and generosity."

 At Hanukkah in 2024, Schlager posted a video of himself smiling and dancing at night at the side of a road to the song "Just a Little Bit of Light."

The post is titled "Here's the best response to combat antisemitism."

Adam Smyth

Bondi resident Adam Smyth, 50, was walking with his wife when he was shot dead on Sunday evening. 

In a statement, his family said they are "trying to come to terms with the senseless shooting."

"Adam and Katrina were living their best lives together. Their shared love of family and friends, travel and sport — if not always the same team — made their time together truly special," the statement released by NSW police said.

Marika Pogany

Marika Pogany, originally from southern Slovakia, is being remembered for her charity work and as a long-term volunteer who delivered kosher meals on wheels.

The former Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova called 82-year-old Pogany a close friend.

The Australian city of Sydney was "a refuge" for the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, "far from the horrors of fascism and communism," Caputova wrote on Facebook. "Apart from her mother and uncle, who returned from Auschwitz, all other members of this family did not survive the Holocaust."

Slovakia's President Peter Pellegrini also confirmed Pogany was among the victims of what he called "this senseless, violent rampage."

Alex Kleytma

Holocaust survivor and engineer Alex Kleytman was at Chanukah by the Sea with his wife, children and grandchildren.

His wife, Larisa, said he died trying to protect her from the bullets, according to the Chabad Jewish organization.

As a child, Kleytman survived the Nazi Holocaust during World  War II. The 87-year-old emigrated to Australia from Ukraine in the 1990s.

Matilda

The youngest victim is 10-year-old Matilda, who died in the hospital after being shot.

Just before the shooting, Matilda was playing with animals at a petting zoo at Chanukah by the Sea, which she was attending with her family, including her sister, local media.

Speaking about Matilda, her father said, "She was the kindest person."

He had named her Matilda, he said, "because she was our... firstborn in Australia and I thought that Matilda is the most Australian name that can ever exist."

Her aunt Lina Chernykh described the 10-year-old as a "happy, bright" girl.

"She'd always kiss me, cuddle me and give me the energy … to be happy," her aunt said.

Peter Meagher

Peter Meagher was a retired police detective and a long-time volunteer at a Randwick Rugby Club.

He was working as a photographer at the Chanukah By the Sea event on Sunday, the club said in a statement.

Meagher was a "much loved figure and absolute legend in our club, with decades of voluntary involvement," the club said.

Dan Elkayam

French national Dan Elkayam was killed in the shooting.

The 27-year-old engineer, who moved to Australia a year ago, played soccer with a local club and lived with his girlfriend in Sydney.

"He was playing football, celebrating the holiday [of Hanukkah], and enjoying a sunny summer day at Bondi Beach," his family said in a statement released by NSW police.

"During a mass shooting, Dan was shot in the back while trying to run away," his family said. "He was murdered because he was Jewish."

Reuven Morrison

Reuven Morrison fled the former Soviet Union in the 1970s to escape antisemitic persecution, according to his daughter, Sheina Gutnick.

He died trying to protect his community despite being unarmed during Sunday's attack, Gutnick said, naming her father as the man seen in footage hurling an object at the gunman disarmed by Ahmed al Ahmed.

He "managed to throw bricks at the terrorist," Gutnick said in an interview with CBS on Monday.

Morrison, who split his time between Sydney and Melbourne, was a businessman and philanthropist known for his kindness and generosity, according to Chabad.

Tibor Weitzen

A member of Bondi's Chabad Synagogue, Tibor Weitzen left the Soviet Union for Israel, then later emigrated to Australia. He was attending Chanukah by the Sea with his wife and grandchildren.

The 78-year-old died after shielding his wife and another family friend, Edith Brutman, from the gunfire, local media reported.

His wife survived. 

Edith Brutman

Edith Brutman is remembered as a woman with a "heart of gold."

She was shot dead at the Hanukkah celebration she was attending with Tibor Weitzen, who was killed while trying to shield her.

"Our beloved Edith was a woman of integrity who chose humanity, every day. She met prejudice with principle, and division with service," her family said in a statement to ABC.

Boris Tetleroyd

Boris Tetleroyd was at the Hanukkah event with his son Yakov, when he was killed by the gunmen. His son was also injured in the attack and has undergone multiple surgeries. 

"Boris was loved by everyone he met. He was well known to his neighbours, deeply connected to our wider community, and cherished by his family," a family statement said. 

"Boris was a gentle man, a gifted musician and a valued member of his community. We honour his life and the love he so generously gave to those around him," the statement said.

Rabbi Yaakov Levitan

Yaakov Levitan was a vital part of Sydney's Jewish infrastructure and known for his kindness and tireless work in assisting others, Chabad said.

Originally from South Africa, the 39-year-old is survived by his wife and four children.

Tania Tretiak

Tania Tretiak, a 68-year-old grandmother, was identified as the 15th and final victim of the shooting at Bondi Beach. Although she was not Jewish, her husband was, and it was with him that she attended the Chanukah by the Sea event, local media reported. 

This article was originally published on December 16, 2025, and updated on December 22.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher