Murdered on Chanukah: Remembering Rabbi Eli Schlanger and the Light He Refused to Hide

Rabbi Eli Schlanger was murdered along with at least 11 other people on Sunday at the event he helped organize: Chabad 's "Chanukah by the Sea" at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. The British-born rabbi was only 41 years old and a father of five. Learning that his youngest son had been born in October makes looking at the flyer promoting the event even more heartbreaking: the location was listed as "near the children's playground." Children were among those targeted in the mass shooting carried out by two shooters, according to reports.

Schlanger is the second rabbi to be murdered in a little over a year. Rabbi Zvi Kogan was killed in the United Arab Emirates last November; three Uzbek nationals were arrested for his murder.

Terror attacks during Jewish holidays are sadly becoming increasingly common. The horrific October 7 attack in Israel of course happened on Simchat Torah, when Jews celebrate the conclusion of the annual Torah reading with "unbridled joy." The Manchester synagogue attack, when a terrorist started stabbing people at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation, occurred on October 2, 2025, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Now we have an attack on the first day of Chanukah, when Jews light their menorahs to "illuminate the darkness" of the world. The flyer for the event invited people to "come celebrate the light on Chanukah together with the community. Bring your friends. Bring the family. Let's fill Bondi with joy and light."

In an article published on Chabad.org earlier this year, Rabbi Schlanger discussed the concerning rise in antisemitism in Australia, which includes many events over the last couple of years such as the firebombing of Melbourne’s Adass Israel Congregation, antisemitic graffiti at a Jewish school, and an attack on a kosher deli. Schlanger said that his synagogue, Chabad of Bondi, had increased security and was visited by police three times a day. One thing that he never lost amid the rising threats, however, was his pride of being a Jew:

Walking the streets as a visible Jew, Schlanger says he has “never personally been the target of antisemitism. My car—emblazoned with mitzvah symbols—is a living example of pride and resilience.”
The rabbi says that the way forward is the same: “Be more Jewish, act more Jewish and appear more Jewish.”

There will be those who will think: "Well, look what happened. He was murdered at a very public Chanukah event. The answer clearly is: 'Be less Jewish, act less Jewish, and appear less Jewish.'"

To that I can only say: Have we really come to this in the West, only 80 years after the Holocaust? Besides, hasn't history shown that assimilated Jews are no safer than more observant Jews when a society succumbs to the oldest hatred?

My own rabbi traveled with Rabbi Schlanger (see the photo above) to Israel shortly after October 7 to, among other things, help the families of the hostages taken by Hamas.

We have many Chanukah events planned for this week, and I’d be lying if I said the safety of my community doesn’t cross my mind. I must admit that, in my weakest moments, I even ponder staying home and—yes—hiding my Jewishness. But how can I do that after watching this video of Rabbi Schlanger, recorded one year ago—on Chanukah?