Dec. 15, 2025, 2:31 p.m.
(PHOTO: Yeshiva World News)
Matilda Britvan, the youngest victim of the Sydney terrorist attack that took place in Australia during the local Jewish community's Hanukkah celebration, is the daughter of immigrants from Odesa.
Her parents emigrated to Australia from Ukraine in 1990.
In Australia, she studied at the Russian school Harmony in Sydney. The girl was celebrating Hanukkah with her parents, younger sister and friends. During the attack, she was wounded. She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors tried unsuccessfully to save her life.
On Sunday, December 14, a shooting took place on Bondi Beach in Sydney during an event dedicated to the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. At least 15 people were killed in the attack. Australian law enforcement officials have classified the attack as a terrorist act. One of the alleged attackers was shot dead at the scene. The other shooter was detained and is currently in custody.
Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday established in the second century BC to commemorate the cleansing of the Jerusalem Temple, the consecration of the altar, and the resumption of temple services. It is celebrated for eight days, usually in December. The symbol of the holiday is the tradition of lighting the lights of the Hanukkah, a special nine-candle candlestick, increasing the number of candles in it every day. As a result of the Fourth Syrian War, Judea became a province of the Seleucid State. The Seleucid basileus Antiochus IV Epiphanes was not satisfied with the fact that Jews lived in isolation and were not exposed to the dominant Hellenistic culture. In 167, Antiochus issued orders that significantly limited the rights of Jews to observe religious commandments. The temple in Jerusalem was desecrated by sacrificing pigs and renaming it in honor of Zeus. This eventually led to an uprising that was victorious. The Jews came to the Temple, cleansed the altar, and carved a new menorah out of wood. According to the legend, the rebels found only one jar of oil, which was enough for one day, and lit the lamp. But God performed a miracle - the oil lasted for 8 days of burning, the time needed to make a new one.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lyon said that the suspects in the shooting at the Hanukkah celebration in Sydney are a father and son. The 50-year-old father was shot dead. The 24-year-old son was detained by Ahmed-al-Ahmed, a local fruit shop owner and father of two, who was passing by. During the struggle with the terrorist, he received two bullet wounds.
According to Reuters, 40 people are currently in the hospital. Doctors describe their condition as serious but stable. In addition, eyewitnesses also provided details of the incident on the beach. According to them, the shooting lasted for about 10 minutes and caused severe panic. Hundreds of people ran to the nearby streets. In total, about 1,000 people attended the Hanukkah celebration yesterday. The police did not disclose the names of the suspects. Security officials said that one of them was known to authorities but was not considered an immediate threat.
However, the national television network ABC and other media identified the men as Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said that the father arrived in Australia in 1998 on a student visa, while his son is an Australian citizen born in Australia.
According to ABC News, two flags of the Islamic State group were found in the car of the armed men, without citing a source.
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