Bondi Beach Paddle-Out: Thousands Honor Terror Victims

Thousands of surfers, paddleboarders, swimmers, and locals converged on Bondi Beach at sunrise on Friday, December 19, 2025, for a moving paddle-out ceremony honoring the 15 victims of the antisemitic terror attack that struck the iconic location just five days earlier.

The tribute, held mere meters from the site of the December 14 massacre during the "Chanukah by the Sea" Hanukkah celebration, saw participants paddle out to form a vast circle in the calm ocean waters. They observed a minute's silence, followed by splashes, cheers, and embraces, a traditional surfing ritual symbolizing grief, solidarity, and healing.

Drone footage captured the enormous circle, with estimates of over 2,000 people in the water, far exceeding organizers' expectations, including families, pregnant women, children from nippers programs, and lifesavers who were among the first responders to the attack.

The event was partly inspired by "Project Noah," one of the final initiatives of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, the beloved Chabad of Bondi leader killed in the attack. The project promoted universal values of kindness and decency drawn from the Seven Noahide Laws, aiming to unite people across backgrounds.

As participants crossed the footbridge, where the gunmen had fired, a chalk-drawn menorah and bee on the promenade served as poignant reminders: the menorah for Hanukkah, and the bee honoring 10-year-old victim Matilda "Bee" Britvan, whose funeral drew mourners adorned with bee motifs the day before. Nearby, crowds sang "Waltzing Matilda" in her memory, reflecting her name's tribute to Australia.

Organizers from the Jewish community and local surf groups described waves of "love and peace" amid the sorrow, with participants from all walks of life coming together in defiance of hate.This paddle-out followed a memorial swim earlier in the week and comes as Australia grapples with its deadliest terror incident, inspired by Islamic State ideology.