A 14-year-old girl is recovering in hospital after displaying extraordinary bravery during the horrific terror attack at Bondi beach in Sydney on Sunday. Chaya Dadon was shot while using her own body to shield two younger children from gunfire.
A Heroic Act Amidst Chaos
As bullets sprayed across the beach during a Hanukah celebration, Chaya heard a desperate plea for help. A woman, who was also later shot, begged the teenager to take her children to safety. Chaya immediately rushed from her shelter under a bench and laid herself on top of the two young children to protect them.
Moments later, she was shot in the leg. Her selfless act occurred as assailants carried out what has become Australia's worst terrorist attack, targeting a joyous Jewish community event.
'Her Instinct is to Save Lives'
Chaya's grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov Lieder, described seeing a video of the incident on social media. "She is not giving up," he said. "Her instinct is to save lives while these terrorists are killing people. What a contrast."
He portrayed his granddaughter as a "sensitive" and "gentle soul" who always strives to make peace and ensure no one gets hurt. "She always wants to make people happy," Lieder added, noting that Chaya personifies the meaning of her name – 'life'.
The family has been unable to identify the woman who asked for help or the two children Chaya protected.
A Community in Mourning
The attack has left the Jewish community and the nation reeling. The terrorists killed 15 people, with 41 others – including four children – taken to hospitals across Sydney. As of Wednesday evening, 17 patients remained hospitalised.
The tragedy struck Rabbi Lieder's family directly, as his nephew, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was among those killed. At Schlanger's funeral, Rabbi Aron Moss said he had been "ripped away from us, doing what he loved best" – spreading love, joy, and caring for his people.
Rabbi Lieder was on his way to the Bondi beach celebration when his grandson warned him of the shootings. He stated he would never have believed in his "wildest imagination" that the iconic destination would become a site of terrorism.
He expressed hope that the community's response to the atrocity would "show the world the contrast between people who want life, life is the most sacred thing to them, and people who want to destroy life."
