Heartbreaking Video Shows Rabbi Laying Tefillin as 10-Year-Old Girl Matilda Watches Moments Before Bondi Beach Massacre

BONDI BEACH – A haunting video that surfaced online Wednesday captures what may be one of the final peaceful moments before terror shattered a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach.

The footage shows Rabbi Eli Schlager gently helping a participant wrap tefillin. Standing just steps away is Matilda, a 10-year-old girl, watching quietly — curious, calm, and completely unaware that her life was about to be stolen.

Both Rabbi Schlager and Matilda were among the 15 people murdered in what authorities have described as an antisemitic terror attack targeting the Jewish community.

The brief clip, now widely shared, has left viewers stunned by its innocence. There are no signs of fear, no chaos — only prayer, tradition, and a child observing a moment of Jewish life. Within moments, that scene would be replaced by panic, screams, and unimaginable loss.

Community leaders said the video is almost unbearable to watch — not because of what it shows, but because of what comes next.

“This is what was attacked,” one Jewish leader said. “Not politics. Not symbols. A rabbi helping someone pray. A child watching.”

Rabbi Schlager was a respected spiritual leader known for bringing Judaism into public spaces with warmth and humility. Matilda had come to celebrate Hanukkah with her family. Neither posed a threat. Neither was hiding. Both were simply living Jewish life openly.

Authorities have urged restraint and sensitivity in sharing the video as families grieve and communities mourn.

In the aftermath of the massacre, Jewish institutions worldwide have heightened security, and calls have intensified for governments to confront the surge of antisemitism that many warn has been ignored for too long.

For many, the video has become a devastating symbol — a reminder that faith, innocence, and joy were the targets that day.