Jessica Rozen was racing across Bondi Beach on Sunday, desperately searching for her three‑year‑old son as shots rang out at the Bondi beach shooting.
What unfolded at the Chanukah by the Sea event
Rozen and her family had been attending the Chanukah by the Sea celebration when gunmen opened fire. While her husband ran with their toddler, Rozen saw a little girl screaming and protected the child by lying on top of her until the shooting stopped and the girl’s father arrived. Photographs later released show Rozen with blood in her hair shielding a child in a pink shirt and face paint.
Another video captures an alleged shooter aiming from a footbridge at a crowd of men, women and children huddled among white plastic chairs, trying to stay low.
Immediate human impact
The little girl Rozen protected escaped physically unharmed; Rozen herself sustained only minor cuts and grazes. She also witnessed a woman who had been shot in the head. Her own son was playing in the playground with his grandmother, safely outside the main line of fire.
Rozen later recalled, “She lay on top of him. A group of men gathered all the kids and women from the playground and walked them up to the surf club. I don’t know who they are, but I am grateful beyond measure.” She added that the community had been “eating donuts with our kids and celebrating light” when the violence erupted.
The broader attack claimed at least 15 lives, with a further 26 people hospitalized with injuries.
Acts of citizen bravery
A video widely shared online shows a bystander, later identified as Ahmed al‑Ahmed, tackling one of the shooters and wresting the weapon from his grip. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised al‑Ahmed’s “great risk to himself” and noted he was “suffering serious injury… and is currently going through operations today in hospital”.
First‑responder and community response
Prime Minister Albanese highlighted that first responders “rushing towards danger” demonstrated “the best of the Australian character”. NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan echoed this sentiment, describing the “amazing heroism” of responders, some of whom were members of the Jewish community.
Local Rabbi Yossi Friedman visited the beach, praying in a kippa and tefillin. He paid tribute to his friend, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, the first named victim, noting Schlanger’s five children, the youngest only a few months old. Friedman described how his nieces and nephews sought refuge in a stranger’s apartment for six hours, and how community members embraced each other in grief, vowing to “come back stronger”.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jessica Rozen?
Jessica Rozen is a mother who attended the Chanukah by the Sea festival at Bondi Beach on Sunday and protected a young girl by lying on top of her during the terrorist shooting.
What happened during the Bondi beach attack?
Two alleged gunmen opened fire at the beach, killing at least 15 people and wounding 26 others. The attack took place during a public Chanukah celebration, and multiple civilians, including Rozen and Ahmed al‑Ahmed, took heroic actions to protect others.
How many casualties were reported?
At least 15 people were confirmed dead, and a further 26 people were hospitalized with injuries as of Monday night.
What do you think the long‑term impact of these community‑driven acts of bravery will be on Australian society?
