Following Australia’s worst terrorist attack to date, in which two gunmen killed 15 people on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, a new report details that some of the victims were Jews of Hungarian origin.
The targeted terror attack, which was allegedly perpetrated by supporters of the Islamic State, was labeled an anti-Semitic incident by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
A Neokohn report indicates that 82-year-old Marika Pogány, who had Hungarian Jewish roots, also lost her life in the attack. The Holocaust survivor has volunteered with Meals on Wheels for decades and even won an award for his service to his community after delivering more than 12,000 kosher meals.
According to Australian 9news, an old lady was sitting in the front row of the Hanukkah event when she was fatally shot.
The newspaper added that the other victim of Hungarian origin was 78-year-old Tibor Weitzen. The news portal reported that the elderly man went to the event with his wife and grandchildren on Sunday to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah, and he died protecting a family member who also lost his life.
His grandson told 9News that his family was “broken by his death.”
“Simply devastating. Honestly, I have no words,” said the grandson.
“We had coffee with him at Bondi Junction yesterday. I didn’t know it would be the last day with him,” he was quoted in the Australian paper.
