A recent attack at a Hanukkah festival in Bondi Beach, Australia, left many injured, including a young American named Liber Lazaroff. His uncle, from Crown Heights, shared the news with the Post.
Lazaroff, 20, who grew up in Texas alongside his Chabad rabbi father, suffered injuries to his abdomen and leg. His uncle, Zalman Lazaroff, reported that he is currently in “critical but stable condition.” According to a family update sent via WhatsApp, he still has fragments lodged in his body and will undergo more surgery to address the damage. He lost a significant amount of blood during the incident.
This young man had spent a year studying in Brooklyn at a yeshiva in Crown Heights and moved to Sydney just two months ago.
On that fateful Sunday, he was at the beach when Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid, 50, allegedly opened fire with shotguns and rifles, resulting in at least 15 fatalities and injuring around 40 individuals, including children.
Zalman described Liber as a “popular, smart, and energetic kid,” noting how he had begun new adventures during the Jewish holidays in October.
His uncle commented on how Liber had only recently arrived in Australia and shared that he had always been adventurous, viewing his time there as a unique experience.
Aunt Leah Roxen expressed that she encouraged him to embrace this opportunity, emphasizing how thrilled he was about the new adventure.
Zalman mentioned that it is common for students from the Chabad-Lubavitch community to spend time abroad as part of their education, similar to exchange students.
“He’s incredibly special—talented and friendly,” Zalman said of Liber, who enjoys volunteering and spreading positivity wherever he goes.
The young man was engaged in helping organize the “Hanukkah by the Sea” celebration at Bondi Beach, where he worked alongside Rabbi Eli Schlanger and his father-in-law, Rabbi Yehoram Ullman.
Regarding the attack, Zalman condemned it as an “attack on the Jewish people,” distinguishing it from political or national issues. He expressed concern about the rising danger in society today.
Despite the gravity and fear surrounding these events, he asserted the importance of celebrating Hanukkah with even more enthusiasm, highlighting the anxieties within the Jewish community in New York.
His sister-in-law, Maya, sent a message of gratitude for prayers, urging everyone to enhance their Hanukkah with music and joy to aid in the recovery of those injured.
Meanwhile, the family remains grateful that Liber survived, though his parents shared their distress at the situation and their relief that he is alive post-surgery.
“We need to amplify our presence, not retreat,” Zalman emphasized, encapsulating his sister-in-law’s resilient message. The investigation into this tragic event, which stands as Australia’s deadliest shooting in nearly three decades, is ongoing.
