Jewish activist and attorney Arsen Ostrovsky, who is a senior and well-known figure in the local and international Jewish community, was among the dozens of victims wounded in the massacre at the Chanukah celebration in Bondi Beach, Sydney.

Ostrovsky recently moved back to Australia from Israel to serve as the chairman of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC). He previously served as the chairman of the International Legal Forum.

Ostrovsky grew up in Sydney after leaving the Soviet Union as a child.

During the massacre, a bullet grazed his head, and he was treated at the scene.

He was interviewed after the attack by local media outlets, as blood streamed from his head. “I was here with my family. And then suddenly complete chaos. There are guns, fire everywhere, people running. It was absolute chaos. We didn’t know what was happening, where the gunfire was coming from.”

“I saw blood flowing in front of me,” he continued. “I saw people getting hit, I saw people falling to the ground. My only concern was, where are my children? Where are my children? Where is my wife? Where is my family?”

“I lived in Israel for the last 13 years. We came here only two weeks ago to work with the Jewish community to fight antisemitism, to fight this bloodthirsty, raging hatred.”

When asked whether he saw the terrorists, he replied, “I did. I saw at least one gunman firing what looked like a shotgun, shooting randomly in all directions. I saw children falling to the ground, elderly people.”

“I never thought I would see something like this in Australia. Not in my lifetime. Especially not at Bondi Beach, especially not at this iconic place.”

Asked about his family, he said, “My children and my wife are safe, thank G-d. They are okay. They managed to escape. But I didn’t know where they were. There is no greater fear, no greater terror, than not knowing where your family is. They are okay. I will be okay.”

Vlad, a Jewish chaplain with the State Emergency Service, told local news outlets, “There were people dead everywhere, young, old, rabbi—they’re all dead. And then two people died while we’re trying to save them, because the ambulance didn’t arrive on time.”

He recounted how an elderly woman was shot in the leg and an “older gentleman” was shot in the head.

“It’s not just people; it’s people that I know, people from our community, people that we know well, people that we see often,” said Vlad, who had covered his 8-year-old son with his body during the attack. “My Rabbi is dead.”

Ostrovsky later wrote on X: “I lived through Oct 7th. Never imagined I’d see this horror in Australia.”

“Bullet grazed my head. Doctors said miracle survived, but will make recovery.”

“Tonight is the 1st night of Chanukah. The forces of darkness and hate will never triumph. We will prevail. Am Yisrael Chai.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)