On April 14, a shooting terrorist attack targeted the Jewish community at Bondi Beach, a renowned tourist spot in Sydney, Australia, resulting in 16 deaths including the gunman. One of the victims was a Holocaust survivor, who was fatally shot while shielding his wife on the beach.
According to The Guardian, Aleks Kleitman was born in Ukraine and endured the hardships of World War II as a child, having been forced to survive the harsh conditions of Siberia. He immigrated to Australia decades ago and had long settled in Sydney. For years, he and his wife Larysa would attend the local Hanukkah celebrations annually.
In an interview with Australian media outlet The Australian at St Vincent’s Hospital, Larysa recounted that during the shooting, there was a sudden barrage of "bang, bang" sounds, and crowds immediately dropped to the ground seeking cover. “At that moment, Kleitman was behind me, then he moved closer, propping himself up to get near me,” she said, at which point he was struck by a bullet.
The couple were both Holocaust survivors. In 2023, they publicly shared their experiences with the Jewish welfare organization JewishCare. According to the report, Kleitman and Larysa endured "indescribable horrors" as children, with Kleitman’s memories of struggling to survive alongside his mother and young brother in the brutal Siberian environment being particularly chilling.
The report describes that, despite carrying heavy historical trauma, the couple chose to pursue a brighter future, eventually emigrating from Ukraine to Australia and building a family. Now, Kleitman has perished while protecting his beloved, leaving behind his wife and family. (Source: United Daily News)