After a packed 28 days in Sydney, the Merkos Shluchim sent to Bondi after the tragic events of the first night of Chanukah are concluding their shlichus and returning to 770.

The commitment to send shluchim to strengthen the Australian community was announced by Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky in front of 20,000 people at the grand menorah lighting held on the eighth night of Chanukah at the location of the attack.

The vision was rooted in the Rebbe’s approach to the 5716 (1956) massacre in Kfar Chabad, where the Rebbe handpicked shluchim to strengthen and support Kfar Chabad and the wider Lubavitch community in Eretz Yisroel.

The Rebbe’s response to tragedy and darkness was to transform the darkness so that the darkness itself shines through light and growth. This is exactly what the 28 days spent in Bondi by the Shluchim sent by Merkos came to accomplish. Interestingly, this was the same number of days the shluchim the Rebbe sent to Eretz Yisroel spent there as well.

Only one week after the announcement, and a mere two weeks after the attack, five bochurim from 770 — Zalmy Hirsch, Mendel Kramer, Sholom Ber Liberow, Sruly Schapiro, and Eli Salek — arrived in Sydney to strengthen and support Chabad of Bondi, as well as the wider Sydney community and Anash.

Their arrival was immediately felt on the streets of Bondi. The Shluchim were stopped multiple times by Jews and non-Jews alike, sharing how they had seen or heard on social media or through others that a group of Americans had arrived to bring support and strength.

One of the first stops made upon arriving was Bondi Beach, the site of the attack. As the Shluchim, with their hats and jackets, walked across the infamous bridge, the feeling was one of power and light in the place of such darkness, as they strode over the bridge unabashedly Jewish, while onlookers noticed.

The Shluchim followed the Rebbe’s advice to the shluchim of 5716: “When in Kfar Chabad, spend your extra time learning in the shul. Through learning your shiurim in Nigla and Chassidus there, people will realize that this is the place where you can be reached.”

Accordingly, the beginning of each day was spent learning in the Bondi Chabad House, bringing an atmosphere of learning and momentum that was felt by the Chabad House as a whole.

After spending the morning at the Chabad House, the Shluchim went out to pay home visits to members of the Bondi Chabad community, many of whom were present at the attack or directly affected.

The interactions and encounters they had were both moving and inspiring. Zalmy Hirsch recounted about a lady who was very sad when they first met and came to offer support, but by the end of their visit, she was laughing and crying with them, with a mezuzah having been put up on her door before they left.

Sruly Schapiro shared that after spending time learning with Alex, a middle-aged Russian immigrant who was part of a group very close to Rabbi Eli Schlanger HYD, they decided it would be a positive step to host a farbrengen at Alex’s home, as Rabbi Eli had done regularly.

The impact was felt immediately by the participants who came, sharing that they had wanted to continue their gatherings and that the bochurim were there for Eli. The event concluded emotionally with the father of the youngest victim of the attack, Matilda, reciting Kaddish for his daughter, as the day of the gathering was also her Shloshim.

In addition to home visits to tens of elderly individuals and families, the Shluchim also visited those recovering in the hospital, some still in very fragile condition. One elderly woman recovering from a bullet wound was lifted in spirit with song and niggunim. Visibly moved, she blessed them before they left her room.

Another man the shluchim visited was Yaakov Tetleroyd, son of Boris Tetleroyd HYD – one of the 15 killed in the attack – who was recovering with his hand in a metal brace while also mourning his father. The Shluchim sat in his hospital room and shared Torah with Yaakov, who pleaded with them before they left, “Come back and share more Torah with me.”

Another impactful visit was to Leibel Lazeroff, who was recovering from multiple serious wounds and many surgeries. Words of encouragement were shared as the group of Shluchim discussed how best they could help during their time in Sydney.

A WhatsApp chat was created to share ideas and guidance between the Merkos Shluchim and Leibel, who remained very involved, offering guidance and knowledge of his mokom hashlichus from the hospital.

The community felt the Shluchim’s impact directly through many initiatives that had been started by Rabbi Schlanger, as the shluchim resolved to build stronger.

Close to Rabbi Eli’s heart was a weekly Yeshivah Night, encouraging men to come together and learn Torah. The decision was made to personally call, invite, and encourage many to join who may not otherwise have done so. The Yeshivah Night was transformed from a small group of 10–12 men to over 60 men and growing, directly impacted by the Shluchim’s push to grow Rabbi Schlanger’s initiative.

A campaign was also set up by the Shluchim to encourage more mitzvos that would be a comfort for the families and neshamas on high. The OneMitzvah.org campaign was launched to allow mitzvos to be committed, with a goal of reaching 10,000 mitzvos.

Many community members committed to mitzvos, including one woman committing to 52 weeks of lighting Shabbos candles, one man to a full year of laying tefillin, another to putting up a mezuzah, and many more.

All the shuls in the Bondi area were visited on Shabbosim by each shliach, with Chassidus being taught and shared. This too was in line with the Rebbe’s encouragement to the shluchim to Kfar Chabad: “When encountering speaking engagements, do not shy away or be reserved.”

The wider Anash community was also strengthened by the Shluchim, with shiurim arranged and given to provide chizuk to the broader Anash community of Sydney.

With hearts full and a community standing taller, the Shluchim now make their way back to 770, leaving behind a Bondi that is stronger, more united, and resolved to continue with renewed light.