The life of Dan Elkayam, a 27-year-old French national murdered in the Bondi terror attack, has been celebrated at a poignant memorial service in Sydney, with friends recalling a man who taught them to "live for every moment".
A Life Lived to the Fullest
Elkayam was one of 15 victims killed in a targeted attack on Jewish people celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach. He had moved to Sydney from Paris several years ago and was beginning to build a future in Australia, a country he loved, according to a statement from his family.
His close friend, Jesse Singer, told the gathering at the Chevra Kadisha funeral home in Woollahra that their friendship was defined by simple rituals, like messaging each other on sunny days to finish work early and play football on the beach.
"The last day I spent with Dan was last Sunday, and it perfectly captured everything he loved," Singer said, his voice shaking with emotion. "We played football on the beach for hours... and then went to celebrate Hanukkah at Bondi – two things Dan truly lived for."
He credited his friend with teaching him to embrace life fully: to travel, meet new people, follow passions, and spend time with friends.
A Community United in Grief and Resolve
The service was livestreamed for Elkayam's family in France and Israel, including his parents, three brothers, nieces, nephews, and cousins. His coffin, draped in a black covering adorned with the Star of David, will be transported to Israel for burial in Ashdod.
Rabbi Chaim Koncepolski shared a story that highlighted Elkayam's character. A young man recalled playing football against him at the 2022 Maccabiah Games in Israel. After being frustrated at his inability to defend Elkayam, the young man tackled him to the ground.
"Anybody who's either played soccer or been around soccer, knows that that's usually the beginning of a fight," Koncepolski said. "And he said Dan got up, gave him a hand, lifted him up and gave him a hug."
Rabbi Koncepolski, who met Elkayam only once, said anyone who knew him "could instantly feel that incredibly humble and loving energy".
Transforming Tragedy into Acts of Kindness
In the wake of the atrocity, community leaders are channelling grief into positive action. Rabbi Mendel Kastel spoke of the New South Wales Faith Affairs Council's 'One Mitzvah for Bondi' campaign. The initiative asks all Australians to undertake and share one act of kindness, compassion, or charity to memorialise the victims, known in Hebrew as kedoshim (martyrs).
"The way to stamp out darkness is by bringing light, one mitzvah at a time," Kastel said. He announced that Elkayam's employer, NBC Universal, where he worked as an IT engineer, plans to support the campaign after more than 150 colleagues gathered to honour him.
Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, speaking at a separate commemoration, urged people to learn from the lost lives. "Let us not postpone what matters. Live with meaning now, not some day in the future," he said, noting Elkayam "was killed while celebrating his Judaism on a beautiful day".
The attack has profoundly affected young Jewish Australians. Joshua Spicer, who did not know Elkayam personally but attended the memorial, said he was the same age and was running late to the Hanukkah event himself.
"It makes me think that [for] someone my age to have their life cut short is just absolutely devastating," Spicer said. "He came to Australia looking for a better life and it's just a tragedy that we weren't able to keep him safe while he was here."
The murder prompted a tribute from French President Emmanuel Macron, who expressed his nation's "fullest solidarity" with Elkayam's family. The family's statement was unequivocal: "Dan was shot in the back while trying to run away. He was murdered because he was Jewish."
Despite the pain, Rabbi Koncepolski observed a strengthened community resolve. "I have never in my life seen Australian Jewry so united, so inspired, so connected to Jewish tradition and so impactful on the general Australian society," he said.
