Bondi Beach Terror Attack Survivor Leibel Lazaroff To Speak In Boca Raton On Labor Day

The morning gathering will include breakfast, Lazaroff’s firsthand account of the attack and his recovery, and uplifting High Holiday songs as the South Florida Jewish community prepares for Rosh Hashanah.

Lazaroff was helping organize Chabad of Bondi’s large “Chanukah by the Sea” celebration on December 14, when terrorists opened fire on the crowd, killing 15 people and injuring dozens. Lazaroff was shot in the abdomen and leg and waited approximately 45 minutes for an ambulance.

In the midst of the attack, Lazaroff attempted to help a critically wounded police officer before he himself was struck by gunfire. His survival and recovery have left him with a powerful story to tell — not only about the horror of that day, but about the choice to respond to hatred with greater Jewish pride, faith and purpose.

Since his recovery, Lazaroff has begun sharing his experience with Jewish communities around the country. During a recent appearance in Wisconsin, he reflected on the chilling realization that his grandmother had once been hunted for being Jewish during the Holocaust — and that generations later, he too had been targeted simply for being a Jew. His message focuses not only on what happened to him, but on what Jews choose to do in response.

“Leibel’s story is extraordinarily powerful because ultimately it is not only a story about terror — it is a story about what we choose to do after terror,” said Rabbi Ruvi New, Director of Boca Beach Chabad. “As we prepare for Rosh Hashanah and a new Jewish year, his message challenges us not to retreat in fear, but to respond with greater faith, greater Jewish pride and a deeper commitment to Jewish life.”

The program is part of Boca Beach Chabad’s Souls of Sydney initiative, launched in response to the Bondi Beach attack with the goal of transforming tragedy into positive Jewish action.

The timing of the gathering, just days before Rosh Hashanah, adds another dimension to the morning. Following Lazaroff’s presentation, participants will join in familiar High Holiday songs and melodies, shifting from a story of darkness and survival toward the themes of renewal, hope and spiritual awakening that define the Jewish New Year.

“Rosh Hashanah reminds us that no matter what the past year has brought, we are never prisoners of yesterday,” New said. “We can choose how we enter the year ahead. Leibel embodies that idea in an extraordinary way.”

Event Details:

What - Souls of Sydney Breakfast featuring Bondi Beach terror attack survivor Leibel Lazaroff

When - Monday, September 7th, 2026 — Labor Day, 10:00 a.m.

Where - Boca Beach Chabad Jewish Center, 490 East Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33432

Program - Breakfast, firsthand testimony and High Holiday songs

RSVP - www.BocaBeachChabad.com/SOSBreakfast

About Boca Beach Chabad:

Boca Beach Chabad Jewish Center, led by Rabbi Ruvi and Ahuva New, serves the greater East Boca Raton Jewish community through educational, spiritual, social and holiday programming. Guided by the belief that every Jew belongs, Boca Beach Chabad provides a welcoming home for Jewish connection, community and growth — As You Are.