Bondi Beach: Family of slain Rabbi meets Muslim who stopped Sydney shooter
“Your bravery saved lives,” Kastel told him. “That you acted with such humanity, regardless of religion, makes this even more meaningful.”
The relatives of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed in the Bondi Beach terror attack, met this week with the Muslim civilian whose intervention helped bring the violence to an end.
The meeting took place at a Sydney hospital, where Ahmed al-Ahmad, a Syrian-born Muslim, is recovering from serious injuries sustained while confronting one of the attackers. Al-Ahmad was shot multiple times as he stepped in during the assault, actions credited with saving numerous lives.
Rabbi Mendel Kastel, whose brother-in-law Rabbi Eli Schlanger was among those murdered in the attack, came to thank al-Ahmad personally. Speaking at his bedside, Kastel expressed deep appreciation for the courage shown under fire and emphasized the significance of the gesture coming from someone of a different faith.
“Your bravery saved lives,” Kastel told him. “That you acted with such humanity, regardless of religion, makes this even more meaningful.”
Al-Ahmad remains hospitalized in stable condition but is suffering from severe pain after being shot four times in the arm, injuries that have caused loss of sensation and will require further surgeries.
Al-Ahmad responded to the family’s thanks by stressing shared values over religious differences. “We are all human beings,” he said. “No matter our faith, we must stand together and protect life.”
“I went out for an ordinary errand,” he said, “but God sent me to save lives.”
Despite the trauma and ongoing medical challenges, Issa said his client remains resolute.