Toronto relative says rabbi killed in Sydney Hanukkah attack was ‘very special’

A rabbi killed in the mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia is being remembered by family members in Toronto for his positivity and commitment to bringing Judaism to others.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger was one of at least 15 people killed at the event on Bondi Beach on Sunday after two gunmen opened fire on the crowd.

Estee Schlanger of Toronto, who is married to the rabbi’s older brother, remembers him as a “very positive and happy person” who was always encouraging others to do good deeds.

She says Schlanger, who grew up in the United Kingdom and settled in Australia, leaves behind his wife and five children, including a newborn.

She says he was a wonderful father and husband, and those who worked with him in Sydney called him a “very special person.”

Estee says the rabbi, who was the second youngest of 10 children, had three siblings living in Australia who are traumatized by the loss and the shooting.