At just 14, Chaya Dadon displayed extraordinary courage during one of Australia’s deadliest terror attacks in decades.
On Sunday afternoon, as two gunman opened fire at hundreds celebrating Hanukkah on Bondi Beach, the schoolgirl saw two children stranded beside their wounded parents and acted without hesitation.
In a moment of selflessness, it is reported that Chaya left her hiding spot under a bench and covered the children with her own body as bullets tore through the crowd. She was shot in the leg but continued shielding the young victims, helping them stay calm and recite the Shema, a Jewish prayer.
“I was just holding them, I was hugging them. I said: ‘It’s gonna be okay’,” Chaya told 7NEWS.com.au.
“I knew I got shot, but I wasn’t even worried. I channelled all my energy into strength to protect those kids.”
The annual Chanukah by the Sea event, run for 25 years by her father and Rabbi Eli Schlanger, is usually a day of celebration, community, and joy. Chaya added:
“There’s just so much love, and it was that, even minutes before all the shooting.”
It is further reported that Chaya had been visiting a jewellery stand and buying a necklace before heading to the petting zoo with a friend when gunfire erupted.
Initially mistaking it for fireworks, she quickly realised the danger and took cover. Under the bench, she witnessed two women shot while standing with children and heard desperate pleas for help.
“I could not watch those little kids die, so I climbed up from under the bench and jumped on top of them, grabbing them from their mum,” she said. She recited the Shema, guiding the children through the words.
“That’s what I truly believe saved me.”
ABC reported that Chaya, reflecting on the attack, told Australians:
“Be the light. Be the light in the field of darkness. That will make us stronger … we are mourning, but we are getting stronger as a nation. We are growing. Sometimes growing hurts, but we are growing.”
Speaking about her decision to leave cover to protect the children, Chaya said, “Not one inch of my body felt scared. I felt God holding my hand and whispering. I heard the words… ‘This is it! This is your mission! This is your purpose!’ A big concept of Judaism is having a purpose, having a meaning to be in this world. And in that moment I felt so directed in the right direction.”
“I was like, there is no going back. I’m doing it and nothing was going to get in my way.”
With hospitals and ambulances overwhelmed, a Bondi surf lifesaver placed Chaya on a surfboard, which was then driven to a police car and taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital. She has since undergone surgery to remove a bullet and is now walking short distances with crutches, decorated with stickers commemorating those killed.
Chaya’s cousin, whose husband Rabbi Eli Schlanger was killed in the attack, stayed with her during treatment. Her mother, Shterny Dadon, rushed from Israel upon hearing the news. “I just keep on telling her, you’re a hero,” she said.
“She’s not only saved people’s lives, but she’s also given herself strength to process this horrible situation.”
Despite her bravery, Chaya humbly rejects being singled out.
“I don’t feel like I’m a hero. I feel like everyone was a hero in that situation.”
Her grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov Lieder, praised her courage. “Her instinct is to save lives while these terrorists are killing people. What a contrast,” he said. Describing Chaya as a sensitive and gentle soul, Lieder said she personifies the meaning of her name—life—and always seeks to bring joy and peace to others.
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